Electromagnetic mass distiller

A device for segregating high-mass particles in a multi-species plasma from lower-mass particles which comprises:

• a hollow annular shaped filter section defining a plane and a central axis, said filter section lying in said plane and said plane being substantially perpendicular to said central axis;
• means for generating a magnetic field of magnitude “Bz”, said magnetic field being aligned substantially parallel to said central axis in said filter section;
• means for generating an electric field crossed with said magnetic field in said filter section, said electric field being oriented substantially perpendicular to said central axis in said filter section with a substantially zero potential at a first radial distance from said central axis and a positive potential of “V” at a second radial distance from said central axis, said first radial distance being greater than said second radial distance;
• and
• a source for injecting said multi-species plasma into said filter section for interaction with said crossed magnetic and electric fields to segregate said high-mass particles, having a mass greater than Mc, from said lower-mass particles having a mass less than Mc, by ejecting said high-mass particles beyond a radial distance “a,” said distance “a” being less than said first radial distance and greater than said second radial distance and by confining said lower-mass particles within said distance “a”, wherein
• Mc=ea2(Bz)2/8V.

A method for segregating high-mass particles in a multi-species plasma from lower-mass particles which comprises the steps of:

• providing a hollow enclosure surrounding a substantially annular shaped chamber, said enclosure defining a plane and a central axis substantially perpendicular thereto, said enclosure having a first wall and a second wall with said second wall being distanced from said first wall to establish said chamber therebetween, said chamber having a filter section wherein said first wall and said second wall are oriented substantially parallel to said central axis, said first wall in said filter section being at a first radial distance from said central axis and said second wall in said filter section being at a second radial distance from said central axis with said first radial distance being greater than said second radial distance;
• generating a magnetic field in said chamber, said magnetic field being aligned between and substantially parallel to both said first wall and said second wall;
• establishing an electric field substantially perpendicular to said magnetic field to create crossed magnetic and electric fields in said chamber, said electric field having a positive potential on said second wall and a substantially zero potential on said first wall;
• and
• injecting said multi-species plasma into said chamber for interaction with said crossed magnetic and electric fields to segregate said high-mass particles from said lower-mass particles by ejecting said high-mass particles into contact with said first wall in said filter section to collect said high mass particles thereon, and by preventing contact of said lower-mass particles with said first wall in said filter section.