Shielding Assessment and Optimization of the Target Station for Medical Isotope Production Based on Superconducting Proton Linac

Abstract

In response to the worldwide shortage of 99mTc supply caused by the combined consequence from both decommissioning and maintenance of research reactors worldwide, the Institute of Modern Physics (IMP) of the Chinese Academy of Science and Lanzhou University have launched a collaboration to research and develop a 99mTc production solution based on the 25 MeV high-intensity superconducting proton linear accelerator. Radiation from high-current proton bombardment must be evaluated and considered carefully at the design stage to meet radiation protection (RP) policy and requirements of the shielding for the key device. This work employed FLUKA to conduct the shielding assessment of both prompt and residual radiation fields in several iterations, based on a prototype of the high-power target system. The prompt dose rates outside the target station are lower than the institution’s limit. The residual dose rates inside the station fall below 100 μSv/h at 64 h after the end of beam (EOB); the dominant source term is then the target chamber. The service life of the main actuator is expected to be extended by 2.7 times with the current partial shielding design. The simulation accelerating techniques are applied to balance the accuracy of results and the progress of the project at the same time, which is referential to the shielding assessment of large-scale nuclear facilities. The results can also be used in further study and construction of the target station.