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An assessment of commercial production of radioisotopes in nuclear power reactors as cogeneration projects

Rupsha Bhattacharyya

Abstract


Nuclear cogeneration projects represent an important non-electric application of nuclear power. This study analyses the feasibility of using commercial nuclear power reactors for production of important radio-isotopes in significant quantities as a form of nuclear cogeneration activity. The importance of nuclear and radiation based techniques in a variety of fields is growing rapidly. Thus diversifying into this activity can open up new routes of revenue creation for existing power plants and can be the reason for continued operation of aging power plants. This work attempts to assess in a generic manner, the specific considerations to be made when planning to use an existing power reactor for commercial production of a range of isotopes important to medicine and industry. It also discusses the use of new reactors such as SMRs (small modular reactors) for dedicated cogeneration activities involving production of isotopes. Two cases studies relevant to production of Co-60 and Lu-177 in nuclear reactors are also presented in the context of nuclear cogeneration projects.

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References


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