Garden Hose Separation of Gaseous Isotopes. Part II: Supersonic Accelerations

Abstract

A mechanical process for separating gaseous mixtures according to their respective molecular weights, by a variation of the time-of-flight process, is proposed. The separative apparatus consists of several sets of nozzle-deflector combinations surrounded by a stationary collector housed in an evacuated chamber. From a rotating supersonic nozzle, a contiguous plurality of successive groups of molecules is ejected to form a continuous stream of the mixture. The molecules of each group of molecules are allowed to accelerate for a predetermined period of time following their supersonic expansion, thereby allowing each group of molecules to form a generally spherical configuration, the outer radius of which will be enriched in molecules of lighter mass, relative to lesser radii. A deflector means co-rotating with the nozzle is used to deflect molecules that have been allowed to move for the predetermined period of time in accordance with their expansion velocities, from at least one desired portion of the stream, and a stationary collector means is disposed to receive the deflected molecules. The estimated separative work produced from such a unit is about the same or better than that of a modern giant diffuser of similar dimensions. However, with an essentially empty chamber, the unit capitalmore » cost as well as the energy required is competitive with any of the well-known methods, mechanical or otherwise.« less