DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING MEDICAL ISOTOPES
A hybrid nuclear reactor that is operable to produce a medical isotope includes an ion source operable to produce an ion beam from a gas, a target chamber including a target that interacts with the ion beam to produce neutrons, and an activation cell positioned proximate the target chamber and including a parent material that interacts with the neutrons to produce the medical isotope via a fission reaction. An attenuator is positioned proximate the activation cell and selected to maintain the fission reaction at a subcritical level, a reflector is positioned proximate the target chamber and selected to reflect neutrons toward the activation cell, and a moderator substantially surrounds the activation cell, the attenuator, and the reflector.
1 . A hybrid reactor comprising:
an ion source operable to produce an ion beam from a gas;
an accelerator operatively coupled to the ion source to define an accelerator/ion source region, wherein the accelerator is configured to receive the ion beam and accelerate the ion beam to yield an accelerated ion beam;
a target chamber comprising a target that interacts with the ion beam to produce neutrons;
a pumping system fluidly coupled to the target chamber and the accelerator/ion source region; and
an activation cell positioned proximate the target chamber and including a parent material that interacts with the neutrons to produce a medical isotope via a fission reaction.
2 . The hybrid reactor of claim 1 , wherein the target chamber defines a higher gas pressure region and the accelerator/ion source region defines a lower gas pressure region.
3 . The hybrid reactor of claim 2 , wherein the target chamber is operatively coupled to the accelerator, the higher gas pressure region of the target chamber operating at a gas pressure within a range of 1 to 100 torr and the lower gas pressure region of the accelerator/ion source region operating at a gas pressure lower than the gas pressure of the higher gas pressure region.
4 . The hybrid reactor of claim 2 , wherein the target chamber is substantially open to the accelerator/ion source region with no physical barrier preventing a flow of gas molecules from the higher gas pressure region of the target chamber to the lower gas pressure region of the accelerator.
5 . The hybrid reactor of claim 1 , wherein the pumping system comprises a synchronized high-speed pump.
6 . The hybrid reactor of claim 1 , wherein the pumping system comprises a differential pumping system.
7 . The hybrid reactor of claim 6 , wherein the differential pumping system is configured to maintain a first pressure differential between an outside atmosphere and the accelerator/ion source region, a second pressure differential between the outside atmosphere and the target chamber, and a third pressure differential between the accelerator/ion source region and the target chamber.
8 . The hybrid reactor of claim 6 , wherein the differential pumping system comprises:
a first end operatively coupled to the accelerator/ion source region and a second end operatively coupled to the target chamber;
at least one vacuum chamber coupling the first end to the second end and allowing passage of the ion beam from the first end to the second end of the differential pumping system; and
a vacuum pump connected to the at least one vacuum chamber.
9 . The hybrid reactor of claim 6 , wherein the differential pumping system comprises a turbulence generating apparatus.
10 . A hybrid reactor comprising:
an ion source operable to produce an ion beam from a gas;
an accelerator operatively coupled to the ion source to define an accelerator/ion source region, wherein the accelerator is configured to receive the ion beam and accelerate the ion beam to yield an accelerated ion beam;
a target chamber comprising a target that interacts with the ion beam to produce neutrons;
a plasma window positioned between the target chamber and the accelerator/ion source region; and
an activation cell positioned proximate the target chamber and including a parent material that interacts with the neutrons to produce a medical isotope via a fission reaction.
11 . The hybrid reactor of claim 10 , wherein the plasma window is configured to form a plasma between the target chamber and the accelerator/ion source region.
12 . The hybrid reactor of claim 11 , wherein the plasma is configured to reduce the flow of gas between the target chamber and the accelerator/ion source region and allow passage of the ion beam from the accelerator/ion source region to the target chamber.
13 . The hybrid reactor of claim 11 , wherein the plasma is configured to inhibit the flow of gas between the target chamber and the accelerator/ion source region and allow passage of the ion beam from the accelerator/ion source region to the target chamber.
14 . The hybrid reactor of claim 11 , wherein the target chamber defines a higher gas pressure region and the accelerator/ion source region defines a lower gas pressure region.
15 . The hybrid reactor of claim 10 , further comprising a differential pumping system fluidly coupled to one or both of the target chamber and the accelerator/ion source region, wherein the differential pumping system is configured to maintain a first pressure differential between an outside atmosphere and the accelerator/ion source region and a second pressure differential between the outside atmosphere and the target chamber.
16 . The hybrid reactor of claim 15 , wherein the differential pumping system comprises:
a first end operatively coupled to the accelerator/ion source region and a second end operatively coupled to the target chamber;
at least one vacuum chamber coupling the first end to the second end and allowing passage of the ion beam from the first end to the second end of the differential pumping system; and
a vacuum pump connected to the at least one vacuum chamber.
17 . The hybrid reactor of claim 15 , wherein the plasma window is positioned to form a plasma within the differential pumping system and between the target chamber and the accelerator/ion source region.
18 . A hybrid reactor comprising:
an ion source operable to produce an ion beam from a gas;
an accelerator operatively coupled to the ion source to define an accelerator/ion source region, wherein the accelerator is configured to receive the ion beam and accelerate the ion beam to yield an accelerated ion beam;
a target chamber including a target that interacts with the ion beam to produce neutrons; and
a plasma window positioned between the target chamber and the accelerator/ion source region.
19 . The hybrid reactor of claim 18 , wherein:
the target chamber defines a higher gas pressure region and the accelerator/ion source region defines a lower gas pressure region; and
the plasma window is configured to form a plasma between the target chamber and the accelerator/ion source region to reduce the flow of gas between the target chamber and the accelerator/ion source region and allow passage of the ion beam from the accelerator/ion source region to the target chamber.
20 . The hybrid reactor of claim 19 , wherein the plasma inhibits the flow of gas between the target chamber and the accelerator/ion source region and allow passage of the ion beam from the accelerator/ion source region to the target chamber.