Hydrogen isotope concentrating apparatus

A hydrogen isotope concentrating apparatus for outputting an output gas obtained from an input gas in which hydrogen (1H) and a hydrogen isotope, which is an isotope of the hydrogen, are mixed, the output gas having an increased concentration ratio of the hydrogen isotope to the hydrogen than in the input gas,

• the hydrogen isotope concentrating apparatus comprising a membrane electrode assembly having:
• a proton conduction layer made of a proton conductor to conduct positive ions of hydrogen and having two principal surfaces opposing each other;
• a first electrode formed on one of the principal surfaces of the proton conduction layer;
• and a second electrode formed on the other one of the principal surfaces of the proton conduction layer,
• wherein, in the membrane electrode assembly, a DC voltage is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, the hydrogen and the hydrogen isotope in the input gas that is in contact with one of the first and second electrodes set to be an anode flow between the first and second electrodes, a product gas is produced at the other one of the first and second electrodes set to be a cathode,
• and between the product gas and an exhaust gas corresponding to the input gas after consumption of the hydrogen and the hydrogen isotope for producing the product gas, one having an increased concentration of the hydrogen isotope is extracted as the output gas,
• wherein
• the first electrode is uniformly made of a film of a hydrogen permeable metal selected from one of palladium (Pd), vanadium (V), tantalum (Ta) and titanium (Ti),
• wherein
• the second electrode is made of Pt/C catalyst, in which Pt particles are supported on carbon particles.