MOX fuel facts for kids

This picture shows nuclear fuel. The small parts inside are called pellets. A whole fuel module is about 4.5 meters (15 feet) long.

Mixed-oxide fuel, often called MOX fuel, is a special type of nuclear fuel. Most nuclear fuel is made only from uranium dioxide. But MOX fuel is different because it contains an oxide (a compound with oxygen) from more than one element.

Usually, MOX fuel has plutonium dioxide mixed with uranium. Sometimes, it might also contain thorium dioxide. When nuclear power plants use uranium fuel, they naturally create plutonium dioxide as a byproduct. MOX fuel is a way to reuse this plutonium. It's typically made of about 93% uranium and about 7% plutonium or thorium dioxide.

What is MOX Fuel?

MOX fuel is a blend of different metal oxides used in nuclear power plants to create electricity. Think of it like a special recipe for fuel. Instead of just one main ingredient (uranium), it uses a mix of uranium and other elements like plutonium.

Why is it Used?

One big reason to use MOX fuel is to recycle. Nuclear power plants produce plutonium as they operate. Instead of storing this plutonium as waste, MOX fuel allows us to use it again to make more energy. This helps to reduce the amount of nuclear waste. Also, some types of nuclear reactors work better or can only work with fuel that contains plutonium.

How MOX Fuel is Made

Making MOX fuel involves carefully mixing powders of uranium dioxide and plutonium dioxide. These powders are then pressed into small, solid cylinders called pellets. These pellets are then placed inside long metal tubes, which are bundled together to form fuel assemblies. These assemblies are then loaded into the core of a nuclear reactor.

Benefits of MOX Fuel

Using MOX fuel has several advantages:

• Recycling Plutonium: It helps to reuse plutonium that is created in nuclear reactors, turning a waste product into useful energy.
• Reducing Waste: By burning plutonium, it helps to reduce the amount of long-lived radioactive waste that needs to be stored.
• Energy Security: It allows countries to get more energy from their existing nuclear materials.

Images for kids

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  This image shows a piece of used MOX fuel, looked at very closely with a special microscope. The brighter parts have more plutonium.

See also

In Spanish: Combustible nuclear de mezcla de óxidos para niños