Downblend
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Pronunciation /ˈdaʊn.blɛnd/ · Part of speech verb
Quick meaning: Downblend is a verb meaning (usually transitive, nuclear physics) To blend highly-enriched uranium, typically from decommissioned nuclear weapons, with uranium containing a low concentration of fissile uranium-235 (slightly-enriched uranium, natural uranium, or depleted uranium) in order to convert it to low-enriched uranium suitable for use as fuel in standard power reactors but not usable for a fission bomb.
Meaning
(usually transitive, nuclear physics) To blend highly-enriched uranium, typically from decommissioned nuclear weapons, with uranium containing a low concentration of fissile uranium-235 (slightly-enriched uranium, natural uranium, or depleted uranium) in order to convert it to low-enriched uranium suitable for use as fuel in standard power reactors but not usable for a fission bomb.
Example Sentences
The facility has the capacity to downblend 5 tonnes of bomb-grade uranium per year.
Word Forms
- downblends
- downblending
- downblended
Antonyms for downblend
Common opposites include enrich.
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include deblend, denuke, atomize, nuke, un-nuke, denuclearize.
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Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
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