Uranium Enrichment Using Laser is back!

Uranium, a very important element in this nuclear era, is a critical component for civil nuclear power generation as well as military Nuclear weapons.
The natural Uranium that is extracted contains about 99% of 238U isotope while just about 1% (0.72% to be precise) of 235U. But the abundantly found 238U is very difficult to be fissionable (nuclear fission) and does not support the chain reaction and hence is of no use for nuclear weaponry and power generation.
And thus Uranium enrichment is essential. The separation of the two isotopes 238U and 235U is called Uranium enrichment. But separating these two is a tedious task. These two isotopes, that are found together, have almost same qualities that they can’t be separated easily. Diffusion and Centrifuge techniques are being used today to separate the two and believe me, these methods are very costly.


Source: IEEE Spectrum

Two technology giants, General Electricals (GE) and Hitachi formed an alliance is 2006 for the purpose of nuclear power expansion. They are using the Laser Uranium enrichment technique and expect to build world’s first industrial-scale pilot plant in 2012. This Laser enrichment is opposed by many regulatory agencies as they are worried about the nuclear weapon proliferation (spread of nuclear weapons to countries that don’t posses them right now).

GE & Hitachi along with Cameco Corp (a Canadian nuclear fuel provider) are spending millions of dollars on what they think is a game changing technology! Attempts have been made in this direction before too, but they have all failed to enrich the uranium economically. But this time these companies are confident about the success though they and the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) have denied to comment whether the enrichment will be proliferation proof or not!

The atoms and molecules vibrate at a unique frequency. The concept is that a Laser tuned to this frequency can cause the 235U to behave differently than the 238U and thus the 235U can be siphoned out and separated. Uranium hexafluoride is the gas that is used in which uranium atom is surrounded by 6 fluorine atoms. But these Lasers are different than what we have today and you have to create one as per the requirements. The creation of this laser is very complicated. If this plant gets built, it will be the first ever uranium enrichment plant in the world where enrichment is done using photons.


Lawrence Livemore National Lab's plan

The U.S. National Regulatory Commission is expected to rule the building license of GE & Hitachi by the end of 2011. But it is obvious that even if it rules against them, the thirst of the scientists to succeed in the laser uranium enrichment is not going to abate. This type of enrichment consumes a very small fraction of the energy that is needed for the methods being used today.

The technology is being heavily criticized. Some experts believe that cheap and more efficient enrichment programs may lead to increase in proliferation. Also, this method is likely to reduce the size of the plant which is a concern for the watchdogs as they use satellite imagery to plot the secret plants. I guess the countries (like Iran and North Korea) that want to do the enrichment are going to run the program anyway, with whatever technology that is available (Or they may even invent one!). So the proliferation is already there. Its just that it might increase if cheaper means are available! Let’s hope that these cheaper ways are used for nuclear power generation and does not lead us to a nuclear war!