Chapter9-IsotopeSeparators1-精选课件(公开).ppt

Chapter 8 ISOTOPE SEPARATORS(同位素分离器) All of our technology is based on materials in various forms ---elements, compounds (化合物), alloys (合金), and mixtures. Ordinary chemical and mechanical processes can be used to separate many materia1s into components (成分, 元件). In the nuclear field, however, individual isotopes such as uranium-235 and hydrogen -2 (deuterium) are required. Since isotopes of a given element have the same atomic number Z, they are essentially identical chemically, and thus a physical method must be found that distinguishes (区别, 辨别) among particles on the basis of mass number A. In this chapter we sha1l describe several methods by which isotopes of uranium and other elements are separated. Four methods (that depend on differences in A) are: (a) ion motion in a magnetic field (磁场), (b) diffusion (扩散) of particles through a membrane (膜), (c) motion with centrifugal force (离心力), (d) atomic response (响应) to a laser beam. 9.1 MASS SPECTROGRAPH  (质谱仪) We recall from Chapter 8 that a particle of mass m, charge q, and speed v will move in a circular path of radius r if injected perpendicular to a magnetic field of strength B, according to the relation r = mv/qB. 接上页(P83第二段第三行) In the mass spectrograph (质谱仪), ions of the element whose isotopes are to be separated are produced in an electrical discharge and accelerated through a potential difference V to provide a kinetic energy 1/2mv2 = qV. The charges move freely in a chamber (maintained at very low gas pressure), guided in semicircular (半圆的) paths by the magnetic field. P83倒数第二行 The electromagnetic process was used on uranium during World War II to obtain weapons material. Since then it has been applied to the separation of light isotopes and those for which small quantities are needed. Since the cost of electrical power for the process is large, alternative processes such as gaseous diffusion (气体扩散), centrifuge (离心分离机), and lasers are employed to provide reactor