Systems and methods for processing irradiation targets through a nuclear reactor

Patent · Tue May 03 00:00:00 EDT 2016

OSTI ID:1250445

Dayal, Yogeshwar; Saito, Earl F.; Berger, John F.; Brittingham, Martin W.; Morales, Stephen K.; Hare, Jeffrey M.

Apparatuses and methods produce radioisotopes in instrumentation tubes of operating commercial nuclear reactors. Irradiation targets may be inserted and removed from instrumentation tubes during operation and converted to radioisotopes otherwise unavailable during operation of commercial nuclear reactors. Example apparatuses may continuously insert, remove, and store irradiation targets to be converted to useable radioisotopes or other desired materials at several different origin and termination points accessible outside an access barrier such as a containment building, drywell wall, or other access restriction preventing access to instrumentation tubes during operation of the nuclear plant.

• Research Organization: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC, Wilmington, NC (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: FC52-09NA29626
• Assignee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC (Wilmington, NC)
• Patent Number(s): 9,330,798
• Application Number: 13/339,345
• OSTI ID: 1250445
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: 2011 Dec 28
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY