process and installation for the production of hydrogen or deuterium enriched water

摘要

1341475 D-enriched hydrogen; heavy water SULZER BROS Ltd 19 April 1971 [3 March 1970 27 May 1970] 22828/71 Heading C1A D-enriched hydrogen and/or heavy water are produced by isotope exchanging the H 2 formed in the catalytic steam reforming of hydrocarbons with an intermediate carrier comprising a H-containing compound, and then isotope exchanging the D-enriched carrier with the steam supplied to the catalytic reformer. The carrier may be H 2 S, an alcohol, NH 3 , or an amine of the formula HNR 1 R 2 where R 1 and R 2 repesent an alkyl group with up to 5 C atoms or R 1 represents a H atom. The exchange may be catalysed by an alkali metal amine of the formula MHR 1 R 2 . H 2 produced by catalytically reforming hydrocarbons (supplied via line la) with steam (supplied via line 2) in apparatus 1 is preferably passed (via line 3) to a countercurrent isotope exchanger 8 wherein the H 2 is D-depleted by exchange with the carrier. The D-enriched carrier is passed (via lines 14a and 16) to a second counter-current exchanger 5 wherein the carrier is D-depleted by exchange with H 2 O (supplied via line 4). The D-enriched water is then vaporized in heater 12 and supplied (via line 2) to the catalytic reformer 1.