Design of a formaldehyde photodissociation process for carbon and oxygen isotope separation

Richard C. Stern; Karl F. Scheibner

doi:10.1117/12.145498

28 May 1993 Design of a formaldehyde photodissociation process for carbon and oxygen isotope separation

Richard C. Stern, Karl F. Scheibner

Proceedings Volume 1859, Laser Isotope Separation; (1993) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.145498
Event: OE/LASE'93: Optics, Electro-Optics, and Laser Applications in Scienceand Engineering, 1993, Los Angeles, CA, United States

Abstract

The current shortage of ¹⁸O has revived interest in using one step UV photodissociation of formaldehyde to enrich ¹³C, ¹⁷O and ¹⁸O. The frequency doubled output of the copper laser pumped dye laser system currently in operation at LLNL can be used to drive this dissociation. We use a simple kinetics model and our experience with Atomic Vapor Laser Isotope Separation (AVLIS) process design to examine the relative merits of different designs for a formaldehyde photodissociation process. Given values for the molecular photoabsorption cross section, partition function, spectroscopic selectivity, collisional exchange and quenching cross sections (all as parameters), we perform a partial optimization in the space of illuminated area, formaldehyde pressure in each stage, and formaldehyde residence time in each stage. We examine the effect of cascade design (heads and tails staging) on molecule and photon utilization for each of the three isotope separation missions, and look in one case at the system's response to different ratios of laser to formaldehyde costs. Finally, we examine the relative cost of enrichment as a function of isotope and product assay. Emphasis will be as much on the process design methodology, which is general, as on the specific application to formaldehyde.

Citation Download Citation

Richard C. Stern and Karl F. Scheibner "Design of a formaldehyde photodissociation process for carbon and oxygen isotope separation", Proc. SPIE 1859, Laser Isotope Separation, (28 May 1993); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.145498

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