In situ apparatus and method for providing deuterium oxide or tritium oxide in an industrial apparatus or method

An electrochemical hydrogen isotope recycling apparatus for recycling a feedstream comprising an isotope of hydrogen, comprising:

• a gas stream comprising the isotope of hydrogen;
• a pre-filter trap configured to receive the gas stream;
• a humidifier in fluid communication with and disposed upstream of an electrochemical recycling unit and that is configured to humidify the gas stream with a heavy water containing the isotope of hydrogen;
• wherein the electrochemical recycling unit, comprises
• an anode;
• a cathode;
• isotope-treated, cation exchange membrane operatively disposed between the anode and cathode, the isotope-treated, cation exchange membrane having heavy water containing the isotope of hydrogen therein, the unit configured to receive the feedstream containing the isotope of hydrogen;
• a heavy water generator that is in fluid communication with the humidifier and configured to provide a heavy water to the humidifier;
• an enthalpy exchange drier that is in in fluid communication with the heavy water generator that is configured to add or remove heat from a stream received from the heavy water generator and to provide a liquid heavy water or heavy water vapor containing the isotope of hydrogen to the gas stream downstream of the pre-filter trap;
• a dehumidifier in fluid communication with and disposed downstream of the electrochemical recycling unit;
• and
• wherein the heavy water generator comprises a reactor unit in fluid communication with the electrochemical recycling unit, wherein the reactor unit comprises a non-oxygen containing compound that is capable of reacting with the isotope of hydrogen in the feedstream to form a reaction product.

A hydrogen isotope recycling apparatus for recycling an isotope of hydrogen, comprising:

• a gas stream comprising the isotope of hydrogen;
• a pre-filter trap configured to receive the gas stream;
• a humidifier in fluid communication with and disposed upstream of an electrochemical recycling unit and that is configured to humidify the gas stream with a heavy water containing the isotope of hydrogen;
• wherein the electrochemical recycling unit comprises:
• an anode;
• a cathode;
• and
• an isotope-treated cation exchange medium operatively disposed between the anode and cathode, the isotope-treated cation exchange medium having heavy water containing the isotope of hydrogen therein, the device configured to receive a feedstream containing the isotope of hydrogen;
• a heavy water generator that is in fluid communication with the humidifier and configured to provide a heavy water to the humidifier;
• the heavy water generator including a reactor in fluid communication with the electrochemical recycling unit;
• an enthalpy exchange drier that is in in fluid communication with the heavy water generator that is configured to add or remove heat from a stream received from the heavy water generator and to provide a liquid heavy water or heavy water vapor containing the isotope of hydrogen to the gas stream downstream of the pre-filter trap;
• a dehumidifier in fluid communication with and disposed downstream of the electrochemical recycling unit;
• and
• wherein components of the apparatus containing a non-isotopic water are pre-processed using a heavy water containing the isotope of hydrogen of the products to exchange hydrogen for the isotope of hydrogen;
• wherein at least one of the anode and the cathode comprise a water-containing layer that comprises the heavy water.