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Centrifuges enrich uranium by separating U-235 from U-238 by using centrifugal force.

About Uranium Enrichment

The enrichment centrifuge is a device used to extract uranium-235 isotope from a sample of natural uranium. U-235 is fissile and thus useful to generate nuclear power and to build nuclear weapons.

Natural uranium consists of 99.3% U-238 and 0.7% U-235. Nuclear power reactors need the uranium fuel to contain 3-20% U-235, depending on the reactor design. Nuclear weapons need U-235 to be enriched to around 90%.

How does a centrifuge work in uranium enrichment?

1. A centrifuge works by exploiting the difference in mass between U-235 and U-238 isotopes.
2. The centrifuge spins at incredibly high speeds—up to 50,000 revolutions per minute (RPM)—using centrifugal force to separate these isotopes.
3. Inside the centrifuge, uranium is converted into a gaseous compound, uranium hexafluoride (UF6).
4. As the rotor spins, the heavier U-238 atoms are pushed outward toward the walls of the chamber, while the lighter U-235 atoms remain closer to the center.
5. Scientists then collect the gas containing a higher concentration of U-235 and send it to more centrifuges for further enrichment.

Why is uranium hexafluoride (UF6) used in centrifuges?

Scientists use uranium hexafluoride (UF6) because it is the only uranium compound that can easily transition between solid, liquid, and gas states under practical conditions.

UF6 is heated to become a gas and then fed into the centrifuges. Its gaseous form allows the centrifuge to separate U-235 from U-238 based on their mass differences.

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Source: 

THE HINDU