[ExI] nuclear fusion

aiguy at comcast.net aiguy at comcast.net
Thu Mar 27 16:41:25 UTC 2008


> 
> RTGS are not reactors, they just use the heat given off of Plutonium-238 
> due to its short half life of only 87 years. Bombs don't use it, they use 
> Plutonium-239 and it has a half life of 24,110 years. 
> 
> John K Clark 
> 
Yes, John but based on the excerpt and links I have posted the the neptunium
which can be recovered during the creation/reprocessing of Plutonium-239 is the
primary ingredient necessary to create Plutonium-238.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plutonium-238
Today, Plutonium 238 is usually prepared by the irradiation of neptunium 237, a minor actinide produced in nuclear reactors, that can be recovered from spent nuclear fuel during reprocessing, or by the irradiation of americium in a reactor. In both cases, the targets are subjected to a chemical treatment, including dissolution in nitric acid to extract the plutonium-238. A 100kg sample of light water reactor fuel that has been irradiated for three years contains only about 700 grams of neptunium 237, and the neptunium must be extracted selectively.
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