nuclear-news

“SILEX project” enrich uranium cheaper -Easier for “anyone” to make atomic bomb

Designed to get cheaper and more efficient fuel for nuclear power plants, many of the U.S. physics community believes that this new technology will become more accessible to the atomic bomb countries like Iran or North Korea.

OCT 03, 2012

• Miguel Ángel Criado

Translated from this

http://fontem.com/novedades/ver/4613.html

While the U.S. shows its strength in the world to prevent nuclear proliferation, including the use of economic embargoes, bombing targeted and sophisticated computer viruses, the country has just authorized new uranium enrichment systems on home soil.

The current uranium centrifuge plants, like this one from Piketon (U.S.) need hundreds of centrifuges to make dificl hide. But SILEX require only 25% of its space and one-tenth of its energy. / DOE / Wikipedia

III  in this story

The advantages are their danger SILEX ↓

Separation of Isotopes by Laser Excitation, SILEX. So the system is called a consortium of General Electric, Hitachi and the Canadian company Cameco will be installed around Wilmington (North Carolina). It will be the first time that a top secret uranium enrichment process using laser is tested on a large scale. If it works, could retire today’s technologies and end U.S. dependence on imported enriched uranium but at the cost of showing the way to others.

Designed to get cheaper and more efficient fuel for nuclear power plants, many of the U.S. physics community believes that this new technology will become more accessible to the atomic bomb countries like Iran or North Korea.

The  Nuclear Regulatory Commission  (NRC) U.S. decided, after three years of study and analysis, giving the consortium  Global Laser Enrichment  (GLE) license to raise the new plant last week. For the NRC no environmental or health risks that impede meaningful implementation SILEX project. Following the reports submitted by the consortium, U.S. officials believe that the safety of the plant meets its requirements.

“The worrying thing is that flint is particularly suitable for nuclear proliferation, even more than spin systems,” writes Scott Kemp , professor of nuclear science and engineering at MIT and, until 2011, Scientific Adviser, Department of U.S. State control and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. Unlike large facilities needed today for the enriched uranium to fuel nuclear power plants, but also the missiles, this technology would require 75% less space. Furthermore, require less than one-tenth of the power required for the existing processes. Another of its strengths is that it shortens the steps needed to enrich uranium (see support).

From an economic viewpoint are three major advantages. But, from the point of view of safety, experts not lost a plant like this can go too unnoticed. “SILEX no emissions distinct thermal or chemical that could reveal the location of an underground facility,” says Kemp. To also taught at the universities of Princeton and Harvard, “two viable routes to the pump is worse than”.

Ultrasecret Technology

Since the 80s, several countries have tried using lasers to enrich uranium without success. In the image, the LIS project, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the U.S. Energy Department. It was abandoned in the late 90s. /  LLNL / Wikipedia

Meanwhile, GLE said in a statement after the award: “The company has worked with the NRC, with the Departments of State and Energy and independent experts in nonproliferation over several years to ensure the safety of this technology and fulfilled, and in many cases exceeded, all relevant regulations to protect this system. ”

True, commissioned a report by three independent experts to establish the risk of proliferation of SILEX. But, as alleged members of the American Physical Society, secrecy on this report  and the entire project SILEX impossible to ensure that this technology does not pose a risk. Before granting the license, the company, the Federation of American Scientists and the  American Association for the Advancement of Science  asked the NRC to conduct its own study of the risk of proliferation. The NRC refused claiming that theirs was to assess the safety of the process and facilities and their impact on health and the environment. The rest is beyond their powers.

“We’re struggling with how to address the ability of Iran’s nuclear enrichment” and laser technology “could make the problem intractable and uncontrollable global proliferation,” said Edwin Lyman of the  Union of Concerned Scientists  at The New York Times . According to Scott Kemp, a score of countries, including the U.S. itself but also North Korea tested the laser to enrich uranium in the past without success. Now though it seems that SILEX can work.

Developed in the late 90’s by the Australian company Silex Systems, this system quickly to the U.S. interest. In 1999, the young company underwent an agreement between the U.S. and Australian governments to protect the technology from prying eyes. In 2001 he was officially declared as classified material. Back in 2006, Silex Systems signed a contract with General Electric to develop and commercialize the process. Two years after the consortium was created GLE and Australians relinquished control of its creation in exchange for 42 million euros and 12% of the revenues generated SILEX perpetuity. GLE plant built now and in 2013 is expected to begin enriching uranium with lasers.

The advantages are their danger SILEX

Uranium in its natural state just does more than throw a stone. The ore is largely composed of two different isotopes, 99.2% is U ²³⁸  and another 0.72% is U ²³⁵ . Only the latter is fissionable and therefore powering nuclear reaction. Hence, it is necessary to enrich uranium, concentrating U ²³⁵ . In nuclear power plants using fuel enriched to 3% or 5%. Although laser has been tested to enrich from the 70s without success, today there are only two techniques.

Gaseous diffusion

Converted into uranium hexafluoride, UF _6,  and led to a gaseous state, exploits the difference in mass between the two isotopes to separate them. Through a series of successive membranes, U ²³⁵ , lighter and will be enriched active until the required concentration to use as fuel. This technology, called first generation, was developed in the 40s. Your energy cost measured in separative work units (SWU in the acronym), which expresses the energy required to separate the two isotopes, is very high, around 100 euros per SWU. Its energy efficiency is very low. About 30% enriched uranium derived from this technology obsolete.

Spin

The UF ₆  cylinder is placed in centrifuges. Its high speed rotation causes the U ²³⁸ , heavier, is expelled, leaving the U ²³⁵ in the center. The procedure has to be repeated hundreds of cascade connected cylinders to achieve concentration of 3% uranium enrichment. This second generation, the most widely used today, it costs between 60 and 80 euros per SWU, according Silex Systems.

Laser Excitation

Tested for years in advanced centers such as Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory U.S. unsuccessfully Silex Systems able to operate this technology. The specific details are not known for being classified material, but it would be determined using a laser wavelength to excite and ionize the isotopes of U ²³⁵ . A magnetic material is responsible for attracting the charged particles of uranium. According to documents from Silex Systems, its cost would be around 25 euros per SWU and multiply up to 20 degree of efficiency.

Source: Is Matter

October 3, 2012 - Posted by arclight2011 | Uncategorized