MASS-TRANSFER IN CRYOGENIC DISTILLATION COLUMN SEPARATING HYDROGEN ISOTOPES

A simulation model was proposed to study the mass and heat transfer rates in hydrogen isotope distillation columns. The model is on the basis of the analogy : the mass transfer coefficients and effective surface area within the column were estimated by Kosuge's and Onda's correlation in the model. The calculated results by the present model agreed approximately with the experimental observations. The model had a tendency to give slightly higher separation performance. This tendency is due to that the estimated effective surface area might be larger than actual values. The calculated results by the proposed model were compared with those by the stage model also to discuss relationship between the mass transfer rate and the HETP value. The estimated mass transfer rates were almost the same for H-D and D-T systems. This calculated results give a reason why the HETP values were not varied for the difference in physical properties of hydrogen isotopes. The proposed model does not have the parameter that fit the calculated results to the experimental observations. Comparing the calculated results by the proposed model with those by the stage model, we can estimate the HETP value.