Irradiation targets for the production of radioisotopes and debundling tool for disassembly thereof
AssigneeBWXT Isotope Technology Group, Inc.
InventorEvan Thomas Logue
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An irradiation target system having an irradiation target with at least one annular plate defining a central opening and including an elongated body, a flange portion, and a tab portion, wherein the flange portion extends beyond a first end of the plurality of plates, a target debundling tool, having a base plate, a gripper assembly affixed to the base plate, and a twister assembly including a housing defining a target bore configured to receive the target therein, and a slide portion that is slidably and non-rotatably mounted to the housing at a bottom end of the target bore.
Claims21
An irradiation target system for the production of radioisotopes, comprising:
- an irradiation target, comprising:
- a plurality of annular plates defining a central opening;
- and
- a first elongated central member passing through the central opening of the plurality of annular plates so that the plurality of annular plates is retained thereon, the first elongated central member including a first elongated body extending along a longitudinal center axis, a first flange extending transversely to the first elongated body at a first end of the first elongated body, and a first tab extending from a second end of the first elongated body, wherein the first flange of the first elongated central member extends axially outwardly beyond a first end of the plurality of annular plates and the first tab extends axially outwardly beyond a second end of the plurality of annular plates;
- a target debundling tool, comprising:
- a base plate;
- a gripper assembly affixed to the base plate;
- a twister assembly rotatably secured to the base plate, the twister assembly comprising a housing defining a target bore that is configured to receive the irradiation target therein, and a slide portion that is slidably and non-rotatably mounted to the housing at a bottom end of the target bore, the slide defining a first aperture that has a maximum diameter that is less than an outer diameter of the plurality of annular plates of the irradiation target,
- wherein the twister assembly is configured to engage and twist the first elongated central member of the irradiation target such that the irradiation target is debundled.
An irradiation target system for the production of radioisotopes, comprising:
- an irradiation target, comprising:
- a plurality of annular plates defining a central opening;
- and
- a first elongated central member passing through the central opening of the plurality of annular plates so that the plurality of annular plates is retained thereon, the first elongated central member including a first elongated body extending along a longitudinal center axis, a first flange extending transversely to the first elongated body at a first end of the first elongated body, and a first tab disposed at a second end of the first elongated body, wherein the first flange abuts a first end face of the plurality of annular plates and extends axially-outwardly therefrom, and the first tab extends outwardly beyond a second end face of the plurality of annular plates;
- a target debundling tool, comprising:
- a base plate;
- a gripper assembly affixed to the base plate;
- a twister assembly secured to the base plate, the twister assembly comprising a rotatable housing defining a target bore that is configured to receive the irradiation target therein, and a slide portion that is slidably and non-rotatably mounted to the housing at a bottom end of the target bore,
- wherein the gripper assembly is configured to engage the first elongated central member of the irradiation target at a first end of the first elongated central member and the twister assembly is configured to engage the first elongated central member of the irradiation target at a second end of the first elongated central member, the twister assembly configured to twist the first elongated central member such that the irradiation target is debundled.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.