Heavy water detritiation by combined electrolysis catalytic exchange at the experimental industrial plant

The experimental industrial plant has been in operation in Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute to develop the combined electrolysis and catalytic exchange (CECE) process for hydrogen isotope separation since 1995. The plant is also used for processing tritiated heavy water waste; several tons of reactor quality heavy water have been obtained. Last year, the plant was updated to provide a means for heavy water detritiation with high detritiation factor. This paper describes the experimental results for heavy water detritiation. During heavy water purification from tritium detritiation factor about 103 was achieved. Heavy water with reduced contents of tritium less than 10(5) Bq/kg was withdrawn at the rate of 4.5 kg per day as a top product. The sample points located along the separation column allowed obtaining tritium concentration profiles within the column. The experimental data are compared with the ones predicted by computer simulation. CECE process is attractive for use in the heavy water hi-flux PIK reactor detritiation plant. This process can find an application at the ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) fusion facility. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.