In an aspect, an electrochemical hydrogen isotope recycling apparatus for recycling a feedstream comprising a single isotope of hydrogen, comprising: an electrochemical recycling unit, the unit comprising an anode; a cathode; an isotope-treated, cation exchange membrane operatively disposed between the anode and cathode, the isotope-treated, cation exchange membrane having heavy water containing the isotope of hydrogen therein, the unit configured to receive the feedstream containing the single isotope of hydrogen; wherein the single isotope is deuterium or tritium and when the single isotope is deuterium, the heavy water comprises D.sub.2O and when the single isotope is tritium, the heavy water is T.sub.2O.

In an aspect, an electrochemical hydrogen isotope recycling apparatus for recycling a feedstream comprising a single isotope of hydrogen, comprising: an electrochemical recycling unit, the unit comprising an anode; a cathode; an isotope-treated, cation exchange membrane operatively disposed between the anode and cathode, the isotope-treated, cation exchange membrane having heavy water containing the isotope of hydrogen therein, the unit configured to receive the feedstream containing the single isotope of hydrogen; wherein the single isotope is deuterium or tritium and when the single isotope is deuterium, the heavy water comprises D.sub.2O and when the single isotope is tritium, the heavy water is T.sub.2O.

The invention relates to isotope separation methods, and methods for separating isotopes with low energy consumption, demonstrated using hydrogen isotopes. Also described are methods for enriching or depleting the isotope present in the hydrogen gas/vapour feed e.g. for tritium removal, tritium enrichment and deuterium enrichment, by arranging a series of cells in a cascaded configuration.

The invention relates to isotope separation methods, and methods for separating isotopes with low energy consumption, demonstrated using hydrogen isotopes. Also described are methods for enriching or depleting the isotope present in the hydrogen gas/vapour feed e.g. for tritium removal, tritium enrichment and deuterium enrichment, by arranging a series of cells in a cascaded configuration.

An object of the present invention is to provide a separation system and a separation method that can separate deuterium from a fluid containing light hydrogen and deuterium with high separation efficiency while suppressing equipment deterioration. The present invention provides a separation system including a plurality of separation devices connected in series; each of the plurality of separation devices includes an electrolyte membrane to which an anode catalyst layer and a cathode catalyst layer are provided; a first inflow passage through which a first fluid containing light hydrogen and deuterium flows in, and a first outflow passage through which a second fluid having a lower deuterium content than that of the first fluid flows out are connected to an anode flow passage, a second inflow passage through which a third fluid flows into and a second outflow passage through which a fourth fluid containing light water and heavy water flows out are connected to a cathode flow passage; at least a separation device provided at the most upstream side among the plurality of separation devices is a first separation device into which a gas containing water vapor flows as a third fluid, and from which the third fluid and deuterium that has moved from the anode catalyst layer into the cathode catalyst layer are discharged as the fourth fluid.

An object of the present invention is to provide a separation system and a separation method that can separate deuterium from a fluid containing light hydrogen and deuterium with high separation efficiency while suppressing equipment deterioration. The present invention provides a separation system including a plurality of separation devices connected in series; each of the plurality of separation devices includes an electrolyte membrane to which an anode catalyst layer and a cathode catalyst layer are provided; a first inflow passage through which a first fluid containing light hydrogen and deuterium flows in, and a first outflow passage through which a second fluid having a lower deuterium content than that of the first fluid flows out are connected to an anode flow passage, a second inflow passage through which a third fluid flows into and a second outflow passage through which a fourth fluid containing light water and heavy water flows out are connected to a cathode flow passage; at least a separation device provided at the most upstream side among the plurality of separation devices is a first separation device into which a gas containing water vapor flows as a third fluid, and from which the third fluid and deuterium that has moved from the anode catalyst layer into the cathode catalyst layer are discharged as the fourth fluid.

The present invention relates to a method of carbon-13 isotope (13C) enrichment, the method comprising: (i) applying a voltage to a cathode located in a cathode chamber of an electrochemical cell; (ii) flowing a feed stream comprising CO2 to the cathode chamber, wherein the feed stream contacts the cathode causing reduction of CO2 to form one or more products; and (iii) unreacted CO2 leaving the cathode chamber, the unreacted CO2 being enriched in 13C as compared to the CO2 in the feed stream, wherein n(13CO2)/(n(13CO2)+n(12CO2)) in the unreacted CO2 is higher than n(13CO2)/(n(13CO2)+n(12CO2)) in the feed stream, n representing molar amount; wherein the voltage is about 1.5 V to about 5.5 V, and flow rate of the feed stream is selected to provide a residence time of about 0.1 seconds to about 5 seconds in the cathode chamber.

The present invention relates to a method of carbon-13 isotope (13C) enrichment, the method comprising: (i) applying a voltage to a cathode located in a cathode chamber of an electrochemical cell; (ii) flowing a feed stream comprising CO2 to the cathode chamber, wherein the feed stream contacts the cathode causing reduction of CO2 to form one or more products; and (iii) unreacted CO2 leaving the cathode chamber, the unreacted CO2 being enriched in 13C as compared to the CO2 in the feed stream, wherein n(13CO2)/(n(13CO2)+n(12CO2)) in the unreacted CO2 is higher than n(13CO2)/(n(13CO2)+n(12CO2)) in the feed stream, n representing molar amount; wherein the voltage is about 1.5 V to about 5.5 V, and flow rate of the feed stream is selected to provide a residence time of about 0.1 seconds to about 5 seconds in the cathode chamber.

In an embodiment, a method of concentrating a hydrogen isotope, comprises delivering a fluid comprising the hydrogen isotope to be concentrated and an additional gas other than then hydrogen isotope to an anode of an electrochemical cell comprising a hydron exchange membrane comprising hydrons of the hydrogen isotope, and also comprising said anode on a first side of the hydron exchange membrane, a cathode on a second side of the hydron exchange membrane, and an electrical circuit connection between the anode and the cathode; removing a first stream in fluid communication with the cathode, the first stream comprising concentrated hydrogen isotope; and removing a second stream in fluid communication with the anode, comprising the additional gas delivered to the anode depleted of the hydrogen isotope.

In an embodiment, a method of concentrating a hydrogen isotope, comprises delivering a fluid comprising the hydrogen isotope to be concentrated and an additional gas other than then hydrogen isotope to an anode of an electrochemical cell comprising a hydron exchange membrane comprising hydrons of the hydrogen isotope, and also comprising said anode on a first side of the hydron exchange membrane, a cathode on a second side of the hydron exchange membrane, and an electrical circuit connection between the anode and the cathode; removing a first stream in fluid communication with the cathode, the first stream comprising concentrated hydrogen isotope; and removing a second stream in fluid communication with the anode, comprising the additional gas delivered to the anode depleted of the hydrogen isotope.