Fuel-cycle optimizer (Feed & SWU)

Toy model for enrichment mass balance + SWU. Explore how tails assay trades feed vs SWU, and find the cost-minimizing tails.

Inputs

Example: xp=0.04 means 4.0% U-235

Natural uranium ≈ 0.00711

Economics

Presets

Explain (short)

Feed is the amount of natural/low-enriched uranium you must supply to make a given amount of enriched product. Tails is what remains after enrichment, with a residual U-235 fraction xt.

Lowering xt extracts more U-235 from the feed (less feed needed) but requires more separation effort (more SWU). The economically optimal xt depends mainly on uranium price vs SWU price.

This is a simplified teaching tool (no cascade details, losses, constraints, contracts, etc.).

Outputs

Feed F (kgU)
Tails W (kgU)
SWU
Total cost ($)
Feed+conversion cost ($)
SWU cost ($)
Optimum xt*

Plots vs tails assay xt

Range: 0.05%–0.60%