Modern Cascade for 13C Cryogenic Separation (SEPCAS-13C)
Title: Modern
Cascade for 13C Cryogenic Separation (SEPCAS-13C)
Objectives:The main
objectives of the project proposal are related to the conceiving, design and
the construction of a cryogenic separation cascade that consists of three
columns, able to raise the 13C – concentration up to 90% and to
increase the energy efficiency. According to the information given in
literature, two directions are possible to increase the “production” of the 13C:
to build a (much) higher column (than the one that is currently available at
NIRDIMT) or to use more columns “connected” in a cascade fashion. A higher
column (more than 20m) has several drawbacks in terms of efficiency,
construction, ensuring the thermal insulation, not to mention the problem of
constructing a hall for the column. For these particular reasons, a higher
column implies higher energy consumption, higher maintainance costs, which make
this solution a less viable option. The present project proposes instead a
solution that consists in a cascade of three columns of medium height, similar
to the one already constructed at NIRDIMT. The cascade proposed will have
reduced maintainance costs, which will trigger the price reduction of the final
product obtained, the enriched 13C, which is the most important
result expected from the project. Available information regarding carbon
isotope separation methods, shows that the proposed solution is new, at least
in