Design and Testing of Thermosyphon Batch Targets for Production of F-18
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Date
2008-03-18
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Abstract
F-18 is a short-lived radioisotope commonly used in Positron Emission Tomography (PET). This radionuclide is typically produced through the O-18(p,n)F-18 reaction by proton bombardment of O-18 enriched water. Thermosyphon batch targets have been proposed as a means to increase F-18 production due to their enhanced heat rejection capabilities. These boiling targets have been operated with up to 3.2 kW of beam power with manageable O-18 enriched water volumes. The primary purpose of this work has been to develop a fundamental approach to target design from a modeling perspective, and to implement this approach to design new thermosyphon targets with enhanced production capabilities. Computational methods have been developed to predict target thermal performance and have been validated with experimental test data from the Duke University Medical Cyclotron and the Wisconsin Medical Cyclotron. These methods have been used to design a new production target for the Duke cyclotron with enhanced F-18 production capabilities. Low volume test targets have been successfully operated at the Wisconsin cyclotron with beam powers in excess of the desired 1.6 kW.
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Keywords
Boiling Batch Targets, Cyclotron Applications, Positron Emission Tomography, F-18 Production, Thermosyphon
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Degree
PhD
Discipline
Nuclear Engineering
