The aim of enrichment is to increase the proportion of fissile uranium-235 atoms within uranium. For uranium used in nuclear reactor [ electricity generating nuclear power plant] it must be enriched to contain 2-3% uranium-235. However for weapon of mass destruction [nuclear bomb], the uranium must be enriched to 90% or more.
A common method for uranium enrichment is a gas centrifugal. The uranium hexafluoride gas is spun in a cylindrical chamber separating denser isotopes U-238 from lighter U-235 which is then collected goes through cascaded chain of centrifuges.
The other method of enrichment is diffusion where the two isotopes presents in uranium, hexafluoride gas, U-235 will diffuse more rapidly through porous barrier than its heavier cousin U-238. This process is also repeated many times as in centrifuge method.
No comments:
Post a Comment