Improvement of separation efficiency in the continuous‐type horizontal thermal diffusion column with permeable barriers between the plates

The separation theory of the continuous‐type horizontal thermal diffusion column with permeable barriers has been developed by the orthogonal expansion method. Considerable improvement is obtained when the reflux rate and barrier positions are carefully chosen. The idea and mathematical formulism may also be extended to other conjugated Graetz problems with countercurrent flow and refluxes at the ends.