Optimal plate aspect ratio for the enrichment of heavy water from water–isotope mixture in a flat-plate thermal diffusion column with transverse sampling streams

Abstract

Suitably adjusting the plate aspect ratio in a flat-plate thermal diffusion column is one of the flexible ways of properly controlling the convective strength, resulting in reducing the remixing effect while still preserving the effectively cascading effect, and thereby leading to improved separation. The optimal plate aspect ratios for the performances of the separation of heavy water from water–isotope mixture in flat-plate thermal diffusion columns with transverse sampling streams have been determined. The maximum separation and maximum production rate are achieved without changing the total expenditure, while the design with minimum plate surface area results in minimizing the total expenditure.