Hybrid isotope separation scheme

• US 5,024,741 A
• Filed: 03/15/1989
• Issued: 06/18/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
• Original Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
• Inventors: Maya, Jakob
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Edward A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAI, NGOCLAN THI
• Application Number:
  US07/323,930
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 204/157.2, 204/157.21, 204/157.22, 55/2, 55/17, 422/159, 422/903, 422/136, 422/186.3, 494/900
• US Class Current: 204/157.22
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 59/50 Separation involving two or more processes covered by different groups selected from groups B01D59/02, B01D59/10, B01D59/20, B01D59/22, B01D59/28, B01D59/34, B01D59/36, B01D59/38, B01D59/44
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 422/903 Radioactive material apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 494/90 involving mixture containing one or more gases

Abstract

A method of yielding selectively a desired enrichment in a specific isotope including the steps of inputting into a spinning chamber a gas from which a scavenger, radiating the gas with a wave length or frequency characteristic of the absorption of a particular isotope of the atomic or molecular gas, thereby inducing a photochemical reaction between the scavenger, and collecting the specific isotope-containing chemical by using a recombination surface or by a scooping apparatus.

Claims

1. A method of yielding selectively a desired enrichment in a specific isotope comprising the steps of:

inputting into a rotatable chamber a gas comprising a gaseous mixture including said specific isotope and a scavenger from which said specific isotope is to be isolated;

spinning said chamber and said gas therein;

radiating said spinning gas with a wave length or frequency characteristic of the absorption of a particular isotope of the atomic or molecular gas, thereby inducing a chemical reaction between said specific isotope and scavenger to form a scavenger compound; and

collecting the scavenger compound which includes the specific isotope from said spinning and radiated gas.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said radiating step includes radiating from an isotopically selected lamp.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said collecting step includes collecting said specific isotope in an area between said lamp and an inner wall of the periphery of said rotatable chamber.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said collecting step includes scraping said specific isotope off an inner wall of the periphery of said rotatable chamber.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said inputting step includes inputting a gaseous mixture of natural mercury and a scavenger comprising hydrochloric acid.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said radiating step includes radiating said spinning gas from an isotopically enriched and filtered fluorescent lamp emitting radiation.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said lamp is emitting primarily ¹⁹⁶ Hg radiation.

8. The method of claim 1 further including the step of removing the collected isotope from said chamber.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said collecting step includes collecting said specific isotope in an area between said lamp and an inner wall of the periphery of said rotatable chamber.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein said collecting step includes scraping said specific isotope off an inner wall of the periphery of said rotatable chamber.

11. A photochemical isotope separator for yielding selectively a desired enrichment in a specific isotope, comprising:

a chamber which is rotatable about a longitudinal axis;

means coupled to said chamber for spinning said chamber about said longitudinal axis;

means associated with said chamber for flowing gas into said chamber;

means mounted within said chamber for radiating said spinning gas with a wave length or frequency characteristic of the absorption of a particular isotope of the atomic or molecular gas; and

means mounted within said chamber for collecting specific isotope.

12. The photochemical isotope separator of claim 11 wherein said radiating means includes a lamp which is isotopically selective.

13. The photochemical isotope separator of claim 12 wherein said lamp is elongated and extends along a longitudinal axis.

14. The photochemical isotope separator of claim 11 wherein said chamber is cylindrical.

15. The photochemical isotope separator of claim 13 wherein said collecting means is positioned in an area between said lamp and an inner wall of the periphery of said rotatable chamber.

16. The photochemical isotope separator of claim 15 wherein said collecting means includes at least one recombination member.

17. The photochemical isotope separator of claim 11 wherein said collecting means is positioned adjacent an inner wall of the periphery of said rotatable chamber.

18. The photochemical isotope separator of claim 17 wherein said collecting means includes at least one scooping member.

19. The photochemical isotope separator of claim 18 further including means associated with said at least one scooping member for removing said specific isotope from said chamber.

20. The photochemical isotope separator of claim 11 further including means associated with said collecting means for removing said specific isotope from said chamber.

21. The photochemical isotope separator of claim 12 wherein said lamp is an isotopically enriched and filtered fluorescent lamp which emits radiation.

22. The photochemical isotope separator of claim 21 wherein said lamp emits primary ¹⁹⁶ Hg radiation.