Systematic Modeling of the (¹³C) Isotope Cryogenic Distillation Process

Abstract

Isotopic enrichment by low-temperature distillation of carbon monoxide is difficult to handle, the experiments providing with the necessary data are time-consuming and difficult to perform, so the mathematical modeling of the process is an appropriate approach to study and to further control the column. This paper develops a mathematical model for the (¹³C) isotope cryogenic distillation process using two subsystems of the plant: the hydrodynamic part and the isotope-separation part. The model is validated using experimental data from the pilot column from the National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies Cluj-Napoca. The proposed model is suitable for various cryogenic distillation columns, using the proper parameters.

Keywords:

• isotope separation column
• model decomposition and aggregation
• systematic modeling

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This work was supported by CNCSIS – UEFISCDI, project number PNII – IDEI 228/2008.

Notes

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Within row means with the same letters are not significantly different (P > 0.05); ns- not significant.

Within row means with the same letters are not significantly different (P > 0.05); ns- not significant.

All the authors contributed equally to this work