Novel hybrid isotope separation scheme and apparatus

• US 5,024,739 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): Lechert, Jr., Stephen J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAI, NGOCLAN THI
• Application Number:
  US07/323,920
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 204/157.2, 204/157.21, 204/157.22, 204/11, 250/423 P, 55/2, 55/17, 494/43, 494/902
• US Class Current: 204/157.2
• 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 494/902 involving the use of mercury

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 the specific isotope is to be isolated, radiating the gas with frequencies characteristic of the absorption of a particular isotope of the atomic or molecular gas, thereby inducing a photoionization reaction of the desired isotope, and collecting the specific isotope ion by suitable ion collection means.

Claims

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

inputting into a rotatable chamber a gaseous mixture including said specific isotope;

spinning said chamber and said gaseous mixture therein;

radiating said spinning gaseous mixture with frequencies characteristic of the absorption and ionization of said specific isotope of the atomic or molecular gas in said gaseous mixture, thereby ionizing the specific isotope and

collecting the ionized specific isotope from said spinning and radiated gaseous mixture.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said radiating step includes radiating from one or more 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 ion collecting member.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said inputting step includes inputting a gaseous mixture of natural mercury.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said radiating step includes radiating said spinning gas from several isotopically enriched and filtered fluorescent lamps emitting radiation selected to ionize said specific isotope. This could be done either in one step or in a multiplicity of steps utilizing several frequencies.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said lamps are 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. A photoionization 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 chamber;

means mounted within said chamber for radiating said spinning a gaseous mixture with frequencies characteristic of the absorption and ionization of a particular isotope of the atomic or molecular gas in said gaseous mixture; and

means mounted within said chamber for collecting specific isotope.

11. The photoionization isotope separator of claim 10 wherein said radiating means includes a lamp which is isotopically selective.

12. The photoionization isotope separator of claim 11 wherein said lamp is elongated and extends along a longitudinal axis.

13. The photoionization isotope separator of claim 10 wherein said chamber is cylindrical.

14. The photoionization isotope separator of claim 12 wherein said collecting means is positioned in an area between said lamp and an inner wall of the periphery of said rotatable chamber.

15. The photoionization isotope separator of claim 14 wherein said collecting means includes at least one ion collection member.

16. The photoionization isotope separator of claim 10 wherein said collecting means is positioned adjacent an inner wall of the periphery of said rotatable chamber.

17. The photoionization isotope separator of claim 16 wherein said collecting means includes at least one scooping member.

18. The photoionization isotope separator of claim 17 further including means associated with said at least one scooping member for removing said specific isotope from said chamber.

19. The photoionization isotope separator of claim 10 further including means associated with said collecting means for removing said specific isotope from said chamber.

20. The photoionization isotope separator of claim 11 wherein said lamps are isotopically enriched and filtered fluorescent lamps which emit radiation.

21. The photoionization isotope of claim 20 wherein said lamp emits primary ¹⁹⁶ Hg radiation of different wavelengths or a multitude of lamps each of which is optimized to emit 253.7 nm 438 nm, and 384 nm radiation necesary to ionize ¹⁹⁶ Hg.