Method for the production of low enriched uranium hexafluoride from highly-enriched metallic uranium

摘要

A method for the production of low enriched uranium hexafluoride from highly enriched metallic uranium consists of oxidizing metallic uranium highly enriched in uranium-235 at a temperature of 700 DEG -1100 DEG C. and fluorinating with elementary fluorine at temperature of 300 DEG -1500 DEG C. with a fluorine excess exceeding the stoichiometric value, then sublimating and mixing in a gas flow the resultant highly enriched uranium hexafluoride with uranium hexafluoride containing uranium-235 within a range from 0.2 to 4.9% by weight, in a ratio defined by the equation: <IMAGE> where CHEU is the content of uranium-235 in the highly enriched uranium, CLEU is the content of uranium-235 in the low enriched uranium, C is the content of uranium-235 in uranium, the hexafluoride of which is used for mixing.