Method and apparatus for the continuous multiplied enrichment of gaseous isotopes of heavy elements

Claim 1

A method for the continuous multiplied enrichment of gaseous isotopes of heavy elements by means of gravity- and expanding pressure fields and gas circulation, said method to be carried out in a pipe having an end wall with a smooth inner surface and having an inlet and first and second discharge means, at least one nozzle being arranged adjacent said inlet and extending in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pipe so as to discharge tangentially relative to the inside pipe circumference, said first discharge means being formed by an annular slot situated at the inner circumference of the pipe defined by an annular member and the inner circumference of the pipe, said second discharge means being spaced from said first discharge means and being in the form of an annular aperture in said end wall adjacent the pipe axis and in the proximity of said inlet and said nozzles, said method comprising: rotating said pipe about the longitudinal axis of the pipe in the manner of a centrifuge, and forcing a gaseous isotope mixture to be separted under pressure through said nozzle in the direction of rotation of and into said pipe, a rotary flow of said gaseous mixture thereby building up within said pipe which is propelled by subsequently incoming amounts of gas mixture and which flow extends to said first discharge means, said rotary flow generating a suction force within said pipe adjacent said inlet, said gas mixture, due to said rotary flow, being divided into a first portion enriched with heavy istopes due to the occurring centrifugal forces, and a second portion containing lighter isotopes, said first portion enriched with heavy isotopes at least partially exiting through said first discharge means, while said second portion flows in opposite direction towards said second discharge means said second lighter isotope portion being at least partially sucked in by said suction force and thus caused repeatedly to circulate, thereby increasing the enrichment effect, said second lighter isotope portion primarily exiting through said annular aperture in said end wall of said second discharge means, the discharge flow speed of the gas being increased by the rotational speed of the pipe so that all enrichment effects, which increase by a factor corresponding to the fourth power of the rotational speed, are multiplied.

Claim 2

A method for the continuous multiplied enrichment of gaseous isotopes of heavy elements by means of gravity- and expanding pressure fields and gas circulation, said method to be carried out in a pipe having an end wall with a smooth inner surface and having an inlet and first and second discharge means, at least one nozzle being arranged adjacent said inlet and extending in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pipe so as to discharge tangentially relative to the inside pipe circumference, said first discharge means being formed by an annular slot situated at the inner circumference of the pipe defined by an annular member and the inner circumference of the pipe, said second discharge means being spaced from said first discharge means and being in the form of an annular aperture in said end wall adjacent the pipe axis and in the proximity of said inlet and said nozzles, said method comprising: rotating said pipe about the longitudinal axis of the pipe in the manner of a centrifuge, and forcing a gaseous isotope mixture to be separted under pressure through said nozzle in the direction of rotation of and into said pipe, a rotary flow of said gaseous mixture thereby building up within said pipe which is propelled by subsequently incoming amounts of gas mixture and which flow extends to said first discharge means, said rotary flow generating a suction force within said pipe adjacent said inlet, said gas mixture, due to said rotary flow, being divided into a first portion enriched with heavy istopes due to the occurring centrifugal forces, and a second portion containing lighter isotopes, said first portion enriched with heavy isotopes at least partially exiting through said first discharge means, while said second portion flows in opposite direction towards said second discharge means said second lighter isotope portion being at least partially sucked in by said suction force and thus caused repeatedly to circulate, thereby increasing the enrichment effect, said second lighter isotope portion primarily exiting through said annular aperture in said end wall of said second discharge means, the discharge flow speed of the gas being increased by the rotational speed of the pipe so that all enrichment effects, which increase by a factor corresponding to the fourth power of the rotational speed, are multiplied.

Claim 3

A method for the continuous multiplied enrichment of gaseous isotopes of heavy elements by means of gravity- and expanding pressure fields and gas circulation, said method being carried out in a pipe having an end wall with a smooth inner surface and having an inlet and first and second discharge means, at one nozzle being arranged adjacent said inlet and extending in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pipe so as to discharge tangentially relative to the inside pipe circumference, said first discharge means being formed by an annular slot situated in the region of the pipe axis with an annular baffle defining a flow passage thereabout, said second discharge means being spaced from said first discharge means and being in the form of an annular aperture in said end wall adjacent the pipe axis and in the proximity of said inlet and said nozzles, said method comprising: rotating said pipe about the longitudinal axis of the pipe in the manner of a centrifuge, and forcing a gaseous isotope mixture to be separated under pressure through said nozzle in the direction of rotation of and into said pipe, a rotary flow of said gaseous mixture therefore building up within said pipe which is propelled by subsequently incoming amounts of gas mixture and which flow extends to said first discharge means, said rotary flow generating a suction force within said pipe adjacent said inlet, said gas mixture, due to said rotary flow, being divided into a first portion enriched with heavy isotopes due to the occurring centrifugal forces, and a second portion containing lighter isotopes, said first portion enriched with heavy isotopes at least partially exiting through said first discharge means, while said second portion flows in opposite direction towards said second discharge means, said second lighter isotope portion being at least partially sucked in by said suction force and thus caused repeatedly to circulate, thereby increasing the enrichment effect, said second lighter isotope portion primarily exiting through said annular aperture in said end wall of said second discharge means, the discharge flow speed of the gas being increased by the rotational speed of the pipe so that all enrichment effects, which increase by a factor corresponding to the fourth power of the rotational speed, are multiplied.

Claim 4

A method for the continuous multiplied enrichment of gaseous isotopes of heavy elements by means of gravity- and expanding pressure fields and gas circulation, said method being carried out in a pipe having an end wall with a smooth inner surface and having an inlet and first and second discharge means, at one nozzle being arranged adjacent said inlet and extending in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pipe so as to discharge tangentially relative to the inside pipe circumference, said first discharge means being formed by an annular slot situated in the region of the pipe axis with an annular baffle defining a flow passage thereabout, said second discharge means being spaced from said first discharge means and being in the form of an annular aperture in said end wall adjacent the pipe axis and in the proximity of said inlet and said nozzles, said method comprising: rotating said pipe about the longitudinal axis of the pipe in the manner of a centrifuge, and forcing a gaseous isotope mixture to be separated under pressure through said nozzle in the direction of rotation of and into said pipe, a rotary flow of said gaseous mixture therefore building up within said pipe which is propelled by subsequently incoming amounts of gas mixture and which flow extends to said first discharge means, said rotary flow generating a suction force within said pipe adjacent said inlet, said gas mixture, due to said rotary flow, being divided into a first portion enriched with heavy isotopes due to the occurring centrifugal forces, and a second portion containing lighter isotopes, said first portion enriched with heavy isotopes at least partially exiting through said first discharge means, while said second portion flows in opposite direction towards said second discharge means, said second lighter isotope portion being at least partially sucked in by said suction force and thus caused repeatedly to circulate, thereby increasing the enrichment effect, said second lighter isotope portion primarily exiting through said annular aperture in said end wall of said second discharge means, the discharge flow speed of the gas being increased by the rotational speed of the pipe so that all enrichment effects, which increase by a factor corresponding to the fourth power of the rotational speed, are multiplied.

Claim 5

A method for the continuous multiplied enrichment of gaseous isotopes of heavy elements by means of gravity- and expanding pressure fields and gas circulation, said method being carried out in a pipe having an end wall with a smooth inner surface and having an inlet and first and second discharge means, at least one nozzle being arranged adjacent said inlet and extending in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pipe so as to discharge tangentially relative to the inside pipe circumference, said first discharge means being in the form of openings tangentially from the inner pipe circumference, said second means being spaced from said first discharge means and being in the form of an annular aperture in said end wall adjacent the pipe axis and in the proximity of said inlet and said nozzle, said method comprising: rotating said pipe about the longitudinal axis of the pipe in the manner of a centrifuge, and forcing a gaseous isotope mixture to be separated under pressure through said nozzle in the direction of rotation of and into said pipe, a rotary flow of said gaseous mixture therefore building up within said pipe which is propelled by subsequently incoming amounts of gas mixture and which flow extends to said first discharge means, said rotary flow generating a suction force within said pipe adjacent said inlet, said gas mixture, due to said rotary flow, being divided into a first portion enriched with heavy isotopes due to the occurring centrifugal forces, and a second portion containing lighter isotopes, said first portion enriched with heavy isotopes at least partially exiting through said first discharge means, while said second portion flows in opposite direction towards said second discharge means said second lighter isotope portion being at least partially sucked in by said suction force and thus caused repeatedly to circulate, thereby increasing the enrichment effect, said second lighter isotope portion primarily exiting through said annular aperture in said end wall of said second discharge means, the discharge flow speed of the gas being increased by the rotational speed of the pipe so that all enrichment effects, which increase by a factor corresponding to the fourth power of the rotational speed, are multiplied.

Claim 6

A method for the continuous multiplied enrichment of gaseous isotopes of heavy elements by means of gravity- and expanding pressure fields and gas circulation, said method being carried out in a pipe having an end wall with a smooth inner surface and having an inlet and first and second discharge means, at least one nozzle being arranged adjacent said inlet and extending in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pipe so as to discharge tangentially relative to the inside pipe circumference, said first discharge means being in the form of openings tangentially from the inner pipe circumference, said second means being spaced from said first discharge means and being in the form of an annular aperture in said end wall adjacent the pipe axis and in the proximity of said inlet and said nozzle, said method comprising: rotating said pipe about the longitudinal axis of the pipe in the manner of a centrifuge, and forcing a gaseous isotope mixture to be separated under pressure through said nozzle in the direction of rotation of and into said pipe, a rotary flow of said gaseous mixture therefore building up within said pipe which is propelled by subsequently incoming amounts of gas mixture and which flow extends to said first discharge means, said rotary flow generating a suction force within said pipe adjacent said inlet, said gas mixture, due to said rotary flow, being divided into a first portion enriched with heavy isotopes due to the occurring centrifugal forces, and a second portion containing lighter isotopes, said first portion enriched with heavy isotopes at least partially exiting through said first discharge means, while said second portion flows in opposite direction towards said second discharge means said second lighter isotope portion being at least partially sucked in by said suction force and thus caused repeatedly to circulate, thereby increasing the enrichment effect, said second lighter isotope portion primarily exiting through said annular aperture in said end wall of said second discharge means, the discharge flow speed of the gas being increased by the rotational speed of the pipe so that all enrichment effects, which increase by a factor corresponding to the fourth power of the rotational speed, are multiplied.

Claim 7

A device for the continuous multipled enrichment of gaseous isotopes of heavy elements comprising a pipe having an end wall at one end and having an annular member at the other end, having a smooth inner surface and having an inlet and first and second discharge means, at least one nozzle being arranged adjacent said inlet and extending in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pipe so as to discharge tangentially relative to the internal pipe circumference, said first discharge means including an annular slot situated at the inner circumference of the pipe defined by the annular member and the inner circumference of the pipe, said second discharge means being spaced apart from said first discharge means and including an annular aperture in said end wall along the longitudinal axis of the pipe and in the proximity of said inlet and means for rotating said pipe about the longitudinal axis of the pipe in the manner of a centrifuge.

Claim 8

A device for the continuous multipled enrichment of gaseous isotopes of heavy elements comprising a pipe having an end wall at one end and having an annular member at the other end, having a smooth inner surface and having an inlet and first and second discharge means, at least one nozzle being arranged adjacent said inlet and extending in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pipe so as to discharge tangentially relative to the internal pipe circumference, said first discharge means including an annular slot situated at the inner circumference of the pipe defined by the annular member and the inner circumference of the pipe, said second discharge means being spaced apart from said first discharge means and including an annular aperture in said end wall along the longitudinal axis of the pipe and in the proximity of said inlet and means for rotating said pipe about the longitudinal axis of the pipe in the manner of a centrifuge.

Claim 11

A device for the continuous multiplied enrichment of gaseous isotopes of heavy elements comprising a pipe having first and second end walls and a smooth inner surface and having an inlet and first and second discharge means, at least one nozzle being arranged adjacent said inlet and extending in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pipe so as to discharge tangentially relative to the internal pipe circumference, said first discharge means including an annular opening in said first end wall in the region of the longitudinal axis of the pipe, an annular member for defining an annular discharge path with respect to said annular opening, said second discharge means being spaced apart from said first discharge means and including an annular aperture in said second end wall along the longitudinal axis of the pipe and in the proximity of said inlet and means for rotating said pipe about the longitudinal axis of the pipe in the manner of a centrifuge.

Claim 12

A device for the continuous multiplied enrichment of gaseous isotopes of heavy elements comprising a pipe having first and second end walls and a smooth inner surface and having an inlet and first and second discharge means, at least one nozzle being arranged adjacent said inlet and extending in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pipe so as to discharge tangentially relative to the internal pipe circumference, said first discharge means including an annular opening in said first end wall in the region of the longitudinal axis of the pipe, an annular member for defining an annular discharge path with respect to said annular opening, said second discharge means being spaced apart from said first discharge means and including an annular aperture in said second end wall along the longitudinal axis of the pipe and in the proximity of said inlet and means for rotating said pipe about the longitudinal axis of the pipe in the manner of a centrifuge.

Claim 14

A device for the continuous multiplied enrichement of gaseous isotopes of heavy elements comprising a pipe having first and second end walls and a smooth inner surface and having an inlet and first and second discharge means, at least one nozzle being arranged adjacent said inlet and extending in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pipe so as to discharge tangentially relative to the internal pipe circumference, said first discharge means adjacent said first end wall and including openings extending tangential to the inner pipe circumference, said second discharge means being spaced apart from said first discharge means and being in the form of an annular aperture in said second end wall adjacent the pipe axis and in the proximity of said inlet and means for rotating said pipe about the longitudinal axis of the pipe in the manner of a centrifuge.

Claim 15

A device for the continuous multiplied enrichement of gaseous isotopes of heavy elements comprising a pipe having first and second end walls and a smooth inner surface and having an inlet and first and second discharge means, at least one nozzle being arranged adjacent said inlet and extending in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pipe so as to discharge tangentially relative to the internal pipe circumference, said first discharge means adjacent said first end wall and including openings extending tangential to the inner pipe circumference, said second discharge means being spaced apart from said first discharge means and being in the form of an annular aperture in said second end wall adjacent the pipe axis and in the proximity of said inlet and means for rotating said pipe about the longitudinal axis of the pipe in the manner of a centrifuge.