Interior view of a heat shield of a Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plant (GCEP),used to provide fuel- grade enriched Uranium for nuclear power stations. In its natural state,Uranium contains three isotopes,only U-235 being useful for fission but existing as only 0. 7% of mined Uranium by weight. To produce a fuel richer in U-235,the mined Uranium is converted into Uranium Hexafluoride gas. This is spun in a centrifuge,the molecules containing heavier U-238 tending to collect at the outside are led off and the gas richer in U-235 is passed to further stages of purification before conversion into usable fuel | |
Lizenzart: | Lizenzpflichtig |
Credit: | Science Photo Library / US Department of Energy |
Bildgröße: | 2749 px × 3543 px |
Modell-Rechte: | nicht erforderlich |
Eigentums-Rechte: | nicht erforderlich |
Restrictions: | - |