TCAP Hydrogen Isotope Separation Process Under Development at ICSI Rm. Valcea

A pilot plant for tritium removal from tritiated water is in operation at Institute for Cryogenics and Isotopes Technologies, Ramnicu (Rm.) Valcea, and it is based on catalytic isotopic exchange between tritiated water and hydrogen/deuterium followed by cryogenic distillation (CD) aiming to recover tritium. A CD cascade consisting of four distillation columns is in operation and significant effort is required in various batch mode operations for achieving high-tritium concentration. Development of a thermal cycling absorption process (TCAP) began in the Experimental Pilot Plant at Rm. Valcea in order to complement the CD cascade, which has the main drawback the high-tritium holdup. With TCAP implementation, the drawback may be overcome. A mathematical model will be developed for the process and provisions will be considered in the view of scaling up for large throughputs having an ultimate goal the implementation in the Tritium Removal Facility at Nuclear Power Plant Cernavoda. The developments are also relevant for the fusion activities, such as International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor and Demonstration Power Station.