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Isotope separation is the process of concentrating specific isotopes of a chemical element by removing other isotopes. The use of the nuclides produced is varied. The largest variety is used in research (e.g. in chemistry where atoms of "marker" nuclide are used to figure out reaction mechanisms).
To reduce the concentration of Pu-240 in the plutonium produced, weapons program plutonium production reactors (e.g. B Reactor) irradiate the uranium for a far shorter time than is normal for a nuclear power reactor. More precisely, weapons-grade plutonium is obtained from uranium irradiated to a low burnup.
Uranium dioxide (UO 2) can be oxidised to an oxygen rich hyperstoichiometric oxide (UO 2+x) which can be further oxidised to U 4 O 9, U 3 O 7, U 3 O 8 and UO 3.2H 2 O. Because used fuel contains alpha emitters (plutonium and the minor actinides ), the effect of adding an alpha emitter ( 238 Pu) to uranium dioxide on the leaching rate of the ...
Gas centrifuge for uranium enrichment. At full speed there is practically vacuum near the axis, so that there is no leak at the feed-through and that the UF 6 feed can easily flow in. The lower scoop, collecting the light fraction, also slows down the speed of the gas and thus reduces the radial pressure gradient.
Criticality accidents are divided into one of two categories: Process accidents, where controls in place to prevent any criticality are breached;; Reactor accidents, which occur due to operator errors or other unintended events (e.g., during maintenance or fuel loading) in locations intended to achieve or approach criticality, such as nuclear power plants, nuclear reactors, and nuclear ...
But since plutonium-breeding reactors produce plutonium from U238, and thorium reactors produce fissile U233 from thorium, all breeding cycles could theoretically pose proliferation risks. [61] However U-232, which is always present in U-233 produced in breeder reactors, is a strong gamma-emitter via its daughter products, and would make weapon ...
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Plutonium(IV) oxide, or plutonia, is a chemical compound with the formula Pu O 2. This high melting-point solid is a principal compound of plutonium . It can vary in color from yellow to olive green, depending on the particle size, temperature and method of production.