Method and system for separating a tritiated heavy water stream into a tritium-lean heavy water stream and a tritium-enriched heavy water stream

A process for separating a tritiated heavy water stream into a tritium-lean heavy water stream and a tritium-enriched heavy water stream, the process comprising:

• producing a source of tritiated heavy water (DTO/D2O);
• flowing the tritiated heavy water (DTO/D2O) into an isotope exchange column at a feed point between a first end of the column and an opposed second end of the column, said column containing a hydrophobic solid catalyst configured to promote exchange of deuterium and tritium;
• flowing a DT/D2 gas out of an electrolysis cell and into the first end of the column;
• concentrating, in the column, tritium content in the tritiated heavy water by counter current flow of the DT/D2 gas from the first end of the column to the second end of the column, to produce a tritium-rich heavy water below the feed point and a tritium-lean deuterium gas above the feed point;
• flowing the tritium-rich heavy water out the first end of the column and into the electrolysis cell;
• forming, in the electrolysis cell, the DT/D2 gas and the tritium-enriched heavy water stream;
• flowing the tritium-enriched heavy water stream back to the source of the tritiated heavy water;
• flowing the tritium-lean deuterium gas out the second end of the column and into a tritium-lean heavy water unit;
• flowing an O2 gas or light water into the tritium-lean heavy water unit;
• and
• forming, in the tritium-lean heavy water unit, the tritium-lean heavy water stream.