Radioisotopes are produced by irradiating enriched stable isotopes in a particle accelerator target assembly with a beam of protons, deuterons, or other charged particles exhibiting sufficient incident energy and current to induce a nuclear reaction. The target assembly receives a recirculating flow of liquid gallium to remove heat flux that would damage the target assembly when operated with high intensity beam currents. The choice of liquid gallium and its eutectic alloys, all liquids at room temperature, over prior art working fluids for the coolant system is advantageous by providing significantly increased heat transfer to prevent target damage, minimizing enriched material losses, thereby decreasing production costs, and realizing greater radioisotope output.

An apparatus for generating medical isotopes provides an annular fissile solution vessel surrounding a neutron generator. The annular fissile solution vessel provides for good capture of the emitted neutrons and a geometry that provides enhanced stability in an aqueous reactor. A neutron multiplier and/or a neutron moderator may be used to improve the efficiency and control the criticality of the reaction in the annular fissile solution vessel.

A nuclear fuel, the nuclear fuel comprising uranium aluminide grains, wherein the uranium aluminide grain properties are selected for good isotope extraction after irradiation and chemical digestion.

A system for converting an electron beam into a photon beam includes an electron accelerator configured for generating an electron beam of accelerated electrons along an irradiation axis (Z); a scanning unit; a focusing unit for forming a focused beam converging towards a first focusing point (Fx) located on the irradiation axis (Z); a converting unit located between the focusing unit and the first focusing point (Fx), and comprising one or more bremsstrahlung converters, configured for converting the focused beam into a photon beam, wherein the one or more bremsstrahlung converters are curved such that the focused beam intersects each of the one or more bremsstrahlung converters with an intersecting angle comprised between 65° and 115° at all points, preferably between 75° and 105° at all points; and a target holder configured for holding a target.

A method for producing an iodine radioisotopes fraction, comprising the steps of dissolving enriched uranium targets forming a slurry, filtering said slurry, absorbing salts of iodine radioisotopes on an aluminium resin doped with silver and recovering said iodine radioisotopes fraction, is disclosed. The recovery of the iodine radioisotopes fraction, in particular of I-131, comprises washing the aluminium resin doped in silver using a solution of NaOH and eluting of iodine radioisotopes by a solution of thiourea, and collecting an eluate containing said iodine radioisotopes in a thiourea solution.

An apparatus for generating medical isotopes provides an annular fissile solution vessel surrounding a neutron generator. The annular fissile solution vessel provides for good capture of the emitted neutrons and a geometry that provides enhanced stability in an aqueous reactor. A neutron multiplier and/or a neutron moderator may be used to improve the efficiency and control the criticality of the reaction in the annular fissile solution vessel.

A method for producing an iodine radioisotopes fraction, comprising the steps of dissolving enriched uranium targets forming a slurry, filtering said slurry, absorbing salts of iodine radioisotopes on an aluminium resin doped with silver and recovering said iodine radioisotopes fraction, is disclosed. The recovery of the iodine radioisotopes fraction, in particular of I-131, comprises washing the aluminium resin doped in silver using a solution of NaOH and eluting of iodine radioisotopes by a solution of thiourea, and collecting an eluate containing said iodine radioisotopes in a thiourea solution.

An apparatus for generating medical isotopes provides an annular fissile solution vessel surrounding a neutron generator. The annular fissile solution vessel provides for good capture of the emitted neutrons and a geometry that provides enhanced stability in an aqueous reactor. A neutron multiplier and/or a neutron moderator may be used to improve the efficiency and control the criticality of the reaction in the annular fissile solution vessel.

A system and method for radioisotope production uses fast-neutron-caused fission of depleted or naturally occurring uranium targets in an irradiation chamber. Fast fission can be enhanced by having neutrons encountering the target undergo scattering or reflection to increase each neutron's probability of causing fission (n, f) reactions in U-238. The U-238 can be deployed as one or more layers sandwiched between layers of neutron-reflecting material, or as rods surrounded by neutron-reflecting material. The gaseous fission products can be withdrawn from the irradiation chamber on a continuous basis, and the radioactive iodine isotopes (including I-131) extracted.

A system for radioisotope production uses fast-neutron-caused fission of depleted or naturally occurring uranium targets in an irradiation chamber. Fast fission can be enhanced by having neutrons encountering the target undergo scattering or reflection to increase each neutron's probability of causing fission (n, f) reactions in U-238. The U-238 can be deployed as one or more layers sandwiched between layers of neutron-reflecting material, or as rods surrounded by neutron-reflecting material. The gaseous fission products can be withdrawn from the irradiation chamber on a continuous basis, and the radioactive iodine isotopes (including I-131) extracted.