ISOTOPE SEPARATION PROCESS AND APPARATUS THEREFOR

• US 20050199797A1
• Filed: 03/10/2005
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peter J. Schubert
• Original Assignee: Peter J. Schubert
• Inventors: Schubert, Peter J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,462,820 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/283
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 59/46 using only electrostatic fields

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.

Claims

1. A process for isotope separation comprising the steps of:

imparting a velocity and direction to a body of material along a substantially linear path within an apparatus;

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.

2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the second portion of the ionized material continues on the path downstream of the aperture.

3. A process according to claim 2, further comprising the step of deflecting at least some of the second portion of the ionized material from the path to define a second stream having a deflection orientation and angle away from the path.

4. A process according to claim 3, wherein the deflecting step results in a third stream containing un-ionized material.

5. A process according to claim 4, wherein the third stream continues traveling on the path following the deflecting step.

6. A process according to claim 3, wherein after the deflecting step ionized material from the second stream is collected.

7. A process according to claim 6, wherein the second stream is slowed prior to ionized material thereof being collected.

8. A process according to claim 1, wherein the first portion of the ionized material is collected on a surface adjacent the aperture.

9. A process according to claim 8, wherein the surface defines at least a portion of the aperture.

10. A process according to claim 1, wherein the using step utilizes at least a second aperture to separate a third portion of the ionized material while a fourth portion of the ionized material passes through the second aperture.

11. An isotope separator comprising:

means for imparting a velocity and direction to a body of material along a substantially linear path within an apparatus;

means for 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

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.

12. An isotope separator according to claim 11, wherein the aperture is aligned with the path so that the second portion of the ionized material continues on the path downstream of the aperture.

13. An isotope separator according to claim 12, further comprising means for deflecting at least some of the second portion of the ionized material from the path to define a second stream having a deflection orientation and angle away from the path.

14. An isotope separator according to claim 13, wherein the deflecting means yields a third stream containing un-ionized material.

15. An isotope separator according to claim 14, wherein the deflecting means causes the third stream to continue traveling on the path.

16. An isotope separator according to claim 13, further comprising means for collecting ionized material from the second stream downstream of the deflecting means.

17. An isotope separator according to claim 16, further comprising means for slowing the second stream upstream of the collecting means.

18. An isotope separator according to claim 11, further comprising a surface adjacent the aperture on which the first portion of the ionized material is collected.

19. An isotope separator according to claim 18, wherein the surface defines at least a portion of the aperture.

20. An isotope separator according to claim 11, further comprising at least a second aperture configured to separate a third portion of the ionized material while enabling a fourth portion of the ionized material to pass therethrough.