US3983226A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Gas stripping and recirculation process in heavy water separation plant
Assignee: Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd AECL
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Filing: 1971-04-21
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Granted: 1976-09-28
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Expires: 1991-04-21
Abstract
Abstract Hydrogen sulphide is stripped from hot effluent, in a heavy water separation plant of the dual temperature isotope separation type, by taking liquid effluent from the hot tower before passage through the humidifier, passing the liquid through one or more throttle devices to flash-off the H 2 S gas content, and feeding the gas into an absorption tower containing incoming feed water, for recycling of the gas through the process.
Inventors
- 👤 Don Barkley Nazzer
- 👤 Victor R. Thayer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 12:22
CPC Classifications
C; C01; C01B; C01B5/00; C01B5/02; B; B01; B01D; B01D19/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
157 words
The method of gas recovery and recirculation in a gas/liquid counterflow process for isotopic separation in which hydrogen sulphide is at least partially soluble in the liquid, namely water, there being a pressurized hot isotope exchange zone and a pressurized cold isotope exchange zone for effecting isotope exchange between water and the gas at a predetermined process pressure, including the steps of: extracting at least a portion of liquid effluent having said gas in solution therein; producing a substantial drop in pressure in said liquid portion to strip hydrogen sulphide gas therefrom at a pressure substantially less than that of a said exchange zone; re-compressing said gas to a pressure less than that of said exchange zone; absorbing the stripped gas into feed water entering the process as a source of deuterium, and pressurizing by pumping the feed water with gas absorbed therein to a said isotope exchange zone to return said stripped gas to said zone.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
157 words
The method of gas recovery and recirculation in a gas/liquid counterflow process for isotopic separation in which hydrogen sulphide is at least partially soluble in the liquid, namely water, there being a pressurized hot isotope exchange zone and a pressurized cold isotope exchange zone for effecting isotope exchange between water and the gas at a predetermined process pressure, including the steps of: extracting at least a portion of liquid effluent having said gas in solution therein; producing a substantial drop in pressure in said liquid portion to strip hydrogen sulphide gas therefrom at a pressure substantially less than that of a said exchange zone; re-compressing said gas to a pressure less than that of said exchange zone; absorbing the stripped gas into feed water entering the process as a source of deuterium, and pressurizing by pumping the feed water with gas absorbed therein to a said isotope exchange zone to return said stripped gas to said zone.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method as claimed in claim 1 including the step of raising the temperature of said entering feed water by heat exchange relation with said stripped gas.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said heat exchange is at least partly effected during said recompressing of said stripped gas, prior to said step of absorbing the stripped gas into the incoming feed water.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said liquid portion is extracted after passage downwardly through said hot zone, including the step of raising the temperature of the liquid after said drop in pressure, to evolve additional hydrogen sulphide gas, whereby the gas content of liquid passing to waste is further reduced.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
165 words
In an isotope exchange apparatus having a pressurized hot tower zone, a pressurized cold tower zone, and a humidifier zone providing heated hydrogen sulphide gas to the hot zone and receiving liquid from the hot zone comprising water having said gas absorbed therein, a gas stripping means connected thereto to receive at least a portion of the hot liquid leaving the hot tower zone, including an expansion chamber to provide a significant drop in pressure to said hot zone liquid to separate hydrogen sulphide gas therefrom, gas compressor means connected between said chamber and an absorption tower receiving incoming feed water therein, to re-compress said gas to a pressure less than that in said cold zone, and to pass said gas to said absorption tower wherein said gas is mixed in absorbed relation with said incoming feed water, and pump means connecting said absorption tower to said cold tower zone to pressurize and transfer the feed water and absorbed gas to said cold tower zone.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
165 words
In an isotope exchange apparatus having a pressurized hot tower zone, a pressurized cold tower zone, and a humidifier zone providing heated hydrogen sulphide gas to the hot zone and receiving liquid from the hot zone comprising water having said gas absorbed therein, a gas stripping means connected thereto to receive at least a portion of the hot liquid leaving the hot tower zone, including an expansion chamber to provide a significant drop in pressure to said hot zone liquid to separate hydrogen sulphide gas therefrom, gas compressor means connected between said chamber and an absorption tower receiving incoming feed water therein, to re-compress said gas to a pressure less than that in said cold zone, and to pass said gas to said absorption tower wherein said gas is mixed in absorbed relation with said incoming feed water, and pump means connecting said absorption tower to said cold tower zone to pressurize and transfer the feed water and absorbed gas to said cold tower zone.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 including a heat input circuit connecting with said expansion chamber to raise the temperature of liquid therein whereby the quantity of absorbed hydrogen sulphide gas contained in said hot liquid is reduced.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3437567A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-09-28 | 1980-03-29 | 1980-09-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-09-28 | 1984-03-29 | 1984-09-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-09-28 | 1988-03-29 | 1988-09-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |