Heavy metal separations using strongly paramagnetic column packings in a nonhomogeneous magnetic field
View Patent ↗The present invention is directed to a method for the separation of an actinide from another metal. The method comprises the following steps: (a) establishing a non-homogeneous magnetic field across a separation column containing a paramagnetic packing material and (b) providing a fluid containing the actinide and the another metal to the separation column wherein the fluid and the paramagnetic packing material are exposed to the non-homogeneous magnetic field. The non-homogeneous magnetic field is produced by a magnet having a first pole for magnetic interaction with a second pole of the magnet wherein the first pole has a different surface area than the second pole. The non-homogeneous magnetic field has a magnetic field gradient of about 500 lines/cm 2 /cm or more. In addition, the present invention is also directed to a method for the separation of one heavy metal from another heavy metal.
1. A method for the separation of an actinide from another metal, the method comprising:
establishing a non-homogeneous magnetic field across a separation column containing a paramagnetic packing material,
providing a fluid containing ions of the actinide and the another metal to the separation column wherein the fluid and the paramagnetic packing material are exposed to the non-homogeneous magnetic field,
separating the ions of the actinide from the ions of the another metal,
wherein the non-homogeneous magnetic field is produced by a magnet having a first pole for magnetic interaction with a second pole of the magnet and wherein the first pole has a different surface area than the second pole,
wherein the non-homogeneous magnetic field has a magnetic field gradient of about 500 lines/cm 2 /cm or more.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic field gradient is from about 500 lines/cm 2 /cm to about 3,000 lines/cm 2 /cm.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the paramagnetic packing material has a longest dimension of from 0.4 cm to 2 cm.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the paramagnetic packing material has a longest dimension of at least 2.5 cm.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one pole has a non-planar surface.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein at least one pole has a parabolic surface.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein at least one pole has a vertice.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least 90% of the length of the separation column is within the non-homogeneous magnetic field.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein a magnetic susceptibility of the another metal is at least 10 times greater than a magnetic susceptibility of the actinide.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the actinide comprises actinium, thorium, protactinium, uranium, neptunium, plutonium, americium, curium, or mixtures thereof.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the actinide comprises americium, curium, or mixtures thereof.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the another metal comprises a lanthanide.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the paramagnetic packing material comprises a metal, a metal alloy, or a mixture thereof.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the paramagnetic packing material comprises a ferrite.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least 90% of the actinide is separated from the fluid.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid passes through the separation column at a temperature of from greater than 0° C. to 40° C.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the another metal is a fission product.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the actinide is a product of transmutation.
19. A method for the separation of a first heavy metal from a second heavy metal, the method comprising:
establishing a non-homogeneous magnetic field across a separation column containing a paramagnetic packing material,
providing a fluid containing ions of the first heavy metal and the second heavy metal to the separation column wherein the fluid and the paramagnetic packing material are exposed to the non-homogeneous magnetic field,
separating the ions of the first heavy metal from the ions of the second heavy metal,
wherein the non-homogeneous magnetic field is produced by a magnet having a first pole for magnetic interaction with a second pole of the magnet and wherein the first pole has a different surface area than the second pole,
wherein the non-homogeneous magnetic field has a magnetic field gradient of about 500 lines/cm 2 /cm or more.