Abstract: The invention provides a series of techniques for processing uranium containing feed materials such as uranium ores, reprocessed uranium, uranium containing residues and uranium containing spent fuel. The processes described involve fluorination of uranium containing material, separation of the uranium containing material from other materials based on ionization thereof with the non-ionized fluorine containing material being recycled. Metallic uranium and/or plutonium and/or fission products may result. The technique offers advantages in terms of the range of materials which can be reprocessed and a reduction in the number of complexity of stages which are involved in the process.

Abstract: The invention provides a series of techniques for processing uranium containing feed materials such as uranium ores, reprocessed uranium, uranium containing residues and uranium containing spent fuel. The processes described involve fluorination of uranium containing material, separation of the uranium containing material from other materials based on ionization thereof with the non-ionized fluorine containing material being recycled. Metallic uranium and/or plutonium and/or fission products may result. The technique offers advantages in terms of the range of materials which can be reprocessed and a reduction in the number of complexity of stages which are involved in the process.

Abstract: A rotor (10) comprising a cylindrical structure (30, 31) including a portion made from a fibre reinforced composite (38, 39) wherein magnetic filler within the matrix (44) of the composite and wherein the loading of the magnetic filler material varies through the matrix whereby the average mass per unit volume of the structure (10) decreases with distance radially from the axis of the structure (10). As a result, strain matching across the rotor can be achieved even when the rotor is spinning at high speed, such as when used in a flywheel energy storage and conversion apparatus.