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Uranium enrichment starting at federally supported demonstration project in Ohio

Uranium enrichment is getting underway this week at a facility in southern Ohio, a federally authorized demonstration project considered critical to produce the type of fuel needed for newer, more efficient nuclear reactors.

Bethesda, Maryland-based Centrus Energy Corp. will be producing the high-assay, low-enriched uranium at the American Centrifuge Plant in Piketon, about 68 miles (109 kilometers) south of Columbus. That form of uranium contains far more of the isotope U-235 than is typically found in current nuclear reactor fuel.

CherenkovBlue ,
@CherenkovBlue@iusearchlinux.fyi avatar

LET’S GOOOOOO!

Diplomjodler ,

Yeah, more highly enriched uranium is just what the world needs right now. Nothing could possibly go wrong.

CherenkovBlue ,
@CherenkovBlue@iusearchlinux.fyi avatar

This is not HEU. HEU can be used to make weapons. This is to make HALEU (high-assay low enriched uranium) which is a legal designation up to 20% enrichment in U-235. Yes, we absolutely need more HALEU in the world right now to generate more clean electricity from nuclear energy to combat climate change. Many advanced reactor designs rely on HALEU.

tallwookie ,

why not just use existing thorium salt tech?

CherenkovBlue ,
@CherenkovBlue@iusearchlinux.fyi avatar

Because 1) Thorium hasn’t been demonstrated in any effective way, 2) the vast majority of advanced reactor designs rely on U-235 for their neutronics, 3) thorium produces U-233 which is always contaminated with U-232 and is hot as hell and hard to work with, 4) we haven’t licensed a thorium cycle design and that’s wildly expensive, and makes no economic sense when we can separate U economically… Should I go on? Thorium is really only of interest for countries without U deposits and/or access to U.

innrautha ,
  • Because "existing" thorium salt tech is even more experimental than the designs various companies are working on.
  • Because HALEU fuel is intended for (a) reactors with higher power densities which is antithetical to breeder reactors and (b) reactors with longer cycles which is antithetical to salt coolant.
  • Because Th-232 is a fertile isotope, not fissile, so it doesn't actually help you run a reactor until you have already been running for a few years (i.e. you're gonna need uranium fuel to start your thorium cycle).
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