System and method for continuous separation of isotopes

Abstract

The invention is both a system and method for continuously separating heavier from lighter isotopes of a particular element, such as zirconium. The system comprises a housing, a column assembly rotatably mounted with respect to the housing which includes a plurality of vertically oriented separation cells arranged in a circle, each of which contains a packing material, both a feed electrolyte source and a barren electrolyte source, each of which has an outlet mounted in the housing for continuously introducing either a feed electrolyte or a barren electrolyte into each of the cells as they rotate past the outlets, and upper and lower electrodes disposed over the upper and lower ends of the separation cells for inducing the electromigration of the lighter zirconium ions toward the lower ends of each of the separation cells. A drain assembly disposed beneath the column assembly continuously collects isotopic enriched electrolyte from the bottom ends of the separation cells. The speed of rotation of the column assembly is coordinated with the rate of eluant flow through the cells so that the same segments of the annular tray of the drain assembly continuously collect eluant enriched in a particular type of zirconium isotope.