Separation Factor:

The ability of a barrier to divided isotopes is expressed through a value known as the separation factor.  It is indicated through the Greek letter, and is described as the mole ratio of light parts to heavy component in the gas passing by the barrier at a given point separated through a same mole ratio on the high pressure surface of the barrier at the similar point. The separation factor could be expressed through the subsequent equation.

α = (y/1-y)/(x/1-x)

In given equation, y and x are the mol fraction of light elements on the low and high pressure sides of the barrier correspondingly. It should be emphasized in which, as displays in Figure, is a point value, and in which x and y are concentrations at a provide point on the two surfaces of the barrier.  In practice, point values are commonly not determined.  An average of the surface of samples is intended from experimental separation data.

Since previously begin then a separation of isotopes is dependent upon the difference within the mass of the particles.  Under ideal conditions, the separation factor would be equivalent to the ratio of the square roots of the molecular weights.  For a combination of U²³⁵F₆ and U²³⁸F₆, that value is 1.0043 and is commonly referred to as the ideal separation factor. In fact practice; therefore, these ideal conditions cannot be duplicated.  For instance, to approach the ideal separation factor, just a small fraction of the total gas included could be diffused by the barrier. For such a procedure to be productive and the plant size and its power consumption would be too huge to be economically feasible. The Limitations of plant size and power consumption have, necessitated a reduction within the separation factor to a lower value.  This lower value is known as the definite separation factor.