Nuclide chain and fission losses of 252Cf production by irradiated 242Pu (IMAGE)
Caption
Transuranic isotopes are primarily produced through in-reactor irradiation, but this process faces the challenges of low nuclide conversion rates and high production costs. Taking the production of 252Cf through the irradiation of 242Pu as an example, as shown in Figure 1, this process requires 242Pu to absorb ten neutrons continuously without undergoing fission reactions. Otherwise, all previous efforts would be wasted. However, the nuclide conversion chain consists of neutron-rich nuclides, which are prone to fission reactions, leading to fission losses of up to 99%. Neutrons of different energy regions have different capacities for inducing various nuclear reactions, and regulating the neutron spectrum can control the nuclear reaction process. Therefore, by adjusting the neutron spectrum within the irradiation channel, fission losses can be reduced, and the production efficiency of transuranic isotopes can be increased.
Credit
Qing-Quan Pan
Usage Restrictions
Credit must be given to the creator. Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted.
License
CC BY-NC