Progress of Cryogenics and Isotopes Separation , ISSN: 1582-2575
2008, Volume 11, Issue 21+22

Studies Regarding Behaviour of Sintered Materials on Isotopes Separation – 1. Cryogenic Experimental Plant

Abstract

On isotopic separation plants from Romania, experimental or industrial plants, the distillation columns were equipped with structured packing. This packing introduces a low pressure drop comparative than random packing. Structured packing was manufactured from phosphorous bronze for water distillation and stainless steel for hydrogen distillation (cryogenic distillation). Isotopes separation by distillation is more difficult than other mixtures, because its separation factor is very small. For this reason isotopes separations require great amounts of packing. The height of transfer unit, that is efficiency measure of the liquid-vapour contact element, depends on the specific surface of packing. Sintered materials offer higher contact surface than unsintered materials. The paper presents cryogenic laboratory plant, built in our institute for studies regarding behaviour and performance of sintered materials on isotopic separations.