In situ apparatus and method for providing deuterium oxide or tritium oxide in an industrial apparatus or method

Abstract

An industrial apparatus 10 and/or method, such as an electrochemical hydrogen isotope recycling apparatus and/or method, includes an apparatus 49 and/or process by which gaseous D2 is recovered in a reactor 3 from a gas stream via a reaction in the reactor with another molecule to form a useful chemical compound containing D.

Having thus described the invention, it is claimed: 
     
         1 . An electrochemical hydrogen isotope recycling apparatus for recycling an isotope of hydrogen, comprising:
 an electrochemical recycling unit, the unit comprising:   an anode;   a cathode; and   an isotope-treated, proton exchange membrane operatively disposed between the anode and cathode, the isotope-treated, proton exchange membrane having heavy water (D 2 O or T 2 O) containing the isotope of hydrogen therein, the device configured to receive a feedstream containing the isotope of hydrogen.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a humidifier or saturator, the humidifier or saturator in fluid communication with and disposed upstream of the unit configured to humidify the feedstream with heavy water containing the isotope of hydrogen, further comprising a saturator in fluid communication with and disposed downstream of the unit configured to capture the heavy water containing the isotope of hydrogen evolved from the cathode, wherein the humidifier or saturator comprises an isotope-treated, proton exchange membrane having heavy water containing the isotope of hydrogen therein. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a dehumidifier in fluid communication with and disposed downstream of the unit, wherein the dehumidifier comprises a cold trap, adsorbent, polymer membrane, ceramic membrane, film, palladium separator, or even pressure swing absorption unit, wherein the dehumidifier comprises an isotope-treated, proton exchange membrane having heavy water containing the isotope of hydrogen therein 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the isotope is deuterium or tritium. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the isotope-treated, proton exchange membrane comprises a perfluorosulfonic acid membrane. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a heavy water generator to produce heavy water utilized in the apparatus, wherein the anode or the cathode or an interfacial layer associated with one or both of them comprises an ionomer or other water-containing layer having the heavy water containing the isotope of hydrogen therein, wherein the cathode is configured for active or passive heavy water circulation, wherein the cathode is actively flooded with heavy water or wherein the cathode comprises a passively flooded cathode, further comprising a circulation pump in fluid communication with a cathode inlet and a reservoir containing the heavy water, the pump configured to pump the heavy water to the cathode inlet, the reservoir also in fluid communication with a cathode outlet and configured to receive the heavy water evolved at the cathode outlet. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a pre-filter trap configured to receive an incoming mixed gas flowstream comprising a gas that includes the gas comprising the isotope of hydrogen and at least one other gas, wherein the pre-filter trap is configured to capture the at least one other gas. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising a reservoir containing the heavy water having an outlet disposed above and in fluid communication with a cathode inlet and configured to a supply the heavy water to the cathode inlet, the reservoir having an inlet disposed in a head space of the reservoir in fluid communication with a cathode outlet configured to receive the heavy water evolved at the cathode outlet by a bubble lift method. 
     
     
         9 . A process by which high purity hydrogen isotope products are produced using a proton exchange apparatus utilizing heavy water (D 2 O or T 2 O) and in which all conventional water containing components of the apparatus are pre-processed using a heavy water containing the isotope of hydrogen of the products to exchange hydrogen for the isotope of hydrogen. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein the proton exchange apparatus comprises a proton exchange membrane, wherein the proton exchange membrane comprises a perfluorosulfonic acid membrane, wherein the proton exchange apparatus comprises an electrochemical pump comprising a proton exchange membrane 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein anode and cathode exhaust or outlet streams contain heavy water (D 2 O or T 2 O), whereby the heavy water is recovered at the anode and cathode by a water recovery system, wherein the proton exchange apparatus comprises a heavy water generator, and wherein the heavy water generator produces heavy water for utilization by other components of the proton exchange apparatus, wherein the cathode is actively flooded with the heavy water. wherein the process comprises exposing components of the proton exchange apparatus that are configured for proton exchange to the heavy water, wherein the proton exchange apparatus generates heavy water, and the heavy water generated from the apparatus regardless of whether it is the anode, cathode, or any fluid stream, is recovered by a water recovery technology, including but not limited to methods such as cold traps, adsorbents, pressure swing adsorbers, temperature swing adsorbers, enthalpy exchange units, enthalpy wheels, metal-based separators such as palladium membranes, or the like, wherein the proton exchange apparatus comprises a heavy water humidifier upstream of a heavy water electrochemical unit, and the process comprises feeding the gaseous isotope comprising the heavy water (D 2  or T 2 ) from the heavy water humidifier to the heavy water electrochemical stack, wherein the proton exchange apparatus comprises a heavy water saturator downstream of a heavy water electrochemical unit, and the process comprises receiving the gaseous isotope comprising the heavy water (D 2  or T 2 ) from the heavy water electrochemical stack to the heavy water humidifier. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein the proton exchange apparatus comprises a pressure swing adsorber downstream of the cathode that is configured to adsorb the heavy water evolved from the cathode, and wherein the pressure swing adsorber is configured to recycle the heavy water or water vapor within the process, wherein the recycled heavy water or water vapor is recycled to a heavy water humidifier or saturator or to the anode. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein the proton exchange apparatus further comprises a circulation pump in fluid communication with a cathode inlet and a reservoir containing the heavy water, the pump configured for pumping the heavy water to the cathode inlet, the reservoir also in fluid communication with a cathode outlet and configured to receive the heavy water evolved at the cathode outlet. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein the cathode is passively flooded with the heavy water, wherein the cathode is passively flooded by a bubble lift method, wherein the proton exchange apparatus further comprises a reservoir containing the heavy water having an outlet disposed above and in fluid communication with a cathode inlet and configured to a supply the heavy water to the cathode inlet, the reservoir having an inlet disposed in a head space of the reservoir in fluid communication with a cathode outlet configured to receive the heavy water evolved at the cathode using the bubble lift method. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a prefilter trap that is configured to receive an incoming mixed gas flowstream comprising a gas that includes the gas comprising the isotope of hydrogen and at least one other gas, wherein the process further comprises capturing the at least one other gas. 
     
     
         16 . A hydrogen isotope recycling apparatus for recycling an isotope of hydrogen, comprising:
 a proton exchange unit, the unit comprising:
 an anode; 
 a cathode; and 
 an isotope-treated proton exchange medium operatively disposed between the anode and cathode, the isotope-treated proton exchange medium having heavy water (D 2 O or T 2 O) containing the isotope of hydrogen therein, the device configured to receive a feedstream containing the isotope of hydrogen. 
   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus and/or method of  claim 16 , wherein D 2  and/or T 2  is reacted with O 2  to form D 2 O and/or T 2 O, respectively, wherein the amount of D 2  and/or T 2  recovered via a reaction is measured, or wherein the D 2  concentration is greater than 0% and up to 100%, wherein the chemical compound containing D is subsequently electrolyzed to separate D from other elements to form D 2 , wherein the chemical compound containing D is stored, wherein the chemical compound containing D is provided at a pressure greater than 1 atmosphere, wherein gas phase D 2 O is condensed into liquid form, wherein gas phase D 2 O is collected utilizing an absorber and an adsorption process, wherein liquid D 2 O is purified. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus and/or method of  claim 16 , wherein the reaction is performed using a catalytic reactor, wherein the reaction is combustion, wherein the chemical compound is collected and used in a subsequent process, or wherein the chemical compound is collected and stored. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus and/or method of  claim 16 , wherein the measurement is performed by D 2 O level sensor(s), wherein the measurement is performed by D 2 O mass sensor(s), wherein the measurement is monitored by a controller that can adjust the reaction rate, wherein the liquid D 2 O is provided to a containment vessel. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus and/or method of  claim 16 , wherein the reaction occurs under reaction conditions, and wherein the reaction conditions are measured, wherein the reaction conditions include a reaction temperature, a reaction pressure, a thermal conductivity, a heat flux, a concentration of at least one reactant, wherein the reaction condition measurements are monitored by a controller, wherein the controller controls the reaction by adjusting the reaction conditions.