Radioactive isotope production in the fast neutron nuclear reactors

Abstract

Abstract The present work reviews the primary benefits of radioactive isotope production in the fast neutron reactors the accumulated foreign and local experience in usage of this type of reactors for radioactive isotope production, and also the potential new trends in development of the existing technologies. The main advantage of isotope production in the fast neutron reactors is their high capacity and lower value in general as compared with the accelerating installations. One nuclear reactor may produce dozens of different isotopes including Cj-60, Sr-89 (targets on the base of yttrium), Ni-63 (targets on the base of copper), Eu-152, Eu-154, Sm-145, Sn-117n, Cu-64 and others. It should also be emphasized that a number of radioisotopes are most efficiently produced only in fast and intermediate neutron spectra, which is not possible in nuclear thermal reactors and, above all, in research reactors. Studies have shown that the organization of large-scale production of radioisotopes can significantly increase the economic attractiveness of fast-neutron reactors.