Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A radionuclide producing apparatus, comprising:(a) a target chamber comprising a beam strike region for containing a target liquid, a target chamber lower opening communicating with the beam strike region, a condenser region for containing a vapor, and a sealable top above the condenser region, the condenser region disposed above the beam strike region in fluid communication therewith for receiving heat energy from the beam strike region and transferring condensate to the beam strike region;(b) a particle beam source operatively aligned with the beam strike region for bombarding the beam strike region with a particle beam;(c) a target liquid expansion chamber including an expansion chamber upper opening and an expansion chamber lower opening, the expansion chamber openly fluidly communicating with the beam strike region via the expansion chamber lower opening and the target chamber lower opening;(d) a pressurizing gas supply source separate from the target chamber and fluidly communicating with the expansion chamber upper opening; and(e) a lower liquid conduit interposed between the target chamber lower opening and the expansion chamber lower opening and forming an open target liquid flow path between the target chamber and the expansion chamber, wherein the expansion chamber, the lower liquid conduit, and the beam strike region are pressurized by the gas supply source. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a cooling device disposed in thermal contact with the target chamber. 3. The apparatus according to claim 2 comprising a body defining the target chamber, wherein the cooling device comprises a coolant conduit farmed in the body and disposed in thermal contact with the target chamber. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the target chamber encloses an internal volume ranging from approximately 0.5 to approximately 5.0 cm3. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the target chamber comprises a front side and a back side, and a depth between the front and back sides through the beam strike region ranges from approximately 0.2 to approximately 12.0 cm. 6. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the condenser region is contiguously disposed above the beam strike region. 7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the condenser region and the beam strike region have respective internal volumes, and the ratio of the condenser region internal volume to the beam strike region internal volume ranges from approximately 0.5:1 to approximately 2:1. 8. The apparatus according to claim 1 comprising an upper liquid conduit fluidly communicating with the condenser region. 9. The apparatus according to claim 8 comprising a target material supply source fluidly communicating with the upper liquid conduit and the target chamber lower opening to form a target material fluid circuit including the target material supply source and the target chamber. 10. The apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a target material supply source adapted for fluid communication with the target chamber lower opening. 11. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the target material supply source comprises an oxygen-18 enriched target fluid source. 12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the target fluid source comprises a water source. 13. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the particle beam source comprises a proton beam source. 14. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the proton beam source comprises a cyclotron. 15. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the proton beam source comprises a linear accelerator. 16. The apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a radionuclide delivery line communicating with the target chamber lower opening. 17. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the target chamber comprises a front side and a back side, and a depth between the front and back sides through the beam strike region is greater than a depth between the front and back sides through the condenser region. 18. The apparatus according to claim 8 comprising a valve fluidly communicating with the upper liquid conduit and closable for sealing the target chamber. 19. A radionuclide producing apparatus, comprising:(a) a target chamber comprising an upper section, an upper opening communicating with the upper section, a lower section below the upper section, and a target chamber lower opening communicating with the lower section;(b) means for applying a particle beam to the target chamber for irradiating target material in the target chamber;(c) means for applying pressure to the target chamber at the target chamber lower opening during application of the particle beam; and(d) means for providing a target liquid flow path through the target chamber lower opening such that during application of the particle beam target material flows out from the target chamber via the target chamber lower opening against the pressure and back into the target chamber via the target chamber lower opening. 20. The apparatus according to claim 19 comprising means for filling the target chamber via the target chamber lower opening with a target material. 21. The apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the filling means comprises a pump communicating with the target chamber via the target chamber lower opening. 22. The apparatus according to claim 20 comprising an upper conduit communicating with the upper section via the upper opening, and means for sealing the upper conduit. 23. The apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the filling means comprises a target material supply source communicating with the target chamber via the target chamber lower opening. 24. The apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the target material supply source comprises an oxygen-18 enriched target fluid source. 25. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the pressure applying means comprises a gas supply source communicating with the target chamber via the target chamber lower opening. 26. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the flow path providing means comprises an expansion chamber communicating with the target chamber via the target chamber lower opening. 27. The apparatus according to claim 26 wherein the pressure applying means comprises a gas supply source communicating with the target chamber via the expansion chamber. 28. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a volume of target liquid extends into the target liquid expansion chamber, through the target chamber lower opening, and into the target chamber. 29. The apparatus according to claim 19 comprising a closed upper conduit communicating with the upper section via the upper opening, and wherein a volume of liquid-phase target material is disposed in the lower section and a volume of vapor-phase target material is disposed in the upper section. 30. The apparatus according to claim 27 comprising means for filling the target chamber via the target chamber lower opening with target material. 31. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the flow path providing means comprises an expansion chamber and a lower liquid conduit, the expansion chamber has an expansion chamber upper opening and an expansion chamber lower opening, the lower liquid conduit interconnects the expansion chamber lower opening and the target chamber lower opening, and the pressure applying means communicates with the expansion chamber upper opening.