Isotope Separation Patents (Class 423/DIG7)
  • Patent number: 6146601
    Abstract: Isotopes of either germanium or silicon are separated by a chemical exchange reaction. Preferably the compound is a hydro halide or halide composition and the donor can be a wide variety of compounds such as a lower molecular weight alcohol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Eagle-Picher Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Teimuraz Abesadze, William E. Saunders, Marvin Y. Wachs, Dennis K. Manning
  • Patent number: 5527437
    Abstract: A method for selectively photoionizing odd mass Zr atoms. Atomic vapours are subjected to two resonant laser pulses to raise the energy of Zr atoms from the J=2 ground state, to a J=1 first intermediate state and to a second intermediate state prior to ionization. Quantum mechanical selection rules applicable to linearly polarized light and hyperfine interactions are exploited to produce odd mass selectivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1996
    Assignee: Atomic Energy of Canada Limited/Energie Atomique du Canada Limitee
    Inventors: Lawrence W. Green, Fred C. Sopchyshyn
  • Patent number: 5470479
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for the partial or complete continuous separation of isotopes of gadolinium, especially high thermal neutron capture cross-section gadolinium isotopes, using continuous, steady-state, chromatography in which an ion exchange resin is the stationary phase, an aqueous solution of ions based on a mixture of gadolinium isotopes is the feed phase, and an aqueous acid eluant solution is the mobile phase. The method involves the mobile phase eluting or desorbing the gadolinium isotopic solute or ligand adsorbed on the stationary phase under conditions such that each of the various naturally occurring isotopes of gadolinium is primarily eluted in an elution volume distinct from the elution volumes of the other isotopes. In a preferred embodiment, the conditions are such that at least one of the elution volumes contains essentially only one isotope of gadolinium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas S. Snyder, Steven H. Peterson, Umesh P. Nayak
  • Patent number: 5451322
    Abstract: The present invention is a membrane method and apparatus for separating isotopic water constituents from light water. The method involves providing a supported membrane of an aromatic polyphosphazene and pressurizing the water on one side of the membrane thereby forcing the light water through the supported membrane while isotopic water constituents are retained or vice versa. The apparatus of the present invention includes an aromatic polyphosphazene placed on a porous support and means for pressurizing water through the membrane while certain isotopic water constituents are retained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventors: David A. Nelson, James B. Duncan, George A. Jensen
  • Patent number: 5443732
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process of and apparatus for the continuous and selective separation of boron-10 (B.sup.10) isotope having high neutron capture cross-section from boron-11 (B.sup.10) isotope from a mixture of boron isotopes in a boric acid solution by using a weak base ion exchange resin and water eluant in a continuous annular chromatograph.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1995
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Edward J. Lahoda, C. Y. Lin, J. A. Battaglia, A. J. Impink, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5419820
    Abstract: An uranium enrichment process capable of producing an enriched uranium, having a .sup.235 U content greater than about 4 wt. %, is disclosed which will consume less energy and produce metallic uranium tails having a lower .sup.235 U content than the tails normally produced in a gaseous diffusion separation process and, therefore, eliminate UF.sub.6 tails storage and sharply reduce fluorine use. The uranium enrichment process comprises feeding metallic uranium into an atomic vapor laser isotope separation process to produce an enriched metallic uranium isotopic mixture having a .sup.235 U content of at least about 2 wt. % and a metallic uranium residue containing from about 0.1 wt. % to about 0.2 wt. % .sup.235 U; fluorinating this enriched metallic uranium isotopic mixture to form UF.sub.6 ; processing the resultant isotopic mixture of UF.sub.6 in a gaseous diffusion process to produce a final enriched uranium product having a .sup.235 U content of at least 4 wt. %, and up to 93.5 wt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1995
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: James A. Horton, Howard W. Hayden, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5405589
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for producing selenium-72, separating it from its daughter isotope arsenic-72, and generating multiple portions of a solution containing arsenic-72 from a reusable parent substance comprised of selenium-72. The invention provides apparatus which can be located at a site where arsenic-72 is used, for purposes such as PET imaging, to produce arsenic-72 as needed, since the half-life of arsenic-72 is very short.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventor: Dennis R. Phillips
  • Patent number: 5316635
    Abstract: A method for selectively photoionizing odd mass Zr atoms. Atomic vapours are subjected to three resonant and are non resonant laser pulses to raise the energy of Zr atoms from the J=2 ground state, to a J=1 first intermediate state, to a J=(second intermediate state and to a third intermediate state prior to ionization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 31, 1994
    Assignee: Atomic Energy of Canada Limited/Energie Atomique du Canada Limitee
    Inventors: Lawrence W. Green, Glenn McRae
  • Patent number: 5312597
    Abstract: An apparatus for recovering hydrogen and separating its isotopes. The apparatus includes a housing bearing at least a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. A baffle is disposed within the housing, attached thereto by a bracket. A hollow conduit is coiled about the baffle, in spaced relation to the baffle and the housing. The coiled conduit is at least partially filled with a hydride. The hydride can be heated to a high temperature and cooled to a low temperature quickly by circulating a heat transfer fluid in the housing. The spacing between the baffle and the housing maximizes the heat exchange rate between the fluid in the housing and the hydride in the conduit. The apparatus can be used to recover hydrogen isotopes (protium, deuterium and tritium) from gaseous mixtures, or to separate hydrogen isotopes from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1994
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Leung K. Heung
  • Patent number: 5221327
    Abstract: Disclosed is an efficient biological process for recovering heavy metals from refractory manganiferous ore, and a process for removing heavy metal contaminants from the soil. The process utilizes manganese reducing Bacillus sp. Specifically exemplified is a novel microbe designated Bacillus MBX 69, or mutants thereof, and the known microbe Bacillus polymyxa, which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,130. Further, gene(s) encoding the enzyme(s) obtainable from the said bacteria can be used by placing such gene(s) on a suitable vector and transforming a competent host. The transformed host then can be used in the same manner as the native microbe. Also, the enzyme(s) themselves can be used in the above-described processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1993
    Assignee: Metallurgical and Biological Extraction Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Patricia A. Rusin
  • Patent number: 5174971
    Abstract: The thermal neutron capture cross-section of zirconium may be altered by altering its natural isotope distribution through a steady state chromatographic separation of these isotopes using an anion exchange resin as the stationary phase of the chromatographic column. Zirconium is dissolved in a very strong acid which causes the formation of a zirconium anion, such as the ZrOCl.sub.4.sup.-2 anion formed in six normal hydrochloric acid, and eluted off the column with a weaker acid. Distinct elution volumes representative of each isotope are collected. In a preferred embodiment, the process also separates the zirconium from hafnium and the other impurities normally present in the product obtained by chlorinating zircon sand and utilizes a continuous annular chromatograph.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1992
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Thomas S. Snyder, Michael C. Skriba, Edward J. Lahoda, Ernest D. Lee
  • Patent number: 5131991
    Abstract: A method of removing deposited product from a photochemical reactor used in the enrichment of .sup.196 Hg has been developed and shown to be effective for rapid re-cycling of the reactor system. Unlike previous methods relatively low temperatures are used in a gas and vapor phase process of removal. Importantly, the recovery process is understood in a quantitative manner so that scaling design to larger capacity systems can be easily carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1992
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventors: Mark W. Grossman, Richard Speer
  • Patent number: 5110566
    Abstract: The isotopes of zirconium can be partially or completely separated by loading an aqueous solution of an ionic compound of zirconium onto a cationic exchange resin with pentavalent phosphorus derived active groups which serves as the stationary phase of a chromatograph, eluting the compound with an aqueous acid and collecting distinct elution volumes representative of each isotope. In a preferred embodiment, the eluant is a strong mineral acid, such as hydrochloric acid and the chromatograph is of a type, such as a continuous annular chromatograph, that it can be operated in a continuous, steady state manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1992
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Thomas S. Snyder, Ernest D. Lee
  • Patent number: 5100587
    Abstract: A new type of RL light source consisting of a zeolite crystalline material, the intralattice spaces of which a tritiated compound and a luminophore are sorbed, and which material is optionally further dispersed in a refractive index-matched polymer matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1992
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Department of Energy
    Inventors: Roger L. Clough, John T. Gill, Daniel B. Hawkins, Clifford L. Renschler, Timothy J. Shepodd, Henry M. Smith
  • Patent number: 5098678
    Abstract: The isotopes of zirconium can be partially or completely separated by loading an aqueous solution of an ionic compound of zirconium onto a cationic exchange resin which serves as the stationary phase of a chromatograph, eluting the compound with an aqueous acid and collecting distinct elution volumes representative of each isotope. In a preferred embodiment, the eluant is a strong mineral acid, such as hydrochloric acid and the chromatograph is of a type, such as a continuous annular chromatograph that it can be operated in a continuous, steady state manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1992
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Ernest D. Lee, Thomas S. Snyder, Edward J. Lahoda
  • Patent number: 5077025
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for purifying waste gases by scrubbing with an adsorbent suspension. The adsorbent suspension in a concentration from 40 g/l to 200 g/l is here distributed uniformly or almost uniformly in at least one gas-scrubbing device, passed through at least one ordered mass transfer zone and contacted with the gas and then passed into at least one separately arranged reactor, the biologically degradable or convertible impurities are reacted, with the additional use of aerobic bacteria and oxygen, with forced motion and the purified liquid or suspension is recycled, wholly or as part stream, to the gas-scrubbing device, distributed therein and contacted again with the gas which is to be purified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1991
    Assignee: Arasin GmbH
    Inventor: Reinhard Glass
  • Patent number: 4996033
    Abstract: A method for concentrating an isotope from an admixture containing the isotope by contacting the admixture with a catalyst capable of selectively catalyzing a reaction with the isotope, and recovering the concentrated isotope from the reaction products. In one embodiment, the method can be used to concentrate deuterium from sources such as hydrogen-rich gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1991
    Assignees: Molecular Technology Corporation, JC Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralph A. Gardner-Chavis, Michael P. May
  • Patent number: 4976938
    Abstract: Tritium and deuterium are separated from a gaseous mixture thereof, derived from a nuclear fusion reactor or some other source, by providing a casing with a bulk getter therein for absorbing the gaseous mixture to produce an initial loading of the getter, partially desorbing the getter to produce a desorbed mixture which is tritium-enriched, pumping the desorbed mixture into a separate container, the remaining gaseous loading in the getter being deuterium-enriched, desorbing the getter to a substantially greater extent to produce a deuterium-enriched gaseous mixture, and removing the deuterium-enriched mixture into another container. The bulk getter may comprise a zirconium-aluminum alloy, or a zirconium-vanadium-iron alloy. The partial desorption may reduce the loading by approximately fifty percent. The basic procedure may be extended to produce a multistage isotope separator, including at least one additional bulk getter into which the tritium-enriched mixture is absorbed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1990
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Randall J. Knize, Joseph L. Cecchi
  • Patent number: 4910008
    Abstract: A gas-gas phase contactor/process, especially adopted for high temperature reactions, e.g., for the production of hydrochloric acid, comprises means for separately establishing at least two disparate gaseous feedstreams, means for disintegrating each such feedstream into a registered plurality of substreams thereof, one of each such substream being complementary to at least one eother, and means for establishing homogeneous unit volumes of gaseous reaction mixture which comprise said complementary fractions of each such disintegrated feedstream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1990
    Assignee: Rhone-Poulenc Chimie de Base
    Inventor: Francois Prudhon
  • Patent number: 4876073
    Abstract: There is provided a generator for short-lived radionuclides. The generator comprises a support, an ion-exchange agent and a parent radionuclide in a steady-state equilibrium with a daughter nuclide, which daughter nuclide can be selectively eluted from said column. A suitable parent radionuclide is .sup.191 OS in equilibrium with .sup.191m Ir. There is also provided a specific Os(VI) complex which has certain advantages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1989
    Assignee: State of Israel, Prime Minister's Office Israel Atomic Energy Commission, Soreq Nuclear Research Center
    Inventors: David Issachar, Jacob Trumper, Shmuel Abrashkin
  • Patent number: 4743439
    Abstract: A process for the wet calcination of sodium bicarbonate, sodium sesquicarbonate or mixtures thereof comprising forming a suspension of sodium bicarbonate, sodium sesquicarbonate or said mixture in a water-immiscible relative high boiling liquid, and heating the suspension to form sodium carbonate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1988
    Assignee: General Chemical Corporation
    Inventor: Douglas F. Ready
  • Patent number: 4634454
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for separation of an isotope mixture of hydrogen, sting predominantly in molecular form and/or inbound form, from the remaining components of a gas. A first chamber is separated from a second chamber by a wall which is permeable for atomic hydrogen and less permeable for molecular hydrogen. The hydrogen is converted into atomic hydrogen or, if necessary, is separated in atomic form from the material with which the hydrogen has gone into chemical composition. A device electrically operable independently of the wall is provided for converting the molecular and/or bound hydrogen to form atomic hydrogen in apparatus for this purpose. A heating device for elevating the temperature of thread, wire, or body of other form capable of being heated above 1500 K is provided and such thread, wire, or body is made of high-melting material, such as tungsten, iridium, osmium, or rhenium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1987
    Assignee: Kernforschungsanlage Julich Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung
    Inventors: Imran A. Khan, Karl-Jurgen Dietz, Francoise Waelbroeck, Peter Wienhold
  • Patent number: 4461709
    Abstract: Use of succinosuccinic acid diesters of the formula ##STR1## in which R is an alkyl, alkenyl or cycloalkyl having 4 to 24 C atoms, either dissolved in a water-immiscible organic solvent, or at elevated temperature in the form of their melts, as cation-selective liquid membranes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1984
    Assignee: Ciba-Geigy Corporation
    Inventors: Hans Batzer, Joel Sinnreich
  • Patent number: 4406870
    Abstract: A method for the separation of the isotopes of carbon comprising contacting an aqueous solution containing an acid-dissociated type chemical species of a carbon-containing acid and a non-dissociated type chemical species of said acid with an anion exchange resin as a solid phase, thereby to allow an isotope exchange reaction with respect to carbon to proceed between said acid-dissociated type chemical species and said non-dissociated type chemical species and, concurrently, to adsorb said acid-dissociated type chemical species on said anion exchange resin, and separate C.sup.12 and C.sup.13 respectively into a solution phase and the solid phase or the solid phase and a solution phase, whereby C.sup.13 is concentrated. This method can be practised at an extremely favorable efficiency and inexpensive cost, as compared with the prior art method for the separation utilizing a distillation method or a chemical exchange method between gas--liquid phases, gas--solution phases, solution--solution phases and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1983
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuya Miyake, Kunihiko Takeda, Heiichiro Obanawa
  • Patent number: 4139439
    Abstract: A method of separating isotopes of hydrogen which comprises subjecting a ture of methane and isotopes of hydrogen in a methane to hydrogen mole ratio from about 1000:1 to about 1:10 to a glow electrical discharge from about 10.sup.-3 to about 50eV per hydrogen bond at a temperature from about 50.degree. K. to about 310.degree. K. and at a pressure from about 0.3 Torr to the pressure at which arcing occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1979
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Thomas J. Manuccia, Christine E. Geosling