Uranyl Salt Reactors for Mo-99 Production Chris Cooling

Molybdenum 99 Fission product Half life of 66 hours Decays to Tc-99m Tc-99m has a half life of 6 hours Tc-99m a radioactive tracer used in diagnostic medicine Demand is currently exceeding supply

Current Production Methods Bombarding targets with neutrons – HEU targets to induce fission – Mo-98 Current reactors – NRU, Canada – HFR, Netherlands – SAFARI-1, South Africa – BR2, Belgium – OSIRIS, France – Opal, Australia

Uranyl Salt Reactors Uranyl Sulphate or Uranyl Nitrate dissolved in acid ( gU/l) Water acts as the moderator Low temperatures LEU or natural uranium Many research reactors in early days of nuclear

Uranyl Salt Reactors Reactivity Feedback – Void production – Thermal feedback Challenges – Materials challenges – Complex multi-physics – Regulatory challenges

Advantages of Uranyl Salt Reactors in the Production of Mo-99 LEU as opposed to HEU Lower power Continuous processing possible

The Medical Isotope Production System (MIPS) AHR designed to produce Mo-99 Uranyl Nitrate Array of 4x220kW reactors ~80l of fuel Cooled internally by water-filled cooling coils

My Work Modelling of MIPS for regulatory and optimisation purposes – 2D and 3D multi-physics models – Point kinetics models

FETCH Based upon AMCG’s FLUIDITY program Couples fluid mechanics and neutronics calculations Multi-phase flow Embedded cooling coils

FETCH Example – CRAC 43 Increase in solution height Void and temperature feedback

Goals Improve heat transfer models Implement boiling models Validate point kinetics model

Questions?