Patent ID: 9589691
Date: 2017-03-07
CPC Classifications: G21C,G21G,H05H,Y02E

Claim:
1. A method of producing isotopes in a nuclear reactor with an irradiation target retention system, the method comprising: inserting at least one irradiation target into an irradiation target retention assembly, the irradiation target configured to substantially convert to a desired radioisotope when exposed to a neutron flux in the operating nuclear reactor rigidly affixing the irradiation target retention assembly to a cable of a delivery system; driving the irradiation target retention assembly and the cable into tubing of the delivery system using a drive mechanism, the tubing being connected to an instrumentation tube of the nuclear reactor; inserting the irradiation target retention assembly on the cable into the instrumentation tube using the drive mechanism; irradiating the at least one irradiation target; removing the irradiation target retention assembly on the cable from the nuclear reactor using the drive mechanism; and harvesting the desired radioisotope from the irradiation target retention assembly.