Speaker
Description
A production-scale radioisotope separator line based on a prototype design is under development at the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR). Several years back, the separator line was contemplated and built to enhance the specific activity of a radiopharmaceutical compound involving Sm-153. The purpose remains to improve the specific activity of particular radioisotopes, especially lanthanides, where real benefits may be wrought. Further, with the recent announcement that the University of Missouri is embarking upon a new research reactor to replace MURR, there is a renewed sense of purpose in developing ancillary facilities that will take advantage of the production stream from a new reactor, and to expand and enhance our research and education mission. The initial separator line was designed and built around a 1.3 T sector magnet to define a waypoint intended to guide future development, and to develop a working knowledge of the capital equipment. That knowledge was then put to use in designing the next generation, so-called “production-scale” separator line. The design goal of the production system is to separate useful quantities of a radioisotope produced in the reactor in a time frame that is meaningful based on the isotope decay rate. This discussion will focus on the combined modeling of the electromagnetic transport system, including a simplified model of the ion source, extraction and focusing optics, and the momentum separator. Particular modeling assumptions and design choices will be identified, and modeling results will be reviewed. Models were performed in COMSOL or using numerical modeling in R.
