Isotope separation by magnetic fields
US4081677A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 17, 1976 |
| Grant date | Mar 28, 1978 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 17, 1996 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB01D59/00
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
One of the isotopes of an element having several isotopes can be separated from the others in a dense, neutral plasma. Thus initially a neutral plasma is prepared including the element in question. This may consist of positive ions and negative electrons or alternatively of positive and negative ions, or else of a mixture of positive ions, negative ions and electrons. The plasma may then be injected into a magnetic field or may be generated in the field where more energy is imparted to a selected isotope than to the others. Finally, the isotopes are separated from each other on the basis of their differential energies. For example, the selected isotope may be given more energy than the others by stimulating it within the plasma at its resonant frequency which may be close to the cyclotron frequency, either by an electric field or by a magnetic field. In order to excite the other isotope, a different resonant frequency is required which depends on the plasma density, the relative concentration of electrons if the plasma contains electrons, the strength of the magnetic field, the ratio of charge to mass of the isotope, and possibly on the physical parameters of the plasma apparatus i…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.