Investigating the increase of plutonium extraction from heavy water reactors1

Abstract

In a nuclear power plant, plutonium 239 is first produced, about one-third of this plutonium splits during the power plant's operation and produces energy, and about one-sixth of it is converted into higher isotopes by absorbing more neutrons. The plutonium produced in nuclear power plants is called power plant-grade plutonium, which is not suitable for making atomic bombs, and for this reason, the production of military-grade plutonium by special power plants designed for this purpose, or by heavy-water power plants with natural fuel, or by low-power power plants It is done normally. Heavy water is also used as a neutron moderator in some types of nuclear reactors. Slow neutrons can react with uranium. The purpose of this research is to use light water or ordinary water as a moderator, but since light water also absorbs thermal neutrons, light water reactors must use enriched uranium with high purity, but heavy water reactors can Whether using conventional or unenriched uranium, the production of heavy water is relevant to the debate on preventing the development of nuclear weapons. Heavy water reactors can be built to convert uranium into plutonium usable in atomic bombs without the need for enrichment equipment. Of course, other methods can be used to use ordinary uranium in an atomic bomb.