Experience in the production of 99Mo from low enriched uranium at the VVR-ts research nuclear facility

Abstract

The key industrial method for producing 99Mo is production of the radionuclide as one of the 235U fission fragments. 235U is irradiated with neutrons in a nuclear reactor (both heterogeneous and homogeneous nuclear reactors can be used) and then processed in radiochemical laboratories, where 99Mo is chemically extracted from fission products. Both highly enriched uranium (HEU) and low enriched uranium (LEU) can be used to produce 99Mo by the fragmentation method. To date, almost all world producers, with the exception of Russia, are either in the final stages of transferring production from highly enriched uranium to low enriched uranium, or are already producing 99Mo using LEU. This is due to the problems of non-proliferation of nuclear materials and the prevention of the likelihood of terrorist threats. A number of experimental studies have been carried out on the basis of the VVR-ts research reactor. Experimental studies included the study of the effect of LEU targets on the reactivity reserve of the VVR-ts reactor, irradiation of these targets in experimental channels and separation of 99Mo from them. The paper presents the results of producing and separating 99Mo from targets with LEU material. It is shown that it is necessary to improve the processing technology to increase the production of fragmented 99Mo from LEU.