Estimation of the 234U fraction and uncertainty of enriched and depleted uranium

Highlights: • A simple ²³⁴U fraction model is provided for nuclear community use. • It permits detailed modelling of ²³⁴U in enriched and depleted uranium. • Relevant to modern commercial gaseous centrifuge enrichment plants. • The properties of ²³⁴U in fuel cycle materials can be better exploited. • The MSTAR cascade model is compared with other literature models. This paper provides a simple model for estimating the ²³⁴U fraction and uncertainty for enriched and depleted uranium produced by modern commercial gaseous centrifuge enrichment plants. Accurate estimation of the ²³⁴U fraction of uranium has applications to the nuclear engineering fields of radiation protection, nuclear materials measurement, transportation safety, criticality safety, and safeguards. Significantly, the ²³⁴U fraction and uncertainties drive radiation safety limits and dose estimates related to uranium and uranium facilities (excluding recycled uranium).