High efficiency neutron capture product production
AssigneeResearch Triangle Institute
InventorNicholas Guy Baldasaro
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for use with a neutron source for producing reaction-product nuclei from reactant nuclei includes a plurality of reactant nuclei and a plurality of moderating nuclei. The reactant nuclei and the moderating nuclei are configured to increase the probability of neutron capture by reactant nuclei to achieve enhanced ratios of neutron capture by reactant nuclei to neutron source neutron production. Moderating nuclei and neutron reflection are used to minimize neutron leakage. Temperature control, including cryogenic temperature control, may be used to enhance the rate or probability of reactant nuclei neutron capture. The reactant nuclei may include molybdenum-98 and reaction-product nuclei may include technetium-99m.
Claims19
An apparatus for producing reaction-product nuclei from reactant nuclei, the apparatus comprising:
- a neutron source that is neither a nuclear reactor nor a subcritical assembly;
- a first plurality of reactant nuclei having a first average microscopic thermal neutron capture cross section;
- a collection of isotopes consisting of those isotopes whose nuclei capture at least 1% of all emitted neutrons from a neutron source and which are not reactant nuclei;
- and
- a second plurality of nuclei consisting of all nuclei from the collection of isotopes,
- wherein at least approximately 90% of the nuclei have microscopic thermal neutron capture cross-sections that are lower than the microscopic thermal neutron capture cross-section of any reactant nuclei, and wherein the total mass of moderating nuclei is greater than approximately 1 kilogram;
- and
- wherein the neutron source is in proximity to the reactant nuclei sufficient to produce reaction-product nuclei by neutron capture.
A method for producing decay-product nuclei from a reactant isotope using a neutron source, the method comprising:
- generating neutrons;
- preparing a first plurality of reactant nuclei having a first average microscopic thermal neutron capture cross section;
- preparing a collection of isotopes consisting of those isotopes whose nuclei capture at least 1% of all emitted neutrons from a neutron source and which are not reactant nuclei;
- preparing a second plurality of nuclei consisting of all nuclei from the collection of isotopes, wherein at least approximately 90% of the nuclei have microscopic thermal neutron capture cross-sections that are lower than the microscopic thermal neutron capture cross-section of any reactant nuclei, and wherein the total mass of moderating nuclei is greater than approximately 1 kilogram;
- and
- irradiating the plurality with the neutrons such that a reaction product is generated when the neutrons are captured by the reactant nuclei;
- and
- extracting from the plurality a decay product that is generated by radioactive decay of the reaction product isotope.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.