System and method for harvesting of activated irradiation targets from a nuclear reactor and radionuclide generation system

A method for harvesting activated irradiation targets from an instrumentation tube system of a nuclear reactor, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

• coupling the instrumentation tube system to a discharge tube having a first discharge tube section, a second discharge tube section and an apex formed at a conjunction of the first and second discharge tube sections, an exit port and a lock element between the apex and the exit port, wherein the first and second discharge tube sections are directed downward from the apex;
• passing the activated irradiation targets from the instrumentation tube system into the discharge tube and blocking movement of the activated irradiation targets out of the discharge tube by means of the lock element;
• separating a predefined quantity of the activated irradiated targets from another quantity of the activated irradiated targets in the discharge tube;
• coupling the exit port to a storage container and releasing the lock element to pass the predefined quantity of the activated irradiated targets under action of gravity into the storage container;
• wherein said separating step comprises passing the predefined quantity of the activated irradiation targets over the apex into the first discharge tube section and keeping the other quantity of activated irradiation targets in the second discharge tube section or the instrumentation tube system by means of the apex.