Facility for Endurance Testing of Hydrophobic Isotope Exchange Catalysts

The procedures and facilities necessary for performing endurance tests of hydrophobic catalysts have been designed.

The endurance tests were carried out in real operational conditions using 2 stands with recirculation of tritiated water at constant temperature on catalyst bed. Radio-induced alterations were studied by pH determination and fluoride ion presence in samples of tritiated water. In the polymeric hydrophobic support the radio-induced modifications have been analyzed by FTIR ATR spectrometry and by determination of extractable fractions. The swelling degree has been also estimated. 6 different catalysts on PTFE support and 1 catalyst on copolymer styrene divinylbenzene (SDB) produced by ICIT Rm Valcea have been tested using the proposed protocols and facilities.