A 5 MW TRIGA reactor design for radioisotope production
- General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States)
The production and preparation of commercial-scale quantities of radioisotopes has become an important activity as their medical and industrial applications continue to expand. There are currently various large multipurpose research reactors capable of producing ample quantities of radioisotopes. These facilities, however, have many competing demands placed upon them by a wide variety of researchers and scientific programs which severely limit their radioisotope production capability. A demonstrated need has developed for a simpler reactor facility dedicated to the production of radioisotopes on a commercial basis. This smaller, dedicated reactor could provide continuous fission and activation product radioisotopes to meet commercial requirements for the foreseeable future. The design of a 5 MW TRIGA reactor facility, upgradeable to 10 MW, dedicated to the production of industrial and medical radioisotopes is discussed. A TRIGA reactor designed specifically for this purpose with its demonstrated long core life and simplicity of operation would translate into increased radioisotope production. As an example, a single TRIGA could supply the entire US needs for Mo-99. The facility is based on the experience gained by General Atomics in the design, installation, and construction of over 60 other TRIGAs over the past 35 years. The unique uranium-zirconium hydride fuel makes TRIGA reactors inexpensive to build and operate, reliable in their simplicity, highly flexible due to unique passive safety, and environmentally friendly because of minimal power requirements and long-lived fuel. (author)
- Research Organization:
- General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 21141170
- Report Number(s):
- INIS-US-09N0001; TRN: US09N0016020807
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 14. U.S. TRIGA users conference, San Diego, CA (United States), 5-8 Apr 1994; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Related Information: In: 14. U.S. TRIGA users conference. Final program and summary of papers, 50 pages.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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