An improved instrumentation and control scheme for implementing a boron isotopic enrichment process.

摘要

An apparatus for providing an inventory of an isotopically enriched acidic solution of an element that is capable of forming a water soluble weakly acidic solution at temperatures amenable to ion exchange and having a lower molecular weight isotope fraction and a higher molecular weight isotope fraction is disclosed. This apparatus includes at least two ion exchangers (103, 104), each being temperature dependent with respect to their storage capacity of said lower and higher molecular weight isotopes, a hot tank (109) containing a hot tank solution and a cold tank (108) containing a cold tank solution both flow coupled to the ion exchangers. A first series of valves (123-126) is selectively operable to direct the hot tank solution to one of the ion exchanger and to direct the cold tank solution to the other ion exchangers. A second series of valves (127-130) is selectively operable to direct the flow from the ion exchangers (103, 104) to either the hot tank (109) or the cold tank (108); devices (101, 102) are also provided for heating the cold tank solution located upstream from the ion exchangers (103, 104) and for cooling the hot tank solution located upstream from the ion exchangers (103, 104). An analyzer (107) for sampling the solution is located upstream from the hot tank (109). The analyzer (107) analyzes the sample to determine a content of the lower and higher molecular weight isotopes. Finally, a digital computer (163) is connected to the analyzer (107) for computing: (i) a predicted value of the amount of the lower and higher molecular weight isotope in the hot tank (109) from the amount of the lower and higher molecular weight isotopes received from the sampling means; (ii) a predicted value of the amount of the lower molecular weight isotopic enrichment in the hot tank (109); (iii) an actual value of the lower molecular weight isotope enrichment in the solution flowing into the hot tank (109); and (iv) a switchover signal based on the value of the actual lower molecular weight isotope enrichment flowing into the hot tank (109) and the predicted value of the lower molecular weight isotope enrichment in the hot tank (109).