Isotope separation in a vacuum-arc centrifuge

Abstract

Measurements of isotope enrichment in collected samples of magnesium from a vacuum-arc centrifuge are described. The vacuum-arc centrifuge is a rigidly rotating, magnetized, highly ionized, quasineutral column of plasma. Rigid body rotation causes radial, centrifugal separation of isotopes. A multifluid model has been developed that predicts the observed isotope separation. Using this model and the observed scaling of rotation and plasma size with magnetic field, enrichments of 48Ca and 203Tl are predicted as functions of magnetic field. It is found that the yield (defined as the ratio of the fraction of the desired isotope collected to the maximum possible collected fraction at the desired enrichment) of both these isotopes increases with increasing magnetic field. The typical cost of separation in such a vacuum-arc centrifuge is calculated to be ∼70 keV/separated atom.