Irradiated Thorium is more dangerously radioactive in the short term. The Th-U cycle invariably produces some U-232, which decays to Tl-208, which has a 2.6 MeV gamma ray decay mode. Bi-212 also causes problems. These gamma rays are very hard to shield, requiring more expensive spent fuel handling and/or reprocessing.Read More →
Most reactors are light water reactors (of two types – PWR and BWR) and require uranium to be enriched from 0.7% to 3-5% U-235 in their fuel. This is normal low-enriched uranium (LEU). What does it mean to enrich an element? To enrich uranium means simply to increase the percentageRead More →
The United States imports most of the uranium it uses as fuel. Uranium is the fuel most widely used by nuclear power plants for nuclear fission. How is uranium used in the world? Uranium is the main fuel for nuclear reactors, and it can be found in many places aroundRead More →
Yet, the truth is, you can buy uranium ore from places like Amazon or Ebay, and you won’t have to produce any special authorization to get it. … The isotope that is used in bombs and reactors is Uranium-235, which is only about 0.72% of the natural uranium ore. WhatRead More →
Nuclear fuel is used to produce electricity for about five years. Then, it’s removed and safely stored until a permanent disposal site becomes available. Nuclear plants also produce low-level radioactive waste which is safely managed and routinely disposed of at various sites around the country. Is nuclear safer than solar?Read More →