Patent ID: 8470073

Claim:
The process of obtaining purified hydrogen isotopes comprising the steps of: providing a hydrogen isotope mixture as feedstock; separating the feedstock in a first separation column, said first separation column preferentially absorbs a lighter hydrogen isotope (i.e., protium vs. deuterium, or deuterium vs. tritium, or protium vs. tritium) and is operated over a temperature range of between −40° C. to 150° C.; providing further separation of the feedstock in a second separation column, said second separation column preferably absorbs heavier hydrogen isotope (i.e., tritium vs. protium, or tritium vs. deuterium, or deuterium vs. protium) and operating of a temperature range of between −196° C.-−100° C.; transferring said feedstock from said first separation column to said second separation column, and also transferring said feed stock from said second separation column to said first separation column, thereby providing a purified heavy hydrogen isotope from said first separation column and a purified light hydrogen isotope from said second separation column.