Combined process for the production of water enriched with deuterium and the synthesis of ammonia

摘要

Heavy water is produced, in combination with the synthesis of ammonia, by passing the starting H2 in isotopic exchange with part of the ammonia produced therefrom, and working up the resulting deuterium-enriched ammonia into water. H2O from 2 enters H2 generator 1, which may be an electrolyser, a water gas generator and/or CO conversion apparatus, or hydrocarbon decomposer. The H2 passes to isotope exchanger 4 operating at 25 DEG C., and thence to ammonia synthesiser 6. Part, e.g. 25%, of the ammonia, as liquid, passes back through 7 and may have potassium amide catalyst suspended therein before entering exchanger 4. The D-enriched NH3 is withdrawn through 14, where catalyst is filtered out for recycling through 15, to catalytic combustion chamber 10 to form NO and D-enriched H2O, which may be passed to a dual temperature isotopic exchange concentration stage using hot and cold columns with H2 as exchange medium. The deuterium-poor H2O may be returned to feed pipe 2. Alternatively, the NH3-H2 isotopic exchange may be in the gas phase, and the D-enriched NH3 may be subjected to isotopic exchange with H2O to produce the heavy water.