Nuclear Fuel Production Fissile Nuclei Uranium and Plutonium - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Nuclear Fuel Production Fissile Nuclei Uranium and Plutonium

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Nuclear Fuel Production. Fissile Nuclei. Uranium and Plutonium. 235U. 239Pu. Uranium. Two isotopes ... 99.3% 238U not useful for energy production. 0.7% 235U ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Nuclear Fuel Production Fissile Nuclei Uranium and Plutonium


1
Nuclear Fuel ProductionFissile NucleiUranium
and Plutonium
  • 235U
  • 239Pu

2
Uranium
  • Two isotopes
  • 99.3 238U not useful for energy production
  • 0.7 235U useful for energy production
  • For a nuclear reactor Need 4 235U
  • For a fission bomb Need 90 235U

3
Reacting the Fuel Fission Reactions
4
Chain Reactions
5
Controlling the Reactions Control Rods
6
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7
Producing Uranium Fuel
  • U ore contains small amounts of UO2 and UO3.
  • Step 1. Oxidize UO2 to UO3
  • Step 2. Solubilize U by reacting with H2SO4
  • UO3(s) 2 H(aq) ? UO22(solid salt) H2O(l)
  • UO22(solid salt) 3 SO42-(aq) ? UO2(SO4)34-(aq)
  • Key Uranium is solubilized and is leached out of
    the rock.

8
  • Step 3. More Reactions, eventually to yield UO3.
  • 2R3N H2SO4 ? (R3NH)2SO4
  • 2 (R3NH)2SO4 UO2(SO4)34- ? (R3NH)4UO2(SO4)3
    (aq) 2SO42- (aq)
  • (R3NH)4UO2(SO4)3 2(NH4)2SO4 ? 4R3N
    (NH4)4UO2(SO4)3 2H2SO4
  • 2NH3 2UO2(SO4)34- (aq) ? (NH4)2U2O7 (s)
    4SO42- (aq)
  • (NH4)2U2O7 (s) ? U3O8(s) H2O(l) NH3(g)
  • U3O8 is then reacted to make pure UO3.
  • Key UO3 formed is pure.

9
Step 4. Formation of UF6
  • UO3(s) H2(g) gt UO2(s) H2O
  • UO2(s) 4HF(g) gt UF4(s) 2H2O(l)
  • UF4(s) F2(g) gt UF6(l or g)
  • Key UF6 has a boiling point near 50 oC.

10
Step 5. Fuel-Level Enrichment 4
11
Efficiencies diffusion 1.002/stage Final
Fraction 0.7 x (1.002)cycles gas centrifuge
1.2/stage Final Fraction 0.7 x (1.2)cycles
12
Plutonium Fuel Made inside Uranium
Nuclear Reactors
Fast neutron reactors (Also called fast breeder
reactors)
13
235U
14
Artificial Transmutations
15
Creation of Transuranium Elements
16
Exploring for yourself.Kirk-Othmer Encylopedia
of Chemical TechnologyActinides and
Transactinides
17
Most made by neutron addition
18
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20
Nuclear Explosions Fast n addition
238U ? 255U ? 255Np ? 255Pu ? ? 255Fm
21
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22
Ultra Heavy Elements Beyond the Actinides
23
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24
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25
Radioactive Dating
http//pubs.usgs.gov/gip/geotime/radiometric.html
table
First-order Reaction
26
Specifics for Dating of Earth and Previously
Living Things
Units of Radioactivity Curie, Ci 3.7 x 1010
disintegrations/sec Becquerel, Bq 1
disintegration/sec
C-14 N-14
5730 years
27
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