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Separation Power and Separation Coefficient for an Optimal Counterflow Centrifuge with Radially Nonuniform Transit Flow

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Abstract

The separation characteristics of an optimal centrifuge as a function of rotor length and feed flow are found on the basis of a refined radial-averaging method based on a local approach. It is shown that taking account of the radial nonuniformity of the transit flow substantially decreases the separation coefficient and increases the separation power. The mechanism for value production in the rotor volume with arbitrary feed flow is examined in detail. The optimal coefficient of separation of the feed flow is found by maximizing the value production density. It is shown that in the approximation considered there is no optimum of the separation power with respect to the feed flow intensity. In contrast to the standard radial-averaging method the results obtained are applicable for arbitrary ratio of feed and counterflow intensities.

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Tokmantsev, V.I. Separation Power and Separation Coefficient for an Optimal Counterflow Centrifuge with Radially Nonuniform Transit Flow. Atomic Energy 93, 898–905 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022459721824

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