Commissioning of the LPCE and purification systems as front-end of the experimental pilot plant for D-T separation

Abstract

Abstract Liquid Phase Catalytic Exchange (LPCE) as front-end process and Cryogenic Distillation (CD) as back-end process are key processes in detritiation of heavy water used in Cernavoda CANDU-type Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) from Romania as neutron moderator and in the primary heat transfer system. Same technology is used in the Water Detritiation System (WDS) of International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) from Cadarache, France, in order to recover tritium from moderately tritiated water. The purpose of this paper is to give a detailed overview of the current status for the front-end of the ICSI pilot plant, LPCE and purification systems, including all process components. Additionally, the paper will present the results of the non-radiological commissioning of the actual LPCE. The tests were made using protium and deuterium in order to have the confirmation of fully availability for all systems, to verify the operability in manual and automate mode for all sequences involved by start-up, normal operation and safe shut-down of the installation. The principal results consist in the safety and operability design confirmation. Secondly we present the mass transfer data of LPCE column equipped with catalytic package COMPACK C–P 001 consisting of the structured B7 stainless steel packing manufactured and patented by ICSI and a Pt/C/PTFE hydrophobic catalyst at the commissioning low concentration heavy water tests.