Portable TRF Using Tritium Resistant Electrolyzer in Cece Process

Abstract

There are currently 47 nuclear reactors based on CANDU technology. These reactors use heavy water; hence generate tritium during their operation. For CANDU reactors in their midlife or later, the increasing tritium levels in the water become intolerable from personnel health perspective. The high cost of a suitable Tritium Removal Facility (TRF) prohibits most CANDU reactor owners/operators from providing one exclusively for their reactors.The development of the tritium resistant PEM electrolyzer cannot only contain tritium better than previously, but may also significantly reduce the overall costs of the standardized Combined Electrolysis and Catalytic Exchange (CECE) system. If the TRF is made portable, it may attract joint investment by a group of reactor owners/operators, thus further reducing investment cost. This could enable CANDU reactor to remove an impediment to its sales, and better compete with other reactors