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Canada is currently the largest supplier of the world's radioactive medical isotopes. That is until AECL's aging NRU reactor at Chalk River sprang a leak and had to be shut down. AECL had built two reactors in the 1990's, Maple I and II, to produce medical isotopes but due to design problems (the reactors have a positive reactivity co-efficient that will require a complete redesign and rebuilding of the reactor cores to correct) these reactors have been scrapped by the Canadian government. There is now talk that the US will start its own isotope program using existing nuclear facilities.
I am not clear why the NRU is such a good reactor for producing these isotopes. Is there an advantage to using a heavy water moderated reactor to produce them? If so, why?
How easy would it be for the US to get into the field of producing medical isotopes using an existing light water reactor in the US?
AM
I am not clear why the NRU is such a good reactor for producing these isotopes. Is there an advantage to using a heavy water moderated reactor to produce them? If so, why?
How easy would it be for the US to get into the field of producing medical isotopes using an existing light water reactor in the US?
AM