ISOTOPE SEPARATION BY QUANTUM SWELLING

摘要

A method of separating H₂ and D₂, or possibly other isotopes of low molecular mass, in which a mixture of the isotopes is filtered at a temperature at which quantum swelling effects become significant. The temperature is typically in the range 10K to 100K, or preferably about 20 to 80K and most preferably about 30K. The filter system may be based on materials having a complex porous structure such as zeolite rho, or on a relatively simple material such as porous carbon. A multi-step sequence of filters may produce D₂ of over 90% purity.