Isotope separation using vibrationally excited molecules

Patent · Tue Aug 02 00:00:00 EDT 1977

OSTI ID:7213308

Woodroffe, J A; Keck, J C

A system for isotope separation or enrichment wherein molecules of a selected isotope type in a flow of molecules of plural isotope types are vibrationally excited and collided with a background gas to provide enhanced diffusivity for the molecules of the selected isotope type permitting their separate collection. The system typically is for the enrichment of uranium using a uranium hexafluoride gas in combination with a noble gas such as argon. The uranium hexafluoride molecules having a specific isotope of uranium are vibrationally excited by laser radiation. The vibrational energy is converted to a translation energy upon collision with a particle of the background gas and the added translation energy enhances the diffusivity of the selected hexafluoride molecules facilitating its condensation on collection surfaces provided for that purpose. This process is periodically interrupted and the cryogenic flow halted to permit evaporation of the collected molecules to provide a distinct, enriched flow.

• Assignee: Jersey Nuclear-Avco Isotopes, Inc.
• Patent Number(s): US 4039411
• OSTI ID: 7213308
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050503* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Uranium Enrichment-- Laser Excitation-- (-1989)
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPE SEPARATION
ISOTOPES
LASER ISOTOPE SEPARATION
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NUCLEI
RADIOISOTOPES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
URANIUM 235
URANIUM 238
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM FLUORIDES
URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE
URANIUM ISOTOPES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES