Multistage counter-current electrodialysis separation of lithium isotopes

The main regularities of multistage counter-current electrodialysis on uniform membranes are considered. The effect of the number of cation-exchange membranes, current density and counter-current velocity on the coefficient of separation in the NaOH+CsOH system is investigated. It is shown theoretically and experimentally that total separation coefficient is exponentially dependent on the unity one, where the number of membranes serves the exponent factor. Separation coefficients of 1.17 and 1.35 lithium isotopes for 4M LiOH and 2MLiCl, respectively, are obtained in the counter-current electrodialysis device containing 50 cation-exchange membranes