JP2601823B2 - Double storage hydrogen purifier - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a double storage hydrogen purifier, and more particularly to a double storage hydrogen purifier in which a palladium hydrogen purifier main body is stored in a storage container.

[Conventional technology]

As is well known, hydrogen isotope gas containing impurities (hydrogen,
As a method for purifying (deuterium, tritium), there are a high temperature getter method, a low temperature adsorption method, a palladium alloy film method, and the like. Here, in the case of the high-temperature getter method or the low-temperature adsorption method, periodic replacement of the getter material or the high-temperature getter body and regeneration or replacement of the adsorbent are indispensable. In both cases, it is difficult to completely remove impurities, and particularly it is impossible to remove helium, which is a rare gas component. On the other hand, the palladium alloy film method utilizes the fact that palladium has the property of selectively absorbing and transmitting only hydrogen isotope gas, and is a purification method having the following advantages. Complete removal of all impurities including helium. Separation of impurities and hydrogen isotope gas by continuous operation. It does not require regular regeneration or replacement of the palladium alloy membrane. This is one of the most suitable methods when applied to the purification of a hydrogen gas mixture containing tritium as a radioisotope for the purpose of the above-mentioned purification method.

By the way, the hydrogen purifier using the above-mentioned palladium alloy membrane (palladium alloy membrane hydrogen purifier) will be used in the future as purification and recovery of hydrogen isotopes from exhaust gas in a fusion reactor, tritium from a heavy water reactor or a light water reactor. The field of recovery and reprocessing of tritium is conceivable. That is, it is an application to tritium purification and production other than industrial pure hydrogen production. FIG. 3 shows a conventional hydrogen purifier using the palladium alloy membrane.

1 in the figure is a palladium (Pd) film diffuser. A supply gas inlet 2 and a bleed gas outlet 3 are provided at one end of the diffuser 1, and a permeate gas outlet 4 is provided at the other end. A large number of palladium alloy membrane tubes 5 are provided inside the diffuser 1. An electric furnace 6 for heating the diffuser 1 is provided around the diffuser 1.

In the hydrogen purifier having such a structure, the diffuser 1 is heated by the electric furnace 6 to a required operating temperature (200 to 400 ° C.). In such a heated state, the hydrogen isotope gas of the supply gas containing impurities supplied from the supply gas inlet 2 is selectively permeated by the palladium alloy membrane tube 5, and 99.99 to 99.9999 from the permeated gas outlet 4. %. Further, the hydrogen isotope gas and the impurities that have not been permeated are discharged from the bleed gas outlet 3.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, the conventional hydrogen purifier has the following problems. That is, in general, the hydrogen isotope gas has a property of permeating a metal in a high temperature state (especially remarkable when the temperature is higher than 100 ° C.). Permeates and diffuses to the outside environment.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is possible to prevent hydrogen isotope gas that has passed through a Pd film diffuser from diffusing into the external environment, and to easily handle radioactive isotopes such as tritium. An object is to provide a hydrogen purifier.

[Means for solving the problem]

The present invention relates to a double-contained hydrogen purifier for purifying an impurity-containing hydrogen isotope gas using a palladium alloy membrane, a palladium hydrogen purifier main body, and a purifier installed around the purifier main body. Heating means for heating the main body, radiating fins provided on a high-temperature gas pipe communicating with the palladium hydrogen purifier main body, a heat shield plate installed near the palladium hydrogen purifier main body, the purifier main body, A containment vessel having an inlet / outlet valve for storing the heat shield plate and evacuating or purging hydrogen isotope gas permeating from the purifier body. In this way, hydrogen isotope gas was prevented from diffusing into the external environment, and handling of radioisotopes was facilitated.

[Action]

According to the present invention, diffusion of a hydrogen isotope gas into an external environment can be prevented. Therefore, handling of radioactive isotopes such as tritium becomes easy.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1 (Example 1) and FIG. 2 (Example 2). However, the same members as those in the related art are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted. Although a palladium alloy membrane tube is not shown, its purification system is the same as the conventional one.

Example 1 Reference numeral 11 in the figure denotes a heater installed around a Pd membrane diffuser (Pd hydrogen purifier main body) 1. The Pd hydrogen purifier body 1
Is heated by the heater 11. The temperature may be raised by a separate preheater or the like. The hydrogen purifier body 1
The high-temperature gas pipe 12 communicating with the supply gas inlet 2 (or the bleed gas outlet 3) is provided with a radiation fin 13a,
The high-temperature gas pipe 12 communicating with the permeated gas outlet 4 is provided with a radiation fin 13b. A heat shield plate 14 is provided near the Pd film diffuser 1 along the longitudinal direction of the diffuser 1. Further, the Pd film diffuser 1, the heater 11, and the heat shield plate 14 are stored in a metal storage container 15. A telescopic bellows 16 is provided in a part of the storage container 15 so that the elongation of the Pd film diffuser 1 is absorbed. Further, the storage container 15 is provided with valves 17a and 17b for performing evacuation or gas purging. Further, a stay bolt 18 is provided near the telescopic bellows 16 of the storage container 15.

In the hydrogen purifier having such a structure, when a hydrogen isotope gas containing impurities is supplied from the supply gas inlet 2 while the Pd film diffuser 1 is heated by the heater 11, the Pd in the Pd film diffuser 1 is increased. High-purity hydrogen isotope gas selectively permeated by the alloy membrane tube (5) is recovered from the permeated gas outlet 4. On the other hand, impurities and the like are exhausted from the bleed gas outlet 3. Further, the temperature of the storage container 15 is determined by a heat shield plate.
By providing the 14 and appropriately designing the dimensions of the containment vessel 15 and providing the radiation fins 13a and 13b in the high-temperature gas pipe 12, the permeation of the hydrogen isotope gas can be suppressed to 100 ° C. or less, which is significantly reduced. Further, the hydrogen isotope gas which has passed through the Pd film diffuser 1 due to the high temperature is discharged from the valves 17a and 17b to the outside by evacuation or gas purging, and is processed by an appropriate method.

According to the first embodiment, the Pd film diffuser 1 and the like are connected to the valves 17a and 17b.
Since the inside of the storage container 15 is evacuated or purged by the valves 17a and 17b, the hydrogen isotope gas permeated from the Pd film diffuser 1 is stored. Can be exhausted. Also, Pd film diffuser 1
The radiating fins 13a and 13b are provided in the high-temperature gas pipe 12 communicating with the Pd film diffuser 1, and the heat shield plate 14 is provided near the Pd film diffuser 1.
The temperature of the vessel wall 15 and the wall temperature of the high-temperature gas pipe 12 can be suppressed to 100 ° C. or less at which permeation of hydrogen isotope gas is significantly reduced. As described above, the hydrogen isotope gas can be prevented from permeating from the storage container 15 to the external environment, and the radioactive isotope such as tritium can be easily handled.

Embodiment 2 In FIG. 2, reference numeral 21 denotes a flange provided at an end of the storage container 15. According to this embodiment, the Pd film diffuser 1 can be freely extended and the flange 21 can be released at the same time, so that maintenance and inspection can be performed in the event that a failure occurs in the Pd film diffuser 1, the heater 11, or the like.

In the above embodiment, the inside of the container can be cooled with water if the inside of the container is evacuated or filled with a dry inert gas. Further, it is also possible to sweep the inert gas inside the storage container 16 using the valves 17a and 17b.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a double-containment-type hydrogen purifier that can prevent hydrogen isotope gas from diffusing into the external environment and can easily handle radioactive isotopes such as tritium.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a double storage hydrogen purifier according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a double storage hydrogen purifier according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, and FIG. It is sectional drawing of the conventional hydrogen purifier. 1 ... Palladium membrane diffuser (Pd hydrogen purifier body), 2 ...
... Supply gas inlet, 3 ... Bleed gas outlet, 4 ... Permeate gas outlet, 5 ... Pd alloy membrane tube, 11 ... Heater, 12 ... High temperature gas pipe, 13a, 13b ... Radiation fin, 14 ... Heat shield plate, 15… containment vessel, 16… telescopic bellows, 17a, 17b
… Valve, 18… Stibold, 21… Flange.

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Kenji Muta 1-1-1, Wadazakicho, Hyogo-ku, Kobe-shi Inside Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Kobe Shipyard (72) Inventor Junzo Amano 1-1-1, Wadazakicho, Hyogo-ku, Kobe-shi No. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Kobe Shipyard (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Nagai 5-1-1-16 Komatsu-dori, Hyogo-ku, Kobe Inside Shinryo High-Tech Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-59-182399 (JP, A) Tokiko 57-58422 (JP, B2)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A double-contained hydrogen purifier for purifying a hydrogen isotope gas containing impurities by using a palladium alloy membrane, comprising: a palladium hydrogen purifier main body; Heating means for heating the main body of the reactor, radiating fins provided in a high-temperature gas pipe communicating with the main body of the palladium hydrogen purifier, a heat shield plate installed near the main body of the palladium hydrogen purifier, And a storage container having an inlet / outlet valve for storing the heat shield plate and evacuating or purging hydrogen isotope gas permeating from the purifier body. .