Abstract

Provided is an industrially feasible method for separating tritiated water from contaminated water. The method for separating tritiated water from light water contaminated by the tritiated water, includes the steps of; adding heavy water to the contaminated water; converting the liquid mixture of the contaminated water and the heavy water into a mixture of the light water and a gas hydrate consisting essentially of the tritiated water and the heavy water as the crystal structure under a condition of converting into the gas hydrate of at least one of the heavy water and the tritiated water, and yet keeping most of the light water in liquid state; and separating the gas hydrate from the light water.

IPC Classes  ?

• B01D 59/08 - Separation by phase transition by fractional crystallisation, by precipitation, by zone freezing
• G21F 9/06 - Processing
• C02F 101/00 - Nature of the contaminant
• C02F 101/10 - Inorganic compounds
• B01D 9/00 - Crystallisation
• C02F 1/52 - Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities
• C02F 1/54 - Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities using organic material

Abstract

Provided is a method for industrially separating tritiated water from light water, said method comprising, in the following order: a step in which, by adding heavy water to a liquid mixture containing tritiated water and light water, and, under conditions for forming a gas hydrate of the heavy water and/or of the tritiated water and conditions for maintaining the light water in a liquid state, forming a gas hydrate containing the tritiated water and the heavy water in a crystal structure, the tritiated water and the heavy water are removed from the light water; and a step in which, under conditions for forming a gas hydrate of the tritiated water and conditions for maintaining the heavy water in a liquid state, a liquid mixture, which is obtained by breaking down the structure of the gas hydrate containing the tritiated water and the heavy water and which contains the tritiated water and the heavy water, is made to form a gas hydrate containing the tritiated water in a crystal structure, such that the gas hydrate is separated from the heavy water, after which the tritiated water is collected from the heavy water by breaking down the structure of the gas hydrate containing the tritiated water.

IPC Classes  ?

• B01D 59/08 - Separation by phase transition by fractional crystallisation, by precipitation, by zone freezing
• G21F 9/06 - Processing