Continuous process for recycling deuterium/tritium from a fusion reactor for reuse in such a reactor

摘要

A process for removing helium and other impurities from a mixture containing deuterium and tritium, which process comprises the steps of: separating from the mixture isotopes of hydrogen in any of their diatomic combined forms; oxidizing the separated isotopes to their corresponding oxides; separating tritium oxide and deuterium-tritium oxide from the oxides thus formed; and electrolyzing the separated oxides to deuterium and tritium. Preferably the impure mixture of deuterium and tritium is a waste product of a fusion reactor, and the purified deuterium/tritium mixture is recycled to the reactor.