US3708964A

US3708964A - Device for the separation of gaseous or vaporous substances, especially isotopes, with different molecular weights and/or different gas kinetic cross sections

Info

Publication number: US3708964A
Application number: US00862406A
Authority: US
Inventors: E Becker; R Schutte
Original assignee: Gesellschaft fuer Kernforschung mbH
Current assignee: Gesellschaft fuer Kernforschung mbH
Priority date: 1968-09-30
Filing date: 1969-09-30
Publication date: 1973-01-09
Anticipated expiration: 1990-01-09
Also published as: GB1272989A; DE1794274A1; AR219467A1; BE739597A; NL6914477A; JPS5025120B1; NL164752C; FR2019238A1; NL164752B; DE1794274B2; ES371381A1; CA920960A; BR6912850D0; SE371107B

Abstract

A device for the separation of gaseous isotopes includes a tube divided by partition walls into feed lines and discharge lines, the partition walls extending radially outwards into the wall of the tube substantially to the outer surface of the wall. Gas conducting elements conduct a mixture of isotopes around the ends of the partition walls where the mixture is separated into a light fraction and a heavy fraction.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Becker et a1.

1 51 Jan. 9,1973

[54] DEVICE FOR THE SEPARATION OF GASEOUS OR VAPOROUS SUBSTANCES, ESPECIALLY ISOTOPES, WITH DIFFERENT MOLECULAR WEIGHTS AND/OR DIFFERENT GAS KINETIC CROSS SECTIONS [75] Inventors: Erwin Becker, Karlsruhe-Durlach;

Rolf Schutte, Karlsruhe-Waldstadt, both of Germany [7 3] Assigneei Gesellschaft Fur Kernforschung m.b.II, Karlsruhe, Germany 22 Filed: Sept. 30, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 862,406

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 30, 1968 Germany ..P 17 94 274.4

[52] US. Cl ..55/392, 55/17 [51] Int. Cl. ..B0ld 59/00 [58] Field of Search ..55/l7, 209, 392-398 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,362,131 1/1968 Becker ..55/17 OTHER PUBLICATIONS German Printed Patent Application 1,052,955 dated 3-59 (3 sht dwg 4 sht spec.)

Primary Examiner-Bernard Nozick Att0rneySpencer and Kaye [5 7] ABSTRACT A device for the separation of gaseous isotopes includes a tube divided by partition walls into feed lines and discharge lines, the partition walls extending radially outwards into the wall of the tube substantially to the outer surface of the wall. Gas conducting elements conduct a mixture of isotopes around the ends of thepartition walls where the mixture is separated into a light fraction and a heavy fraction.

9 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAN 9am 3,708,964

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PATENTEDJAN 9 I915 3,708,964

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PATENTEUJAN 9 1975 SHEET 5 BF 8 INVENTORS Erwin Becker Rolf Schufle ATTORNEYS.

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1 VENUE: Erwin Becker R0". Schime PATENIEUJAN 9191s V 3.708.964

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DEVICE FOR THE SEPARATION OF GASEOUS OR VAPOROUS SUBSTANCES, ESPECIALLY ISOTOPES, WITH DIFFERENT MOLECULAR WEIGHTS AND/OR DIFFERENT GAS KINETIC CROSS SECTIONS The invention relates to a device for the separation of gaseous or vaporous substances, especially isotopes, with different molecular weights and/or different gas kinetic cross sections. it consists of nozzles equipped with deflection walls to which the substances to be separated are fed by feed lines, if required in a mixture with light additional gases. in the following the mixture of the substances to be separated .and the light additional gas will be named feed gas. Skimmer channels are assigned to the nozzles and equipped with skimmer diaphragms, which channels duct the different substances, separated into a heavy and a light fraction, into a discharge line for the heavy fraction and a line for the light fraction, respectively, adjacent feed and discharge lines having one partition wall in common.

A-device of this kind is known (German Patent No. 1 I98 328). The gas mixture fed to the nozzle is separated into a heavy and a light fraction'with an enrichment of the heavy components occurring near the deflection wall. The skimmer diaphragm separates the heavy fraction from the light one and feeds both to separate lines and chambers, respectively.

It is also known from the literature (cf. Chemie lngenieur Technik 39, l 1967) that the pressure of the feed gas can be made higher, the narrower the nozzle channel and the skimmer channel for theheavy fraction and the smaller the radius of curvature of the deflection wall. The highest possible pressure of the feed gas is desirable for economic reasons especially since the cross sections of the pipes and valves required for a certain production output and the dimensions of the compressors necessary for recompression willbe diminished with rising operating pressure. According to the data published in the'literature an operating pressure of the order of one atmosphere requires widths of the slit-shaped nozzle and skimmer channel of the order of about three one-hundredths mm and a radius of curvature of the deflection wall of the order of onetenth mm. The manufacture of separation elements with 'flow cross sections that small which, in addition, must be finished to very close tolerances, entails considerable practical difficulties. Lengths of several meters are :very much desired for the individual nozzle slits if economic operation is to be achieved in one single separation stage with overall slit lengths of several hundreds of meters.

The purpose of the invention is to create a device for the separation of gaseous or vaporous substances, especially isotopes, which permits the application of relatively high gas pressures and in which, under the aspect of capital costs as well as operating costs, economic considerations are brought to bear to an increased extent. In particular, fabrication and design methods will be shown which allow the simple fabrication and assembly of the individual components and the erection of individual separation stages or even a whole cascade in a minimum of space.

The solution of the problem according to the invention is to arrange the separation units consisting of nozzle, deflection wall, and skimmer channels always on the surface lines of a tube (separation element tube) which is subdivided by one or more partition walls into feed lines for the feed gas and discharge lines for the heavy fraction, and to provide for penetrations in the tube wall which connect the feed lines with the nozzles and the discharge lines for the heavy fraction with the skimmer channels of the heavy fraction. The separation units and the feed and discharge lines are best routed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube. The nozzles and the skimmer channels for the heavy fraction are separated from the skimmer channels for the light fraction by means of gas ducting devices attached to the outside of the tube wall, which devices are designed with curved nozzle walls (nozzle lips) and skimmer diaphragm, respectively, on their ends facing the deflection wall. The light fraction is accommodated by a gas tight housing which surrounds the separation element tube.

These measures according to the invention allow the fabrication of the separation units proper largely independent of the gas carrying separation element tubes so that it is relatively easy to maintain the small dimensions of the flow cross sections required for these high gas pressures also under close tolerances.

Different possibilities of executing the invention are explained in greater detail by way of examples on the basis of the drawings:

FIG. 1 showsa section through part of a separation element tube.

FIG. 2 shows a separation unit according to FIG. I on an enlarged scale.

FIG. 3, 4, 5, 6 are additional variants of the separation units according to the invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic representation ofa longitudinal section through a separation stage equipped with the separation elements according to the invention.

FIG. 8 shows a top view of a part ofa cascade.

In FIG. 1, a separation element tube 10 is shown which is separated into four sector chambers l2, I3, 14, 15 parallel to the tube axis and a central additional channel 114 connected parallel to the

chambers

12 and 14 by four radially arranged partition walls 11 and one central tube 113. In this case, the sector chambers 13 and 15 act as feed lines for the feed gas,

chambers

12 and 14 and the-additional channel 114 as discharge lines for the heavy fraction. The feed gas is radially discharged to the outside from the sector chambers 13 and 1s (feed lines) through the penetrations 17 and is fed to the nozzle 19 by gas ducting devices 18. The gas ductingdevices route the heavy fraction from the skimmer channel 111 through the penetrations 112 back into the sector chambers 12 and 14 (discharge lines).

The light fraction flows radially to the outside between the

gas ducting devices

18 and 110 and is accommodated by a gas tight housing which will be explained in greater detail below. In the example shown here the deflection walls are formed by grooves 118 made along-surface lines of the separation element tube 10. Of course, it is possible also to put less or more than four separation units on the periphery of a separation element tube without changing the basic principle of the system. The number of separation walls and penetrations would have to be varied accordingly. Chambers 12, 14, and the central additional channel 1 14 are unilaterally'closed on one front side, chambers 14 so as to be distributed over the entire length of the channel, a decrease of static pressure resulting from the change in the gas velocity will be superimposed to the pressure loss due to friction. The undesirable pressure differences can be greatly diminished if the gas is withdrawn from this flow channel at both ends.

For this purpose, channel 114 is connected with the

chambers

12 and 14 in the area ofits closed end via the penetrations 115 so' that the heavy fraction is withdrawn from

chambers

12 and 14 through the chamber openings 116 and 1 17 in the front side as well as through the penetrations 115 at the other tube end via channel 114. For corresponding reasons it may be useful to connect the feed lines also with additional parallel sector chambers.

In a preferred execution of the separation units according to FIG. 2 the

gas ducting devices

21 and 22 are fixed relative to each other and to the deflection wall 24 by means of spacers 23 arranged at specific I distances along the tube surface line. The gas ducting device 21 while its outside curvature is adapted to thev deflection wall 24.

In FIG. 3, the

gas ducting devices

31,32 are rigidly connected with an external sheet cover 36 and a deflection baffle 33. The deflection wall 38 is designed as part of the deflection baffle 33 which has

openings

34 and 35 for the passage of the feedgas and the heavy fraction, respectively. The light fraction can be withdrawn through openings39 in the sheet cover 36.

Parts

31, 32, 33, 36 can be prefabricated as stable units and put on the tube 37.

Anotherexecution of the separation unit is shown in FIG. 4. Here, the gas ducting devices are formed by a common massive one-'piece profile strip 43 carrying the nozzle .lip 41 and the skimmer 42 and equipped with penetrations 44 for the passage of the light fraction. Outside the effective separation area there are

devices

45 and 46 fixing the nozzle lip 41 and the skimmer 42 relative to the deflection wall 47. For attaching the surfaces the profile strip 43 and the separation element tube 414 have corresponding plugs 411 and recesses 412 which, in'this case, are located outside the area of

tube penetrations

49 and 410 for the feed gas and the heavy fraction, respectively.

In the execution according to FIG. the massive profile strip 51 is combined with a fitting piece 52 includingthe deflection wall and having penetrations for the feed gas and the heavy fraction. This design makes it 7 possible, as in the exampleshown in FIG. 3, to prefabricate the components 51 and 52, as a stable unit. In the example-shown the tube 53 is provided with seams in whichthe profile strip and the fitting piece, respectively, are glued or soldered with the corresponding lug-shaped

extensions

54 and 55. The extension 55 of the fitting piece 52 separates the feed gas inlet 56 gas tightfrom the outlet 57 for the heavy fraction. The fitting piece 52' is aligned relative to the profile strip 51 in a similar way as in the example shown in FIG. 4, however, with the fitting piece 52 in the corresponding' recesses of the profile strip 51 with one or two spring loaded retaining clamps 58, 59 in such a way that the two joined components 51, 52 are positively connected with each other perpendicular to the tube .axis. 1

For reasons of fabrication it may be useful or advantageous to arrange the alignment in the immediate vicinity of nozzle and skimmer, i.e. the alignment surfaces are in the area of the gas ducts. This can be achieved by providing the profile strip or the tube and the fitting piece, respectively, with fins on the feed side as well as the discharge side for the heavy fraction, the fins being arranged like gear racks supported on corresponding contact surfaces of the opposite fitting piece with their free front faces, the contact surfaces being made to such tolerances that the nozzle lip and the skimmer assume a defined position relative to the deflection wall after assembly of the two components (profile strip and tube and fitting piece, respectively). As can be seen from the example of FIG. 6, the profile strip 61 carries two rows of teeth 63a and 63bon both sides of the deflection groove. The alignment surfaces 64 and 65 abut against the continuous contact surfaces of the tube 66 or of a fitting piece as shown in FIG. 5.. The feed gas 67 flowing in through gaps between the teeth distributes evenly over the entirealength of the nozzleslot in the free space 68 while theheavy fraction 609 emerging from the skimmer channel distributes in the free space 610 over. the gapsin the second row of teeth 63b and flows into thedischarge chambers from here.

According to the 'examplein FIG. 6, the upper part 61 may be a special profile strip which is put on the bottom part 66, which is either a profile strip or, respec tively, attached ,to the'separation element tube, or else the upper part 61 with its alignment section is part of the tube; wall of the separation element proper, while the bottom half 66 is a component of the chamber separation wall and the spider of the separation wall, respectively. A special advantage of the latter integrating measure is the fact that no gas tight connections are required within the entire separation element unit and assembly is possible by merely pushing one part into' other. A particularly positive and frictional connection of these two parts is enabled by simply shrinking the tube wall on the spider of the separation wall. The gas tight connection of the profile strip'61 with part 66 is made by soldering or gluing in this case, and the connection is secured by bent clampsor clampingstrips 611 before or after the connection is made. 1

It is a well-known fact that a Iargenumber of separation stages must be connected in a cascade in isotope enrichment facilities to attain product concentrations of practical interest. The resulting complexity of the corresponding plants requires technical solutions which equally satisfy the general laws-of optimum.

operation. of separation cascades as well as the technological problems caused especially by particular position, etc.). The most important requirements in the light of these aspects can be summarized in the following principles:

1. Each separation stage and the separation cascade built up of such stages must show a maximum of tightness towards the outside because any leak will result in direct or indirect production losses and maloperation.

2. Each separation stage and the separation cascade built up of such stages should have the smallest possible material content because the time required to attain product concentration in a cascade is directly proportional to the time of sojourn of the material in the individual stages and thus to the material content. For this reason, the plant volume should be as small as possible and the gas velocities attained in it should be as high as possible.

3. To keep energy losses and thus the compresser powers as low as possible, all flow paths must be kept as short as possible and also the control and regulation systems must be so designed and arranged as to minimize the losses of kinetic energy of the working gas.

4. Rational design and economic operation of a plant must be safeguarded by a cost saving concept of the components and by a minimum requirement of floor space while leaving the possibility to repair cases of maloperation as speedily as possible.

The arrangement of the separation units on the surface line of separation element tubes is a particularly simple way of fulfilling the requirements of a specially compact and thus technically and economically advantageous design of the vseparation stages.

Such separation stage will be described in greater detail below on the basis of FIG. 7.

In this separation stage a multitude of separation element tubes 71 are arranged in parallel and are contained in a common container 72 accomodating the light fraction which is discharged from the separation element tubes. Moreover, the container72 has two opposite wall elements'725 and 726 which are penetrated by ends of the separation element tubes, the tube sector chambers 73 for the gas fed in being closed unilaterally on side of wall element 726 and the tube sector chambers 74 for removal of the heavy fraction being closed on side of wall element 725. These

wall components

725 and 726 are followed by one collection chamber each 76 and 78 having a

tube connection

741 and 79, respectively, for feeding in the feed gas and removing the heavy fraction, respectively. The container 72 holding the light fraction is connected with the suction pipe 71 l of a compressor system'with intermediate and final cooling (compressor with cooling devices 712, drive 713) by means of suction line 710 penetrating centrally through the collection chamber 76. The compressed and re-cooled gas flows back into a collection chamber 77 concentrically envelopping the suction line 710. This collection chamber 77 is equipped with a lateral discharge pipe 715 and has a common partition wall 75 with the collection chamber 76.

In this way it is possible to combine the container 72 holding the separation element tubes 71, the compressor with the gas coolers 712 together with its driving aggregate 713, a gas regulating device which will be described in more-detail later on, the collection chambers and the respective lateral gas connections into one integral, mostly cylindrical, separation stage which can be operated, tested, exchanged and maintained independently as a self-contained unit. For checking such separation stage, connection 715 is connected with connection 741, connection 716 with connection 79. The marking gas flows from the compressor through the collection chamber 77 of the distributor section 780, through

connections

715 and 741 into the collection chamber 76 and from there into the individual sector chambers 73 of the separation element tubes 71. The light fraction is captured in the container 72 between

wall sections

725 and 726 and the separation element tubes 71 and fed back to the compressor via the central line 710. The heavy fraction reaches the upper collection chamber 78 and flows back to the container 72 via

connections

79 and 716. The tube 716 taking the heavy fraction back to the container is carried down to the vicinity of the lower wall section 725. Its orifice 717 is nozzle shaped and penetrated into the suction pipe 718 for the light fraction. The suction opening of the pipe 718 acts as a diffuser andthus forms a jet pump together with the orifice 717 of the tube 716.

As is seen from the literature, the static pressure in the gas ducts of the heavy fractions can be increased to about 1.5 times the pressure in the gas ducts of the lighter fraction without resulting in noticeable reduc tion in separative work. At the same time, this increases the strength of the isotopic stream getting into the light fraction, as a clear function of the acting back pressure. This characteristic of the separation nozzles can be utilized advantageously for fine regulation of the value of stream separation between light and heavy fraction of the mixture of isotopes (cut), which governs the optimum operation of a separation-cascade (cf., e.g.-) Atomwirtschaft/Atomtechnik 13, 359 1968)).

For this purpose, the cross section of nozzle 717 has been made variable so that the optimum operating conditions for the separation stages according to the invention can be established practically free of loss. In the example shown a regulating needle 719 shaped with respect to favorable flow characteristics is installed in the area of the orifice and can be moved in the direction of the axis of the nozzle; it can be shifted axially by means of a rod 720, penetrating to the outside through a gas tight seal 721..

Besides the cost savings achieved by integrated design due to the drastic reduction in the number of components needed and .due to the removal of a large number of expensive high vacuum connections already in the fabrication of the single stages, the compact structure provides further special advantages for instal lation and assembly, checking and maintenance of separation stages. Especially a vertical arrangement of the separation stages results in very simple assembly and a particularly small space requirement. Since operational disturbances, especially when their causes are not'known exactly, are removed most rapidly and safely by replacing complete functional groups, the arrangement according to the invention of the single stage and of its line connections has been selected so that after four process lines have been disconnected, either the whole single stage can be replaced. as a complete unit by an operational replacement unit or,

with the process connections remaining in place the sub-units subject to mechanical wear, drive, compressor and, finally, drive -lcompressor cooler can be replaced.

The connection of several separation stages in a separation cascade must be carriedoutin a well-known way so that the gas streams mixing at the connection points have the same isotopic compositions. Such cascade is brieflyexplained on the basis of the example shown in FIG. 8 for stages with an isotopic stream separation ratio of l 1.

The figure shows separation stages 81 85 in a view looking in the directionof the axes of the separation element tubes towards the inlet lines 86 (corresponding to tube connection 716 in FIG. 7)and the discharge lines 87 of the heavy fraction (corresponding to tube 79 of FIG. 7). Stage 83, e.g., is fed the initial mixture by the line connection 88 visible between'the stages (corresponding to connection 74l of FIG. 7) from the compressor of stage 82. The light fraction produced in stage 83 is sucked in by the compressor of stage 83 after having been mixed with the heavy fraction coming from stage 85 via

line

86, 87 and is taken to the next stage, 84, through line 89 (corresponding to cennection 715 in FIG. 7). The heavy fraction of stage 83 flows through line 87 (corresponding to connection 79 in FIG. 7) to stage 81 where it is mixed with the light fraction of that stage, sucked in by the compressor of that stage and fed to stage 82 through connection 810. In the same way, there is a connection of all the other stages in the proper way to form a cascade while] the condition of nonmixing of isotopes is being observed. As canbe taken from this example, the position of the line connections can be'selected so that the individual stages are connected into cascades or cascade sections in the narrowest line arrangement possible by direct connection of their connecting lines, if necessary, with the addition of an elastic link between stages (bellows, compensator or the like) and/or a shutoff valve. For other values of the isotopic stream separation ratio which may be applied to cascade arrangements (of, e.g., Chemie-lngenieur-Technik 29, 365 (1957)), the arrangement of the separation stages in a completely analogous line arrangement is possible in the sameway by the corresponding layout of the connecting pipes.

We claim: i

1. A device for the separation of gaseous or vaporous substances especially isotopes, comprising a tube, partition wall means in said tube for separating its interior into adjoining. feed line means and discharge line means, the partition wall means including partition walls extending radially into penetrations in the wall of said tube substantially to the-outer surface of said tube, means arranged at the location of said penetrations for directing a feed gas mixturefrom said feed line means around the radially outer ends of said partition walls' for removal of the light fraction; said gas ducting devices being fixed by spacers relative to each other and relative to the radially outer ends of said. partition walls at intervals along the tube circumference.

2.. Device as claimedin claim 1, wherein the spacers have crane hook-like extensions the outside curvature of which is adapted to the radially outer ends of said partition walls and the inside curvature of which encloses the end of a gas ducting device adjoining said feed line means.

3. A device for the separation of gaseous or vaporous substances especially isotopes, comprising a tube, partition wall means in said tube for separating its interior into adjoining feed line means and discharge line means, the partition wall means including partition walls extending radially into penetrations in the wall of said tube substantially to the outer surface of said tube, means arranged at the location of said penetrations for directing afeed gas mixture from said feed line means around the radially outer ends of said partition walls and separating it into a light fraction and a heavy fraction, the means for directing passing the heavy fraction into said discharge-line means, inlet means for said feed line means and outlet means for said discharge' line means; said means for directing including gas ducting devices attached to the outside of the tube wall, which devices are designed as curved nozzle walls and as a skimmer diaphragm at their ends facing the radially outer ends of said partition walls forming outlet'means for removal of the light fraction; said gas ducting devices being formed out of a common massive profile strip carrying a nozzle lip and a skimmer and having penetrations for the passage of the light fraction, the profile strip and the tube having corresponding lugs and recesses equipped with alignment fitting means for fixing the position of the nozzle. lip and the skimmer diaphragm relative to the radially outer ends of said partition walls. 7

4. A device for the separation of gaseous or vaporous substances especially isotopes, comprising a tube, partition wall means in said tube for separating itsinterior into adjoining feed line means and discharge line means, the partition wall means including partition walls extending radially into penetrations in the wall of said tube substantially to the outer surface of said tube, means arranged at the location of said penetrations for directing a feed gas mixture from said feed line means around the radially outer, endsof [said partition walls and separatingit into a light fraction and a heavy fraction, the means for directing passing the heavy fraction into said discharge line means, inlet means for said feed.

line means and outlet means for said discharge line.

means; said means for directing including gas ducting devices attached to the outside of the tube wall, which devices are designed as curved nozzle walls and as a skimmer diaphragm at their ends facing the radially outer ends of said partition walls forming outlet means for removal of the light fraction; said gas ducting devices being formed out of a common massive profile strip carrying a nozzlelip and a skimmer and having penetrations for the passage of thelight fraction, said profile strip being assembled into a unit set on the tube with, a fitting piece including a deflection wall, and penetrations for the feed gas and the heavy fraction, said profile strip and the tube and fitting piece, respectively, having fins arranged like racks on at least one of the feed line means side and the discharge line means side for the heavy fraction, which fins are supported with their free front sides on the corresponding contact surfaces of the opposite fitting piece, the contact surfaces being so designed that after assembly of the profile strip, tube and fitting piece the nozzle lip and the skimmer diaphragm have a preset position relative to the deflection wall.

5. Device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the assembled profile strip, tube, and fitting piece are positively connected with each other perpendicularly to the tube axis.

6. A separation stage for the separation of gaseous or vaporous substances especially isotopes, comprising at least two devices, each said device comprising a tube, partition wall means in said tube for separating its interior into adjoining feed line means and discharge line means, the partition wall means including partition walls extending radially into penetrations in the wall of said tube substantially to the outer surface of said tube, means arranged at the location of said penetrations for directing a feed gas mixture from said feed line means around the radially outer ends of said partition walls and separating it into a light fraction and a heavy fraction, the means for directing passing the heavy fraction into said discharge means and including outlet means for radial movement of the light fraction; one common container housing said devices and accomodating the light fractions radially leaving said devices; said devices penetrating with their ends through two opposite wall sections of said container, one collection chamber each following these wall sections being equipped with a connection for feeding the feed gas and withdrawing the heavy fraction, respectively, the feed line means and the discharge line means of said devices being unilaterally closed at opposed ends; the container for withdrawal of the light fraction being connectedwith the suction pipe of a compressor, with at least final cooling, via a suction line centrally penetrating through the collection chamber for the feed of the feed gas and another collection chamber being provided for the compressed and cooled light fraction which concentrically surrounds the suction line with a pipe connection, this other collection chamber having one partition wall in common with the collection chamber for the feed gas; further comprising a heavy fraction receiving tube introduced into the area of the suction opening of the suction line, which heavy fraction receiving tube is provided with means for connection with another separation stage, the orifice of the heavy fraction receiving tube at the suction opening having the shape of a nozzle and forming a jet pump with a diffusor-like opening of the suction line for the light fraction.

7. Device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the cross section of the nozzle shaped orifice is variable. I

8. Device as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a regulating needle of a shape with favorable flow characteristics provided in the area of the orifice, which needle can be displaced in the direction of the axis of the nozzle.

9. Device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the container with the following collection chambers and the suction line, the compressor, including cooler and gas regulation device are combined in a re laceable, mostly cylindrical unit carrying on its perip ery connection pipes for introducing and discharging the feed-

Claims

1. A device for the separation of gaseous or vaporous substances especially isotopes, comprising a tube, partition wall means in said tube for separating its interior into adjoining feed line means and discharge line means, the partition wall means including partition walls extending radially into penetrations in the wall of said tube substantially to the outer surface of said tube, mEans arranged at the location of said penetrations for directing a feed gas mixture from said feed line means around the radially outer ends of said partition walls and separating it into a light fraction and a heavy fraction, the means for directing passing the heavy fraction into said discharge line means, inlet means for said feed line means and outlet means for said discharge line means; said means for directing including gas ducting devices attached to the outside of the tube wall, which devices are designed as curved nozzle walls and as a skimmer diaphragm at their ends facing the radially outer ends of said partition walls forming outlet means for removal of the light fraction; said gas ducting devices being fixed by spacers relative to each other and relative to the radially outer ends of said partition walls at intervals along the tube circumference.

2. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spacers have crane hook-like extensions the outside curvature of which is adapted to the radially outer ends of said partition walls and the inside curvature of which encloses the end of a gas ducting device adjoining said feed line means.

3. A device for the separation of gaseous or vaporous substances especially isotopes, comprising a tube, partition wall means in said tube for separating its interior into adjoining feed line means and discharge line means, the partition wall means including partition walls extending radially into penetrations in the wall of said tube substantially to the outer surface of said tube, means arranged at the location of said penetrations for directing a feed gas mixture from said feed line means around the radially outer ends of said partition walls and separating it into a light fraction and a heavy fraction, the means for directing passing the heavy fraction into said discharge line means, inlet means for said feed line means and outlet means for said discharge line means; said means for directing including gas ducting devices attached to the outside of the tube wall, which devices are designed as curved nozzle walls and as a skimmer diaphragm at their ends facing the radially outer ends of said partition walls forming outlet means for removal of the light fraction; said gas ducting devices being formed out of a common massive profile strip carrying a nozzle lip and a skimmer and having penetrations for the passage of the light fraction, the profile strip and the tube having corresponding lugs and recesses equipped with alignment fitting means for fixing the position of the nozzle lip and the skimmer diaphragm relative to the radially outer ends of said partition walls.

4. A device for the separation of gaseous or vaporous substances especially isotopes, comprising a tube, partition wall means in said tube for separating its interior into adjoining feed line means and discharge line means, the partition wall means including partition walls extending radially into penetrations in the wall of said tube substantially to the outer surface of said tube, means arranged at the location of said penetrations for directing a feed gas mixture from said feed line means around the radially outer ends of said partition walls and separating it into a light fraction and a heavy fraction, the means for directing passing the heavy fraction into said discharge line means, inlet means for said feed line means and outlet means for said discharge line means; said means for directing including gas ducting devices attached to the outside of the tube wall, which devices are designed as curved nozzle walls and as a skimmer diaphragm at their ends facing the radially outer ends of said partition walls forming outlet means for removal of the light fraction; said gas ducting devices being formed out of a common massive profile strip carrying a nozzle lip and a skimmer and having penetrations for the passage of the light fraction, said profile strip being assembled into a unit set on the tube with a fitting piece including a deflection wall and penetrations for the feed gas and the heavy fraction, said profile strip and the tube and fitting piece, respectively, having fins arranged like racks on at least one of the feed line means side and the discharge line means side for the heavy fraction, which fins are supported with their free front sides on the corresponding contact surfaces of the opposite fitting piece, the contact surfaces being so designed that after assembly of the profile strip, tube and fitting piece the nozzle lip and the skimmer diaphragm have a preset position relative to the deflection wall.

6. A separation stage for the separation of gaseous or vaporous substances especially isotopes, comprising at least two devices, each said device comprising a tube, partition wall means in said tube for separating its interior into adjoining feed line means and discharge line means, the partition wall means including partition walls extending radially into penetrations in the wall of said tube substantially to the outer surface of said tube, means arranged at the location of said penetrations for directing a feed gas mixture from said feed line means around the radially outer ends of said partition walls and separating it into a light fraction and a heavy fraction, the means for directing passing the heavy fraction into said discharge means and including outlet means for radial movement of the light fraction; one common container housing said devices and accomodating the light fractions radially leaving said devices; said devices penetrating with their ends through two opposite wall sections of said container, one collection chamber each following these wall sections being equipped with a connection for feeding the feed gas and withdrawing the heavy fraction, respectively, the feed line means and the discharge line means of said devices being unilaterally closed at opposed ends; the container for withdrawal of the light fraction being connected with the suction pipe of a compressor, with at least final cooling, via a suction line centrally penetrating through the collection chamber for the feed of the feed gas and another collection chamber being provided for the compressed and cooled light fraction which concentrically surrounds the suction line with a pipe connection, this other collection chamber having one partition wall in common with the collection chamber for the feed gas; further comprising a heavy fraction receiving tube introduced into the area of the suction opening of the suction line, which heavy fraction receiving tube is provided with means for connection with another separation stage, the orifice of the heavy fraction receiving tube at the suction opening having the shape of a nozzle and forming a jet pump with a diffusor-like opening of the suction line for the light fraction.

7. Device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the cross section of the nozzle shaped orifice is variable.

9. Device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the container with the following collection chambers and the suction line, the compressor, including cooler and gas regulation device are combined in a replaceable, mostly cylindrical unit carrying on its periphery connection pipes for introducing and discharging the feed gas and the heavy and light fractions, respectively.