MICRO-CHANNEL REACTOR FOR LOW LEVEL [H.sub.2] OXIDATION WITHIN AN O2 STREAM: PRELIMINARY TESTS IN VIEW OF INTEGRATION IN A H2 GENERATOR WITHIN CECE PROCESS

CECE (Combined Electrolysis Catalytic Exchange) process is the candidate for low level tritiated water detritiation within any application. The process consists mainly of a H2 generator, a LPCE (Liquid Phase Catalytic Exchange) column and an [O.sub.2] striping column. During operation, tritium is being accumulated within the H2 generator in the form of tritiated water and the effluent streams (hydrogen and oxygen) show in time an increase concentration in tritium in the form of both tritiated water vapors and gas, which needs to be recovered. The tritium in the [H.sub.2] stream is recovered in a LPCE column, while the tritium in the [O.sub.2] stream is recovered in a striping column. In view of lowering the load onto the striping column and to recover the tritium in gas form, a micro-channel reactor is proposed to be included for [H.sub.2] oxidation followed by vapor recovery. The design of the equipment together with the preliminary results of the tests done with [H.sub.2] and air will be shown, prior to integration in the CECE process. Keywords: CECE process, micro-channel reactor, LPCE column, mass spectrometry