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US4097247A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Isotope separation process

Assignee: United States Department of Energy
•
Filing: 1972-10-10
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Granted: 1978-06-27
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Expires: 1992-10-10
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Abstract

Abstract Apparatus and method are specified for the separation of isotopes of elements and their compounds and other mixtures in gaseous form, for example, the separation of mixtures of uranium isotopes U-235 and U-238 as uranium hexafluorides. The separation is effected by passing a stream of the gaseous isotopic elements or compounds at high velocity into a low-molecular-weight stopping gas. The heavier isotopes travel farther through the stopping gas than the light isotopes in a given time and a spatial separation is thus achieved. The high velocity isotope stream is produced by acceleration of the isotope mixture in a low-molecular-weight carrier gas during passage through a nozzle into the region of the stopping gas. A flow of the stopping gas is maintained to remove the isotopes from the region of the high velocity stream. This flow is subsequently split into streams each enriched in one of the isotopes. The stopping gas is maintained at low temperature, either by expansion or by conventional refrigeration techniques, to enhance the degree of separation.

Inventors

  • 👤 James B. Anderson

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 23:50
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D59/00; B01D59/10; B01D59/18

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 108 words
A method for the separation of species of different weight or different molecular size contained in a gas mixture, comprising the steps of: introducing a low-molecular-weight stopping gas in the form of a jet into a vacuum chamber; expanding said gas mixture through a nozzle to form a gas mixture jet directed to impinge upon said stopping gas jet to effect spatial separation of said different species of said gas mixture within said stopping gas jet; and dividing said stopping gas jet downstream from the point of impingement of said gas mixture jet into separate streams which are respectively enriched in the separated species of said gas mixture.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 108 words
A method for the separation of species of different weight or different molecular size contained in a gas mixture, comprising the steps of: introducing a low-molecular-weight stopping gas in the form of a jet into a vacuum chamber; expanding said gas mixture through a nozzle to form a gas mixture jet directed to impinge upon said stopping gas jet to effect spatial separation of said different species of said gas mixture within said stopping gas jet; and dividing said stopping gas jet downstream from the point of impingement of said gas mixture jet into separate streams which are respectively enriched in the separated species of said gas mixture.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the gas mixture contains isotopic species to be separated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 18 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the gas mixture is accelerated by the addition of a low-molecular-weight gas.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method of claim 3, wherein said stopping gas is introduced through a nozzle into the chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method of claim 4, wherein the gas mixture contains isotopes of uranium hexafluoride to be separated.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 63 words
Apparatus for the separation of gas mixtures which comprises in combination, a chamber having inlet and outlet ports for the introduction of a gas mixture and a secondary gas and the discharge of these gases from the chamber, with a nozzle for the acceleration of the gas mixture to imping on the secondary gas, and provision for the segregation of exit gas streams.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 63 words
Apparatus for the separation of gas mixtures which comprises in combination, a chamber having inlet and outlet ports for the introduction of a gas mixture and a secondary gas and the discharge of these gases from the chamber, with a nozzle for the acceleration of the gas mixture to imping on the secondary gas, and provision for the segregation of exit gas streams.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 19 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the gas mixture is accelerated by the addition of a low-molecular-weight gas.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 15 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the gas mixture contains isotopes to be separated.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 19 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the secondary gas stream is expanded through a nozzle into the chamber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 18 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the gas mixture contains isotopes of uranium hexafluorides to be separated.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3616596A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1981-06-26 1981-12-26 1982-06-27 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1985-06-26 1985-12-26 1986-06-27 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1989-06-26 1989-12-26 1990-06-27 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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