Optimization of a Thermal Cycling Absorption Process Design by Dynamic Simulation

CEA/Valduc has developed a Thermal Cycling Absorption Process (TCAP) experimental device dedicated to the study of the separation of hydrogen isotopes and particularly to the recovery of tritium from low concentrated mixtures (tritium molar fraction < 6%). Simultaneously an original and efficient dynamic simulation tool has been developed in collaboration with PROSIM Company. After a brief description of the TCAP process device developed and the establishment of the modelling approach adopted, a deeper understanding of the complex TCAP behavior is lighted on through some simulation results. Then, a sensitivity analysis of the TCAP operating parameters on its global performance and particularly on the tritium contamination in the head flow is presented. Finally, all these results are applied to propose an optimized operating sequence for the recovery of tritium from low concentrated hydrogen mixtures.