# US 2014/0153684 A1 · Dry Phase Reactor for Generating Medical Isotopes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0153684 A1 - Document ID: US20140153684A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/692,212 - Filed: 2012-12-03 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-03 - Assignees: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation - Applicants: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation - Inventors: Thomas Rockwell Mackie; Thad Alexander Heltemes - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140153684A1 ## CPC - G21G 1/001: {Recovery of specific isotopes from irradiated targets} - G21G 1/06: by neutron irradiation - G21G 2001/0036: {Molybdenum} - G21G: CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS; RADIOACTIVE SOURCES (applications of radiation in general G21H5/00; handling particles, e.g. neutrons, or electromagnetic radiation not otherwise provided for G21K) ## Abstract An apparatus for generating medical isotopes provides for the irradiation of dry-phase, granular uranium compounds which are then dissolved in a solvent for separation of the medical isotope from the irradiated compound. Once the medical isotope is removed, the dissolved compound may be reconstituted in dry granular form for repeated irradiation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of producing medical isotopes comprising the steps of: (a) exposing a dry granular uranium compound to radiation to produce the medical isotope by nuclear reaction; (b) dissolving the irradiated uranium compound in a solvent; and (c) separating the medical isotope from the solventized uranium compound to provide an isolated medical isotope. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the uranium compound is selected from the group consisting of uranium oxides and uranium salts. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the uranium salt is selected from the group consisting of uranyl nitrite or uranyl sulfate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further including the step of (d) reconstituting the dry granular uranium compound by removing the solvent and repeating steps (a)-(c). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the solvent is an acid selected from the group consisting of nitric acid and sulfuric acid. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further including the step of cooling the dry granular uranium compound by a flow of fluid in thermal physical contact with the granular uranium compound during step (a). ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the medical isotope is 99Mo. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein in step (a) the dry granular uranium compound is held in multiple containers and wherein step (b) dissolves the irradiated uranium compound in the solvent in the containers and then removes the solvent from the containers along with the dissolved uranium compound. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further including placement of one or more reflectors reflecting radiation near the dry granular uranium compound during irradiation. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 including the step of moving neutron absorbing control elements in a region near the dry granular uranium compound during irradiation to maintain critical reaction during step (a). ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the radiation is produced by an electrically powered neutron generator irradiating the dry granular uranium compound in a sub-critical reactor. ### Claim 12 An apparatus for producing medical isotopes comprising: a reactor volume for controlling an irradiation of material contained in the volume; a plurality of containers holding a dry granular uranium compound and removably insertable into the reactor volume; and a separator system processing the dry granular uranium compound by dissolving it in a solvent and separating the medical isotope from the dry granular uranium compound. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the containers include channels for receiving cooling fluid flow to pass through the container in thermal contact with the dry granular uranium compound while being physically isolated from the contained dry granular uranium compound. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the containers include channels for receiving and discharging a stream of water passing through the container in contact with the dry granular uranium compound to dissolve and flush the dry granular uranium compound from the containers. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12 wherein containers include at least one gate for distributing the dry, granular uranium compound into a geometrical configuration that does not support sustained nuclear reaction. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12 further including one or more reflectors reflecting radiation near the dry granular uranium compound during irradiation. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the uranium compound is selected from the group consisting of uranium oxides and uranium salts. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the uranium salt is selected from the group consisting of uranyl nitrite or uranyl sulfate. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the solvent is an acid selected from the group consisting of nitric acid and sulfuric acid. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the containers are arranged in at least two concentric rings.