Document Details
Title:
INTERIOR SECTION OF AN ERDA GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANT
Author(s):
HOFFMAN, F [ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION, U.S.]
Document Location:
Location - DOE/NNSA NUCLEAR TESTING ARCHIVE Address - P.O. Box 98521 City - Las Vegas State - NV Zip - 89193-8521 Phone - (702)794-5106 Fax - (702)862-4240 Email - NTA@NV.DOE.GOV
Document Type:
OTHER
Document Type Other:
AUDIOVISUAL MATERIAL
Publication Date:
1971 Dec 31
Declassification Status:
Never classified
Document Pages:
0002
Accession Number:
NV0097883
Document Number(s):
ERDA719193
Originating Research Org.:
ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION, U.
OpenNet Entry Date:
1994 Aug 27
OpenNet Modified Date:
2003 Sep 18
Description/Abstract:
THE GASEOUS DIFFUSION ROCESS WHICH ENRICHES URANIUM FOR USE IN ATOMIC ENERGY ACTIVITIES IS DONE AT ERDA OWNED CONTRACTOR OPERATED PLANTS IN KENTUCKY OHIO AND TENNESSEE. IN THE PROCESS GASEOUS URANIUM HEXAFLUOR IDE (UF6) IS PUT THROUGH A SERIES OF BARRIER WHICH PARTIALLY SEPARATE THE HIGHLY FISSIONABLE LIGHTER AND FASTER MOVING URANIUM-235 ATOMS FRO M THE HEAVIEW AND SLOWER MOVING URANIUM-238 ATOMS THAT MAKE UP THE BUL K OF THE MATERIAL. THE PHOTO SHOWS SECTIONS OF THE BASUC EQUIPMENT RE QUIRED FOR THE PROCESS. AN ELECTRIC MOTOR DRIVES A COMPRESSOR WHICH I N TURN COMPRESSES THE UF6 GAS SO IT WILL FLOW THROUGH THE POROUS MEMBR ANES IN EACH CONVERTER TANK. THE PRODUCT STREAM FROM ONE CONVERTER EN ENTERA A CENTRAL COMPRESSOR STAGE AND IS MIXED WITH A STREAM OF DEPLET ED URANIUM FROM ANOTHER CONVERTER STAGE TANK. THIS MIXTURE IS COMPRES SED AND FED TO THE CENTRAL CONVERTER. THE ENRICHED PRODUCT FROM THIS CENTRAL CONVERTER MOVES TO THE NEXT COMPRESSOR STAGE UPSTREAM WHILE TH E DEPLETED STREAM IS SENT TO THE STAGE BELOW. GROUPS OF STAGES ARE CO UPLED IN THIS WAY TO MAKE UP OPERATING UNITS AND THESE UNITS IN TURN M AKE UP A GASEOUS DIFFUSION CASCADE.