Fast flux spectrum unfolding of PFTS of KAMINI: an investigation into the viability of radioisotope production

The fast component (0.7–18 MeV) of the neutron spectrum at the Pneumatic Fast Transfer System (PFTS) in the KAMINI reactor was determined by irradiating threshold activation foils. The acquired reaction rates are subsequently unfolded using SAND-II code. The KAMINI reactor was modelled in the MCNP-4B code for an estimate of neutron spectrum at the PFTS location, which was subsequently used as the initial apriori solution for the SAND-II code. The unfolded fast component spectrum at the PFTS was found to be similar to that of the fast benchmark GODIVA and JEZEBEL-23. Moreover, the investigation is substantiated by incorporating modified spectra to estimate the theoretical yield of radioisotopes ³²P at PFTS using a Monte Carlo simulation against its experimental yield. The results agree with an accuracy of 6%, affirming the credibility of the derived spectrum. Theoretical yields of ⁸⁹Sr, ⁶⁴Cu, and ⁴⁷Sc were also estimated at the same location.