US 4,221,774 A · Isotope enrichment systems

Abstract

A new combination is disclosed of (I) a process for producing a substance enriched in a desired isotope of hydrogen and/or oxygen from a flow of liquid substance, e.g. water which becomes depleted in its content of said isotope, and (II) replenishing the liquid substance with said isotope by (a) direct contact with a flow of steam from a source external to the process, preferably geothermal steam, and (b) supplying feed flow of the process (I) from the so replenished liquid substance. Modes of improving the various forms of the process which employ dual temperature isotope exchange and their sub-combinations are also disclosed which enable high temperatures and/or greater tower temperature differentials to be employed at reduced pressure, thus decreasing construction, energy, and other operating costs of the process, by the use in the process of certain hydroxylated and/or carboxylated organic compounds preferably with a minor proportion of water and preferably having in solution an ionizable substance enhancing the isotope exchange.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A process for concentrating the heavy isotope of at least one element of the class of elements consisting of hydrogen and oxygen by the dual temperature exchange of the heavy and light isotopes of said at least one element between two separable fluids containing said element, one of said fluids being in gaseous phase and the other being in liquid phase, which comprises providing the said liquid phase as a solution consisting essentially

(a) in minor molar proportion, of water, and
(b) in major molar proportion, of material selected from the class consisting of the water miscible organic hydroxy and/or carboxy compounds which have a ratio of carbon atoms to their alcoholic and acidic hydroxyl groups not greater than 2.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Isotope enrichment systems

Life of this patent

Isotope enrichment systems

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14