1. How long the fuel rods remain in the reactor. For maximum production of Pu239, with a minimum of Pu240-241-242 contamination, you want short dwell times. For some power reactors, the entire reactor needs to be shut down to take fuel rods out. However, it is possible to design a power reactor in which the fuel rods can be rotated while in use.
2. To produce U235, one does not need a reactor at all. One needs isotopic separation using centrifugation or lasers. This can be done on a fairly small scale and hidden if desired.
3. Lasers can also be used to separate Pu isotopes after a long burn in a reactor. This produces isotopically pure Pu239. Pu can not be separated using centrifugation because PuF6 is too chemically unstable, and PuF4 is not sufficiently volatile, nor stable.
So there are several options open to Iran, at least one using a conventional power reactor.
Current Events » in reply to Hello? Power plants make lousy weapons manufacturing sites.
It derpends on a couple of things.
The whole thread (48 posts)
- Hey, its just a liberal myth, right? Global warming doesnt exist
- re: Hey, its just a liberal myth, right? Global warming doesnt exist
- Old news, previously posted.
- "If ya can't solve the entire problem, no sense in trying to solve any of it!!!!
- Variations on a theme
- Would it really be so bad to make serious moves away from things we burn to power our civilization?