Discussion of Various Flow Calculation Methods in High-Speed Centrifuges

摘要

The flow in high-speed centrifuges for the separation of uranium isotopes has been studied in the frame of linearized theory for long years. Three different methods have been derived for viscous compressible flow with small Ekman numbers and high Mach numbers: - numerical solution of flow equation by finite element method and Gaussian elimination (Centaure Code), - boundary layer theory using matched asymptotic expansions, - the so called eigenfunction method slightly modified. The mathematical assumptions, the easiness and the accuracy of the computations are compared. Numerical applications are performed successively for thermal countercurrent centrifuges with or without injections. (Atomindex citation 11:522531)