Special isotope separation at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory

Conference · Fri Feb 03 04:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:10161813

Hendrickson, P D

The SIS facilities will include a Plutonium Processing Facility (PPF), a Laser Support Facility (LSF), and all associated equipment required for isotope separation. The SIS Plant will process fuel-grade plutonium into weapons-grade plutonium using Atomic Vapor Laser Isotope Separation (AVLIS) and supporting chemical processes. The AVLIS process uses precisely tuned visible laser light to selectively ionize or excite specific plutonium isotopes in a vapor stream. The ionized plutonium isotopes (Pu 240, Pu 238 and Pu 241) are then separated from the plutonium isotope of interest (Pu 239). Chemical processes are required to (1) prepare the AVLIS plutonium feed for processing, remove americium-241, and cast plutonium metal into forms that meet AVLIS processing requirements; (2) recover and, if required, purify the AVLIS plutonium product; and (3) recover and process the AVLIS separated by-products. This presentation describes the production facility and some of the plutonium processes.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Idaho Nuclear Co., Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-84ID12435
• OSTI ID: 10161813
• Report Number(s): WINCO--11482; CONF-890753--5; ON: DE92017457
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES
070100
AMERICIUM
DYE LASERS
IDAHO NATIONAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY
LASER ISOTOPE SEPARATION
METAL VAPOR LASERS
PHYSICAL ISOTOPE SEPARATION
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
PURIFICATION