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fodkodraszyesterday at 8:14 PM4 repliesview on HN

So this is basically a calutron... a huge mass spectrometer. 1940s technology, upgraded with state-of-the-now control systems, and electromagnets. A formidable engineering work, but more of a breakthrough from legislation and compliance perspective possibly.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calutron


Replies

jablyesterday at 8:31 PM

IIRC Calutron's were basically abandoned because they were massively inefficient compared to gaseous diffusion and, particularly, centrifuges.

What has changed here to make them competitive again? Or are they counting on selling small quantities at close to any cost for R&D reactors?

Speaking of which, whatever happened to laser enrichment? That was apparently very promising at some point?

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trhwaytoday at 3:40 AM

>1940s technology

yes, i'd have expected that laser enrichment would be more preferable technology for modern development

bpodgurskyyesterday at 8:17 PM

That's fine

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shevy-javayesterday at 8:35 PM

But mass spectrometers don't use uranium.

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