ISOTOPE SEPARATION BY IONIZATION FOR NUCLEAR FUEL MATERIAL TREATMENT Russian patent published in 2002 - IPC

FIELD: nuclear power engineering. SUBSTANCE: isotope separation process includes delivery of raw material, its conversion into plasma or ionized form, and retention of ions and/or plasma in magnetic field whose magnetic difference of potential is over 0.1 T. In addition process involves partial separation of components with first-range energy and/or energy equal to that of first level from components with second-range energy and/or energy equal to that of second level and introduction of chemical material reacting with components into plasma. Contact between chemical material and component having higher level of kinetic energy provides for maintaining this component in ionized form and contact with component having lower level of kinetic energy results in non- ionized form of this component. Partial separation is made basing on ionized and/or non-ionized state of components. Device implementing this process has magnetic field generating facility, means for converting at least part of raw material into ionized form, means for selective excitation of raw material components, and means for at least partial separation of components having first-range energy from those of second-range energy. Means for at least partial separation depends for its operation on ionized and/or non-ionized state of components caused by selective chemical reaction or phase transition. Device may be also provided in addition with means for introducing chemical material reacting with component into magnetic field so that at least part of at least one raw-material component remains in ionized form and at least part of at least one component, in non-ionized form. EFFECT: ability of material processing for nuclear fuel and isotope separation dispensing with magnetic mirrors. 24 cl, 8 dwg