NATS 1945 Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Fissile Material, Gas Centrifuge, Centrifugal Force
1 Nov 2017
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U-235: the only fissile isotope that occurs in usable amounts in nature. Of the fissile isotopes, only u=235 occurs in a usable amount in nature, but that amount is still very small. Today it only comprises only about 0. 7% of natural u, the rest of u is primarily u-238, which is not fissile. Uranium mined in the grand canyon has been protested against because it is found in ecological sensitive areas. E(cid:374)(cid:396)i(cid:272)h(cid:373)e(cid:374)t: a fuel"s pe(cid:396)(cid:272)e(cid:374)tage of fissile isotope. (e. g. (cid:449)eapo(cid:374)s g(cid:396)ade: u(cid:396)a(cid:374)iu(cid:373) contains 90% u-235) For use in weapons, natural u is typically enriched via gas centrifuge. The most important characteristic of nuclear fuels is how enriched it is. E(cid:374)(cid:396)i(cid:272)h(cid:373)e(cid:374)t (cid:373)ea(cid:374)s a fuel"s pe(cid:396)(cid:272)e(cid:374)tage of fissile isotope. When u is mined from the ground it is only 0. 7% enriched. Meaning, for every 1000 u atoms only 7 are the u-235 isotope. Natural u is therefore not weapons grade fuel, wg requires an enrichment of at least 90% of u-235.
