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Centrifuge Engineering and Fabrication

Centrifuge at ORNL
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ORNL serves as the nation's steward of research, development and demonstration of new gas centrifuge technology. The Centrifuge Engineering and Fabrication Section is devoted to continually improving processes for enriching isotopes.

It includes four groups:

  • Machine Dynamics Group: Responsible for evaluating centrifuge concepts through dynamic testing of prototype systems. Members of this group develop dynamic testing hardware and software, develop and apply advanced rotor balancing techniques, and perform field testing of deployed systems.
  • Engineering Design Group: Responsible for engineering design of concepts. This group employs state-of-the-art engineering design and robust systems engineering principles to realize design concepts and detailed prototype manufacturing requirements.
  • Prototype Manufacturing Group: Executes research and development manufacturing of prototype components. This group develops and demonstrates manufacturing and assembly approaches, applying novel fabrication tools and techniques.
  • Modeling and Data Science Group: Applies first principles and empirical approaches to develop gas centrifuge concepts and perform engineering analysis. Members of this group work to advance the physics and engineering understanding of gas centrifuge systems and apply advanced theoretical and engineering analysis principles to machine design and development.