Isotope separation process and apparatus therefor
OwnerPeter J. Schubertinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process and apparatus for separating element isotopes in space by imparting a velocity and direction to a body of material along a substantially linear path, heating and vaporizing the body and ionizing the material thereof as it flows along the path to produce a first stream comprising ionized material, and then using at least one aperture to separate a first portion of the ionized material having a velocity transverse to the path that exceeds a predetermined transverse velocity limit while a second portion of the ionized material passes through the aperture and can be subsequently collected.
Claims25
A periodic process for isotope separation comprising the steps of:
- imparting a velocity and direction to a solid body of material along a linear path within an apparatus;
- heating and vaporizing the solid body and ionizing at least some of the material thereof as it flows along the path to produce a first stream comprising ionized material;
- using at least one aperture to separate a first portion of the ionized material having a velocity transverse to the path that exceeds a predetermined transverse velocity limit while a second portion of the ionized material passes through the aperture;
- deflecting at least some of the second portion of the ionized material from the path to define at least a first deflected ion stream having a deflection orientation and angle away from the path;
- and then
- collecting the ionized material of the first deflected ion stream.
An isotope separator for performing a periodic isotope separation process, the isotope separator comprising:
- means for imparting a velocity and direction to a solid body of material along a linear path within an apparatus;
- means for heating and vaporizing the solid body and ionizing the material thereof as it flows along the path to produce a first stream comprising ionized material;
- and
- at least one aperture configured to separate a first portion of the ionized material having a velocity transverse to the path that exceeds a predetermined transverse velocity limit while a second portion of the ionized material passes through the aperture;
- means for deflecting at least some of the second portion of the ionized material from the path to define at least a first deflected ion stream having a deflection orientation and angle away from the path;
- and then
- means for collecting the ionized material of the first deflected ion stream on a surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.