New catalytic packing performance: Theoretical and experimental characterization for LPCE process

Abstract

The tritium removal facility (CTRF-Romania) technical project was completed. The applied technology is Liquid Phase Catalytic Exchange combined with Cryogenic Distillation. As this facility will have a lifetime of at least 40 years, research into the development of mixed catalytic package for the LPCE continues, especially for this purpose, but also for others related to fusion technology would be useful too.The new catalytic package consists in Pt/C/PTFE hydrophobic catalyst, integrated into a B7 structured hydrophilic packing, after an elaborate arrangement. This mixed package is suitable for use in installation with high throughput and low pressure drop.To determine the separation performance of the new package, a laboratory installation consisting of a LPCE glass column to visualize the flow was developed.The paper presents the first stage of experiments in conditions similar to the CTRF project, to determine separation performance at the transfer of deuterium. Performance is determined by correlating the profile of isotopic concentrations on the gaseous phase by process simulation with that determined from isotopic measurements performed on QMS, at 5 sampling points along the LPCE column.The data shows that using this package in the LPCE columns at CTRF increases the design margin by another 10%.