Cryogenic distillation is an effective method for hydrogen isotope separation required in fusion fuel (cycles).Hydrogen isotope separation by cryogenic distillation has several special features to be incorporated in the analysis, such as decay heat of tritium,Raoult′s law deviation of the solutions of hydrogen isotope,strict separation requirements,etc.Proceeding from the theoretical and practical points,the development process of cryogenic (distillation) system for hydrogen isotope separation was reviewed,the structure and features of each flow were (compared) and discussed,and the necessity for further study on hydrogen isotope separation was put forward.