The Measurement of Uranium Enrichment

Uranium enrichment can vary dramatically depending on the application. In the nuclear fuel cycle uranium is typically low enriched but for military applications it is often high enriched while depleted uranium is commonly used for commercial applications. Measurement of the uranium enrichment can assist in verifying that the uranium is being used in the application as declared. This chapter covers the definition of uranium enrichment, various techniques for assaying the enrichment, and correction factors for wall attenuation. The enrichment measurement principles presented include the infinite-thickness for bulk uranium, the peak ratio using HPGe, visual estimation from a spectrum, and gas-phase enrichment for UF6 techniques.