Calutron

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Alpha version of the Calutron in the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge / Tennessee (USA)

Calutron was a type of uranium enrichment facility that worked on the principle of a mass spectrometer . Calutrons were used as part of the Manhattan Project (construction of the first atomic bombs). The name derives from the name " Cal ifornia U niversity Cyclo tron from". The device is also known as a mass separator . The device got the name from its inventor Ernest O. Lawrence , who developed it at the University of California in Livermore .

Working principle

Schematic representation of the separation of uranium isotopes in the calutron: 235 U ions (dark blue) are deflected somewhat more strongly in the magnetic field than the somewhat heavier 238 U ions (light blue). This leads to a concentration gradient across the deflected ion beam (shown here exaggerated).

In the calutron - like in a mass spectrometer - samples are vaporized, converted into ions by bombardment with electrons , accelerated in an electric field and then forced into a circular path by the Lorentz force of a strong electromagnet . Since the radius of the orbit depends on the charge and the mass of the particles, particles with the same charge but different mass are separated from each other. Thus the left of nuclear weapons needed uranium - isotope U-235 from the more common, disconnecting unwanted U-238th

history

The Calutron was initially developed in a so-called alpha version during the 1940s, which was later developed into a beta version. Calutrones played a decisive role in the Manhattan project, but since they are quite large and have a high energy requirement, they were subsequently replaced by other processes ( gas diffusion processes and gas centrifuge processes ).

In 1990 it became known that as part of Saddam Hussein's nuclear weapons projects, a calutron program had also been considered in Iraq . According to reports, Libya - under the leadership of Muammar al-Gadhafi - also tried to obtain 20 calutrons from the French company Thomson-CSF in 1973. However, the business was stopped by the French government.

Special

In order to be able to wind the coils of the electromagnets for the Calutrone during the war time, which was scarce for raw materials, no copper, which is essential for the war effort, was used. Rather, 15,000 tons of silver were processed into wire from the national precious metal reserves of the US Treasury .

Calutrone find literary mention in the thriller The Fist of God by Frederick Forsyth , in which reference is made to the Iraqi plans to build calutrons. Here, however, the word is written with a K.

swell

  • Frederick Forsyth: The Fist of God
  • Adelphi Paper 380

Web links

Commons : Calutron  - collection of images, videos and audio files