10-04-2012, 01:34 PM
Macguire reactors near Charlotte
NP-NWConnection.ppt (Size: 1.33 MB / Downloads: 87)
U235 will not explode
In fact, 0.711% U235 won’t even sustain a fission chain reaction making heat to turn water to steam and rotate a turbine to make electricity in an ordinary nuclear reactor.
HEU on Hiroshima
HEU weapons have a
simple design.
The HEU weapon dropped on
Hiroshima
had never been tested.
Enrichment: How
Thermal diffusion
Gaseous diffusion
Gas centrifuge
Zippe centrifuge
Electromagnetic isotope separation
Laser processes
Chemical methods
Plasma separation
Aerodynamic processes
Zippe Centrifuge
The very, very slightly heavier isotopes of uranium in gaseous mixture are flung to the outside
so that the inside part of the mixture is a little denser in the very, very slightly lighter isotope.
Repeat ten thousand times.
Quiz on the Connections
Which kind of nuclear weapon is easiest to make? (a) HEU (b) Pu
Which is the input connection?
(a) enrichment (b) plutonium
Which is the output connection?
(a) enrichment (b) plutonium
Nuclear Power is
Unnecessary
Expensive
Dangerous
Produces radioactive waste that will be dangerous for hundreds of thousands of years