INCREASED RECOVERY IN DUAL TEMPERATURE ISOTOPE EXCHANGE PROCESS

摘要

A liquid with a gas each containing a desired isotope flow counter-currently through two liquid-gas contacting towers. The towers are maintained at different temperatures to enrich the liquid in the isotope within the cold tower and the gas in the isotope within the hot tower. Liquid, having the natural concentration of the desired isotope, is fed into the top of the cold tower and gas flowing upwardly through the towers is recirculated from the top of the cold tower into the bottom of the hot tower. The liquid feed is then increased and a portion of the liquid is withdrawn from an intermediate location in the upper portion of the cold tower and fed into the lower portion of the hot tower to increase the productivity of the process. This process is particularly applicable to the recovery of deuterium oxide from water.