Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology

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Separation of Uranium Isotope by Plasma

Centrifuge

Osami OKADA , Taro DODO & Toshio KAWAI

To cite this article: Osami OKADA , Taro DODO & Toshio KAWAI (1973) Separation of Uranium
Isotope by Plasma Centrifuge, Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 10:10, 626-631, DOI:
10.1080/18811248.1973.9735461

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/18811248.1973.9735461

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Journal of NUCLEARSCIENCE
and TECHNOLOGY,
lO[lO], p. 626-631 (October 1973).

Separation of Uranium Isotope by Plasma Centrifuge

Osami OKADA and T a r o DODO

Central Research Laboratory, Hitachi Ltd.*

Toshio KAWAI
Atomic EneFgy Laboratory, Hitachi Ltd.**

Received February 2, 1973

Revised July 6, 1973

A method of centrifugal separation of isotopes by electromagnetic means is presented. The

principle proposed utilizes electromagnetic acceleration by the interaction between an electric current
in a slightly ionized gas and an external magnetic field. The analysis shows that an azimuthal flow of
2.6km/sec can be realized with a magnetic field of 200gauss and an electric current of 1.5kA. The
resulting centrifugal force is large enough to permit realization of a more compact concentration
cascade than the conventional mechanical centrifuge.
KEYWORDS: plasma centrifuges, isotope separation, electromagnetic acceleration, uranium
235, uranium isotopes

I. INTRODUCTION and the plasma rotation is caused by the J x B

In order to obtain nuclear fuel for fission
reactors, it is necessary to concentrate 235Uto
about 3% from the natural abundance of 0.7%.
A number of methods have been proposed or
used for this purpose. The diffusion method
which has been widely used, necessitates a cascade
facility of about 1,000 stages. Even the me-
chanical centrifuge which is considered more
advantageous than the diffusion method, requires
a cascade of 20 to 30 stages. When the total
system for separation consists of a large number
of units, there arise many disadvantages such as
increasing burden of maintenance and decrease
of mean time between failures.
The purpose of the present study is to propose
a new method of separation by which a cascade
could be composed of a smaller number of
working units. The method we propose here is
somewhat similar in form to that proposed by
Bonnevier & Lehnert"' and Bonnevier"'. The
process, however, is based on a different principle.
Bonnevier's analysis, which is based on the
guiding center approximation of fully ionized
plasma, showed that the plasma is rotated due to
the E x B drift motion of individual charged
particles. The present analysis is based on the
continuous fluid model of slightly ionized plasma
- 40 -
force due to the interaction between an electric
current flowing through the uranium gas and the
transverse magnetic field. In the mechanical
centrifuge the container is subjected to centrifugal
stress, and from consideration of material strength,
the maximum peripheral speed has to be limited
to about 400m/sec. The method we propose
here embodies no moving structural parts, and
can easily permit maximum speeds rising to
several kilometers per second.
In Chap. II is shown the theoretical formu-
lation of the rotating plasma flow. Analytical
expressions are derived for steady flow. A time
constant representing the characteristic time of
acceleration to the maximum speed is also
discussed in this chapter. The effectiveness of
the method for isotope separation is discussed in
Chap. IK.
II. ANALYSIS
OF ROTATING
PLASMA
FLOW
We consider a plasma contained in an annular
space surrounded by concentric electrodes and a
pair of insulating end plates set at the top and
* Higashi Koigakubo, Kokubunji-shi, Tokyo.
** Ozenji, Tama-ku, Kawasaki-shi.
Vol. 10, No. 10 (Oct. 1973)
bottom. When an electric field is applied in the
radial direction and a magn2tic field in the
direction parallel to the electrode axis, a body
force j x B results and accelerates the gas
azimuthally. The purpose of this chapter is to
obtain the distributions of the velocity and the
density of this accelerated flow.
1. Basic Equations
In order to obtain a fully ionized plasma it
is necessary to heat the gas to a high temperature
above 104K. For the present purpose to obtain
a high-speed rotating plasma flow, only a partial
ionization is sufficient. The forces acting on the
medium are the viscous friction and the e!ectro-
magnetic force.
Conservation equations of fluid mass and
momentum at uniform temperature are expressed
as follows:
The electric current in the gas is assumed to
satisfy the generalized Ohm's law with conduc-
tivity anisotropy: The electric field and the
electric current are related by the equation
(3)
Equations ( 1 ) through ( 3 ) , together with the
equation of state,
p=EkT, (4)
m
is to be solved with respect to u, p , p and E.
The magnetic field B is uniform, and the current-
induced magnetic field is assumed to be negligible.
The gas pressure and density are denoted by p
and p, respectively, and u is the velocity vector.
The temperatures of atoms, ions and electrons
are assumed to be equal, and expressed by T .
The electrical conductivity, viscosity coefficient,
Boltzmann constant, and the mass of a gas
particle are denoted by a, p, K and m respectively.
Equations ( 1 ) through ( 4 ) are nondimension-
alized with the characteristic velocity Uo, di-
mension Lo, temperature To, density p ~ magnetic
, the axial direction, and 7 the total discharge
flux density BQ and electrical conductivity go.
- 41 -
627
The resulting expressions become,
j*=a*(E*+u*x
B*-oecej*X B*), (7)'
p*=p T , (8)
where the nondimensional quantities are expressed
with asterisk. Here, the nondimensional electric
field, electric current, time and gradient operator
are defined by,
t*=to
U V*=LoV.
LO,
The electron cyclotron frequency and the mean
time between collisions are represented by we and
re. The Mach number M , the interaction pa-
rameter E and Reynolds number Re are defined
by >
M2 uo2
(9)
rpo ,
R e = -poUoL0
ill'
2. Steady-state Solution
Solutions of Eqs. ( 5 ) through ( 8 ) in the
steady state under the assumptions of no axial
variation and axial symmetry are obtained as.
described below. Further, it is assumed that
there is no axial flow and that T and u are
uniform. The magnetic field is assumed to have
only an axial component Bo. The electric current
satisfies the charge conservation relation div j=O.
The flow velocity on the electrode surface is zero,
and hence, from Eq. ( 5 ) , the radial velocity of
flow is equal to zero everywhere in the field.
The current density in the radial direction
becomes, from charge conservation,
j,*=--, J* .1 -
2nL r*,
where L* is the dimension of the apparatus in
current. Then the following expressions a r e
628 J. Nucl. Sci. Technol.,

obtained with vectors decomposed 3. Transient Problem

When the magnetic field is suddenly applied
at t = O to a stationary and uniform gas with
electric current flowing through it, the gas is
accelerated into rotational motion and finally
attains the velocity shown in Eq. (19). We will
j,.*=- o* try to estimate the time constant of the acceler-
2(E-*+vs*Bo*), (15)
l+oe re ation. From the 0 component of Eq. ( 6),
j g * =jr*oere. (16) po -=-A* Go-EBo*jr*,
at* Re (23)
For vg*, from Eqs. (12) and (14),
is obtained. Here, A* is an abbreviation of the
nondimensional Laplacian operator with the
assumption of no axial and azimuthal variation,
and 50 denotes time-dependent azimuthal velocity.
Since Gg=O at t = O , the approximate expression
The solution of Eq. (17) which satisfies the
boundary conditions that vg*=O at inner electrode
surface r*=r1* and at outer electrode surface
[
Ga=vg* 1- exp (-$)I
might be introduced. From Eqs. (14) and (23),
ro*, is,
we obtain,
ve*=-a*r*In r*+u*r* b*
-r + (18) E=
* *
-&Bo*~r. * ,
2 r , z*
where a*=---. a* r1*21nrl*-ro*21nro* from which,
2 r<2-ro*2 3

b*= --.a*2 lnrl*-lnro*

1 1
In the dimensional form,
r1*2 ro*2 .

The dimensional form of vg is: r=-pove

Bo j , .
The acceleration is interpreted as an accumulation
of an angular momentum povg supplied by the
-[ rlz(r2- r02) In
r1
- ( r 1 2 - r2)rOz ~ n s ] (19)
r .
electromagnetic force BOj,. The time constant
of acceleration is estimated in the next chapter
The electric field in the radial direction is with typical values of vg and j,.
obtained from Eq. (15) with j , and vg, and the
electric potential V is obtained from the inte-
gration of E,: lU. DISCUSSIONS
1. Application to Isotope Separation
Er=(1+oe2ze2)JT-vgBo,
o (20)
As has been shown in the preceding chapter,

r
V = E,dr.
The density distribution is obtained from the
(21)
the distribution of gas density can be calculated
when the gas characteristics, applied field intensity
and the dimensions of the apparatus are given.
integration of Eq. (13) with j , given by Eq. (16) : Conventionally, the separation has been performed
or tried on uranium hexafluoride (UFs), of which
no reliable values of ionization potential and
electrical conductivity are available. In the pre-
sent discussion, therefore, uranium gas is hypo-
thetically considered.
The number densities of electrons, ions and

- 42 -
Vol. 10, No. 10 (Oct. 1973) 629

atoms are calculated with Saha’s equation on the

basis of local thermal equilibrium. T h e viscosity
coefficient is calculated with the rigid sphere
model(3). T h e cross section is approximately
estimated from that of lighter atoms with the
difference of mass taken into account. T h e
electrical conductivity is calculated with Spitzer’s
expre~sion‘~’.
Saha’s equation is applied only to the gas in
the local thermal equilibrium. When electrical
energy is continuously supplied to the gas,
electrons are usually more energetic than ions
Radial position, crn
and atoms. T h e electrical conductivity of such
Solid line shows the result of Eq. (19), and
gas is larger than that in the thermal equilibrium, the broken line the drift velocity due t o the
and more current can flow through the gas. local electric and magnetic fields. The Hall
effect is neglected.
Then the e!ectromotive force j x B becomes Fig. 1 Radial distribution of rotational
larger, and a higher rotational velocity can be velocity (Bo=200 gauss, J=L5 kA)
expected. T h e following calculation is made
with the modest values of electrical conductivity particles, is higher than the rotational velocity
in the thermal equilibrium. by about 5km/sec. T h e distribution of the
Now we consider the rotational-flow field of normalized pressure p / p l is shown in Fig. 2.
a weakly ionized plasma a t a n equilibrium
temperature of 2,500K and initial pressure of
0.2 Torr. T h e viscosity coefficient is found to
be 4.5 x 10-5g/cm.sec. T h e ionization fraction
and the electron number density of uranium gas
are estimated to be 0.03% and 3 x 10” cm-3 from
Saha’s equation with a n ionization potential of
6.25 VC5’. T h e mean-free-path of an electron
with ions is about 0.9cm and that with atoms is
about 0.1cm. T h e e!ectrical conductivity is 2.4
B/cm. T h e dimensions of the apparatus are 10
cm inner-electrode radius, 15cm outer-electrode
radius, and 10cm axial length. T h e electric
:
loolo II 12

Radial position,
13

cm
14 15

current and the axial magnetic field are assumed

to be 1.5kA and 200 gauss, respectively.
T h e distribution of azimuthal velocity calcu-
lated from the values given above is shown in
Fig. 1. T h e maximum velocity of about 2.6
km/sec is reached roughly mid-way between the
electrodes. T h e Hall coefficient of electrons is of
the order of unity. In the present example,
however, the Hall effect is neglected for simplicity.
This should not affect the velocity distribution
to any extent, as is seen from Eq. (19). T h e
electromagnetic drift ve!ocity, which is given by
the local electric field and the axial magnetic
fie!d as EJBo, is also represented in the figure
by a broken line. T h e drift velocity which gives
the upper limit of the velocity of charged
The Hall effect is neglected. The density
ratio also has the same distribution.
Fig. 2 Radial distribution of pressure
(Bo=200gauss, J=1.5kA)
T h e ratio Po/PI,which is called the final pressure
ratio, is more than lo7, and if po is 100 Torr,
PI must be about Torr. T h e equilibrium
separation factor, the ratio of the final pressure
ratio of 23*Uto that of 235U,is calcu!ated to be,
(Po)238/(&) =1.25
Pl PI 235
Only 13 stages are sufficient for raising the
concentration from 0.7 to 3%. A considerably
more compact concentration system is thus
possible in comparison with the conventional

- 43 -
,630
diffusion method or the mechanical centrifuge.
T h e separative work, which is a measure that
takes account of the concentration and the amount
.of product, is 7.4 x gSWU/sec from the
equilibrium separation factor and the flow rate
.of gas through the apparatus. T h e time constant
of the apparatus is 1 . 4 10-3sec
~ from Eq. (25),
and the uranium gas with a volume equal to the
apparatus is assumed to be separated within a
.duration of time equal to ten times the time
constant. In contrast, the mechanical centrifuge
has a value of 3 x gSWU/sec. T h e azimuthal
velocity ve increases in proportion to the electro-
motive force j x B. T h e concentration to 3%
b y a single stage can be realized if the equilibrium
separation factor can be made to reach 4.3. The
necessary final pressure ratio for this separation
factor is lo5", and this pressure ratio should be
obtainable with a magnetic field of 400 gauss
and an electric current of 2kA. T h e relation
between the final pressure ratio and the electro-
motive force is shown in Fig. 3.
Driving force , . A.Tesla
Driving force is the product of total
electric current and magnetic field.
The Hall effect is neglected.
Fig. 3 Variation of final pressure ratio
with driving force at three
different 'temperatures
In Fig. 4 is shown the distribution of electric
potential between the electrodes. T h e solid line
represents the electric potential given by Eq. (21),
and the broken line is that with no magnetic
field. T h e potential difference between the two
lines is due to v ~ x B ~T h. e electric potential
for steady acceleration is shown by the solid line
in the figure, but when there is continuous
-44-
J. Nucl. Sci. Technol.,
heating and ionization of the gas, the surface of
the electrodes is covered by an electric sheath
where the electric potential shows a large gradient.
T h e potential difference across the sheath is
approximately equal to the ionization potential.
T h e discharge voltage is thus estimated to be
about 18V.
Radial position, crn
m.
The solid line represents the result of (21)
with no Hall effect and no sheath formation.
The broken line shows the distribution in the
absence of magnetic field. The difference
between two lines represents the inverse
potential induced by the azimuthal flow.
Fig. 4 Radial distribution of electric potential
(Bo=200gauss, J=1.5kA)
T h e electric power necessary for the operation
is about 27kW. T h e power consumed per unit
product quantity is 1.16kW/(kgSWU/yr). This
is about ten times the value of 0.1 for the
mechanical centrifuge. T h e large power con-
sumption, however, cannot be considered a vital
defect when we note that the cascade system can
be composed of a smaller number of units, and
that the same performance can be obtained
with smaller power consumption by increasing
the magnetic field and decreasing the electric
current.
2. Discussion on Analysis
T h e final pressure ratio is more than lo' in
the example given in the preceding chapter.
When the outer surface pressure is lo2 Torr, the
pressure is Torr a t the inner surface, and
the mean-free-path between neutral atoms is about
10cm. In order that the pressure gradient be
balanced by the centrifugal force, the pressure
has to vary slowly over the length equal to one
mean-free-path between neutral atoms. This
requirement is not satisfied near the inner
Vol. 10, No. 10 (Oct. 1973)
electrode surface in the present example. Conse-
quently, the number density of atoms at the inner
surface may possibly be higher than that given
by the present estimate. It is quite difficult to
analyze exactly a flow field where the collisions
are frequent only in the outer region.
The maximum velocity of 2.6 km/sec in Fig. 1
exceeds that of sound. If a shock wave forms,
the final flow field and as a consequence the
expected enrichment would not be realized.
Formation of a shock wave is initiated by the
growth of a compression wave. When com-
pression occurs, the local temperature increases.
The electrical conductivity, which increases as
T3I2,increases in the compressed region, and the
electric current concentrates there. This produces
local increase of the electromagnetic driving force
~ x B which,
, in turn acts to inhibit steepening
of the compression-wave front into a shock wave.
Even when the formation of a shock wave
is found to be unavoidable, the following scheme
can be proposed. An obstacle is to be placed
in the flow field to hold a shock wave. Also,
the time constant of acceleration is to be made
smaller in order to accelerate the shock-decelerated
flow again to 2.6km/sec within a single circu-
lation. This is realized by the increase of Bo
to about 600 gauss, as shown by Eq. (25). Then
the enriched gas could be taken out at a point
immediately upstream of the shock wave.
-45-
631
IV. CONCLUSION
The following conclusions have been obtained
from the present analytical study on the electro-
magnetic acceleration of a plasma :
(1) Partially ionized gas can be easily ac-
celerated to 2.5 km/sec or higher.
(2) With an electric current of 1.5kA and
an external magnetic field of 200 gauss, an
equilibrium separation coefficient of 1.25 is
obtained, which is higher than that realizable
in the mechanical centrifuge.
(3) When the equilibrium separation coefficient
is 1.25, 235U’isto be concentrated from 0.7
to 3 % with a cascade of 13 stages.
-REFERENCES-
B., LEHNERT,
(1) BONNEVIER, B.: Ark. Fys., 16,231
(1959).
B.: ibid., 33, 255 (1966).
(2) BONNEVIER,
(3) STEINHAUS,D.W., RADZIEMSKI, L.J., COWAN,
R.D.: Trans. Symp. Res. Uranium Plasmas
and Their Technol. Appl., pp. 37 (1970).
(4) CHAPMAN,S., COWLING,T.G. : “The Mathe-
matical Theory of Non-uniform Gases”, pp.
218 (1939), Cambridge.
(5) SPITZER,L., Jr.: “Physics of Fully Ionized
Gases”, pp. 137 (1962), Interscience.
(6) RESLER,E.L., Jr., SEARS,W.R.: J. Aeronaut.
Sci., 25, 235 (1958).
(7) FAY, J.A., COCHRAN, R.A.: A I A A J., 7, 1688
(1969).