Parametric analysis of isotope enrichment in a vacuum-arc centrifuge

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Abstract
Centrifugal separation of isotopes occurs in a magnetized, rotating column of plasma. An analysis is presented of the dependence of the net enrichment of a given isotope upon the radius of the column, its rotation frequency, and the number of successive stages of separation. Three different cases are considered: 48Ca, in which the heaviest isotope is collected at the outer edge of the column; 203Tl, in which the lighter isotope is collected in the core of the column; and 68Zn, in which an intermediate-mass isotope is collected in an annular region within the column. For the particular case of Gaussian radial distributions of the isotopes in the rotating column, a multifluid model of the enrichment reveals that staging provides no benefit for collection of the heaviest isotope. For collection of the lightest species in the core, multistaging of the enrichment significantly reduces the required column radius and rotation frequency. Experimental measurements in a laboratory-scale centrifuge yielded typical values for the rotation frequency and column radius. With these values it is shown that vacuum-arc centrifuges are capable of providing enriched stable isotopes of use in nuclear physics and nuclear medicine.

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