Laboratory studies conducted for the development of a plant to concentrate the radioactive waste from tritiated water

Abstract

The Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant is the biggest operational source of tritium, in Europe and one of the most important in the world. The recovery of tritium from the moderator of operating Candu reactors and from the reactors to operate, represents a good opportunity for Romania to be involved in international collaboration programs in the field of nuclear fusion. Our interest is especially focussed on tritiated waste water with low activity resulted from the maintenance work performed on reactors with the purpose of reducing their volume and their reprocessing. The system presented in this work is based on the catalytic isotopic exchange and molecular dissociation CECE (Combined Electrolysis Catalytic Exchange). It has been noticed a growing interest regarding the electrolysers having polymer membranes as electrolyte SPM (solid polymer membrane). The advantage of using polymer membranes consists in the fact that membranes are actually the electrolyte and performs in the same time hydrogen and its isotopes separation. The present paper presents a conceptual design scheme for a tritium concentration system resulted from the tritiated waste water. This conceptual design represented the basis for the development of the installation for the tritiated waste water concentration, and the experiments to be performed will represent a support for promoting this technology. For designing the system and for analysing its functionality, a theoretical model for calculating tritium separation and concentration, has been developed.