Enrichment Cascade

This tutorial shows you how to solve a multicomponent enrichment cascade and evaluate the standalone SWU and mass-ratio helpers with the Python API. The numeric solver and closed-form helpers live in crates/enrichment. For the MARC model and SWU derivation, see the Enrichment cascades theory page.

Default uranium cascade

from nucleide.enrichment import Cascade

c = Cascade.default_uranium()
c.solve()
print(c.swu_per_feed, c.swu_per_prod)

Custom cascade

Custom cascades are configured on the Rust side by specifying component molecular weights, assays, and separation factors; the Python API exposes the result objects.

Standalone SWU and mass-ratio helpers

Without building a cascade, the closed-form helpers evaluate the Dirac separation potential, SWU per unit feed/product/tails, and the six assay mass ratios on any (x_feed, x_prod, x_tail) ladder:

from nucleide.enrichment import (
    alphastar_i,
    feed_per_prod,
    prod_per_feed,
    swu_per_feed,
    swu_per_prod,
    tail_per_feed,
    value_func,
)

x_feed, x_prod, x_tail = 0.0072, 0.05, 0.002
print(value_func(x_prod))
print(swu_per_feed(x_feed, x_prod, x_tail))
print(swu_per_prod(x_feed, x_prod, x_tail))
print(prod_per_feed(x_feed, x_prod, x_tail))  # (xf - xt) / (xp - xt)
print(tail_per_feed(x_feed, x_prod, x_tail))  # 1 - prod_per_feed
print(feed_per_prod(x_feed, x_prod, x_tail))  # 1 / prod_per_feed
print(alphastar_i(1.05, 236.0, 235.0))  # stage factor for mass 235

tail_per_prod, feed_per_tail, and prod_per_tail complete the ratio set; each is the quotient of the two corresponding per-feed ratios.

See also

• crates/enrichment/src/lib.rs for cascade construction details.
• tests/test_data_inp_enrichment.py for integration examples.
• Cross-code validation results for these cascades, benchmarked against PyNE 0.7.5 multicomponent.