Iran’s Gas Centrifuge Program: Taking Stock

Posted by Matt in February 11th, 2010 | no comment

Published in Iran, Nuclear, Appendix, Atomic Energy Agency, Enrichment Plant, First Principles, Fuel Enrichment, Gas Centrifuge, International Atomic Energy, International Atomic Energy Agency, International Atomic Energy Agency Iaea, Iran, Leu, natanz, Nuclear Power Reactor, Optimal Performance, Performance Implications, Performance Reasons, Public Information, Safeguards, Several Thousand, Stock Table, Taking Stock, Uranium

Table of Contents
1. Understanding Enrichment at Natanz
2. First Principles
3. More advanced centrifuges coming? A secret site?
4. Natanz and the P1 Centrifuge
5. Separative Capacity of Iran’s P1 Centrifuge
6. Building a Centrifuge Plant
7. LEU Production
8. Taking Stock, Analyzing FEP Performance
9. Reasons for Sub-Optimal Performance
10. Implications on the Fordow Enrichment Site
11. Findings and Conclusion
12. Figures and Tables
13. Appendix: [...]

Can Iran produce 20 percent-enriched uranium?

Posted by Matt in February 8th, 2010 | 1 comment

Published in Iran, Nuclear, Centrifuge Equipment, centrifuges, defiance, Enrichment Plant, Enrichment Plants, Fuel Enrichment, Fuel Rods, Grade Material, Heu, Inefficiencies, Intelligence Services, Iran Iran, Leu, Reactor, Small Quantities, Stockpile, Technical Prowess, U 235, Uranium, Weapon Grade

Yes. Though Iran may encounter some challenges, it is technically equipped to produce 19.75 percent enriched uranium at the Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant (note, any uranium enriched to under 20 percent U-235 is classified by the IAEA as LEU; uranium enriched to 20 percent or greater is classified as high enriched uranium (HEU).
If Iran were [...]

I.A.E.A. Reports Iranian Nuclear Progress

Posted by Matt in June 5th, 2009 | no comment

Published in Iran, Nuclear, Atomic Energy Agency, Centrifuge, centrifuges, Containment, David Albright, Enriching Uranium, Enrichment Plant, Fep, Fuel Enrichment, Hexafluoride, International Atomic Energy, International Atomic Energy Agency, International Atomic Energy Agency Iaea, IR-2, IR-3, IR-4, Leu, Nuclear Fuel, Nuclear Weapons, Reactor, Security Council Resolutions, Shire, Surveillance Measures

A week before Iran’s presidential election, atomic inspectors reported Friday that the country has sped up its production of nuclear fuel and increased its number of installed centrifuges to 7,200 — more than enough, weapon experts said, to make fuel for up to two nuclear weapons a year, if the country decided to use its [...]

Israel: Slim chance of war now

Posted by Matt in May 12th, 2009 | 1 comment

Published in 2009Q2, Israel, War, Barack Obama, Benjamin Netanyahu, Chemical Warheads, Enriching Uranium, Fatah, Few More Years, Hamas, Heu, hezbollah, Initial Effect, King Abdullah, Leu, Little Chance, Military Intelligence, Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, New War, Nuclear Development, Nuclear Programs, Nuclear Weapons, Peace Negotiations, Peace Process, Prime Minister Benjamin, Slim Chance, Times Of London, War In The Middle East

Israeli general Yadlin see little chance of war in the next year. Meanwhile, Jordan sees a war in the 12 to 18 months if the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians does not make progress. And it probably won’t make progress.
Iran will continue enriching uranium to around 3% concentration which is lowly enriched uranium [...]

High-enriched uranium traces found in Egypt: IAEA

Posted by Matt in May 6th, 2009 | no comment

Published in Egypt, Nuclear, Atomic Energy Agency, Discovery, Egypt, Heu, IAEA, International Atomic Energy, International Atomic Energy Agency, Leu, Monsters And Critics, New York Times, Nuclear Facility, Nuclear Power Plant, Nuclear Research, Particles, Reuters, Uranium, Watchdog

The U.N. nuclear watchdog is investigating the discovery of traces of highly enriched uranium at a nuclear research site in Egypt, according to a restricted International Atomic Energy Agency report obtained by Reuters.
The HEU was discovered alongside particles of low-enriched uranium (LEU), the type used for nuclear power plant fuel.
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Egypt: Uranium Traces Are Studied [...]