US3904500A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Hydrogen isotope separation from water
Assignee: United States Department of Energy
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Filing: 1973-12-17
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Granted: 1975-09-09
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Expires: 1993-12-17
Abstract
Abstract A process for separating tritium from tritium-containing water or deuterium enrichment from water by selective, laser-induced two-photon excitation and photodissociation of those water molecules containing deuterium or tritium followed by immediate reaction of the photodissociation products with a scavenger gas which does not substantially absorb the laser light. The reaction products are then separated from the undissociated water.
Inventors
- 👤 Reed J Jensen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 18:19
CPC Classifications
C; C01; C01B; C01B4/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
A METHOD OF REMOVING TRITITUM FROM TRITIUM-CONTAINING WATER WHICH COMPRISES: (A) FORMING A VAPOR OF SAID WATER, (B) MIXING SAID VAPOR WITH ETHYLENE, (C) IRRADIATING SAID MIXTURE WITH A FIRST LASER LIGHT OF A FREQUENCY WHICH SELECTIVELY EXCITES THOSE WATER MOLECULES CONTAINING TRITTUM BUT NOT TRITTUM FREE MOLECULES, (D) SIMULTANEOUSLY IRRADIATING SAID MIXTURE WITH A SECOND LASER LIGHT OF A FREQUENCY SUFFICIENT TO PHOTODISSOCIATE WATER MOLECULES SELECTIVELY EXCITED BY SAID FIRST LASER LIGHT BUT NOT SUFFICIENT TO PHOTODISSOCIATE THOSE WATER MOLECULES NOT SELECTIVELY EXCITED SAID FIRST LASER LIGHT, SAID FIRST AND SECOND LASER LIGHTS HAVING FREQUENCIES THAT ARE NOT SUBSTANTIALLY ABSORBED BY ETHYLENE, AND (E) SEPARATING UNDISSOCIATED WATER FROM THE REACTION PRODUCTS PRODUCED BY THE REACTION OF THE
Claim 2
Independent Claim
118 words
A METHOD OF REMOVING TRITITUM FROM TRITIUM-CONTAINING WATER WHICH COMPRISES: (A) FORMING A VAPOR OF SAID WATER, (B) MIXING SAID VAPOR WITH ETHYLENE, (C) IRRADIATING SAID MIXTURE WITH A FIRST LASER LIGHT OF A FREQUENCY WHICH SELECTIVELY EXCITES THOSE WATER MOLECULES CONTAINING TRITTUM BUT NOT TRITTUM FREE MOLECULES, (D) SIMULTANEOUSLY IRRADIATING SAID MIXTURE WITH A SECOND LASER LIGHT OF A FREQUENCY SUFFICIENT TO PHOTODISSOCIATE WATER MOLECULES SELECTIVELY EXCITED BY SAID FIRST LASER LIGHT BUT NOT SUFFICIENT TO PHOTODISSOCIATE THOSE WATER MOLECULES NOT SELECTIVELY EXCITED SAID FIRST LASER LIGHT, SAID FIRST AND SECOND LASER LIGHTS HAVING FREQUENCIES THAT ARE NOT SUBSTANTIALLY ABSORBED BY ETHYLENE, AND (E) SEPARATING UNDISSOCIATED WATER FROM THE REACTION PRODUCTS PRODUCED BY THE REACTION OF THE
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said first laser is iodine, N2 first positive, Nd glass, or frequency-doubled HF and said second laser is frequency-doubled Ar ion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said first laser is magnetically tuned iodine.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of deuterium enrichment which comprises (a) forming a vapor of natural water, (b) mixing said vapor with ethylene, (c) irradiating said mixture with a first laser light of a frequency which selectively excites those water molecules containing deuterium but not those water molecules containing no deuterium, (d) simultaneously irradiating said mixture with a second laser light of a frequency sufficient to photodissociate water molecules selectively excited by said first laser light but not sufficient to photodissociate those water molecules not selectively excited by said first laser light, said first and second laser lights having frequencies that are not substantially absorbed by ethylene, and (e) separating undissociated water and unreacted ethylene from the reaction products produced by the reaction of the photodissociation products of said excited water molecules with ethylene.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of deuterium enrichment which comprises (a) forming a vapor of natural water, (b) mixing said vapor with ethylene, (c) irradiating said mixture with a first laser light of a frequency which selectively excites those water molecules containing deuterium but not those water molecules containing no deuterium, (d) simultaneously irradiating said mixture with a second laser light of a frequency sufficient to photodissociate water molecules selectively excited by said first laser light but not sufficient to photodissociate those water molecules not selectively excited by said first laser light, said first and second laser lights having frequencies that are not substantially absorbed by ethylene, and (e) separating undissociated water and unreacted ethylene from the reaction products produced by the reaction of the photodissociation products of said excited water molecules with ethylene.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said ethylene is deuterated ethylene.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2713025A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-08 | 1979-03-10 | 1979-09-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-08 | 1983-03-10 | 1983-09-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-08 | 1987-03-10 | 1987-09-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |