Fractionation of D/H and 18O/16O Water Isotopes in a Packed Distillation Column

An experimental packed fractionating column was designed to study the process of separation of water hydrogen and oxygen isotopes, including the separation in the salt-effect distillation process. The vapor rate upon flooding and the dependence of the pressure drop in the packed column on the vapor load when operating under full reflux conditions are determined experimentally. A comparative analysis of the column operation in the processes of fractionation of pure water and fractionation of water in the presence of salt separating agents is performed. It is shown that the use of urea for separating hydrogen isotopes and MgCl2 for separating oxygen isotopes can give rise to an increase in the column performance with respect to the target component by an order of magnitude.