Target device for isotope production based on high-current particle accelerator

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of isotope production equipment and provides a target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator, comprising: a target chamber and a target assembly; the target chamber having an inner cavity and a side facing the beam having a plurality of beam holes arranged in an array, the beam holes being covered with target windows; the target assembly comprising a target frame; the target frames being arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the target windows, and at least one mounting position for a target capsule being provided in the target frame in the axial direction of the beam holes; openings being provided on both sides of the target frame, and a plurality of target frames arranged in a preset direction forming a group; the side openings of the target frames in the same group corresponding to each other and forming independent coolant flow channels with the inner wall of the target chamber; each target capsule having a gap on both sides along the axial direction of the beam hole for coolant to flow through; and a plurality of water inlet holes and water outlet holes corresponding to the plurality of coolant flow channels being provided on both sides of the target chamber. This arrangement can effectively reduce the temperature rise of the target material under high beam intensities, enabling isotope production at beam intensities above the milliampere level.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of isotope production equipment, and in particular to a target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator. Background Art

[0002] With the development of modern medicine and nuclear medicine, medical radioisotopes are playing an increasingly important role in disease diagnosis and clinical treatment. Medical radioisotopes are produced using three methods: reactors, accelerators, and isotope generators. Currently, the majority of global medical radioisotopes are still produced in reactors. However, due to the widespread aging of research reactors, these reactors are expected to be retired, exacerbating the severe global shortage of medical isotopes.

[0003] Irradiating target materials with proton beams from high-energy proton accelerators is an effective technical approach to achieving large-scale isotope production. This not only significantly improves isotope production efficiency but also significantly reduces overall costs. Accelerator-based actinium-225 production has been achieved in the United States and Canada, with proton beam currents reaching hundreds of microamperes at LANL, BNL, and TRIUMF.

[0004] The Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has achieved a 10 mA breakthrough in superconducting linear accelerator technology, laying a solid foundation for large-scale accelerator-based isotope production. To improve the total isotope yield, the beam current intensity needs to be increased to above the milliampere level. However, high-power density beam bombardment at high current intensity will cause the target material to heat up too much, and the target material may be damaged due to excessive heating. Therefore, the temperature rise of the target material is a key factor limiting the increase in current intensity.

[0005] How to reduce the temperature rise of the target material under high beam intensity and achieve isotope production at the milliampere level is an important issue that needs to be solved urgently. Summary of the Invention

[0006] An embodiment of the present invention provides a target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator, which is used to solve the defect in the prior art that the temperature rise of the target material is too high, which limits the further improvement of the beam intensity. It can effectively reduce the temperature rise of the target material under high beam intensity and realize isotope production at beam intensities above the milliampere level.

[0007] The present invention provides a target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator, characterized by comprising: a target chamber and a target assembly;

[0008] The target chamber has an inner cavity and a surface facing the beam is provided with a plurality of beam holes arranged in an array, and the beam holes are covered with a target window;

[0009] The target assembly includes a target frame; the target frame is arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the target window, and in the axial direction of the beam hole, at least one mounting position for mounting a target capsule is provided in the target frame;

[0010] Openings are provided on both sides of the target frame. A plurality of target frames arranged along a preset direction form a group. The side openings of the target frames in the same group correspond to and form independent coolant flow channels with the inner wall of the target chamber. Each target capsule has gaps on both sides of the beam hole along the axis for coolant to flow through; a plurality of water inlet holes and water outlet holes corresponding to the plurality of coolant flow channels are respectively provided on both sides of the target chamber.

[0011] According to a target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator provided by the present invention, multiple coolant flow channels extend along a first direction and are arranged along a second direction, the first direction being perpendicular to the second direction; the multiple target frames arranged in the first direction are grouped together and are located on the same extension path of the coolant flow channel.

[0012] According to a target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator provided by the present invention, a plurality of mounting holes are provided on one side of the target chamber along the second direction, and the plurality of mounting holes are arranged along the first direction;

[0013] There are multiple target assemblies, and each target assembly includes multiple target frames connected in sequence along the second direction. The target assembly is plugged and sealed with the mounting hole.

[0014] According to a target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator provided by the present invention, the target assembly also includes a sealing seat, and the target frame located at the end is fixedly connected to the sealing seat; the cross-section of the sealing seat gradually decreases in the direction approaching the target frame; and the mounting hole gradually expands from the inside of the target chamber to the outside of the cavity.

[0015] According to the present invention, a target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator further includes a locking assembly for locking the target assembly and the target chamber.

[0016] According to a target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator provided by the present invention, the locking assembly includes a pair of elastically retractable locking tongues, and the target chamber is fixedly connected to locking seats arranged at intervals; the locking seats are provided with locking grooves, and the pair of locking tongues are used to respectively engage with the locking grooves of adjacent locking seats.

[0017] According to a target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator provided by the present invention, the locking tongues are slidably connected to the target assembly, and a pair of the locking tongues can slide towards or away from each other; the locking assembly also includes an elastic member, which elastically cooperates with the locking tongues to drive the pair of locking tongues to have a tendency to move away from each other.

[0018] According to a target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator provided by the present invention, the elastic member includes a spring; the locking assembly also includes a guide column fixedly connected to the lock tongue, the axis of the guide column is parallel to the sliding direction of the lock tongue, the guide columns on a pair of the lock tongues are arranged opposite to each other, and the two ends of the spring are respectively sleeved on the guide columns of the pair of the lock tongues.

[0019] According to the target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator provided by the present invention, a plurality of embedding groove groups are provided on the inner wall of the target frame, and the plurality of embedding groove groups are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the beam hole to form a plurality of the mounting positions;

[0020] The two embedding grooves in each embedding groove group are positioned correspondingly and are respectively arranged on two opposite inner walls of the target frame. The embedding groove is used to pass through the side of the target frame at one end close to the water inlet and is used to be closed at one end close to the water outlet.

[0021] According to a target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator provided by the present invention, the target frame is open on one side facing the target window, and a beam stopper is provided on the other side opposite thereto.

[0022] According to a target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator provided by the present invention, an annular groove is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the sealing seat, and a sealing ring is embedded in the groove.

[0023] According to the present invention, a target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator is provided, wherein the target capsule includes a support ring, a first metal film, a target material, and a second metal film; the first metal film and the second metal film respectively cover the two ends of the central through hole of the support ring, and the target material is encapsulated in a space surrounded by the support ring, the first metal film, and the second metal film.

[0024] According to a target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator provided by the present invention, the thickness of the first metal film and the second metal film is 100um to 400um.

[0025] According to a target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator provided by the present invention, the target material includes a sheet, a block or a granular shape.

[0026] According to the present invention, a target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator further includes a water inlet water diversion pipe and a water outlet water diversion pipe; the water inlet water diversion pipe is provided with a plurality of channels for respectively connecting to the plurality of water inlet holes, and the water outlet water diversion pipe is provided with a plurality of channels for respectively connecting to the plurality of water outlet holes;

[0027] The cross-sectional shapes of the channels in the water inlet and outlet water outlet pipes are adapted to the shape of the coolant flow channel.

[0028] According to the present invention, a target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator further includes a water inlet pipe and a water outlet pipe; the water inlet pipe is connected to the water inlet water pipe via a water inlet reducer, and the water outlet pipe is connected to the water outlet water pipe via a water outlet reducer;

[0029] The cross-sectional shape of the water inlet of the water inlet reducer is adapted to the water inlet pipe, and the cross-sectional shape of the water outlet is adapted to the cross-sectional shape of the channel inside the water inlet water distribution pipe; the cross-sectional shape of the water inlet of the water outlet reducer is adapted to the cross-sectional shape of the channel inside the water outlet water distribution pipe, and the cross-sectional shape of the water outlet is adapted to the cross-sectional shape of the water outlet pipe.

[0030] According to the target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator provided by the present invention, the water inlet pipe and the water outlet pipe are both configured as curved pipes.

[0031] According to the target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator provided by the present invention, the water inlet of the water inlet pipe is connected to a water inlet quick-release joint, and the water outlet of the water outlet pipe is connected to a water outlet quick-release joint.

[0032] According to the present invention, a target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator also includes a water inlet pipe support seat, on which a plurality of through holes corresponding to the number and position of the water inlet pipes are provided, and the water inlet pipes are inserted into the through holes of the water inlet pipe support seat.

[0033] According to the present invention, a target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator also includes a water outlet pipe support seat, on which a plurality of through holes corresponding to the number and position of the water outlet pipes are provided, and the water outlet pipes are inserted into the through holes of the water outlet pipe support seat.

[0034] The target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator provided by the present invention has target capsules arranged in a single-layer or multi-layer array in the target chamber, and the beam is scanned into a plurality of sub-beams corresponding to a plurality of beam holes on the target chamber in combination with the accelerator beam fixed-point scanning technology, thereby being able to increase the beam intensity to above the milliampere level, ensuring the production efficiency of the isotope, and the array arrangement reduces the lateral size of each target capsule, which is conducive to reducing the difficulty of manufacturing and post-processing of the isotope production target capsule; during the production process, the coolant is diverted into a plurality of coolant flow channels through the water inlet hole, and the multiple coolant flow channels located in each coolant flow channel are Each target capsule is individually forced to be water-cooled through an independent coolant flow channel, effectively improving the forced convection cooling efficiency of the target capsule. In addition, each target capsule has gaps on both sides of the beam hole along the axis for the coolant to pass through, so that both sides of each target capsule facing and away from the beam hole can be in full contact with the coolant. In this way, the heat power on the target capsule can be quickly removed, the temperature rise of the target capsule can be reduced, and damage to the target capsule due to excessive heat can be avoided as much as possible. This effectively solves the problem of difficulty in increasing the beam intensity due to excessive temperature rise of the target capsule, and realizes large-scale production of isotopes with milliampere flux levels. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the present invention or the prior art, a brief introduction is given below to the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0036] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of a target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 2 It is a cross-sectional view of the overall structure of a target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the target chamber provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 4 It is a cross-sectional view of the overall structure of the target chamber provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the target assembly provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 6 This is one of the cross-sectional views of the overall structure of the target assembly provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 7This is the second cross-sectional view of the overall structure of the target assembly provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 8 for Figure 7 A partial enlarged view of point A in the middle.

[0044] Figure 9 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the target frame provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 10 Schematic diagram of the overall structure of the target capsule provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of a target capsule provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Reference numerals:

[0048] 1. Target chamber; 11. Target chamber front plate; 111. Beam hole; 112. Water guide strip; 12. Target chamber rear plate; 13. Target chamber upper cover; 131. Mounting hole; 132. Locking seat; 14. Target chamber bottom plate; 141. Target chamber support; 15. Target chamber left plate; 151. Water outlet hole; 16. Target chamber right plate; 161. Water inlet hole; 17. Target window; 2. Target assembly; 21. Sealing seat; 22. Sliding connector; 23. Locking assembly; 231. Lock tongue; 232. Guide post; 232 , spring; 24, target frame; 25, target capsule; 251, support ring; 252, first metal film; 253, target material; 254, second metal film; 26, beam stopping plate; 3, water inlet water diversion pipe; 31, water inlet guide plate; 4, water inlet reducer; 5, water inlet pipe; 51, water inlet pipe support seat; 52, water inlet quick-release connector; 6, water outlet water diversion pipe; 61, water outlet guide plate; 7, water outlet reducer; 8, water outlet pipe; 81, water outlet pipe support seat; 82, water outlet quick-release connector. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention more clear, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the embodiments described are only some of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0050] To facilitate understanding of the target device for isotope production based on a high-intensity particle accelerator, the present invention provides a framework for its application. Irradiating target materials with proton beams from high-energy proton accelerators is an effective approach for large-scale isotope production. This not only significantly improves isotope production efficiency but also significantly reduces overall costs. Currently, the United States and Canada have achieved isotope production at proton beam currents in the hundreds of microamperes range.

[0051] In recent years, with the rapid development of superconducting linear accelerator technology, the beam intensity has achieved a breakthrough in the milliampere level. In order to improve the total isotope yield, the beam current intensity needs to be increased to above the milliampere level. However, the high power density beam bombardment at high current intensity will cause the target material temperature to rise too high, and the target material may be damaged due to excessive heating. Therefore, the temperature rise of the target material is a key factor limiting the increase in current intensity.

[0052] How to reduce the temperature rise of the target material under high beam intensity and realize isotope production at beam intensities above the milliampere level is an important issue that needs to be solved urgently.

[0053] To address the above problems, an embodiment of the present invention provides a target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator, which can effectively reduce the temperature rise of the target material and achieve large-scale production of isotopes at the milliampere current level.

[0054] The following combination Figures 1-11 The target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator of the present invention is described.

[0055] Reference Figures 1 to 3 A target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator includes a target chamber 1 and a target assembly 2; wherein the target chamber 1 has an inner cavity and is provided with a plurality of beam holes 111 arranged in an array on a surface facing the beam, and the beam holes 111 are covered with target windows 17; the target assembly 2 includes a target frame 24, which is arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the target windows 17, and in the axial direction of the beam holes 111, at least one mounting position for mounting a target capsule 25 is provided in the target frame 24.

[0056] The side of the target frame 24 is provided with an opening. Multiple target frames 24 arranged along a preset direction form a group. The side openings of the target frames 24 in the same group correspond to each other and form independent coolant flow channels with the inner wall of the target chamber 1. Each target capsule 25 has gaps on both sides of the beam hole 111 along the axis for the coolant to flow through; multiple water inlet holes 161 and water outlet holes 151 corresponding to the multiple coolant flow channels are respectively provided on both sides of the target chamber 1.

[0057] In a specific application scenario, the target capsules 25 are arranged in a single-layer or multi-layer array in the target chamber 1. The beam is scanned into a plurality of sub-beams corresponding to the plurality of beam holes 111 on the target chamber 1 by combining the accelerator beam fixed-point scanning technology, thereby increasing the beam intensity to above the milliampere level, ensuring the production efficiency of the isotope, and the array arrangement reduces the lateral size of each target capsule 25, which is conducive to reducing the difficulty of manufacturing and post-processing of the isotope production target capsule 25; during the production process, the coolant is diverted into a plurality of coolant flow channels through the water inlet 161, and the plurality of target capsules 25 located in each coolant flow channel are cooled independently. The liquid flow channel is independently forced to be water-cooled, which effectively improves the forced convection cooling efficiency of the target capsule 25. In addition, each target capsule 25 has gaps on both sides of the beam hole 111 along the axis for the coolant to pass through, so that each target capsule 25 can be fully in contact with the coolant on both sides facing and away from the beam hole 111. In this way, the heat power on the target capsule 25 can be quickly removed, the temperature rise of the target capsule 25 can be reduced, and damage to the target capsule 25 due to excessive heat can be avoided as much as possible. This effectively solves the problem of difficulty in increasing the beam intensity due to excessive temperature rise of the target capsule 25, and realizes large-scale production of isotopes with milliampere flux levels.

[0058] The specific structure of each component in the target device will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0059] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 The target chamber 1 is an overall rectangular structure, comprising a target chamber front plate 11, a target chamber rear plate 12, a target chamber upper cover plate 13, a target chamber bottom plate 14, a target chamber left side plate 15, and a target chamber right side plate 16. The inner cavity of the target chamber 1 is formed by the target chamber front plate 11, the target chamber rear plate 12, the target chamber upper cover plate 13, the target chamber bottom plate 14, the target chamber left side plate 15, and the target chamber right side plate 16. A target chamber support 141 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the target chamber 1 to provide bottom support for the target chamber 1.

[0060] The target chamber front plate 11 serves as the side of the target chamber 1 facing the beam. Beam holes 111 are provided on the target chamber front plate 11. The shape of the beam holes 111 can be circular, elliptical, or polygonal, and they can be arranged in a rectangular array or a ring array. In addition, depending on the specific number of beam holes 111, the form of the array in which they are arranged may also vary. In some examples, multiple beam holes 111 may be arranged in a matrix in the form of 3×3, 4×4, 4×5, 5×5, or the like.

[0061] The specific shape, number, and arrangement of the beam holes 111 can be adaptively designed based on actual production requirements. In this embodiment, 16 circular beam holes 111 are provided on the target chamber front plate 11. The 16 beam holes 111 are arranged in a 4×4 matrix along mutually perpendicular first and second directions on the target chamber front plate 11.

[0062] The target chamber front plate 11 is equipped with target windows 17 corresponding to the number of beam apertures 111. The target windows 17 are fixedly connected to the inner wall of the target chamber front plate 11 and cover the beam apertures 111, thereby sealing the target chamber 1. The material of the target windows 17 and the method of connection to the target chamber front plate 11 can be selected according to actual needs. Specifically, the target windows 17 are made of a thin metal sheet with good thermal conductivity, high melting point, good strength, good ductility, and easy welding, such as Inconel-718 or titanium alloy. They can be connected to the target chamber front plate 11 by welding or flanges. The small array arrangement can reduce the beam heat power deposited on each target window 17 and the water pressure it withstands, thereby extending the service life of the target windows 17.

[0063] Corresponding to the beam holes 111 arranged in a matrix, a plurality of target frames 17 arranged along the first direction form a group. The plurality of target frames 17 and the inner wall of the target chamber 1 form a plurality of cooling liquid flow channels extending along the first direction and arranged along the second direction.

[0064] Specifically, the first direction is formed as the horizontal direction of the target chamber 1, and the second direction is formed as the vertical direction of the target chamber 1. Multiple coolant flow channels extend along the horizontal direction of the target chamber 1 and are arranged along the vertical direction of the target chamber 1. The multiple target capsules 25 arranged along the horizontal direction are located in the same coolant flow channel. The water inlet 161 is provided on the right side plate 16 of the target chamber, and the water outlet 151 is provided on the left side plate 15 of the target chamber.

[0065] A coolant flow channel is formed within the target chamber 1. Specifically, it is formed by the inner wall of the target chamber 1 and the target frame 24. The target frame 24 has openings on both sides along a first direction. The side openings of multiple target frames 24 arranged along the first direction correspond to each other, forming a passage for the coolant to flow through. During operation, the coolant flows into the target frame 24 along one side along the first direction and flows out through the other side.

[0066] To ensure that adjacent vertically arranged coolant flow channels remain as independent as possible, multiple target frames 24 arranged along the second direction are sequentially connected to form a whole. Specifically, the multiple target frames 24 arranged along the second direction can be processed separately and then connected together, or they can be processed as a whole. The target chamber 1 also includes a water guide 112, which is located within the inner cavity of the target chamber 1 and is arranged between four adjacent beam holes 111. The two ends of each water guide 112 respectively cooperate with two adjacent target frames 24 arranged in the first direction to separate two adjacent coolant flow channels arranged in the second direction. In this arrangement, the target frames 24 themselves and the water guide 112 can jointly serve as a separator, effectively preventing the vertical flow of coolant in the coolant flow channels, ensuring the independence of the two adjacent coolant flow channels, and thus ensuring the efficiency of forced convection cooling.

[0067] In one embodiment of the present invention, a mounting hole 131 is provided on one side of the target chamber 1 along the second direction, and multiple mounting holes 131 are arranged along the first direction; multiple target assemblies 2 are provided, and each target assembly 2 includes multiple target frames 24 connected in sequence along the second direction, and the target assembly 2 is plugged and sealed with the mounting hole 131.

[0068] Specifically, the number of target assemblies 2 corresponds to the number of target windows 17 arranged horizontally, and the number of target frames 24 on each target assembly 2 corresponds to the number of target windows 17 arranged vertically. In this way, when the target windows 17 of the target assembly 2 are inserted into the target chamber 1 through the mounting hole 131, the arrangement, position and number of the target frames 24 correspond to those of the target windows 17.

[0069] In this embodiment, four mounting holes 131 are opened on the target chamber upper cover 13 and are arranged side by side. Four target assemblies 2 are provided. Each target assembly 2 includes four target frames 24 arranged vertically. The target frames 24 on the target assembly 2 can be inserted into the target chamber 1 through the mounting holes 131. After the target frames 24 of the target assembly 2 are inserted into the target chamber 1, the multiple target frames 24 are arranged in a 4×4 matrix and their positions correspond to the positions of the target windows 17.

[0070] Reference Figures 5 to 7 To facilitate the installation of the target assembly 2 and the sealing of the mounting hole 131, in one embodiment of the present invention, the target assembly 2 further includes a sealing seat 21. A target frame 24 at the end is fixedly connected to the bottom of the sealing seat 21. The cross-section of the sealing seat 21 tapers toward the target frame 24, resulting in two opposing sides of the sealing seat 21 being inclined, and the sealing seat 21 as a whole exhibiting a wedge-shaped or trapezoidal structure. The mounting hole 131 is configured as a wedge-shaped hole that matches the shape of the sealing seat 21. That is, the mounting hole 131 gradually expands from the inside of the target chamber 1 to the outside of the chamber. This allows for quick and accurate positioning and installation of the target assembly 2.

[0071] An annular groove is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the sealing seat 21, and a sealing ring is embedded in the groove. When the sealing seat 21 is inserted into the mounting hole 131, the sealing ring is pressed tightly against the hole wall of the mounting hole 131, ensuring that the space in the target chamber 1 is sealed and preventing the leakage of radioactive cooling water.

[0072] Specifically, the sealing ring can be a fluororubber O-ring or a metal sealing ring.

[0073] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 5 In order to facilitate the connection between the target assembly 2 and the target chamber 1 , in one embodiment of the present invention, the target device further includes a locking assembly 23 for locking the target assembly 2 and the target chamber 1 .

[0074] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the locking assembly 23 includes a pair of elastically retractable locking tongues 231, a locking seat 132 is fixedly connected to the target chamber 1, adjacent locking seats 132 are arranged at intervals, and locking grooves are provided on the locking seats 132. The pair of locking tongues 231 of the locking assembly 23 are used to respectively engage with the locking grooves on adjacent locking seats 132.

[0075] In an actual application scenario, when installing the target assembly 2, the target window 17 is inserted into the target chamber 1 through the mounting hole 131. Under the action of the target assembly 2's own gravity or external force, the sealing ring and the mounting hole 131 are pressed and sealed. During the installation of the target assembly 2, force is applied to the lock tongue 231 to cause the lock tongue 231 to retract. When the target assembly 2 is installed in place, the lock tongue 231 corresponds to the position of the locking groove on the adjacent locking seat 132. The force applied to the lock tongue 231 is removed, and the lock tongue 231 extends and embeds into the locking groove, thereby realizing convenient and quick installation of the target assembly 2 on the target chamber 1. In addition, the retraction of the lock tongue 231 can be controlled by a robot or an electric drive fixture to realize remote removal and replacement of the target assembly 2, thereby avoiding high-dose radiation damage caused by close operation of personnel and ensuring personnel safety.

[0076] Of course, a gripping portion can also be provided on the top of the locking tongue 231, and a robot or an electric clamp can grip or clamp the gripping portion to control the movement of the locking tongue 231. When the target assembly 2 is mounted on the target chamber 1, the gripping portion protrudes from the top of the locking seat 132, so that the robot or the electric drive clamp can control the locking tongue 231.

[0077] In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to Figure 5 and Figure 6 The locking seats 132 are located at both ends of the mounting hole 131 along the first direction; the locking tongues 231 are slidably connected to the target assembly 2, and the pair of locking tongues 231 can slide toward or away from each other; the locking assembly 23 also includes an elastic member, which elastically cooperates with the locking tongues 231 to drive the pair of locking tongues 231 to have a tendency to move away from each other. When the pair of locking tongues 231 approach each other, the elastic member elastically deforms, causing the locking tongues 231 to be in an elastically deformed state. The distance between the two locking tongues 231 is no greater than the spacing between the two locking seats 132, ensuring that the locking tongues 231 can be smoothly inserted between the two locking seats 132. When the elastic member recovers its deformation, it drives the two locking tongues 231 away from each other, and the two locking tongues 231 extend and insert into the locking grooves of the locking seats 132.

[0078] Specifically, the locking tongue 231 is connected to the target assembly 2 via a sliding connector 22. The sliding connector 22 includes a guide rail and a slider that slide together. The guide rail is fixedly connected to the sealing seat 21, and the slider is fixedly connected to the bottom of the locking tongue 231. The sliding connector 22 can achieve a sliding connection between the locking tongue 231 and the target assembly 2, and can constrain and guide the sliding direction of the locking tongue 231.

[0079] The elastic member can be a spring 233, with both ends of the spring 233 connected to the two locking tongues 231. To ensure smooth expansion and contraction of the spring 233, the locking assembly 23 also includes a guide post 232 fixedly connected to the locking tongues 231. The axis of the guide post 232 is parallel to the sliding direction of the locking tongues 231. The guide posts 232 on the pair of locking tongues 231 are arranged opposite each other, and the two ends of the spring 233 are respectively sleeved on the guide posts 232 of the pair of locking tongues 231. The guide posts 232 can constrain and guide the expansion and contraction of the spring 233, ensuring smooth and stable expansion and contraction of the spring 233.

[0080] By adopting the above technical solution, when installing the target assembly 2, the locking tongues 231 on both sides are pressed toward the center by a robot or a fixture, and the two locking tongues 231 move toward the center, and the springs 233 are compressed. Then, the target frame 24 of the target assembly 2 is inserted into the target chamber 1. After the target assembly 2 is installed in place, the robot or the fixture releases the locking tongues 231, and the springs 233 recover their deformation and drive the two locking tongues 231 away from each other and insert them into the locking holes of the locking seats 132 on both sides, thereby achieving the positioning and sealing of the target assembly 2 and the target chamber 1. The disassembly process of the target assembly 2 is reversed.

[0081] The structure of the target frame 24 will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0082] Reference Figures 7 to 9 The target frame 24 is a rectangular frame structure as a whole. It is open on one side facing the target window 17, and a beam stopping plate 26 is provided on the other side opposite to it to block and absorb the remaining waste beam after target shooting. When the target capsule 25 is connected to the target frame 24, a gap is left between the beam stopping plate 26 and the target capsule 25 and the target chamber rear plate 12. When cooling water flows through the target frame 24, both sides of the beam stopping plate 26 can fully contact with the coolant, realizing double-sided cooling of the beam stopping plate 26, and ensuring the cooling effect of the beam stopping plate 26 under high thermal power density at the end of the beam.

[0083] A plurality of embedding groove groups are provided on the inner wall of the target frame 24, and the plurality of embedding groove groups are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the beam hole 111. The two embedding grooves in each embedding groove group are arranged opposite to each other and are respectively located on the two inner walls of the target frame 24 along the second direction, thereby forming the plurality of the above-mentioned mounting positions for mounting the target capsule 25; the embedding groove is used to pass through the side opening of the target frame 24 at one end close to the water inlet hole 161, forming an insertion end, and is used to be closed at one end close to the water outlet hole 151, forming a stop end. When installing the target capsule 25, the target capsule 25 is inserted into the embedding groove from the insertion end. The stop end can position the target capsule 25 to prevent the target capsule 25 from detaching from the target frame 24 under the action of the coolant. After the target capsule 25 is installed in the target frame 24, one side thereof faces the target window 17, and the other side faces away from the target window 17. The multiple sets of embedded grooves in each target frame 24 enable a single target frame 24 to be installed with multiple layers of target capsules 25 along the beam direction, which helps to reduce the thermal power on a single target capsule 25 and increase the effective cooling area inside a single target frame 24, thereby improving the beam density that a single target position can withstand.

[0084] It should be noted that the multi-layer target capsules 25 installed in the target frame 24 can be set to have the same thickness or different thicknesses according to the beam energy parameters.

[0085] In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to Figure 10 and Figure 11 The target capsule 25 comprises a support ring 251, a first metal film 252, a target material 253, and a second metal film 254. The first and second metal films 252, 254 cover the ends of the central through-hole of the support ring 251, respectively. The target material 253 is encapsulated within the space enclosed by the support ring 251, the first metal film 252, and the second metal film 254. The first and second metal films 252, 254 are preferably made of metal materials with good thermal conductivity, high melting point, good strength, good ductility, and easy welding, such as Inconel-718, tantalum, niobium, or titanium. The thickness of the first and second metal films 252, 254 is set between 100 and 400 microns depending on the beam energy. The target material 253 can be in the form of flakes, blocks, or granules, and the specific form can be selected based on actual needs. In this embodiment, the target material 253 is a natural thorium target with a thickness of millimeters. A certain gap is left between the thorium target and the metal film and the metal support ring 251 to facilitate encapsulation.

[0086] In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2The target device also includes an inlet water diversion pipe 3 and an outlet water diversion pipe 6; a plurality of water inlet guide plates 31 arranged at intervals along the second direction are provided in the inlet water diversion pipe 3, so that a plurality of channels for respectively connecting the plurality of water inlet holes 161 are formed in the inlet water diversion pipe 3; a plurality of water outlet guide plates 61 arranged at intervals along the second direction are provided in the outlet water diversion pipe 6, so that a plurality of channels for respectively connecting the plurality of water outlet holes 151 are formed in the outlet water diversion pipe 6.

[0087] The cross-sectional shape of the channels within the inlet and outlet water diverter pipes 3 and 6 matches the shape of the coolant flow channel to ensure uniformity in the cooling flow field of the target capsule 25. In this embodiment, the target chamber 1 is rectangular and the target frame 24 is a rectangular frame structure, resulting in a rectangular cross-section of the coolant flow channel enclosed by the inner wall of the target chamber 1 and the target frame 24. Therefore, the cross-sectional shape of both the inlet and outlet water diverter pipes 3 and 6 is rectangular. Multiple inlet guide plates 31 divide the inlet and outlet water diverter pipes 3 into rectangular channels that match the coolant flow channel, and multiple outlet guide plates 61 divide the outlet water diverter pipes 6 into rectangular channels that match the coolant flow channel.

[0088] To facilitate docking of the target device with the external water circulation system, the target device also includes an inlet pipe 5 and an outlet pipe 8. The inlet pipe 5 is connected to the inlet water splitting pipe 3 via the inlet reducer 4, and the outlet pipe 8 is connected to the outlet water splitting pipe 6 via the outlet reducer 7. The cross-sectional shape of the water inlet of the inlet reducer 4 matches the inlet pipe 5, and the cross-sectional shape of the water outlet matches the cross-sectional shape of the channel inside the inlet water splitting pipe 3. The cross-sectional shape of the water inlet of the outlet reducer 7 matches the cross-sectional shape of the channel inside the outlet water splitting pipe 6, and the cross-sectional shape of the water outlet matches the cross-sectional shape of the channel inside the outlet water splitting pipe 6. This achieves the transition from non-standard interfaces for the inlet water splitting pipe 3 and the outlet water splitting pipe 6 to standard interfaces, ensuring that the cooling water forms a relatively uniform flow field distribution before entering the target chamber 1 and achieves a good match with the square flow channel inside the target chamber 1.

[0089] To quickly connect and disconnect the target assembly from the external water circulation system, the water inlet of the water inlet pipe 5 is connected to a water inlet quick-release connector 52, and the water outlet of the water outlet pipe 8 is connected to a water outlet quick-release connector 82. Specifically, the water inlet quick-release connector 52 and the water outlet quick-release connector 82 use quick-release flanges for connecting to external cooling water circulation equipment. When the entire target chamber 1 needs to be replaced or removed, the quick-release flanges can be used to quickly disconnect and connect the target assembly from the external cooling water circulation equipment, thereby improving the efficiency of installation and removal of the entire equipment.

[0090] Specifically, the water inlet pipe 5 and the water outlet pipe 8 can be configured as curved pipes according to actual needs.

[0091] Specifically, the target device also includes an inlet pipe support base 51 and an outlet pipe support base 81. At least one group of inlet pipe support bases 51 are arranged along the extension path of the inlet pipe 5. The inlet pipe support bases 51 are provided with multiple through holes corresponding to the number and positions of the inlet pipes 5. The inlet pipes 5 are passed through the through holes of the inlet pipe support bases 51. At least one group of outlet pipe support bases 81 are arranged along the extension path of the outlet pipe 8. The outlet pipe support bases 81 are provided with multiple through holes corresponding to the number and positions of the outlet pipes 8. The outlet pipes 8 are passed through the through holes of the outlet pipe support bases 81. The inlet pipe support bases 51 and the outlet pipe support bases 81 can support and fix the inlet pipes 5 and the outlet pipes 8.

[0092] It is understood that those skilled in the art may combine and integrate different embodiments or examples and features of different embodiments or examples described in this specification without mutual contradiction.

[0093] In the target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator provided by the embodiment of the present invention, the target capsules 25 are arranged in a single-layer or multi-layer array in the target chamber 1, and the beam is scanned into a plurality of sub-beams corresponding to the plurality of beam holes 111 on the target chamber 1 in combination with the accelerator beam fixed-point scanning technology, thereby increasing the beam intensity to above the milliampere level, ensuring the production efficiency of the isotope, and the array arrangement reduces the lateral size of each target capsule 25, which is conducive to reducing the difficulty of manufacturing and post-processing of the isotope production target capsule 25; during the production process, the coolant is diverted into a plurality of coolant flow channels through the water inlet 161, and a plurality of target capsules located in each coolant flow channel are connected to the target capsules 25; The capsule 25 is individually forced to be water-cooled through an independent coolant flow channel, which effectively improves the forced convection cooling efficiency of the target capsule 25. In addition, each target capsule 25 has gaps on both sides of the beam hole 111 along the axis for the coolant to pass through, so that both sides of each target capsule 25 facing and away from the beam hole 111 can be fully in contact with the coolant. In this way, the heat power on the target capsule 25 can be quickly removed, the temperature rise of the target capsule 25 can be reduced, and damage to the target capsule 25 due to excessive heat can be avoided as much as possible. This effectively solves the problem of difficulty in increasing the beam intensity due to excessive temperature rise of the target capsule 25, and realizes large-scale production of isotopes with milliampere flux levels.

[0094] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator, characterized in that: include: A target chamber (1) and a target assembly (2); The target chamber (1) has an inner cavity and a surface facing the beam is provided with a plurality of beam holes (111) arranged in an array, and the beam holes (111) are covered with a target window (17); The target assembly (2) includes a target frame (24); the target frame (24) is arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the target window (17), and in the axial direction of the beam hole (111), at least one mounting position for mounting a target capsule (25) is provided in the target frame (24); Openings are provided on both sides of the target frame (24), and a plurality of target frames (24) arranged along a preset direction form a group. The side openings of the target frames (24) in the same group correspond to each other and enclose an independent cooling liquid flow channel with the inner wall of the target chamber (1). Each target capsule (25) has gaps on both sides of the beam hole (111) along the axial direction for cooling liquid to flow through. A plurality of water inlet holes (161) and water outlet holes (151) corresponding to the plurality of cooling liquid flow channels are respectively provided on both sides of the target chamber (1); A plurality of the coolant flow channels extend along a first direction and are arranged along a second direction, the first direction being perpendicular to the second direction; a plurality of the target frames (24) arranged in the first direction form a group and are located on the same extension path of the coolant flow channel; The target chamber (1) is provided with a plurality of mounting holes (131) on one side along the second direction, and the plurality of mounting holes (131) are arranged along the first direction; a plurality of target assemblies (2) are provided, and each target assembly (2) includes a plurality of target frames (24) connected in sequence along the second direction, and the target assembly (2) is plugged and sealed with the mounting holes (131); The target assembly (2) further comprises a sealing seat (21), the target frame (24) located at the end being fixedly connected to the sealing seat (21); the cross section of the sealing seat (21) gradually shrinks in a direction approaching the target frame (24); and the mounting hole (131) gradually expands from the inside of the target chamber (1) to the outside of the cavity.

2. The target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a locking assembly (23) for locking the target assembly (2) and the target chamber (1).

3. The target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator according to claim 2, characterized in that: The locking assembly (23) comprises a pair of elastically retractable locking tongues (231); the target chamber (1) is fixedly connected to locking seats (132) arranged at intervals; the locking seats (132) are provided with locking grooves, and the pair of locking tongues (231) are used to respectively engage with the locking grooves of adjacent locking seats (132).

4. The target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator according to claim 3, characterized in that: The locking tongues (231) are slidably connected to the target assembly (2), and a pair of the locking tongues (231) can slide to move closer to or farther away from each other; the locking assembly (23) further comprises an elastic member, which elastically cooperates with the locking tongues (231) to drive the pair of the locking tongues (231) to have a tendency to move away from each other.

5. The target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator according to claim 4, characterized in that: The elastic member includes a spring (233); the locking assembly (23) also includes a guide column (232) fixedly connected to the lock tongue (231), the axis of the guide column (232) is parallel to the sliding direction of the lock tongue (231), the guide columns (232) on a pair of the lock tongues (231) are arranged opposite to each other, and the two ends of the spring (233) are respectively sleeved on the guide columns (232) of the pair of the lock tongues (231).

6. The target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator according to claim 1, characterized in that: A plurality of embedding groove groups are provided on the inner wall of the target frame (24), and the plurality of embedding groove groups are spaced apart along the axial direction of the beam hole (111) to form a plurality of the mounting positions; The two embedding grooves in each embedding groove group are positioned correspondingly and are respectively arranged on two opposite inner walls of the target frame (24). The embedding groove is used to pass through the side of the target frame (24) at one end close to the water inlet (161) and is used to close the end close to the water outlet (151).

7. The target device for isotope production based on a high-current particle accelerator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The target frame (24) is used for opening one side toward the target window (17), and a beam blocking plate (26) is provided on the other side opposite thereto.

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