Scalability:
The design is scalable to any size, as the packing and internal column diameter is constant and identical to the R & D test column.
Simplicity:
Less complex with less rotating equipment, Laker TRF’s system is quicker to build and easier to operate. The skills requirement is equivalent to that of CANDU® heavy water upgraders, and full automation reduces the number of staff required for operations.
Reliability:
AWD has no maintenance-prone liquid distributors, and it uses superior corrosion-resistant stainless-steel packing, Moving parts in ancillary equipment have been reduced or eliminated wherever possible, resulting in a highly reliable plant.
Affordability:
AWD has both a lower capital cost and lower operating costs. Costs can be partially offset by the sale of an enriched feedstock for Oxygen-18 production.
Safety:
AWD has zero risk of hydrogen explosion or pure oxygen hazard, operating under vacuum to eliminate the chance of emissions. AWD also reduces CANDU® moderator 14C production, thereby reducing dose rates to workers.
Design:
AWD uses super-hydrophilic activated packing and Khun-style columns, resulting in a 70% reduction in column height over existing CANDU® heavy water upgrader columns. The design minimizes maintenance: fluidic pumps with no moving parts replace traditional pumps, and the column design eliminates the need for maintenance-prone liquid distributors.
Efficiency:
With the use of heat pumps, AWD uses about one-third the electrical power of other designs, creating a significant environmental benefit.
Oxygen-18 Isotopes:
Laker TRF’s AWD design can incorporate a mid-process take-off of water enriched in heavy oxygen isotopes. Oxygen-18 is used as a precursor for the medical radioisotope Fluorine-18 used for PET (positron emission tomography) scanners. Current world production is approximately 2,500 kg/year, and the global demand is growing exponentially. A 100 kg/h AWD TRF can produce 750 kg of Oxygen-18, supplying approximately 30% of current global production.