Patent ID: 7393447

Claim:
A method of producing heavy oxygen water, comprising: obtaining an enriched material which has been enriched in at least one component from oxygen molecules which contain heavy oxygen isotopes by means of cryogenic distillation of an oxygen starting material which contains heavy oxygen isotopes using an apparatus for separation of a vapor or liquid mixtures; wherein the apparatus comprises a plurality of distillation columns constructed in a cascade, each of the distillation columns including a reboiler and a condenser, so that liquid drawn from each of the columns is introduced into the reboiler, vapor drawn from each of the columns is introduced into the condenser; an outlet of the reboiler of a first column is connected to an inlet of the condenser of a second column via introduction conduits, which introduce vapor drawn from the reboiler of the first column into the condenser of the second column; and an outlet of the condenser of the second column is connected to an inlet of the reboiler of the first column via return conduits, which return liquid drawn from the condenser of the second column into the reboiler of the first column; obtaining water containing heavy oxygen water by adding hydrogen to said enriched material; and, thereafter, further enriching said heavy oxygen water using a separation apparatus.