Advanced tritium system and advanced permeation system for separation of tritium from radioactive wastes
AssigneeKurion, Inc.
InventorsMark S. Denton, Gaetan Bonhomme, Wesley L. Bratton, Nicephore Bonnet
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Abstract
A liquid phase catalytic exchange column with a catalyst is configured to receive hydrogen gas. The system uses the catalyst to exchange the hydrogen gas with the tritiated source yielding HT gas and tritiated water. The system monitors tritium content of the tritiated water. When a predetermined tritium level is detected, the tritiated water is released. The system also includes a gaseous permeation system comprising a permeable barrier for the selective extraction of gases.
Claims22
A system for the continuous low energy extraction of tritium from a tritiated source, comprising:
- a liquid phase catalytic exchange column comprising a catalyst, operably configured to:
- receive hydrogen gas from a first inlet,
- receive the tritiated source from a second inlet, wherein the tritiated source comprises a first concentration of tritiated water,
- use the catalyst to exchange the hydrogen gas with the tritiated source yielding HT gas and a second concentration of tritiated water, wherein the second concentration of tritiated water is less than the first concentration of tritiated water,
- monitor tritium content of the second concentration of tritiated water with a first tritium monitor for a first predetermined level, and
- responsive to detecting the first predetermined level, release the second concentration of tritiated water through a first valve;
- a gaseous permeation system comprising a permeable barrier for the selective extraction of gases, operably configured to:
- receive a carrier gas from a third inlet,
- receive a mixture of tritiated gas and H2 gases from a fourth inlet,
- use the permeable barrier to selectively extract and separate the tritiated gas and the H2 gas into different regions of the gaseous permeation system,
- monitor tritium content of the extracted H2 gas with a second tritium monitor for a second predetermined level, and
- responsive to detecting the second predetermined level, at least one of reintroduce the H2 gas through the first inlet and release the H2 gas through a second valve,
- remove the tritiated gas from a third valve.
A method for the continuous low energy extraction of tritium from a tritiated source, comprising:
- using a liquid phase catalytic exchange column comprising a catalyst, operably configured to:
- receive hydrogen gas from a first inlet,
- receive the tritiated source from a second inlet, wherein the tritiated source comprises a first concentration of tritiated water,
- use the catalyst to exchange the hydrogen gas with the tritiated source yielding HT gas and a second concentration of tritiated water, wherein the second concentration of tritiated water is less than the first concentration of tritiated water,
- monitor tritium content of the second concentration of tritiated water with a first tritium monitor for a first predetermined level, and
- responsive to detecting the first predetermined level, release the second concentration of tritiated water through a first valve;
- using a gaseous permeation system comprising a permeable barrier for the selective extraction of gases, operably configured to:
- receive a carrier gas from a third inlet,
- receive a mixture of tritiated gas and H2 gases from a fourth inlet,
- use the permeable barrier to selectively extract and separate the tritiated gas and the H2 gas into different regions of the gaseous permeation system,
- monitor tritium content of the extracted H2 gas with a second tritium monitor for a second predetermined level, and
- responsive to detecting the second predetermined level, at least one of reintroduce the H2 gas through the first inlet and release the H2 gas through a second valve,
- remove the tritiated gas from a third valve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.