METHOD OF PRODUCING HIGHLY ENRICHED ISOTOPE C Russian patent published in 2000 - IPC

FIELD: commercial production of carbon dioxide enriched in isotope ¹³C. SUBSTANCE: method involves supplying the separated mixture of freon:nitrogen = (1:7)-(3:5) to reaction chamber - component of separating unit placed into region of optical resonator of pulse-periodic carbon-dioxide laser and exposed to infrared radiation (wave number 1055-1040 cm^-1, pulse energy density 5-20 J/sq. cm, pulse recurrence frequency 100-200 Hz). HCl vapors are separated. Radiation treatment is carried out up to primary enrichment of tetrafluoroethylene in ¹³C of 10-40%. Separated from mixture is freon, depleted ¹³C and nitrogen. Mixture is additionally cleaned from residual freon by cryogenic rectification. Cleaned C₂F₄ is oxidized to carbon dioxide. Mixture of ¹²CO₂ and ¹³CO₂ is separated on cascade of gas centrifuges to obtain carbon dioxide with content of isotope ¹³C of more than 99%. EFFECT: highly enriched isotope ¹³C by method suitable for processing of large mass of raw materials. 1 dwg