GB1288098A - - Google Patents

Abstract

1288098 Isotope enrichment D DEWEZ 31 Dec 1969 [31 Dec 1968] 63584/69 Heading F4P In a process for enriching an element in one of its isotopes a gas containing a gaseous compound of the element is partially solidified, the isotope being preferentially separated between the resulting gaseous and solid phases of the compound. The gaseous compound gas, which may be mixed with a carrier gas, is passed through a compressor 1, cooled in a heat exchanger 2, and expanded in a turbine 3 and the resulting gas and solid phases separated in separator 4. The enriched solid phase is sublimed in a heat exchanger 5, and is added to depleted gas phase from a similar separator unit located in the second rank upstream and is passed into a compressor 1 located in the first rank upstream and the cycle repeated. The depleted gas phase is added to sublimed solid phase from the second rank downstream and the cycle repeated in the first rank downstream. The isotopic concentrations in each of the mixed phases are approximately equal. In other embodiments the feed gas may be cooled solely by heat exchange or expansion, and the enriched phase may be gaseous. Solidification of the compound may occur directly or via the liquid phase, and expansion may take place in one or a plurality of stages.