Patent ID: 6332914
Filing Date: 2001-12-25
Classification: B01D

Abstract:
A method for separating and recovering hydrogen isotopes from a fluid containing hydrogen isotopes, said method comprising the steps of:(a) communicating a first stream of a fluid containing hydrogen isotopes at a first temperature in a first direction between a first end and a second end;(b) communicating a second stream of said fluid containing hydrogen isotopes at a second temperature lower than the first temperature in a second direction opposite to the first direction between said second end and said first end;(c) interposing a proton exchange membrane between the streams, said proton exchange membrane being made of thermally insulating and chemically transparent material that allows exchange of heavy and light hydrogen isotopes therethrough, wherein heavier isotopes migrate from the first stream to the second stream for thereby producing a deuterium and tritium-enriched fluid, while lighter isotopes migrate to the first stream from the second stream for thereby producing a lighter isotope-enriched fluid;(d) removing the deuterium and tritium-enriched fluid from the first end, and(e) removing the lighter isotope-enriched fluid from the second end.