High Flux Neutron Reactor 14C Production Assessment
摘要
14C (carbon-14) is a radioactive isotope that has a wide range of applications in many fields, including medicine, agriculture, environmental monitoring and scientific research. In the medical field, 14C is mainly used in the carbon-14 breath test, which is a method to detect Helicobacter pylori. By taking urea containing a 14C marker orally, H. pylori breaks down the urea to produce carbon dioxide. By detecting the 14C content in the exhaled gas, it is possible to determine whether there is a H. pylori infection. In addition, 14C can also be used in glucose tolerance tests to assess insulin secretion and insulin resistance. The High Flux Reactor (HFR) is a multipurpose reactor with multiple external irradiation channels, which can be used for the production of various isotopes. The neutron flux of the vertical channel can reach 1 × 1013 n/cm2 s. Up to 10 vertical pores can be arranged outside the reactor vessel, with a total volume can reach 500 L. the neutron flux of horizontal pores can reach 1 × 1011 n/cm2 s. A maximum of 3 horizontal channels can be arranged, with a total volume of up to 200 L. In this paper, the production of 14C will be analyzed by using the irradiation channels of High Flux Reactor (HFR). The selected irradiation material is AlN, and 14N will be transformed into 14C through neutron irradiation. The production capacity and economic benefits of 14C will be analyzed. Through calculation and analysis, if the vertical channels outside the reactor are fully utilized, The maximum amount of AlN that can be placed in the channel is 1000 kg, and the annual production of 14C can reach 1.4 × 1013 Bq. Taking into account the low cost of the irradiation channels outside the high flux reactor, this approach offers significant economic benefits and value.