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Experimental investigation of trace helium-3 enrichment via total-reflux cryogenic distillation in a 2 K cryostat.

Auteurs : CHEN H., JIA P., XU W., CHU Y., XU D., WANG L., LI L., ZHI X.

Type d'article : Article de la RIF

Résumé

Helium-3 (³He), an important isotope, serves as a crucial working substance and raw material in various scientific fields. However, its extremely low natural abundance poses a significant challenge for efficient extraction. Cryogenic distillation is a promising method but its operation near the superfluid transition temperature of helium-4 (⁴He) risks disruption by superfluidity. This study investigates the enrichment characteristics of trace ³He under total reflux using a 2 K cryogenic distillation. The experiments show that, under the present operating conditions, when the column is entirely within the superfluid helium (He-II) regime (T < 2.176 K), no stable axial temperature gradient can be established, and effective distillation is not observed. This behavior is attributed to the exceptionally high effective thermal conductivity and film-flow effect of He-II, which suppress temperature gradients and disturb the vapor–liquid countercurrent structure. In contrast, upon entering the normal-fluid (He- I) regime, stable thermodynamic gradients can be formed, enabling effective distillation. With a feed concen tration of ³He /⁴He = 0.15 × 10⁻⁷, the system could stably maintain a top enrichment factor of 150–270 in the He- I regime. This work clarifies the decisive role of superfluidity in the distillation process, defines the feasible operating window, and lays an experimental foundation for the cryogenic distillation test of helium isotopes.

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Pages : 7

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    20 €

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    Gratuit

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Détails

  • Titre original : Experimental investigation of trace helium-3 enrichment via total-reflux cryogenic distillation in a 2 K cryostat.
  • Identifiant de la fiche : 30034985
  • Langues : Anglais
  • Sujet : Technologie
  • Source : International Journal of Refrigeration - Revue Internationale du Froid - vol. 188
  • Date d'édition : 08/2026
  • DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2026.106961

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