Centrifuges, centrifuge plants and flow control arrangements therefor

摘要

In a gas centrifuge assembly comprising a cascade of individual gas centrifuge machines, malfunctioning of any one of the machines as a result of the presence of gaseous impurity within that machine is inhibited from spreading to other machines in the cascade by flow operated valve arrangements in gas flow lines associated with each machine in the cascade. Each valve arrangement is constructed and arranged to close in response to an abnormal gas flow in the line and out of the machine arising from gaseous impurity within the machine. The valve arrangements may be located in some or all of the feed, product and tails lines of each centrifuge machine in the cascade.