RU2069166C1 - Device for separation of isotopes - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: devices for separation of isotopes. SUBSTANCE: sectionalized column for separation of isotopes with phase flow reversal units made in form of contact sections located in series, reagent inlet and outlet pipe lines, common shut-off distributing unit which includes plug cock or two cylindrical plates located one above other; one plate is rotatable about axis. Provided in body of shut-off distributing unit are through holes to bring its internal surfaces in communication with contact sections and pipe lines. Provided on inner surface of member of shut-off distributing unit communicated with pipe lines are bores to bring outlet of previous contact section in communication with inlet of next section; their number is $$$, where Y is number of contact sections and N is number of sections in phase flow reversal zones. Above-mentioned bores may be made in body of member and may be brought in communication with its inner surface by means of additional passages. Provided on inner surfaces of plug cock components are segment bores located in planes parallel to each other and perpendicularly to axis of rotation; bores which are located in one plane are brought in communication with inlets of contact sections and those which are located in other plane are brought in communication with outlets of contact sections; length of these bores is proportional to diameter of respective circle. Inner surfaces of cylindrical plates have segment bores over two concentric circles; those which are located on circle of one diameter are brought in communication with inlets of contact sections and those located on circle of other diameter are brought in communication with their outlets; length of these bores proportional to diameter of respective circle. Number of segments bores on surface of member of shut-off distributing unit brought in communication with contact sections is equal to number of sections; number of segment bores in other member is determined from condition that $$$; some bores are brought in communication with reagent inlet and outlet pipe lines via through holes in body of member and other bores located near them on one circle whose number is equal to $$$ are brought in communication with bores on other circle by means of additional bores located on surface and shortest distance between segment bores on two circles or made in body of member brought in communication with its inner surface through additional passages for connecting the inlet and outlet of nearest contact sections. EFFECT: enhanced efficiency. 8 cl, 7 dwg, 5 ap

Description

 The invention relates to the field of devices for the separation of substances, in particular to devices for the separation of isotopes.

 Known installation for the separation of isotopes, including adsorbers, heaters, pipelines connecting the adsorbers and the input valve of the shared mixture (see USSR author's certificate N 540535, CL 01 D 59/00, 1976, unpublished).

 The disadvantage of the installation is that the relative countercurrent of the phases involved in the separation process is achieved by periodically moving the heaters from the adsorber to the stripper manually.

 A device for separating isotopes is also known, including an authorized column, a heater, pipelines connecting a sectioned column and a mixture inlet valve, in which each contact section is equipped with two shut-off valves and grinding sockets for connecting the contact sections to each other (Journal of Physical Chemistry, 1982, vol. 56, No. 2, p. 349 352, prototype).

 The main disadvantage of this device is the insufficiently high degree of separation and productivity (product selection is carried out periodically once for several complete cycles after the adsorber is completely filled with product).

 The task underlying the invention is the creation of equipment for the separation of isotopes, which allows for a high degree of separation, high productivity, as well as compact equipment and the possibility of its operation in automatic mode.

 The problem is solved by a device for the separation of isotopes, including a partitioned column with nodes for reversing the flow of phases, made in the form of successively arranged contact sections, as well as pipelines for input and output of reagents. The device is additionally equipped with a single locking and distributing unit, including a plug valve or two cylindrical plates located coaxially one above the other, one of which is mounted for rotation about an axis, and through channels are made in the body of the elements of the locking and distributing unit to communicate the internal surfaces of the specified unit with contact sections and pipelines connected to it.

 Grooves are made on the inner surface of the element of the locking and distribution unit in communication with the input and output pipelines of the reagents to inform the output of the previous contact section with the input of the next, and the number of indicated grooves is determined from condition X≅YN 1, where X is the number of grooves, Y is the number of contact sections, N the number of sections in the zones of circulation of phase flows. The groove on the surface can be replaced by grooves in the body of the locking and distribution element, which are connected with its inner surface by additional channels.

 On the inner surfaces of the working crane elements, segmented grooves are made in planes parallel to each other and perpendicular to the axis of rotation, moreover, grooves located in one plane communicate with the inputs of the contact sections, and grooves in the other plane communicate with the outputs of the indicated sections, and the length of these grooves proportional to the diameter of the corresponding circle.

 On the inner surfaces of the cylindrical plates, segmental grooves are made in concentric circles with two diameters, moreover, grooves located on the circumference of one diameter communicate with the inputs of the contact sections, and grooves located on the circumference of another diameter communicate with the outputs of these sections, and the length of these grooves is proportional the diameter of the corresponding circle.

 The number of segment grooves on the surface of the element of the locking and distribution unit in communication with the contact sections is equal to the number of contact sections connected to it, and the number of grooves in another element communicated with the pipelines for input and output of reagents is determined from the condition X ≅ Y 1, and one of they are connected through the through channels in the element’s body with reagent input and output pipelines, and others, adjacent to one side of the groove, the number of which is determined from the condition X определяется YN 1, are connected to the grooves on the other nosti. The grooves connecting the grooves on two circles are made on the surface or in the body of the element of the locking and distribution unit and at the shortest distance. The grooves made in the body have exits to the inner surface of the locking and distribution unit through additional channels connecting the input and output of adjacent sections.

 An advantage of the invention is to provide an output degree of separation and high performance with a compact device for the separation of isotopes and the possibility of its operation in automatic mode.

 A design feature of the claimed device is the presence of a common locking and distribution unit for all contact sections, which allows distribution to be carried out continuously and automatically.

 The device for separating isotopes is compact, has a low energy consumption and a large resource of continuous operation. The device can be created on the basis of individual blocks and allows you to stop, interrupt and restart the process of separation without the use of additional equipment.

 The possibility of implementing the invention is confirmed by the following specific options for its use.

 In FIG. 1 3 presents a General view of the device for the separation of isotopes, the possible location of the grooves on the inner surfaces of the shut-off and distribution unit and the device diagram to explain the principle of its operation.

 In FIG. 4 to 7 are a general view of the device for separating isotopes in which the locking and distribution unit is made in the form of plates, and sections A-A, B-B and B-B explaining the principle of its operation.

 Example 1

 In FIG. 1 3 shows the general installation, possible options for the location of the grooves on the inner surface of the coupling and a diagram of the device to explain the principle of its operation.

 In FIG. 1 shows a general view of the installation. It consists of a locking and distribution unit in the form of a plug valve having a fixed sleeve 1, in which grooves 2 are made on the inner surface, a movable plug 3 with channels 4, to which the contact sections are rigidly connected.

 The movement of the contact sections relative to the heating element 5 and the cooling element (bath) 6 with thermostatic liquid occurs by rotating the plug by an angle equal to 360 / Y, where Y is the number of column sections. Before starting the rotation of the cork, the platform 7 with the heating element 5 and the cooling element 6 is lowered, and after the completion of the rotation rises. Thus, through the heating element and the cooling element all sections 8 of the column pass sequentially.

 Possible grooves on the inner surface of the coupling are shown in FIG. 2.

 The installation diagram is shown in figure 3. In the desorption zone, the contact section 19 with the sorbent is located in the heating element (item 5 in Fig. 1) at a temperature sufficient for complete desorption of gas and sorbent. The gas released from the sorbent is removed through line 20. When the contact section exits the desorption zone, the sorbent in it is free of gas. After this contact section arrives at the sorption zone (pos. 6 in Fig. 1) at the operating temperature, the sorbent is filled with gas leaving the contact section 9 in the separation zone.

 The feed gas stream through a pipe 21 is supplied to the contact sections 18 - 9, located in the separation zone also at the operating temperature, and then, leaving the contact section 9, through pipelines 22, 23 is supplied to the contact section 8 of the sorption zone.

Operating temperatures are maintained by a thermostatic fluid circulating in the cooling element 6. Sections successively pass through sorption, separation, and desorption zones. In this case, the feed stream is supplied through pipeline 21, and the flows of gas enriched and depleted in the target product are discharged through pipelines 22, 20, and 24 almost continuously, since the turn time of the plug at an angle of 360 ^o / Y is much less than the rest time of the plug between two turns.

 The described mode of operation with the sorption (upper) node of the circulation flows corresponds to the operating mode of the device selected as a prototype. In addition, the proposed device without any fundamental changes can work in modes with desorption (push) and with two (upper and lower) nodes of the flow.

 In the mode with the desorption unit for circulating flows, the source gas through pipelines 25, 23 enters the contact section 8 of the sorption zone. When the device is operating, this contact section sequentially passes through the positions 18 9 of the separation zone and enters the desorption zone 19. At the desorption temperature, the gas is desorbed from section 19, is piped 21 to the contact section 18 of the separation zone and passes through the system of channels 2 and channels 4 ( in Fig. 1) through all the contact sections 18 9 located in the separation zone, opposite to the movement of the sorbent in the contact sections of the column, after which the gas depleted in the target isotope is removed through the pipe 22, 24.

 The contact section 19, free from gas, from the desorption zone enters the sorption zone 8 and is saturated with the source gas.

 The selection of the product is carried out from the desorption zone through the pipeline 20.

The mode with two nodes of the circulation of flows is realized when working without product selection. Before operating in non-selective mode, the sorbent in the contact sections 8, 9 18 is saturated with the source gas from the cylinder 26 through pipelines 21, 24, 23. After saturation of the sorbent, the device starts operating in the non-selective mode. With the rotation of the plug through an angle of 360 ^o / Y, a counterflow of gas from the sorbent is organized, as described above; in this case, the contact sections pass successively the sorption, separation, and desorption zones, and the gas leaving the desorption zone, through pipelines 20 and 21, enters the section 18, passes through the contact sections 18 9 and goes through the pipelines 22, 23 to the sorption zone 8, where saturates a sorbent free of gas.

 The grooves according to the invention can be made, for example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2.

 Example 2

The operation of the proposed device is illustrated in the diagram of figure 3. Before starting the operation of the device, sections 9 18 and 8 from the cylinder 26 through the pipelines 25, 21, 23 are filled with the initial mixture. In this case, gas is supplied through pipelines to the coupling 1 (in Fig. 1), in which it enters sections 8, 18 through the channels. Through the system of grooves 2 and channels 4 (in Fig. 1), gas passes through all sections 18 in the plug
9 columns located in the separation zone. After filling the sorbent in sections 9 to 18, 8 with gas, the device starts to work in isotope separation mode.

The sample 3 (in figure 1) is rotated at an angle of 360 ^o / Y. As a result of the rotation, section 8 located in the sorption zone enters the separation zone, section 18 from the separation zone to the desorption zone, and section 19 from the desorption zone to the sorption zone.

 Example 3

 In FIG. 4 shows a diagram of the operation of a device for separating isotopes, including a column of two sections and two nodes for reversing the flow of phases, with a locking distribution node in the form of plates, FIG. 5 design of the device (section A A of FIG. 7), FIG. 6 the upper fixed plate (section B B of FIG. 5), in FIG. 7 bottom plate (section B In FIG. 5).

 The device for separating isotopes includes a mass transfer column consisting of four series-connected sections 1a, b 4a, b (see Fig. 4: the dashed line indicates the grooves and channels in the rotating plate, the direction of rotation is indicated by the arrow to which the sections of the column 1a, b are connected 4a, b). The numbers with letters indicate the inputs and outputs of the sections (a input, b output). The continuous line marks the grooves and channels in the fixed plate, as well as the gas inlet and outlet pipelines conducted to it. Each of the four sections is attached to the rotating plate of the locking and distribution unit. Channels 5, 6, 7 are made in the fixed upper plate for supplying external pipelines to the partitioned column, and grooves 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 are made on the inner surface of the plate, which, in combination with grooves 14, 15, 16, 17 , 18, 19 21 on the bottom plate allow connecting sections to each other and through channels 5, 6, 7 with external gas inlet and outlet pipelines. In the rotating lower plate there are channels that connect the grooves 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 21 on the inner surface of the plate with the inputs and outputs of the column section. Depending on the mode of operation of the section, separation, desorption, sorption, it is connected either to the neighboring section through grooves 9 11 in the upper plate, or to an external gas outlet pipe 22 through channel 7 in the upper plate, or through channel 6 with the supply pipe 23, 24 gas from section 2, which is in separation mode, to section 3, which is in sorption mode.

In scheme 4, sections 1, 2 are in isotope separation mode, section 3
in sorption mode, section 4 in gas desorption mode. Pipelines 23 29 provide the device in various modes, the cylinder 30 is a source of hydrogen.

 The movement of the sections of the column relative to the heater 31 and the tank with thermostatic fluid 32 (see Fig. 5) occurs by continuous rotation of the lower plate around its axis. Before the section transitions from the separation mode to the desorption mode and from the sorption mode to the separation mode, the heater 31 and the container 32 are lowered, and after the transition is completed, they rise. Thus, through the heater 31 and the tank 32 all sections of the column pass sequentially.

 Before starting operation of the device sections 1 2 are filled with the initial mixture from the cylinder 30 through pipelines 25, 26 (Fig. 4). In this case, gas is supplied through pipelines in the upper plate, in which through channel 5 it enters the groove 8. Passing groove 8 and groove 14 in the lower plate, the gas enters the input 1a of section 1. At the outlet 16 of section 1 it enters the groove 15, from it into the grooves 9 11, 16 and enters section 2. After filling the sorbent in sections 1 to 2 with gas, the device starts to work in isotope separation mode.

 The bottom plate begins to rotate. The gas supplied to the separation passes through sections 1, 2 and then through the grooves 17, 12, channel 6, pipelines 23, 24, channel 23 and grooves 34, 18 enter the input 3a of section 3, where it is absorbed by the sorbent. All the while the grooves 8, 14, as well as 15, 9, and 11, 16 are superimposed on each other, the gas can pass through sections 1, 2 and collect in sections 3. With further rotation of the lower plate, the moment comes when these grooves cease to overlap on a friend, and sections become disconnected. After some time of rotation of the lower plate, grooves 15, 13, as well as 16, 8 and 21, 34 begin to overlap. Section 1 then goes into desorption mode: it enters and from the heater through channel 7 and pipelines 27, 29 pumped gas. Section 4 goes into sorption mode: it enters the tank with thermostatic solution and into it through channels 20, 12 of channel 6, pipelines 23, 24, channel 33 and groove 34 gas begins to flow from section 3. And section 3 goes into separation mode and gas from section 2 comes into it.

 In the desorption mode, the section with the sorbent is in the heater at a temperature sufficient to completely desorb gas from the sorbent.

 Using the devices described in examples 1 to 3, carry out the method of separation of isotopes as follows.

 Example 4

The mixture of H ₂ D ₂ isotopes is fed to an isotope separation device, the contact sections of which are filled with a fixed layer of synthetic zeolite NaX. The isotope separation device operates in the mode of concentration of protium. The number of contact sections in the separation zone 3, in the sorption zone 1, in the desorption zone 1. The height of the sorbent layer in each contact section is 1 cm. The gas feed stream is supplied to the first section of the separation zone. The enriched product is taken from the gas stream coming from the separation zone to the sorption zone.

The temperature of the contact sections in the separation zone and the sorption zone is 196 ^o C, in the desorption zone 20 ^o C.

 The degree of separation in the stationary mode of the separation column of the device is 1670.

 The proposed device is used for the separation of isotopes in both gas and liquid media.

 Example 5

Isotopes were separated in a liquid medium by chemical isotopic exchange of RNH ₄ with NH ₄ OH (where R is an ion exchanger) as follows. Five contact sections filled with KU 2 x 8 ion exchanger in the RH form were saturated with a solution of NH ₄ OH containing separated nitrogen isotopes. A stream of Na ions (in the form of a NaOH solution) having a higher affinity for ion exchanger was continuously supplied to the first contact section (the lower part of the separation column). In this case, the ions of the separated isotopes were displaced into the liquid phase in the form of an aqueous solution of NaOH. When the section was completely saturated with Na ions, using a device for distributing liquid flows, the liquid flows were switched by moving the contact sections by one in the direction opposite to the movement of the liquid phase. The spent contact section is regenerated with hydrochloric acid with the conversion of the ion exchanger into the H-form; it is washed with water and returns at the beginning of the cycle, where the solid phase is saturated with the separated ammonium ions (upper phase flow reversal site). The heavy isotope ( ¹⁵ N) is concentrated in the solid phase, the light ( ¹⁴ N) in the liquid phase. The ¹⁵ N enriched product was taken from the bottom of the column, combined from the top. With a total height of the KU 2 × 8 ion exchanger layer in the separation part of 35 cm and at a temperature of 23 ^° C., a separation degree of 2.05 is obtained (with a separation coefficient α of 1.025).

 When implementing the invention provides the following advantages: increase the degree of separation; increased productivity through continuous product selection; reducing the time to reach the stationary state of the separation column and the accumulation of the isotope in the device by reducing the volume of communications; compactness of the device; the possibility of stopping or terminating the separation process while maintaining the achieved separation effect; ease of automation of the separation process.

Claims (8)

 1. A device for separating isotopes, including a partitioned column with phase flow reversal nodes made in the form of successively arranged contact sections, pipelines for input and output of reagents, characterized in that it is additionally equipped with a single shut-off and distribution unit, including a plug valve or two cylindrical plates located coaxially one above the other, one of which is mounted for rotation about an axis, moreover, in the body of the locking and distribution unit are made through e channels for communicating the inner surfaces of locking-distribution unit with the contact sections and piping. 2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that on the inner surface of the element of the locking and distribution unit in communication with the pipelines for input and output of reagents, grooves are made for communicating the output of the previous contact section with the input of the next, and the number of grooves is determined from the condition
X ≅ YN-1,
where X is the number of grooves;
Y is the number of contact sections;
N is the number of contact sections in the zones of circulation of the phase flows.  3. The device according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the grooves for communicating the output of the previous contact section with the input of the next are made in the body of the specified element and communicated with its internal surface by additional channels.  4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that on the inner surfaces of the elements of the plug valve made segmented grooves in planes parallel to one another and perpendicular to the axis of rotation, and segmented grooves located in the same plane are in communication with the inputs of the contact sections, segmented grooves in another plane are communicated with the outputs of these sections and the length of these grooves is proportional to the diameter of the corresponding circle.  5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that on the inner surfaces of the cylindrical plates there are segmented grooves along two concentric circles, wherein the segmented grooves located on the circumference of one diameter are in communication with the inputs of the contact sections, and the segmented grooves located on the circumference of another diameter , communicated with the outputs of these sections, and the length of these grooves is proportional to the diameter of the corresponding circle.  6. The device according to PP.4 and 5, characterized in that the number of segment grooves on the surface of the element of the locking distribution node communicated with the contact sections is equal to the number of the latter, and the number of segment grooves in another element communicated with the pipelines for input and output of reagents, is determined from the condition X ≅ Y-1, and some of them are communicated through the through channels in the body of the element with pipelines for input and output of reagents, and others, segmented grooves located adjacent to one circumference, the number of which is determined from the condition X ≅ YN -1, communicated with grooves on the other circle through additional grooves.  7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that the additional grooves are made on the surface of the element of the locking and distribution unit and the shortest distance between the grooves on two circles.  8. The device according to p. 6, characterized in that the additional grooves are made in the body of the element of the locking and distribution unit and communicated with its inner surface with additional channels for connecting the input and output of adjacent contact sections.

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