Detritiation plant of the Laue Longevin Institute

The detritiation plant at the Laue Longevin Institute, which is to serve the double function of detritiation and reconcentration of heavy water in the high flux reactor (HFR) is described. The process effected in this unit combines a catalytic exchange between heavy water and deuterium and a distillation of liquid deuterium. Placed in operation at the end of 1971, this installation processed heavy water from the HFR from the beginning of 1972, maintaining an isotopic concentration above 99.6 percent and a tritium activity below 2 Ci/liter. Exceptionally satisfactory performance now permits also processing of tritiated heavy water from external sources