GB581908A - A method and apparatus for the combined preparation of hydrogen, heavy water and metals or alloys with low carbon content - Google Patents

Abstract

A process for the production of heavy water and hydrogen comprises the following steps: (1) the electrolysis of water in a plurality of stages with intervening water distillation stages resulting in the formation of hydrogen and deuterium and the concentration of the heavy water in the succeeding electrolytes, (2) reductions of metal oxide or mixtures of metal oxides by means of the hydrogen and deuterium evolved from one or more of the electrolysis stages (see Group II) whereby water containing a higher proportion of heavy water than ordinary water is formed and returned to the appropriate early stage of the electrolysis system for reelectrolysis. Preferably, the size of the successive electrolysis stages decreases in the direction of the main water flow as the heavy water concentration of the electrolyte increases. The use of the oxide reductions may be restricted to the recovery of the heavy water content of the hydrogen from the stages of low and medium heavy water concentrations, the hydrogen from the later stages containing higher concentrations of deuterium being burnt in gas burners to form water for return to the appropriate electrolysis stage. The hydrogen-deuterium mixtures on their way to the reduction furnaces may be purified from oxygen and preheated by contact with iron sponge at a temperature of 200-400 DEG C.ALSO:In a multi-stage electrolysis process for the recovery of heavy water [see Group III] hydrogen richer in denterium than ordinary water obtained in certain of the electrolysis stages is employed in the reduction of metal oxides or mixtures thereof to produce low carbon metals or metal alloys. Zinc, iron, manganese, nickel, chromium, copper, lead, tin or alloys such as ferro-chromium or ferro-nickel may be so prepared. In the production of iron sponge from ores such as magnetite or haematite, the electrolytic hydrogen containing denterium is first passed through a chamber containing a part of the previously produced iron sponge heated to 200-400 DEG C. which frees the gas from traces of oxygen, then through the main output of iron sponge which it cools at the same time being itself preheated, and finally through a furnace heated to 500-1000 DEG C. where it reduces the iron ore.