Method and a device for decomposing tritiated water and for recovering elementary tritium

摘要

Process and device for decomposition of tritiated water and the recovery of elemental tritium (T2) in which a metal is used which oxidizes in the presence of water according to the formula Me+xT2O->MeOx+xT2. According to the invention, said metal is placed in an enclosure, a wall of which is selectively permeable to hydrogen and its isotopes; tritiated water is injected into the enclosure and the space behind said wall is made to communicate with an absorbing device for hydrogen and its isotopes. The injection of tritiated water and the communication with the absorbing device are stopped from time to time for the purpose of regenerating the metal by supplying hydrogen or deuterium to said space and by extracting water from the enclosure.