US 9,431,139 B2Granted

Method of utilizing nuclear reactions of neutrons to produce primarily lanthanides and/or platinum metals

OwnerPéter Telekiinventor

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Abstract

The method according to the invention is accomplished via neutrons produced in a nuclear reactor and moderated to thermal energy level in such a way that a target to be irradiated can also be arranged outside of the reactor shell, within a cassette and/or a container suitable for this purpose. This solution can remarkably increase the production capacity, but can be applied for irradiation channels as well. The disclosure teaches the production of lanthanides and platinum metals, however, other species, e.g. Re, can also be produced. In the technological process the target (mother element) is commercially less valuable than the product (daughter element) prepared therefrom via (n, γ) nuclear reaction. The product—practically the alloy of the mother element and daughter element(s)—can be fully separated into its constituents, element by element, by means of prior art techniques, and can be processed. The thus obtained product, after retention (that is, after normalizing the radiation level), can be made use of. The exemplified daughter elements are Pm, Eu, Tm, Lu; and Rh, Os; and Re. When Os is produced, Re takes the role of the mother element. In certain products other daughter elements also form, such as e.g. Tc, as it is discussed in the specification.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A method of utilizing nuclear reactions of neutrons in a target to produce primarily lanthanides in said target on an industrial scale, said method comprising the steps of

providing the target comprising any of Nd, Sm, Gd, Er, or Yb in any combination and/or composition thereof as mother element, wherein said mother element is contained in said target in an amount of at least 8.0 weight%;
arranging said target within a container;
arranging said container outside of a shell of a nuclear reactor with an active core;
irradiating the target arranged within the container with neutrons generated in the active core of said nuclear reactor along with keeping the container outside of the shell throughout the irradiation,
wherein said irradiating generates (n, γ) nuclear reactions involving the mother element, and
producing lanthanides as daughter elements via said nuclear reactions, wherein
a neutron moderator substance is arranged within the container between the shell of the nuclear reactor and the target, and
a neutron backscattering reflector substance is arranged within the container behind the target, and
the target is contained in a target cassette with a net volume of about 100 dm3 and a gross mass of 2 to 4 tons depending on the mother element used in the target, and
said container is prepared with the dimensions of about 90 by 90 by 60 cm and has a gross mass of about 8 to 10 tons when assembled and ready to be irradiated;
after irradiating, displacing at least said target cassette from the outside of the shell of the nuclear reactor to recover the lanthanides produced.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.