Wide angle isotope separator

In a system for enriching one isotope in a material containing plural isotope wherein a wide angle, radially expanding flow of vapor of said material is generated, a process for separating said one isotope including:

• directing the vapor flow into a plurality of adjacent chambers for collecting vapor components, the chamber being defined by plural plates partitioning said chambers;
• the vapor flow being directed in flow direction generally parallel to the surfaces of said plates bordering each chamber;
• changing the trajectory of said one isotope within each of said plurality of chambers in a direction distinct from the local direction of the remaining constituents of said vapor flow in each chamber;
• and
• collecting said one isotope in each chamber on said trajectory apart from the remaining constituents of said vapor flow.

In a system for the enrichment of one isotope in an environment containing plural isotopes of a material, apparatus comprising:

• means for providing a generally radially expanding vapor flow of said plural isotopes over a substantial angle;
• a plurality of adjacent chambers defined by plural radial disposed partitions which separate each chamber and have surfaces bounding each chamber which extend generally parallel to the expanding vapor flow;
• means for selectively ionizing particles of said one isotope within each of said plurality of chambers over the substantial angle of said radially expanding vapor flow;
• and
• means for accelerating the selectively ionized particles within each of said plurality of chambers in a direction distinct from said vapor flow over the substantial angle thereof.

In a system for separating one isotope from an environment containing plural isotopes which are in a vapor state and wherein there is a generally radial vapor to the vapor with substantial local flow uniformity, apparatus comprising:

• two or more plates circumferentially positioned with respect to said radial vapor flow and aligned generally parallel thereto to define a plurality of chambers separated by said plates permitting the passage of said radial vapor flow therethrough;
• and
• means for producing a trajectory for said one isotope in said radial vapor flow different from the uniform local flow and toward one of said plates;
• a plurality of shadow shields each associated with one of said plates to shield said plates from collection of components of said radial vapor flow other than those on said trajectory toward said plates.

In a system for the enrichment of one isotope in an environment containing plural isotopes of a material, apparatus comprising:

• means for generating local heating on the surface of said material sufficient to cause vaporization thereof in a generally radially expanding vapor flow of said plural isotopes over a substantial angle;
• means for selectively ionizing particles of said one isotope over the substantial angle of said radially expanding vapor flow;
• the region above the surface of said material and between said material and the region of selective ionization being generally free of obstructions to said vapor flow;
• and
• means for accelerating the selectively ionized particles in a direction distinct from said vapor flow over the substantial angle thereof.

A method for separating one isotope from plural isotopes comprising the steps of:

• generating an electron beam;
• directing said electron beam onto a surface of a material of said plural isotopes and said one isotope desired to be separated to provide a radial expansion of the vapor of said material over a wide angle from the local heating thereof;
• permitting the vapor expansion to occupy a substantial angle;
• applying radiant energy to the vapor expansion within said substantial angle to produce selective ionization of said one isotope in said vapor expansion;
• and
• collecting the ions resulting from the ionization of said vapor expansion separately from the remainder of the constitutents of said vapor expansion.

In a system for enriching one isotope of a material containing plural isotopes, apparatus comprising:

• an elongated container of said material open to expose a surface of said material over a wide angle;
• a source of electrons;
• means for directing said electrons generally onto a line of the surface of said material to produce local heating and vaporization of said material whereby a radially expanding vapor flow is created away from said line;
• a plurality of collection plates generally aligned parallel to said line and the flow direction of said radially expanding vapor flow;
• means for periodically illuminating the region between said plates with laser energy to selectively ionize said one isotope in said vapor flow;
• means for applying a magnetic field to said region between said plates in a direction generally parallel to said line;
• means for applying periodic electrical current pulses to said region in a direction orthogonal to said magnetic field in the interval between the periodic illumination in order to accelerate the ions of said one isotope toward said plates in a direction distinct from the direction of the local vapor flow;
• and
• means for collecting the constituents of said vapor flow not accelerated toward said plates.

A method for separating one isotope from plural isotopes comprising the steps of:

• generating localized heating on a surface of a material of said plural isotopes and said one isotope desired to be separated to provide a radial expansion of a vapor of said material over a wide angle from the local heating thereof;
• permitting this vapor expansion to occupy a substantial angle;
• directing the vapor flow into a plurality of adjacent chambers for collecting vapor components, the chambers being defined by plural partitions radially disposed about the locally heated material;
• the vapor flow being directed generally parallel to the surfaces of said partitions bordering said chambers;
• applying radiant energy to the vapor expansion within said substantial angle to produce selective ionization of said one isotope in said vapor expansion;
• collecting the ions resulting from the ionization of said vapor expansion separately from the remainder of the constituents of said vapor expansion.