Experimental and computational studies on absorption and desorption of multicomponent hydrogen isotopes from inert gas mixtures in a yttrium particle bed

For the recovery of multicomponent hydrogen isotopes from inert gas mixtures, a yttrium particle bed was numerically and experimentally investigated. The material balance equations for each hydrogen isotope component in the bed were computed in terms of a mass transfer coefficient for diffusion in a solid particle, that in a fluid film, and an absorption rate constant on solid particle surfaces. The numerical curves could be fitted to the experimental effluent data for absorption and desorption, and the roll-up of deuterium due to a higher equilibrium pressure was observed in the experimental effluent curves for absorption. It was found that the value of the isotopic separation factor of protium and deuterium was 1.05 for a yttrium hydride phase.