Separation Characteristics of Multistage Water/Hydrogen Exchange Column for Water Detritiation in Fusion Reactors

A simulation code of multistage chemical exchange columns has been developed. The sieve trays for liquid-vapor scrubbing and the catalyst beds for vapor-hydrogen exchange reactions are alternately piled within the column. The code deals with all the twelve molecular species of hydrogen gas and water; and is based on the Newton-Raphson method. The characteristics of the column were discussed from the calculated results by this code such as effects of temperature and pressure. Similar to the distillation columns, the phase flow rates within the column (hydrogen gas and water vapor), and product flow rates have large effects on the separation performance of the column. A control method of the column was also proposed from these calculated results.