REACTOR PRODUCED RADIONUCLIDES

REACTOR PRODUCED RADIONUCLIDES

The fuel nuclei undergo spontaneous fission . Fission is defined as breakup of a heavy nucleus into two fragments of approximately equal mass accompanied by the emission of two or three neutrons with mean energy 1.5Mev.

A variety of radio nuclides are produced in nuclear reactors. A nuclear reactor is constructed with fuel rods made of fissile materials such ad U and Pu. The fuel rods may be individually loaded into the reactor (into tubes located in the reactor) or may be organized into fuel assemblies.

 The atomic number for Ba is 56 and Kr is 36. Uranium -235 absorbs a neuron and becomes uranium 236 the fission reaction. And 3 neutrons

 In each fission there is a energy release of 200 Mev that appears as heat and is usually removed by heat exchangers to produce electricity in the nuclear plant.

Coolant - Used to remove the heat from the fuel rods directly if the moderator and coolant are the same material. In cases where a separate moderator is used, coolant tubes are routed through the moderator, removing heat from the moderator directly and fuel rods directly or indirectly

 Water is often used as a coolant. However, sometimes heavy water, liquid metals (sodium, potassium), or even gases (carbon dioxide) may be used.

Moderator - Used to slow down the neutrons to thermal energies. Typical materials that can be used as moderator include water, heavy water, and graphite.

 Neutrons emitted in each fission can cause further fission of other fissionable nuclei in the fuel rod, provided the right conditions exist.

This will initiate a chain reaction and ultimately leading to the melt down of the reactor core. This chain reaction must be controlled

A possible nuclear fission chain reaction

1. A uranium-235 atom absorbs a neutron, and fissions into two new atoms (fission fragments), releasing three new neutrons and a large amount of binding energy.

Nuclear fission chain reaction

2. One of those neutrons is absorbed by an atom of uranium-238, and does not continue the reaction. Another neutron leaves the system without being absorbed. However, one neutron does collide with an atom of uranium-235, which then fissions and releases two neutrons and more binding energy.

Nuclear fission chain reaction

3. Both of those neutrons collide with uranium-235 atoms, each of which fissions and releases a few neutrons, which can then continue the reaction.

Control rods
Control Rods - Used to To maintain a self regulate the distribution sustained chain reaction of power in the reactor , only one fission while the reactor in neutron is needed and operating. excess neutrons ( more than one) are removed The most important by positioning cadmium function is to insert to rods in the reactor core. shutdown or stop the nuclear fission process when required.

 The control rods are made of materials that quickly stop the nuclear reaction by absorbing the neutrons

Cadmium has a high probability of absorbing a thermal neutron.

Neutron moderator
Neutrons emitted with a mean energy of 1.5 Mev from the surface of the fuel rod have a low probability of interacting with other nuclei and therefore do not serve any useful purpose. The neutrons with thermal energy (0.025 eV)interact with many other stable nuclei efficiently , producing various radio nuclides. To make use of high energy neurons or fast neutrons more useful they are slowed down by interaction with low molecular weight materials such as heavy water , water , beryllium and graphite. These are called moderators.

Neutron moderator
Neutron moderator are used to reduces the speed of fast neutrons, thereby turning them into thermal neutrons capable of sustaining a nuclear chain reaction involving uranium-235. Commonly used moderators include regular (light) water (75% of the world's reactors), solid graphite (20% of reactors) and heavy water (5% of reactors). Beryllium has also been used in some experimental types, and hydrocarbons have been suggested as another possibility.

 The flux or intensity of When a target element the thermal neutrons so is inserted in the obtained ranges from reactor core , a thermal 10 to 10 neutron will interact neutrons/cm .sec with the target nucleus with a definite And they are useful in probability of production of many producing another radio nuclides. nuclei.

 In the reactor two types of interaction with thermal neutrons occur to produce various radio nuclides Fission of heavy elements Neutron capture

Fission of heavy elements :Fission or (n , f) Reaction When a target heavy elements is inserted in the reactor core, heavy nuclei absorb thermal neutrons and undergo fission

Fission or (n , f) Reaction
Fissionable heavy elements are U , Pu ,Np , U and Th and many others having atomic numbers greater than 92. Nuclides produced by fission may range in atomic number from 28 to 65. These isotopes of different elements are separated by appropriate chemical procedures that involve 1. Precipitation 2. Solvent extraction 3. Ion exchange 4. Chromatography 5. and Distillation

Fission or (n , f) Reaction
The fission radio Many clinically useful nuclides are normally radio nuclides such as carrier-free and I , Mo , Xe and therefore radio nuclides Cs are produced by of high specific activity fission of U are available from fission. The fission products are usually neutron rich and decay by emission

Fission or (n , f) Reaction

Neutron capture or ( n, ) Reaction

In neutron capture reaction the target nucleus captures one thermal neutron and emits rays to produce an isotope of the same element. The radio nuclide so produced are not carrier free , and its specific activity is very low. Some examples of neutron capture reactions are Mo (n, )Mo , Hg (n, ) Hg and Cr (n, ) Cr. Molybdenum -99 so produced is called the irradiated molybdenum.

Characteristics of commonly used Radio Nuclides

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