METHOD OF PRODUCTION OF THE LOW-ENRICHED URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE FROM THE HIGHLY-ENRICHED URANIUM Russian patent published in 2008 - IPC C01G43/06 

FIELD: atomic power industry; chemical industry; methods of production of the nuclear fuel for the nuclear reactors.

SUBSTANCE: the invention is pertaining to the nuclear fuel production cycle and may be used in production of the fuel for the nuclear reactors by transformation of the highly enriched uranium into the power low-enriched uranium. The method of production of the low-enriched uranium (LEU) hexafluoride from the highly-enriched uranium includes production in the gaseous whizzers cascade from the monton quality the uranium hexafluoride of the uranium-thinner containing isotope U-235 of the higher than its natural value, commixing in the gaseous phase of the hexafluoride of the highly-enriched uranium with the hexafluoride of the uranium-thinner with the purpose to produce in the hexafluoride of the low-enriched uranium the power condition isotope U-235 and the limited content of the minor uranium isotopes. The hexafluoride of the uranium-thinner is produced from the hexafluoride of the primary montons of the enrichment of the natural uranium at admixture of the hexafluoride of the primary montons of the enrichment of the uranium separated from the irradiated metallic natural uranium fuel. The hexafluoride of the primary montons of the uranium enrichment is admixed in the interstage flows of the separating part of the cascade with the close or equal concentration of the isotope U-235. The technical result of the invention is reduction of the costs of production of the LEU-thinner with the lowered content of the minor isotopes; minimization of the separating powers intended for production of the LEU-thinner; elimination of the deficit of the primary montons of enrichment of the natural uranium suitable for production of the LEU-thinner; decrease of the losses of the separation operation at reorganization of the configuration of the uranium mill for production of the LEU-thinner.

EFFECT: the invention ensures the reduced costs and the separating powers used for production of the LEU-thinner with the lowered content of the minor isotopes; the decreased losses of the separation operation at reorganization of the layout of the uranium mill for production of the LEU-thinner.

5 cl, 4 tbl, 1 ex, 2 dwg