SEPARATION OF HYDROGEN ISOTOPES FROM NITROGEN WITH POLYIMIDE MEMBRANE

Gas separation tests were performed with nitrogen containing small con centrations of deuterium or tritium on a small-scale polyimide membran e module purchased from Ube Industries, similar to that developed at t he Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI). Experimental result s showed that this separation process could be potentially applied to tritium removal systems used in tritium handling facilities. It would allow to reduce significantly the gas volume to be treated by the conv entional oxidation-adsorption process, and, therefore, the number or s ize of associated equipments. Hazards arising from handling of highly toxic tritiated water vapor due to conversion of elemental tritium, wo uld hence be lowered.