Gas centrifuge

A gas or gas centrifuge, ultracentrifuge, called a centrifuge, which is the physical separation of different heavy gases by means of inertia.

It is among other things used in the uranium enrichment to separate uranium hexafluoride gas into fractions with a higher proportion of 238U on the one hand, and a higher share of the somewhat lighter 235U on the other side. The significant accumulation of a large number of gas centrifuges to be connected in series.

The physical separation of the isotopes by means of their atomic masses is required because their chemical properties are nearly identical, and therefore chemical methods such as reduction or precipitation do not apply.

Due to the very small mass differences of the various isotopes, a gas centrifuge with very high speeds have to work and are made of high-strength materials.

Compared to other enrichment methods require gas centrifuge lower energy use. Their construction is technically demanding and has played a major role in the race to develop ever stronger nuclear weapons in the Cold War.

Gas centrifuges were developed to technical applicability since 1945 in the Soviet Union largely by the German scientist Max spent by Sukhumi Steenbeck and are now the standard method for uranium enrichment.

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