Correcting the isotopic composition of regenerated uranium with respect to ²³²U by a centrifuge method with introduction of a carrier gas

Theoretical and experimental studies dealing with correcting the isotopic composition of regenerated uranium with respect to ²³²U by a centrifuge method with introduction of a carrier gas are reported. In order to increase the efficiency of separating ²³²U from the spent uranium and reduce the loss of ²³⁵U, the use of a carrier gas is proposed – the gaseous compound ¹²C₈H₃F₁₃, which is inert to uranium hexafluoride, and whose molecular weight, M_c = 346 amu, matches that of ²³²UF₆. Freon, C₈H₃F₁₃, is shown not to decompose during operation in the rotor of a centrifuge or to interact with the centrifuge material. The measured absorption parameters of freon on sodium fluoride NaF confirm the feasibility of efficient separation of a mixture of uranium hexafluoride and freon with return of the freon to the separation process. It is shown that introducing a carrier gas into the centrifuge technology can yield some new results: lowering the radioactivity of the commercial product, normalizing the overall radiation situation during production, increasing the recovered ²³⁵U in the commercial product, and reducing the volume of radioactive waste. The recovery of ²³⁵U in the commercial product can be increased to 99% or more. Then the ²³²U content in the commercial product is ∼2·10⁻⁸% or a factor of 10 less than the maximum allowable content of 2·10⁻⁷%.