Effect of the column number on deuterium recovery from H–D gas mixture in the forward-flow Frazier scheme of thermal-diffusion columns with the total sum of column heights fixed

The equations for estimating the optimal column number and the corresponding maximum performance for deuterium recovery from H–D gas mixture by thermal diffusion in the forward-flow Frazier scheme of concentric-tube columns with the total sum of column heights fixed, have been derived. Considerable improvement in deuterium recovery is obtainable if the multi-column device with the optimal number of columns is employed, instead of using the single-column device, with the same total sum of column heights, especially for the case of higher volume flow-rate operation and larger total sum of column heights.

► Separation of deuterium from H–D gas mixture has been investigated.
► The optimal number of thermal-diffusion columns in the Frazier scheme has been determined.
► The corresponding maximum deuterium recoveries have been calculated.
► Considerable improvement in separation is achievable in the Frazier scheme with the optimal number of columns.