British Nuclear Fuels Plc

Geoffrey Horrocks Bailey

Colin Whitehead

Paul Gilchrist

Duncan Alfred Webster

David John Witts

A collection method for an at least partially ionised sample is provided in which the part of the sample to be collected is discharged using an electrical conductor and the discharge part of the sample then leaves the confines of a retaining magnetic field. The discharged part of the sample and the non-discharged part are separated as a result. The collector and collection method are particularly suitable for use with ion cyclotron resonance where different parts of the sample are provided with a higher energy level to other parts.

Process and apparatus for collecting and/or separating ionized species

Processing apparatus and methods are provided which involve the selective ionization of a feed material; the separation of ionized and non-ionized species; a selective excitation of the still ionized species; introduction of a chemical material to cause selective transition to a non-ionized state of part of the feed; and a further separation of ionized and non-ionized species. Other improvements in selective excitation based processing are also disclosed. Separation of isotopes and/or elements from one another and changing chemical and physical form is provided in a single process from a variety of feeds.

Separation of isotopes by ionisation for processing of nuclear fuel materials

Improved processing apparatus and methods are provided which involve the selective ionisation of a feed material and the separation of ionised and non-ionised species. Introduction of a chemical material to cause selective transition to a non-ionised and/or solid or liquid state of part of the feed is provided. The process offers high through puts by virtue of the ionised and non-ionised species being in equilibrium with one another.

Separation of isotopes by ionization

Isotope separation

In a solvent extraction method a contactor comprises a forward extraction section comprising sub-sections thereof and a back extraction section comprising sub-sections thereof. To enable higher concentrations of solute to be obtained in the backwash liquor, the contactor is operated with recycle of partially-loaded solvent, via a line from a back extraction sub-section to a forward extraction sub-section.

Growing community of inventors

Preston, United Kingdom

Geoffrey Horrocks Bailey