Open AccessNeutron methods for measuring {sup 235}U content in UF{sub 6} gas
Author(s) -
D.C. Stromswold,
A.J. Peurrung,
P.L. Reeder,
R.A. Pappas,
D.S. Sunberg
Publication year - 1996
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/416999
Subject(s) - enriched uranium , uranium , stockpile , natural uranium , environmental science , waste management , nuclear weapon , uranium oxide , isotopes of uranium , nuclear fuel , depleted uranium , nuclear engineering , engineering , nuclear physics , physics
In the United States and Russia, UF{sub 6} gas streams of highly enriched uranium and lower enrichment uranium am being blended to reduce the stockpile of the highly enriched material. The resultant uranium is no longer useful for weapons, but is suitable as fuel for nuclear reactors. A method to verify the blending of high- and low-enrichment uranium was developed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Research and Development (NN-20). In the United States, blending occurs at the U.S. Department of Energy`s Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant located near Portsmouth, Ohio. In Russia, the blending takes place at Novouralsk. The United States is purchasing the blended product produced in Russia in a program to reduce the availability of enriched uranium that can be used for weapons production. Monitoring the {sup 235}U mass flux of the input stream having the highly enriched uranium will provide confidence that high-enrichment uranium is being consumed in the blending process, and monitoring the output stream will provide an on-line measure of the {sup 235}U in the mixed product. The Portsmouth plant is a potential test facility for non-destructive technology to monitor blending. In addition, monitoring the blending at Portsmouth can support International Atomic Energy Agency activities on controlling and reducing enriched uranium stockpiles