Production of Uranium Hexafluoride with Low 234U Content in a Cascade with Intermediate Product

Abstract

A scheme is proposed for purifying native uranium hexafluoride in a cascade with one feed stream, two product streams, and one waste stream. The cascade is reckoned as quasi-ideal with adjustments of the obtained ²³⁵U concentration for the prescribed content in the external streams. A product with native ²³⁵U concentration and low ²³⁴U concentration is produced in the intermediate product stream of the cascade. Low-enrichment uranium hexafluoride intended for fabricating nuclear fuel is obtained in the main product stream. A high-quality diluent for high-enrichment uranium or low-enrichment uranium hexafluoride with ²³⁴U content less than the ASTM C 996–10 limit norm by a factor of 1.5–2.5 can be produced from the intermediate product.