An assessment on hydrogen isotopes separation by liquid phase catalytic exchange process

Abstract

Based upon the authors' long experience and upon a literature review, this paper presents an assessment regarding up-to-date R&D activities related to development and application of liquid phase catalytic exchange (LPCE) technology for tritium separation from tritiated water, produced in fission and fusion nuclear reactors. The assessment is focused on key elements of the LPCE process, mixed catalytic packing and as a result of the assessment, few recommendations for selecting the most suitable mixed catalytic packing are given. A new improved mixed catalytic packing (COMPACK C-P 001) was manufactured and proposed to be used in the future Tritium Removal Facility from Cernavoda CANDU NPP (Romania).

Liquid‐Phase Catalytic Exchange of Hydrogen Isotopes over Ion Sputtering Platinum on Superhydrophobic Coatings

“…Therefore, many researchers have much interest in the separation and purification of deuterium and tritium. [1] Various technologies, including distillation, [2] thermal diffusion [3] and catalytic exchange [4] are used for the separation of hydrogen isotopes. Among them, LPCE is suitable for nuclear industrial application in recycling hydrogen isotopes from heavy water production, [4][5] which attracts much interest with mild operating conditions and high separation efficiency.…”

“…[1] Various technologies, including distillation, [2] thermal diffusion [3] and catalytic exchange [4] are used for the separation of hydrogen isotopes. Among them, LPCE is suitable for nuclear industrial application in recycling hydrogen isotopes from heavy water production, [4][5] which attracts much interest with mild operating conditions and high separation efficiency. [6] When contacting with liquid water or capillary condensation of water vapor, traditional catalysts lose their activity.…”

Platinum on Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanosheets Obtained Under Microwave Irradiation, Using Reducing Agents

“…The heat and the pressure are produced by the interaction of the irradiation with the polar bonding of the functional groups containing oxygen from the surface and from the edge of the graphene oxide sheets, (Sun et al, 2015) The hydrophobic catalyst is considered an essential element for increasing the tritium separation performances and in minimizing Liquid Phase Catalytic Exchange (LPCE) column sizes, facilitating tritium transfer from tritiated vapor water to deuterium. Worldwide were prepared and tested more than 100 catalysts at laboratory scale, (Ionita et al, 2015). National Research and Development Institute for Cryogenic and Isotopic Technologies -ICSI Rm.…”

Liquid-Phase Catalytic Exchange of Hydrogen Isotopes over Platinum on Dual-Modified Graphene

“…Meanwhile, because platinum as an active site is easily covered by water to deactivate its activity, platinum nanoparticles need to be loaded on the hydrophobic support to maintain their long-term activity. For instance, platinum nanoparticles were dispersed on hydrophobic styrene divinylbenzene copolymer (Pt/SDB) − and poly­(tetrafluoroethylene) (Pt/PTFE) , first. Furthermore, to improve the efficiency of catalytic exchange, electric conductive supports, such as active carbon, , carbon nanotubes, and MIL-101, were introduced into the hydrophobic supports.…”