A fresh look at thermal cycling absorption process for hydrogen isotopes separation by dynamic simulation: Initial feeding process and total reflux mode

Abstract

Thermal Cycling Absorption Process (TCAP) is an important method to separate hydrogen isotopes for the production and engineering application of tritium. There are so many influencing factors that it is difficult to fully understand the influence mechanisms only through experiments. A new simulation model of TCAP was developed. Using the simulation model, the influencing trend and optimized value of parameters of initial feeding process and total reflux mode in TCAP are obtained as follows. (1) The temperatures of initial feeding and the cold cycle are not the lower the better as commonly assumed but exists an optimal value of 30 °C in initial feeding and -20 °C in the cold cycle. (2) The heating rate and cooling rate also exist optimal values of 45 °C/min and 55 °C/min (3) Lower feeding rate is conducive to a better separation effect of hydrogen isotopes. (4) Increasing the reflux ratio benefits the enrichment of heavy hydrogen isotope at the product side but not the light hydrogen isotope at the tail side. (5) It needs more cycles to achieve the same isotope abundance in D/T separation than H/D separation and the separation degree of hydrogen isotopes exists a maximum value after multiple cycles. The findings can provide references for the process optimization and the device design of TCAP, and also can shed new light on the understanding of the basic physical and chemical process of TCAP.