Methods, Devices, and Systems for the Separation and Concentration of Isotopologues
a technology of isotopologues and separation methods, applied in the direction of separation processes, radioactive contaminants, lighting and heating apparatus, etc., can solve the problems of radiation hazards, small leakage risk, and few facilities that can clean or separate tritiated water properly
Inactive Publication Date: 2015-01-29
EXELON GENERATION CO LLC +1
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Benefits of technology
The invention provides methods, devices, and systems for separating or concentrating isotopologues from a mixture of isotopologues. Specifically, the patent describes a method for separating tritium oxide from water and tritium oxide using a filter that captures the second isotopological molecule (tritium oxide) while allowing the first isotopological molecule (water) to pass through. The device includes a housing with a chamber and filter media containing a third isotopological molecule. The system includes both a grinder and a means for exerting pressure onto the filter media to facilitate the separation process. The technical effect of this invention is the ability to efficiently separate and concentrate isotopologues from a mixture of isotopologues, which can be useful in various applications such as the separation of tritium oxide from nuclear power generation processes.
Problems solved by technology
Very few facilities exist that can properly clean or separate tritiated water from a solution or mixture of tritiated water and normal water.
The scarcity of facilities makes it necessary to transport relatively large volumes of contaminated water solution containing relatively small volumes of tritiated water across long distances to a location such as Ontario Power Generation's Tritiated Water Removal Facility.
This is troublesome because it is persistent enough to concentrate in the reactor water.
Tritiated water causes no ill reactivity effects within the nuclear reactor, but it does provide a significant risk for contamination from small leaks.
As tritium is not a strong beta emitter, it is not dangerous externally, however, it is a radiation hazard when inhaled, ingested via food or water, or absorbed through the skin.
In the form of tritiated water molecules, it can be absorbed through pores in the skin, leading to cell damage and an increased chance of cancer.
The available processes are not commercially attractive when starting with low concentrations of tritium as tritiated water because of the transportation costs.
No low cost processes have been demonstrated for the concentration of tritiated water due to the fact that it has physical and chemical characteristics that are so similar to water that it precludes normal chemical or thermodynamic measures.
These close similarities have previously made it difficult to define processes that will efficiently separate the tritiated water from water.
Method used
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[0064]The following examples are put forth so as to provide those of ordinary skill in the art with a complete disclosure and description of how the methods, devices, and systems disclosed and claimed herein are made and evaluated, and are intended to be purely exemplary and are not intended to limit the disclosure. Efforts have been made to ensure accuracy with respect to numbers (e.g., amounts, temperature, etc.), but some errors and deviations should be accounted for. Unless indicated otherwise, parts are parts by weight, temperature is in C or is at ambient temperature, and pressure is at or near atmospheric.
[0065]Several experiments were conducted using finely divided deuterium ice as a filtration media for the separation or concentration of tritium water from a liquid mixture. According to these experiments, a single 60 ml plastic medical syringe was used as the filter cartridge. A stuffing material comprised of conventional filter paper was packed into the bottom to prevent t...
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Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a divisional of and claims the benefit of priority to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13 / 090,879, filed on Apr. 20, 2011. The aforementioned application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Isotopologues are molecules that differ only in their isotopic composition. Hydrogen-related isotopologues of normal or “light” water (H20) include “semi-heavy water” having a single deuterium isotope (HDO or IH2H0), “heavy water” with two deuterium isotopes (D20 or 2H20), tritiated water having a single tritium isotope (HTO or 3HOH) and “super-heavy water” (T20 or 3H20). For purposes of this disclosure, the term tritiated water will be used to refer to any water molecule in which one or both hydrogen atoms are replaced with a tritium isotope. Tritiated water is a byproduct of nuclear power generating stations.[0003]Tritium is chemically represented as T or 3H and is a radi...
Claims
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IPC IPC(8): F25J1/00
CPCF25J1/00B01D9/0004B01D9/004B01D59/08C02F1/22C02F2101/006C02F1/004Y02A20/152
InventorAVERY, RANDALL N.BOOTH, CHARLIEMOSER, KEITH
OwnerEXELON GENERATION CO LLC