JP3263189B2 - Isotope separation device - Google Patents

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 more particularly, to controlling the concentration of a product obtained by adjusting a flow area of a vapor flow between product recovery electrodes. The present invention relates to an isotope separation device which has enabled the following.

[0002]

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

FIGS. 7 and 8 show a conventional example of an isotope separation apparatus using a laser beam. At the bottom of the vacuum vessel 1, an evaporation crucible 3 containing a metal raw material 2 containing a plurality of types of isotopes is arranged. The metal material 2 is irradiated with an electron beam 5 emitted from an electron gun 4 as a heat source, deflected by a deflecting 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 steam flow s.

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

[0005] A photoreactive portion 9 is formed between the positive electrode 7 and the negative electrode 8 of the product collecting electrode 6. Each photoreaction unit 9 excites only a specific isotope in the vapor flow s in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the vapor flow s (in FIG. 7, in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface).
A laser beam 10 having a wavelength to be ionized is applied.
At this time, only a specific isotope is excited and ionized to be a cation. The specific isotope, which has become a cation, is absorbed and attached to the negative electrode 8 and is collected by the product collector 19.

On the other hand, the isotope which is not ionized by the irradiation of the laser beam 10 is a neutral atom, and is hardly affected by an electric field between the product collecting electrodes, and about several% is applied to the product collecting electrode 6. Pass between the electrodes to the extent that they adhere,
It adheres to the secondly disposed waste collection electrode 11 and is collected.

[0007] Therefore, the ionized isotope and neutral atoms are collected by the negative electrode 8 to form a product.

[0008]

The product concentration obtained in a conventional isotope separation device is determined by the amount of ionized isotope 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 must be 100% to provide an efficient system.
Since they are set close to each other, it is not possible to increase the product concentration only by controlling the fluctuation of the laser power, and it is possible to manufacture only products having a low product concentration. For this reason, during the operation of the isotope separation device, if the amount of attached neutral atoms fluctuates due to a change in the evaporation distribution of the generated steam flow due to a change in the amount of the raw material in the evaporating crucible, etc. It is difficult to manufacture a product having a predetermined concentration, or a product having a large concentration variation is manufactured, and it has been difficult to stably manufacture a product having a predetermined concentration.

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

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an isotope separation apparatus according to the present invention, comprising: a vacuum vessel; An evaporation crucible containing a metal material containing isotopes, a heat source for generating a vapor flow of the metal material, and a positive electrode and a negative electrode alternately arranged in parallel to the direction of the generated vapor flow. An electrode for product recovery formed by performing the above-mentioned process, and a laser beam emitting device for irradiating a laser beam to the vapor flow flowing between the electrode for product recovery to selectively cationize a specific isotope. An isotope separation device that separates and recovers a specific isotope that has been ionized by applying a voltage between the electrodes by deflecting the isotope in the direction of the negative electrode, in the vapor flow between the evaporation crucible and the product recovery electrode. , Between product collection electrodes 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 electrode can be reduced by adjusting the inflow area of the steam flow flowing from the metal raw material into the space between the product recovery electrodes. Be variable. That is, if the area of the vapor flow inflow between the product collection electrodes is reduced, the gap between the vapor flow and the product collection electrodes is widened, and the amount of neutral atoms attached to the product collection electrodes is reduced. In addition, when the area of inflow of the vapor flow between the product collecting electrodes is increased, the gap between the vapor flow and the product collecting electrode is narrowed, and the amount of neutral atoms attached to the product collecting 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 collection electrodes.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments 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 in the conventional example described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, an evaporating crucible 3 containing a metal raw material 2 containing a plurality of types of isotopes is provided at the bottom of a vacuum vessel 1.
Is arranged. The metal material 2 is irradiated with an electron beam 5 emitted from an electron gun 4 as a heat source, deflected by a deflecting magnetic field. The metal raw material 2 is heated and melted and evaporated to form a vapor stream s. An electrode 6 for collecting the product is disposed 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 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 rectifier 13 which is a means for controlling the flow of steam. The product concentration is monitored by the isotope concentration measuring device 14, and the steam rectifier 12 is controlled by the steam rectifier control device 15 so as to obtain a predetermined product concentration, and the steam inflow area is adjusted.

A photoreactor 9 is formed between the positive electrode 7 and the negative electrode 8 of the product recovery electrode 6, and each photoreactor 9 is provided with a laser device in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the vapor flow s. Are irradiated, and only specific isotopes are excited and ionized to form cations, which are absorbed and attached to the negative electrode of the product collection electrode 6 and collected by the product collection unit 19. . A very small part of the non-ionized isotope adheres to the product recovery electrode 6, and the rest is the waste product recovery electrode 1.
1 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 supplied to the steam rectifier 12
Is partially blocked by

On the other hand, the concentration of the product recovered by the product recovery device 19 is monitored by the isotope concentration measuring device 14 and the steam rectifier plate in the steam rectifier 12 is controlled by the steam rectifier control device 15 so as to obtain a predetermined concentration. 13 is moved.

FIG. 2 shows the product recovery electrode 6 and the steam rectifier 12 at this time. The steam baffle 13 moves while changing the steam baffle angle θ, and changes the steam flow blocking area 16 (shaded area) to change the inflow area of the steam flow. Due to the change of the inflow area of the vapor flow, the adhesion 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 and the adhesion rate of neutral atoms and the product concentration. If the angle 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
As the inflow area of the metal increases, the adhesion rate of neutral atoms increases, and the product concentration decreases.

Therefore, by adjusting the inflow area of the vapor flow generated from the metal raw material 2 between the product recovery electrodes 6, the amount of the attached neutral atoms can be controlled, and during the operation of the isotope separation apparatus, Even when the amount of neutral atoms fluctuates due to changes in the evaporation distribution of the generated steam flow, such as due to changes in the amount of raw materials in the crucible,
A product having a predetermined concentration can be stably manufactured.

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

The steam rectifying plates 13a and 13b are composed of two sheets, and the steam rectifying plates 13a and 13b can be controlled independently.
It becomes possible to independently change the attached amount of the neutral atoms a and 6b. Other configurations, operations, and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals are used to omit the description.

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 generation device 18 is provided.
The laser power of the laser light emitted from the laser can be controlled. FIG. 6 shows the relationship between the control amount of the steam rectifier 12 and the adhesion rate of neutral atoms and the product concentration. By changing the laser power, the density of the product can be changed within the range indicated by the hatched portion in the figure. Other configurations, actions,
The effect is the same as that of the first embodiment.

[0026]

As described above, according to the isotope separation apparatus according to the present invention, during the operation of the isotope separation apparatus, the evaporation of the generated steam flow due to a change in the amount of the raw material in the crucible or the like. Even when the attached amount of neutral atoms fluctuates due to a change in the distribution, etc., the inflow area of the vapor flowing between the product recovery electrodes is adjusted by the inflow area adjusting means, so that the amount of neutral atoms adhering to the product recovery electrode is reduced. Since the controllable atomic weight 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 the 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 view showing a product recovery electrode, a steam rectifier, and a steam flow around the same in the first embodiment of the isotope separation apparatus according to the present invention.

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

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

FIG. 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 a relationship between a control amount of a steam rectifier, a deposition rate of neutral atoms, and a product concentration in a third embodiment of the isotope separation apparatus according to the present invention.

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

8 is a sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vacuum container 2 Metal raw material 3 Evaporating crucible 4 Electron gun 5 Electron beam 6 Electrode for product recovery 6a Electrode surface for product recovery 6b Electrode surface for product recovery 7 Positive electrode 8 Negative electrode 9 Photoreaction part 10 Laser beam 11 For waste product recovery Electrode 12 Steam rectifier 13, 13a, 13b Steam rectifier 14 Isotope concentration measuring device 15 Steam rectifier controller 16 Steam flow cutoff area 17 Laser power controller 18 Laser light generator 19 Product collector

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A vacuum vessel, an evaporating crucible disposed in the vacuum vessel and containing a metal source containing a plurality of types of isotopes, and a heat source for generating a vapor flow of the metal source are generated. Product recovery electrode formed by alternately arranging positive and negative electrodes in parallel to the direction of the vapor flow, and irradiating the vapor flow flowing between the product recovery electrodes with laser light to a specific A laser light emitting device for selectively cationizing the isotope, wherein a specific cationized isotope is deflected in the direction of the negative electrode by applying a voltage between the product collection electrodes to separate and collect the isotope. In the separation device, isotope separation is provided, wherein a means for adjusting an inflow area of a steam flow flowing between the product collection electrodes is provided in a steam flow between the evaporation crucible and the product collection electrode. apparatus.