Analysis of the medical isotopes accumulation in the pressure-tube reactor core zone using the samarium-153 example

Authors: Ilyin A.S., Ryabinin S.A., Semishin V.V.
Published in issue: #4(93)/2024
DOI:
Category: Power, Metallurgic and Chemical Engineering | Chapter: Nuclear power plant
Keywords:
Published: 16.09.2024

The paper analyzes accumulation dynamics of the samarium-153 (Sm153) isotope in the active zone of a pressure-tube nuclear reactor with the graphite moderator. Computation is performed in two stages. At the first stage, the nuclide composition of fuel burned to 15 MW-day/kg is determined. This is necessary to take into account the fact that stale fuel surrounds the channel with the irradiation device. At the second stage, the Sm153 activity is found with the varying parameters, and its accumulation rate is determined. Results of the computational simulation demonstrate that the accumulation activity and rate are affected by such factors as fuel enrichment, burnable absorber content (in this case, erbium) and the lattice pitch. The obtained results propose values of the variable parameters making it possible to intensify production of isotopes in the medical purposes.

References

[1] Shaginyan R.A., Korobaynikova L.V. Features of isotope production in fast reactors. Issues of atomic science and technology. Series: Nuclear reactor constants, 2023, iss. 3. (In Russ.). EDN YLGTAV

[2] Cherkashov Yu.M., ed. RBMK pressure-tube nuclear power reactor. Moscow, GUP NIKIET Publ., 2006, 631 p. (In Russ.).

[3] Dollezhal N.A., Emelianov I.Ya. Pressure-tube nuclear power reactor. Moscow, Atomizdat Publ., 1980, 208 p. (In Russ.).

[4] Petrusenko Yu.T., Nikolaychuk L.I., Tutubalin A.I., Shepelev A.G., Ponomarenko T.A. Production of 123-125I for medical purposes at the CV-28 cyclotron using tellurium targets. Atomic Energy, 2010, iss. 5, 284 p. (In Russ.).

[5] Borshchev V.P., Zhukov I.V., Melnikov O.P., Rozhdestvensky M.I., Cherkashov Yu.M., Burlakov E.V., Kvator V.M., Gorbunov E.K., Lebedev V.I., Fursov A.N., Shevchenko V.G. Kuznetsov V.Yu., Mironov Yu.I., Romanenko V.I., Ryakhovskikh V.I. Possibilities of radionuclide production at NPPs with RBMK. Atomic Energy, 2003, iss. 6, 450 p. (In Russ.).

[6] Tsyb A.F., Krylov V.V., Drozdovsky B.Ya., Karyakin O.B., Biryukov V.A., Medvedev V.N., Smirnova I.A., Vorobyova S.L. Radionuclide therapy with samarium-oxabiphor, 153Sm in breast and prostate cancer with bone metastases. Siberian Journal of Oncology, 2006, iss. 3, pp. 8–17. (In Russ.).

[7] Sukhikh A.V., Sagalov S.S., Pavlov S.V. Fuel for high-power channel boiling reactors: problems and solutions. Dimitrovgrad, DITI NRNU MEPhI Publ., 2017, 184 p. (In Russ.).

[8] Alekseev N.I. MCU program for calculating the neutron-physical characteristics of nuclear reactors by the Monte Carlo method. Geometry module SCG-8. Moscow, RRC CI, 1995, 60 p. (In Russ.).