Apparatus for the continuous purification of gases contaminated with tritium

Claim 1

Apparatus for the continuous purification of gases contaminated with tritium by the catalytic burning of tritium enriched hydrogen in a catalytic furnace, said apparatus comprising a source of tritium contaminated gas, at least first and second gas storage containers, at least one catalytic furnace for burning tritium from tritium contaminated gas and hydrogen to form water, a pump in operative communication with each of said gas storage containers and said catalytic furnace, first conduit means for operatively connecting said source to said first and second storage containers, second conduit means for connecting said storage containers to each other, third conduit means for connecting said second conduit means to said catalytic furnace, said pump being disposed in said third conduit means, means for absorbing the fluid water formed in said catalytic furnace, said means including at least one absorption unit, fourth conduit means connecting said absorption unit with said furnace, first valve means disposed in said first conduit means for permitting gas contaminated with tritium to pass from said source of contaminated gas to one of said storage containers, while selectively preventing tritium contaminated gas from entering the other of said storage containers, and second valve means located within said second conduit means for selectively permitting gas to pass from said first storage container to said catalytic furnace while selectively preventing the gas from passing from said second storage container to said catalytic furnace and for reversing the process whereby gas is prevented from passing from said first storage container to said catalytic furnace and gas is permitted to pass from said second storage container to said furnace.