Experimental Results of Hydrogen Distillation at the Low Power Cryogenic Column for the Production of Deuterium Depleted Hydrogen

The Deuterium Removal Unit (DRU) has been designed and built at the Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute (PNPI) to produce isotopically pure hydrogen with deuterium content less than 1 ppm. The cryogenic distillation column of 2.2 cm inner diameter and 155 cm packing height is the main element of the DRU. Column performances at different hydrogen distillation operating modes have been measured. The height equivalent to theoretical plate (HETP) for the column is 2.2 cm and almost constant over a wide range of vapour flow rates. Deuterium depleted hydrogen with a deuterium content of less than 0.1 ppm was produced in required quantity.