Collection of deuterium on a uranium getter during dynamic flow conditions

We have studied uranium as a getter material under varying flow conditions using a uranium trap designed to remove tritium from inert gases. The uranium trap can remove any hydrogen isotope from an inert gas. We used mixtures of deuterium in argon at room temperatures. In the case of tritium, recovery is effected by heating the trap. A special segmented trap was designed to prevent channeling and to promote maximum reaction rates when gas flows through it. The gas mixtures were sampled at the trap inlet and outlet and were analyzed by a mass spectrometer. The results are expressed as a purification factor, which is the ratio of deuterium concentration at the inlet of the uranium trap to the concentration at the outlet. Purification factors vary inversely with both the ratio of deuterium to uranium already contained in the trap and with the rate of flow of gas through the trap. The effects of varying inlet deuterium concentrations on purification factors are also discussed. (auth)