Continuing investigations for technology assessment of /sup 99/Mo production from LEU (low enriched Uranium) targets

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:5792749

Vandergrift, G F; Kwok, J D; Marshall, S L; Vissers, D R; Matos, J E

Currently much of the world's supply of /sup 99m/Tc for medical purposes is produced from /sup 99/Mo derived from the fissioning of high enriched uranium (HEU). The need for /sup 99m/Tc is continuing to grow, especially in developing countries, where needs and national priorities call for internal production of /sup 99/Mo. This paper presents the results of our continuing studies on the effects of substituting low enriched Uranium (LEU) for HEU in targets for the production of fission product /sup 99/Mo. Improvements in the electrodeposition of thin films of uranium metal are reported. These improvements continue to increase the appeal for the substitution of LEU metal for HEU oxide films in cylindrical targets. The process is effective for targets fabricated from stainless steel or hastaloy. A cost estimate for setting up the necessary equipment to electrodeposit uranium metal on cylindrical targets is reported. Further investigations on the effect of LEU substitution on processing of these targets are also reported. Substitution of uranium silicides for the uranium-aluminum alloy or uranium aluminide dispersed fuel used in other current target designs will allow the substitution of LEU for HEU in these targets with equivalent /sup 99/Mo-yield per target and no change in target geometries. However, this substitution will require modifications in current processing steps due to (1) the insolubility of uranium silicides in alkaline solutions and (2) the presence of significant quantities of silicate in solution. Results to date suggest that both concerns can be handled and that substitution of LEU for HEU can be achieved.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 5792749
• Report Number(s): CONF-8709189-6; ON: DE88003021
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
400703* -- Radiochemistry & Nuclear Chemistry-- Radioisotope Production
ACTINIDES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
ELEMENTS
ENRICHED URANIUM
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FILMS
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPE ENRICHED MATERIALS
ISOTOPES
MATERIALS
METALS
MOLYBDENUM 99
MOLYBDENUM ISOTOPES
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
PRODUCTION
RADIOISOTOPES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SLIGHTLY ENRICHED URANIUM
TARGETS
TECHNETIUM 99
TECHNETIUM ISOTOPES
THIN FILMS
URANIUM
URANIUM 235 TARGET
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES