• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.169-175
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• 2018

This study deals with a process for the recovery of hydrogen isotopes from methane ($CQ_4$) and water ($Q_2O$) containing tritium in the nuclear fusion exhaust gas (Q is Hydrogen, Deuterium, Tritium). Steam Methane Reforming and Water Gas Shift reactions are used to convert $CQ_4$ and $Q_2O$ to $Q_2$ and the produced $Q_2$ is recovered by the subsequent Pd membrane. In this study, one circulation loop consisting of catalytic reactor, Pd membrane, and circulation pump was applied to recover H components from $CH_4$ and $H_2O$, one of $CQ_4$ and $Q_2O$. The conversion of $CH_4$ and $H_2O$ was measured by varying the catalytic reaction temperature and the circulating flow rate. $CH_4$ conversion was 99% or more at the catalytic reaction temperature of $650^{\circ}C$ and the circulating flow rate of 2.0 L/min. $H_2O$ conversion was 96% or more at the catalytic reaction temperature of $375^{\circ}C$ and the circulating flow rate of 1.8 L/min. In addition, the amount of $CQ_4$ generated by Korean Demonstration Fusion Power Plant (K-DEMO) in the future was predicted. Then, the treatment process for the $CQ_4$ was proposed and HAZOP (hazard and operability) analysis was conducted to identify the risk factors and operation problems of the process.