Nuclear Engineering and Technology

Korean Nuclear Society (한국원자력학회)
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Systematic analysis for the thermal stability assessment of 166Ho production using HANARO: An in silico study

  • Taeyun Kim (Department of Applied Bioengineering, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University) ;
  • Bo-Young Han (HANARO Utilization Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) ;
  • Seongwoo Yang (HANARO Utilization Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) ;
  • Jaegi Lee (HANARO Utilization Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) ;
  • Gwang-Min Sun (HANARO Utilization Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) ;
  • Byung-Gun Park (HANARO Utilization Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) ;
  • Sung-Joon Ye (Department of Applied Bioengineering, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University)
  • Received : 2024.04.02
  • Accepted : 2024.07.01
  • Published : 2024.11.25
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Abstract

Medical radioisotopes (RIs) are widely used in the diagnosis and treatment of tumors. Theranostic RIs, such as 131I, 166Ho, 177Lu, and 186Re, are particularly notable for their ability to enable diagnosis and treatment simultaneously. Conducting irradiation tests using the High-flux Advanced Neutron Application Reactor (HANARO), a 30-MW multipurpose research reactor, enables the production of these medical RIs. Prior to irradiation tests, it is crucial to assess whether they affect the thermal stability of irradiated materials and the thermal-hydraulic safety of HANARO. This study systematically investigates the feasibility of 166Ho production using the isotope production irradiation hole of HANARO, focusing on thermal stability. The nuclear heating rates of the RI production target and RI capsule are calculated using MCNP6, and the calculated nuclear heating rates are used for three-dimensional heat transfer analysis using COMSOL Multiphysics. Under the assumed conditions in this study, 166Ho production did not compromise the thermal stability of the RI production target and RI capsule; consequently, the thermal-hydraulic safety criteria of HANARO could be satisfied. This study can serve as a valuable reference for evaluating the thermal stability of irradiated materials and the thermal-hydraulic safety of HANARO, which must be performed before irradiation tests using HANARO.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korean government (MSIT) (No. NRF2021M2E7A2079439) and the Korea government (MSIT) (No. 1711078081).

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