Nuclear Fuel Material

Uranium Extraction

Before the discovery of plutonium, uranium is only being considered as a raw material for making atomic bombs. Most nuclear materials derived from uranium compounds. Another alternative fuel that is derived from the decay of uranium thorium compounds. Thorium compounds 3-fold more abundant than uranium compounds. Raw and above used on nuclear fission reactor.

For nuclear fusion reactor, can be used deutorium compound, isotopes of hydrogen, or who are still in the experimental compound used litium. If nuclear fusion reactor has been perfect, then by using lithium reserves in the earth, the energy produced can be used to needs of energy consumption on the earth for 3000 years (assuming the need for energy is increasing from year to year). If used lithium from sea then its energy enough for 60 million years. With deuterium materials derived from nature, the energy produced can last up to 150 billion years.

Uranium is taken from nature and made ​​into nuclear fuel (1), then sent to a nuclear plant. Once used as a generator, the remaining fuel had been sent to a recycling of nuclear power (2) or to a landfill if not recycled (3). At the time of recycling, 97% of the remaining nuclear fuel could be reused in nuclear power installations (4).

Nuclear Fuel

The principle of recycling is to separate nuclear material is still useful (such as uranium and plutonium) from fission products or waste from nuclear reactor fuel. Usually the goal is to recycle uranium a new oxide fuel (MOX), but there are also aiming to get the plutonium that can be used as a weapon.

There are several ways to do this nuclear recycling process, namely:

• PUREX
• UREX (URanium Extraction)
• TRUEX (TRansUranic EXtraction)
• DIAMEX (DIAMideEXtraction)
• UNEX (UNiversal Extraction)