Preparation of a Core-shell Adsorbent for Lithium Isotope Separation

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26289354
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Nuclear fusion studies
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Sugiyama Takahiko 名古屋大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (90353440)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 同位体分離 / ブランケット / リチウム / 置換クロマトグラフィー / コアシェル型 / 吸着剤 / 分離性能解析 / 数値シミュレーション

Outline of Final Research Achievements

For the purpose of large-scale production of blanket material for nuclear fusion, isotope enrichment of lithium 6 to 90 % by displacement chromatography was investigated. An adsorbent was prepared by impregnating core-shell type porous silica beads with benzo-15-crown-5 ether dispersed in an organic solvent. The HETP value was obtained as 4 cm for the column packed with the adsorbent. A process with feed and extracts were numerically simulated using parameters obtained by the experiments. The ratio of feed and extracts to the hold-up in the adsorption band was optimized so that the separative power was maximized. By a simple scale-up 35 columns of 50 cm in diameter were required for the production of 90 % enriched lithium 6 at a rate of 100 t/y.

Free Research Field

同位体分離工学