How uranium is transformed into nuclear fuel – PART 2
This video from “How It’s Made” shows the steps from uranium mine to nuclear reactor. Nuclear power reactors require ‘enriched’ uranium fuel in which the proportion of the uranium-235 isotope has been raised from the natural level of 0.7% to about 3.5% to 5%. An enrichment plant concentrates the useful uranium-235, leaving about 85% of the uranium by separating gaseous uranium hexafluoride into two streams: One stream is enriched to the required level of uranium-235 and then passes to the next stage of the fuel cycle. The other stream is depleted in uranium-235 and is called ‘tails’ or depleted uranium.
Enriched UF6 is transported to a fuel fabrication plant where it is converted to uranium dioxide powder. This powder is then pressed to form small fuel pellets, which are then heated to make a hard ceramic material. The pellets are then inserted into thin tubes several yards long to form fuel rods, which are then grouped together to form fuel assemblies.
