Isotope Enrichment by Aerodynamic Means: A Review and Some Theoretical Considerations

Aerodynamic separation processes are characterized as those involving diffusion of disparate masses driven either by a pressure gradient or by inertia effects. Seven aerodynamic schemes are identified for the separation of isotopes and their salient features discussed briefly. Numerical methods are developed for analyzing the flowfields associated with those devices. The methods consist of a finite-difference solution of the ternary gas mixture equations and two Monte Carlo numerical simulation techniques. A test case is employed to compare the three techniques. The tracer-field Monte Carlo method is then used to evaluate the separation characteristics of two of the seven aerodynamic devices. 12 figures, 4 tables.