EVALUATING THE CHEMICAL RECYCLING PLANT FOR THE OXYGEN IODINE PHOTODETACHMENT LASER

LASER PHOTO-NEUTRALIZATION IS A DESIRABLE TECHNIQUE TO CONVERT HIGH-ENERGY NEGATIVE IONS TO NEUTRAL BEAMS FOR USE IN MAGNETIC FUSION REACTORS. A CRITICAL DETERMINANT OF THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF THE MOST PROMISING PHOTO-NEUTRALIZATIONSYSTEM IS THE PERFORMANCE OF CHEMICAL RECYCLING PROCESSES NEEDED TO SUSTAIN THE CONTINUOUS PRODUCTION OF O(2)[1 DELTA]FOR THE OXYGEN-IODINE CHEMICAL LASER. THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO ESTIMATE THE EFFICIENCY AND COST FOR REACTING H(2)O(2), NAOH, AND (2) TO PRODUCE ABOUT 200 TO 500 KW OF O(2)[1 DELTA] AND THEN REGENERATING THE REACTANTS. REACTIONCONDITIONS WILL BE REVIEWED TO SUGGEST PROCESS MODIFICATIONSFOR CONTINUOUS OPERATION AND TO IMPROVE THE NET ENERGETIC EFFICIENCY OF THE CHEMICAL RECYCLING PLANT. ENERGY REDUCTION CONCEPTS TO BE EXPLORED INCLUDE, FOR EXAMPLE: MODIFYING REACTION CONDITIONS TO REDUCE REFRIGERATION, VACUUM PUMPING, AND ANCILLARY ENERGY USE; USING PART OF THE AVAILABLE BRINE TO EXTRACT H(2)O(2) FROM THE 2-ETHYL ANTHRAQUINONE SOLUTION AFTER THE OXIDATION STEP, AND STORINGA BRINE CONTAINING 25% H(2)O(2) FOR RECYCLE; INTRODUCING ONEOR MORE PERFLUOROSULFINATED CATION EXCHANGE MEMBRANE CELLS, AND CHANGES IN THE REACTION SEQUENCE AND CONDITIONS. PROMISING ALTERNATIVES WILL BE DISCUSSED AND RECOMMENDATIONSFOR TESTING A LABORATORY PROTOTYPE WILL BE MADE.