Rule of thumb for binary isotope separations in a gas centrifuge

Technical Report · Sun Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:6476169

Berger, M H

A very simple hypothetical model of the binary isotope separation process in a countercurrent Gas Centrifuge is proposed. Like the usual Cohen-Onsager separation theory it involves the internal fluid dynamics, but unlike the usual isotopic separation theory it completely obviates the usual flow integrals for Cohen's E. Thereby allowing an immediate estimate of the flow efficiency of a given design, which can and sometimes should be checked later by the usual analyses. To shed some light on our idea, two simple derivations for assumed idealized hydrodynamics are given, but a rigorous proof remains an open question. Then our hypothesis is tested against a battery of about 10 new ''exact'' formulas for E based upon analytical solutions to several variants of Onsager's pancake equation and found to be ''reasonably'' accurate and surprisingly robust. Finally, some limitations of our rule are explored.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OT21400
• OSTI ID: 6476169
• Report Number(s): K/OA-5911; ON: DE86004159
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050502* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Uranium Enrichment-- Centrifugation-- (-1989)
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
CENTRIFUGATION
CENTRIFUGES
CONCENTRATORS
COUNTER CURRENT
GAS CENTRIFUGATION
GAS CENTRIFUGES
ISOTOPE SEPARATION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
SEPARATION PROCESSES