JPH078757A - Isotope separation device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Objective] To provide an isotope separation device capable of stably providing a product having a predetermined concentration. [Structure] A vacuum container 1 and the inside of the vacuum container 1,
An evaporation crucible 3 for containing a metal raw material 2 containing a plurality of isotopes, a heat source for generating a vapor stream s of the metal raw material 2, and a positive electrode parallel to the direction of the generated vapor stream s. 7 and the negative electrode 8 are alternately arranged to form a product recovery electrode 6, and a laser beam 10 for selectively cationizing a specific isotope in the vapor stream s flowing between the product recovery electrodes 6. And an isotope separation device for separating and recovering a specific isotope that has been cationized by applying a voltage between the product recovery electrodes, and separating and collecting the specific isotope.
In the vapor flow between the evaporation crucible 3 and the product recovery electrode 6, means for adjusting the inflow area of the vapor flow s flowing between the product recovery electrodes 6 is provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an isotope separation apparatus using a laser beam, and particularly to controlling the concentration of a product obtained by adjusting the inflow area of a vapor flow between electrodes for product recovery. The present invention relates to an isotope separation device that makes it possible.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An isotope separation apparatus using a laser beam is used, for example, in a process of concentrating isotopes that cause a nuclear reaction from a natural raw material in order to produce a fuel for a nuclear reactor.

7 and 8 show a conventional example of an isotope separation device using a laser beam. At the bottom of the vacuum container 1, an evaporation crucible 3 for containing a metal raw material 2 containing plural kinds of isotopes is arranged. The metal raw material 2 is irradiated with an electron beam 5 emitted from an electron gun 4 as a heat source after being deflected by a deflection magnetic field. The metal raw material 2 is heated and melted and evaporated to form a vapor stream s. A product recovery electrode 6 is arranged above the flow path of the vapor flow s.

The positive electrode 7 and the negative electrode 8 of the product recovery electrode 6 are arranged so as to face each other substantially parallel to the direction of the inflowing steam flow s and are arranged alternately at a required interval. An electric field is applied between the negative electrode 8 and the negative electrode 8.

A photoreaction part 9 is formed between the positive electrode 7 and the negative electrode 8 of the product recovery electrode 6. Each photoreactor 9 excites only a specific isotope in the vapor flow s in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the vapor flow s (perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 7),
The laser light 10 having a wavelength to be ionized is emitted.
At this time, only specific isotopes are excited and ionized to become positive ions. The specific isotope that has become the cation is absorbed and attached to the negative electrode 8 and collected by the product collector 19.

On the other hand, the isotope that has not been ionized by the irradiation of the laser beam 10 is a neutral atom, and is affected by the electric field between the product recovery electrodes, and about a few percent of the isotope is in the product recovery electrode 6. Passing between the electrodes with the degree of adhesion,
It is attached to and collected by the waste product recovery electrode 11 that is disposed secondarily.

Accordingly, the negative electrode 8 collects the ionized isotope and the neutral atom, and becomes a product.

[0008]

The product concentration obtained in the conventional isotope separation device is determined by the amount of ionized isotopes and the amount of neutral atoms directly attached from the vapor stream. The product concentration can be controlled by changing the laser power, but the ionization rate is 100% to provide an efficient system.
Since the values are set close to each other, the product concentration cannot be increased only by controlling the fluctuation of the laser power, and only the product having a low product concentration can be manufactured. For this reason, when the amount of attached neutral atoms fluctuates due to changes in the evaporation distribution of the generated vapor flow due to changes in the amount of raw material in the evaporation crucible during operation of the isotope separation device, It has been difficult to stably manufacture a product having a predetermined concentration because a product having a concentration cannot be manufactured or a product having a large variation in concentration is manufactured.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances. By providing means for adjusting the inflow area of the vapor flow flowing between the product recovery electrodes, the product having a predetermined concentration can be stably stabilized. It is an object to provide an isotope separation device that can be provided.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, an isotope separation apparatus according to the present invention has a vacuum container and a plurality of kinds of vacuum containers arranged in the vacuum container as described in claim 1. An evaporation crucible containing a metal raw material containing an isotope, a heat source for generating a vapor flow of the metal raw material, and a positive electrode and a negative electrode are arranged alternately in parallel to the direction of the generated vapor flow. And a laser beam emitting device for irradiating the vapor stream flowing between the product collecting electrodes with a laser beam to selectively positively ionize a specific isotope. In an isotope separation device that separates and recovers specific cationized isotopes by applying a voltage between the electrodes in the direction of the negative electrode, the isotope separation device collects a vapor flow between the evaporation crucible and the product recovery electrode , Between electrodes for product recovery It is provided with a means for adjusting the flow area of the vapor inlet.

[0011]

According to the present invention, the amount of neutral atoms attached to the product recovery electrodes is adjusted by adjusting the inflow area of the steam flow generated between the product recovery electrodes of the steam flow generated from the metal raw material. It is variable. That is, when the inflow area between the product recovery electrodes of the vapor flow is reduced, the gap between the vapor flow and the product recovery electrode is widened, and the amount of neutral atoms attached to the product recovery electrode is reduced. Further, when the inflow area of the vapor recovery between the product recovery electrodes is increased, the gap between the vapor flow and the product recovery electrode is narrowed, and the amount of neutral atoms attached to the product recovery electrode is increased. Since the product concentration depends on the amount of neutral atoms contained in the product, the product concentration can be controlled by controlling the inflow area of the vapor flow between the product recovery electrodes.

[0012]

EXAMPLES Examples of the isotope separation apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same parts as those of the conventional example described above are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, an evaporation crucible 3 for accommodating a metal raw material 2 containing a plurality of types of isotopes is provided at the bottom of a vacuum container 1.
Are placed. This metal raw material 2 is irradiated with an electron beam 5 emitted from an electron gun 4 as a heat source after being deflected by a deflection magnetic field. The metal raw material 2 is heated and melted and evaporated to form a vapor stream s. A product recovery electrode 6 is provided above the flow path of the vapor flow s.

A steam rectifier 12 is provided between the steam flow s and the product recovery electrode 6 as a means for adjusting the inflow area of the steam flow s flowing between the product recovery electrodes 6. The steam rectifier 12 is provided with a steam rectifying plate 13, which is means for controlling the flow of steam. The concentration of the product is monitored by the isotope concentration measuring device 14, and the steam rectifier 12 is controlled by the steam rectifier control device 15 so that the predetermined product concentration is obtained, and the steam inflow area is adjusted.

A photoreaction part 9 is formed between the positive electrode 7 and the negative electrode 8 of the product recovery electrode 6, and each photoreaction part 9 is provided with a laser device in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the vapor flow s. Each of the laser beams 10 emitted from the product is irradiated, and only a specific isotope is excited and ionized into positive ions, which are absorbed and attached to the negative electrode of the product recovery electrode 6 and recovered by the product recovery device 19. . A small amount of the non-ionized isotope adheres to the product recovery electrode 6, and the rest is the waste product recovery electrode 1.
1 is attached and collected.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

In the isotope separation apparatus of this embodiment, the steam flow s generated by heating the metal raw material 2 is the steam rectifier 12
Is partially blocked by.

On the other hand, the isotope concentration measuring device 14 monitors the concentration of the product recovered by the product recovering device 19, and the steam rectifier controller 15 controls the steam rectifying plate in the steam rectifier 12 so that a predetermined concentration can be obtained. Move 13

FIG. 2 shows the product recovery electrode 6 and the vapor rectifier 12 at this time. The steam straightening plate 13 moves while changing the steam straightening plate angle θ, and changes the steam flow blocking region 16 (hatched portion) to change the inflow area of the steam flow. Due to the change of the inflow area of the vapor flow, the attachment rate of neutral atoms changes, and the concentration of the product can be controlled.

FIG. 3 shows the relationship between the control amount of the steam rectifier 12, the attachment rate of neutral atoms, and the product concentration. When the angle of θ is set so that the inflow area of the vapor flow s between the product recovery electrodes 7 is minimized, the neutral atom attachment rate decreases and the product concentration increases.

Further, by changing the angle of θ, the steam flow s
When the inflow area of is increased, the attachment rate of neutral atoms increases and the product concentration decreases.

Therefore, the amount of attachment of neutral atoms can be controlled by adjusting the inflow area of the vapor flow generated from the metal raw material 2 between the product recovery electrodes 6, and during the operation of the isotope separation device. Even if the amount of attached neutral atoms changes due to changes in the evaporation distribution of the generated vapor flow due to changes in the amount of raw material in the crucible, etc.
It is possible to stably manufacture a product having a predetermined concentration.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment only in the configuration of the steam rectifying plate 13 of the steam rectifier 12, and therefore the other description is omitted.

Since the steam rectifying plates 13a and 13b are composed of two sheets, and the steam rectifying plates 13a and 13b can be independently controlled, each surface 6 of the product collecting electrode 6 can be controlled.
It becomes possible to independently change the attachment amounts of the neutral atoms of a and 6b. Other configurations, operations, and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals are used and the description thereof is omitted.

FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. In the third embodiment, a laser power control device 17 is added to the isotope separation device shown in the first embodiment, and a laser light generator 18 is added.
The laser power of the laser light emitted from is also controllable. FIG. 6 shows the relationship between the control amount of the steam rectifier 12, the attachment rate of neutral atoms, and the product concentration. By varying the laser power, it is possible to change the density of the product within the range shown by the shaded area in the figure. Other configurations, functions,
The effect is the same as that of the first embodiment.

[0026]

As described above, according to the isotope separation device of the present invention, vaporization of the vapor stream generated due to a change in the amount of the raw material in the crucible during the operation of the isotope separation device is performed. Even when the amount of attached neutral atoms fluctuates due to changes in distribution, etc., by adjusting the inflow area adjusting means for the inflow area of the vapor flowing between the product recovery electrodes, Since the atomic weight of the organic compound can be controlled, and as a result, the product concentration can be controlled, there is an effect that a product having a predetermined concentration can be stably provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a first embodiment of an isotope separation device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a product recovery electrode, a vapor rectifier and a vapor flow around the same in the first embodiment of the isotope separation device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the relationship between the control amount of the vapor rectifier, the attachment rate of neutral atoms, and the product concentration in the first embodiment of the isotope separation device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a product recovery electrode, a vapor rectifier and a vapor flow around the same in a second embodiment of the isotope separation device according to the present invention.

5 is a sectional view taken along the line VV in FIG. 1, showing a third embodiment of the isotope separation device according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the relationship between the control amount of the vapor rectifier, the attachment rate of neutral atoms and the product concentration in the third embodiment of the isotope separation device according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a conventional isotope separation device.

8 is a sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Vacuum Container 2 Metallic Material 3 Evaporating Crucible 4 Electron Gun 5 Electron Beam 6 Product Recovery Electrode 6a Product Recovery Electrode Surface 6b Product Recovery Electrode Surface 7 Positive Electrode 8 Negative Electrode 9 Photoreactive Part 10 Laser Light 11 Waste Product Recovery Electrode 12 Steam rectifier 13, 13a, 13b Steam rectifier 14 Isotope concentration measuring instrument 15 Steam rectifier controller 16 Steam flow blocking area 17 Laser power controller 18 Laser light generator 19 Product collector

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A vacuum container, an evaporation crucible which is arranged in the vacuum container and which contains a metal raw material containing plural kinds of isotopes, and a heat source which generates a vapor flow of the metal raw material. The product recovery electrodes formed by alternately arranging the positive electrodes and the negative electrodes in parallel to the direction of the vapor flow, and the vapor flow flowing between the product recovery electrodes are irradiated with laser light to obtain a specific A laser beam emitting device for selectively cationizing isotopes, and by applying a voltage between the product recovery electrodes, the specific cationized isotopes are deflected toward the negative electrode and separated and recovered. In the separation device, a means for adjusting the inflow area of the vapor flow flowing between the product recovery electrodes in the vapor flow between the evaporation crucible and the product recovery electrode is provided. apparatus.