Weldless target capsule for isotope production and method of making same

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of isotope production, and particularly relates to a welding-free target capsule for isotope production and a manufacturing method thereof. The welding-free target capsule comprises: a target material for generating isotopes under high-energy particle bombardment; a first metal film covering one side of the target material; and a second metal film covering the other side of the target material; wherein the first metal film and the second metal film are made of a material with ductility; and the edges of the first metal film and the edges of the second metal film are attached to the outer circumferential side of the target material and folded into a ring-shaped sealing structure. In the present application, the metal film with good ductility is used as the cladding material of the target material, and the sealing structure is formed by folding the connecting part of the metal film, which can not only ensure efficient heat dissipation of the target capsule in a water-cooled environment, but also improve the manufacturing method of the sealing structure, so that the manufacturing steps of the sealing structure are simple and easy to implement, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the target capsule.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of isotope production, and particularly relates to a welding-free target capsule for isotope production and a manufacturing method thereof. BACKGROUND

[0002] Isotopes have wide applications in the fields of medicine, industry, scientific research, etc. In the production process of isotopes, the target material needs to withstand bombardment of high-energy particles, and then a series of nuclear reactions are generated. At the same time, the energy deposition of high-energy particles in the target capsule is converted into heat, and if the heat is not removed, the target capsule will be out of control, resulting in accidents such as melting of the packaging material of the target material and leakage of radioactive substances. Therefore, the target capsule needs to be cooled during the production of isotopes.

[0003] In the prior art, the target capsule is usually cooled by water cooling. However, the direct contact of the target material with water may cause radioactive contamination, and the radioactive substances in the target material and the radioactive substances generated under the action of the high-energy particle beam may gradually dissolve into the water, resulting in radioactive contamination of the cooling circulating water. Such contamination is not only difficult to control, but also may continuously disperse to various parts of the system through water circulation, seriously threatening the safety of the equipment and the safety of the operators. Therefore, it is completely undesirable to directly place the target material in the cooling circulating water, and a material with good heat transfer performance needs to be used to completely wrap the target material to form a barrier to ensure the safe operation of the system and the continuous production of isotopes.

[0004] At present, the target capsule is usually made into a sealed structure for containing the target material in the form of welding of a metal film and a support frame. However, due to the small thickness of the metal film, the welding is difficult, and the flatness after welding is poor. At the same time, the heat released during the welding process also damages the target material. SUMMARY

[0005] The present application aims to solve the technical problems in the related art. To this end, the present application provides a welding-free target capsule for isotope production and a manufacturing method thereof, so as to optimize the sealing structure of the target capsule, reduce the manufacturing difficulty of the sealing structure, and ensure that the target capsule has high heat dissipation efficiency.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present application provides a welding-free target capsule for isotope production, comprising:

[0007] a target material for generating isotopes under bombardment of high-energy particles;

[0008] a first metal film covering one side of the target material;

[0009] a second metal film covering the other side of the target material;

[0010] The first metal film and the second metal film are made of a ductile material;

[0011] The edges of the first metal film and the edges of the second metal film are attached to and folded together on the outer periphery of the target material to form an annular sealing structure.

[0012] The weld-free target capsule for isotope production provided by the present invention further includes a support frame for bearing compressive stress during the bending process of the first metal film and the second metal film;

[0013] The support frame is configured as a ring structure and is sleeved on the outer periphery of the target material, and the sealing structure is sleeved on the outer periphery of the support frame.

[0014] According to the present invention, a weld-free target capsule for isotope production is provided, wherein the sealing structure is provided with a first rolled edge, a second rolled edge, a third rolled edge and a fourth rolled edge stacked sequentially outward along its radial direction;

[0015] The first and third rolled edges are formed by bending the first metal film, and the second and fourth rolled edges are formed by bending the second metal film.

[0016] According to the present invention, a weld-free target capsule for isotope production further includes a sealing material, wherein the sealing material is coated on the surface where the first rolled edge contacts the second rolled edge, and the sealing material is coated on the surface where the second rolled edge contacts the third rolled edge.

[0017] According to the present invention, a weld-free target capsule for isotope production further includes a sealing material, wherein the sealing material is placed at the bent root of the first and third rolled edges, and at the bent root of the second and fourth rolled edges.

[0018] According to the present invention, a weld-free target capsule for isotope production is provided, wherein the first metal film and the second metal film are made of copper-based alloy, titanium-based alloy, or nickel-based alloy.

[0019] According to the present invention, a weld-free target capsule for isotope production is provided, wherein the support frame is made of a metal material or a non-metal material.

[0020] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a weldless target capsule, applicable to any of the above-described weldless target capsules for isotope production, wherein the weldless target capsule comprises a target material, a first metal film, a second metal film, and a support frame;

[0021] The manufacturing method comprises the following steps: S1, covering the first metal film on the upper end surface of the support frame, bending the first metal film along the outer peripheral edge of the support frame to form a first curled edge surrounding the outer periphery of the support frame, and then bending the first metal film to form a third curled edge flush with the lower end surface of the support frame;

[0022] S2, embedding the target material in the annular hole of the support frame;

[0023] S3, covering the second metal film on the lower end surface of the support frame, bending the second metal film along the outer peripheral edge of the third curled edge to form a second curled edge parallel to the side wall of the support frame;

[0024] S4, bending the second curled edge to be laminated on the third curled edge to realize the first sealing;

[0025] S5, continuing to bend the third curled edge and the second metal film to form a fourth curled edge surrounding the outer periphery of the support frame to realize the second sealing.

[0026] According to the manufacturing method of the welding-free target capsule provided by the application, the sealing material is coated on the two side surfaces of the second curled edge in the process of bending the second metal film;

[0027] Or, the sealing material is coated on the bending roots of the first curled edge and the third curled edge, and the bending roots of the second curled edge and the fourth curled edge.

[0028] The sealing is realized through extrusion in the curling process.

[0029] According to the manufacturing method of the welding-free target capsule provided by the application, when the target material is made of a hard solid disc, the first metal film and the second metal film are directly used to cover the target material, and the first metal film and the second metal film are bent with the target material as the support.

[0030] The above one or more technical solutions in the application have at least one of the following technical effects:

[0031] The target capsule in the application uses a metal film with good ductility as the cladding material of the target material, and forms a sealing structure through the connection part of the folded metal film, which can not only ensure efficient heat dissipation of the target capsule in a water-cooled environment and stable production of isotopes, but also improve the manufacturing method of the sealing structure, so that the manufacturing steps of the sealing structure are simple and easy to implement, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the target capsule.

[0032] The target capsule manufacturing process in the application does not need welding equipment, only mechanical equipment is needed to fold and stack the metal film, so that the target capsule packaging process can be carried out not only in a general laboratory, but also conveniently in a negative pressure glove box, a vacuum box or a nuclear level hot room.

[0033] In addition to the technical problems solved by the application, the technical features of the technical solutions and the advantages brought by the technical features, other technical features of the application and the advantages brought by the technical features will be further described with reference to the drawings, or will be understood through the practice of the application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0034] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the application or the related art, the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments or the related art description will be briefly introduced. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the application, and other drawings can be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor.

[0035] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the welding-free target capsule provided by the embodiment of the application.

[0036] Figure 2 Another cross-sectional schematic diagram of the welding-free target capsule provided by the embodiment of the application in the edge folding process.

[0037] Figure 3 Another cross-sectional schematic diagram of the welding-free target capsule provided by the embodiment of the application in the edge folding process.

[0038] Figure 4 Another cross-sectional schematic diagram of the welding-free target capsule provided by the embodiment of the application in the edge folding process.

[0039] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a sealing structure provided by the embodiment of the application.

[0040] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of another sealing structure provided by the embodiment of the application.

[0041] REFERENCE SIGNS:

[0042] 1, target material; 2, first metal film; 21, first edge; 22, third edge; 3, second metal film; 31, second edge; 32, fourth edge; 4, support frame; 5, sealing material; 6, cavity. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] In order to make the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the technical solutions in the present application will be clearly described below with reference to the drawings in the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are some but not all of the embodiments of the present application. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative work fall within the protection scope of the present application.

[0044] In the embodiments of the present application, a welding-free target capsule for isotope production is introduced.

[0045] Please refer to Figures 1 to 4 As shown in the figure, the welding-free target capsule mainly comprises a target material 1, a first metal film 2 and a second metal film 3.

[0046] The target material 1 will produce a series of nuclear reactions when subjected to bombardment of high-energy particles, and a large amount of isotopes will be produced.

[0047] The first metal film 2 is arranged on one side of the target material 1. The second metal film 3 is arranged on the other side of the target material 1. The first metal film 2 and the second metal film 3 are both made of materials with good ductility.

[0048] In particular, the edges of the first metal film 2 and the edges of the second metal film 3 are attached to the outer circumferential side of the target material 1 and folded into a ring-shaped sealing structure. Specifically, the sealing structure comprises a plurality of layers of overlapping edges.

[0049] In addition, the target material 1 is not limited to a solid disc or a cylindrical shape, but can be in any form. For example, the target material 1 can be made of solid powder, sheet, or liquid.

[0050] In order to adapt to the target material 1 with lower strength, the target capsule further comprises a support frame 4. The support frame 4 is used to withstand the extrusion stress during the bending of the first metal film 2 and the second metal film 3, so as to avoid damage to the target material 1.

[0051] Specifically, the support frame 4 is arranged in a ring structure. Moreover, the support frame 4 is sleeved on the outer circumferential side of the target material 1. The sealing structure is sleeved on the outer circumferential side of the support frame 4. At the same time, in the axial direction of the support frame 4, the two end faces of the support frame 4 are flush with the end faces of the target material 1.

[0052] In the process of making the target capsule, the target material 1 is placed in the ring hole of the support frame 4, and the target material 1 and the support frame 4 are covered with the first metal film 2 and the second metal film 3. Then, the edges of the support frame 4 are used as supports to bend the first metal film 2 and the second metal film 3, and fold the sealing structure.

[0053] During the manufacturing process of the sealed structure, the support frame 4 is used to provide the reaction force required when the material is bent, so that the target material 1 is free from any extrusion stress during the whole manufacturing process, and the integrity of the target material 1 is ensured.

[0054] In addition, in order to ensure that the target material 1 remains stable during the bombardment of high-energy particles and reduce the risk of radioactive substance leakage, the first metal film 2 and the second metal film 3 must have good ductility, good heat resistance, and the ability to withstand strong radiation, so as to ensure the stability of the target material 1 in a high-temperature and irradiation environment. Preferably, the first metal film 2 and the second metal film 3 are made of copper-based alloy, or titanium-based alloy, or nickel-based alloy, or other alloy materials with good ductility.

[0055] In the embodiment, the metal film with good ductility is used as the cladding material of the target material 1, and the sealed structure is formed by folding the connecting part of the metal film. This can not only ensure efficient heat dissipation of the target capsule in a water-cooled environment and stable production of isotopes, but also improve the manufacturing method of the sealed structure, so that the manufacturing steps of the sealed structure are simple and easy to implement, and the manufacturing cost of the target capsule is reduced.

[0056] On the basis of the above embodiment, another embodiment of the present application introduces a welding-free target capsule for isotope production.

[0057] Please refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown in the figures, the sealed structure is sequentially stacked in the radial direction from the inside to the outside, and is provided with a first hem 21, a second hem 31, a third hem 22 and a fourth hem 32.

[0058] The first hem 21 and the third hem 22 are formed by bending the first metal film 2. The second hem 31 and the fourth hem 32 are formed by bending the second metal film 3.

[0059] Since there will always be gaps when the metal film is bent, it is difficult to meet the sealing requirements, and the target capsule also includes a sealing material 5. The sealing material 5 can be a liquid material, or a solid material with relatively soft material, such as graphite, copper wire, aluminum wire, indium wire, etc.

[0060] During the manufacturing of the sealed structure, the sealing material 5 can be coated on the surface where the first hem 21 and the second hem 31 contact, and the sealing material 5 can also be coated on the surface where the second hem 31 and the third hem 22 contact.

[0061] Further, the bent root of the first flange 21 and the third flange 22 is placed with the sealing material 5, and the bent root of the second flange 31 and the fourth flange 32 is placed with the sealing material 5. Specifically, the sealing structure is provided with the cavity 6 at the position where the first flange 21 and the third flange 22 are connected, and at the position where the second flange 31 and the fourth flange 32 are connected. The cavity 6 is filled with the sealing material 5.

[0062] In order to avoid extrusion to the target material 1 in the process of bending the metal film, the support frame 4 is made of a material with high strength. The material can be made of metal material, such as aluminum alloy, stainless steel, etc. The material can also be made of non-metal material, such as ceramic, graphite, etc.

[0063] On the other hand, the embodiment of the present application also introduces a method for manufacturing the welding-free target capsule. The welding-free target capsule includes the target material 1, the first metal film 2, the second metal film 3 and the support frame 4.

[0064] The manufacturing method includes: S1, covering the first metal film 2 on the upper end surface of the support frame 4, bending the first metal film 2 along the outer peripheral edge of the support frame 4, so that the first metal film 2 forms the first flange 21 surrounding the outer periphery of the support frame 4, and then bending the first metal film 2 to form the third flange 22 flush with the lower end surface of the support frame 4. Overall, the manufacturing of the first metal film 2 can be completed in the form of stamping, so that the first metal film 2 is once formed into the above structure, that is, stamped into the form of an outer flange cover.

[0065] S2, embedding the target material 1 in the ring hole of the support frame 4.

[0066] S3, covering the second metal film 3 on the lower end surface of the support frame 4, bending the second metal film 3 along the outer peripheral edge of the third flange 22, so that the second metal film 3 forms the second flange 31 parallel to the side wall of the support frame 4. Overall, the manufacturing of the second metal film 3 can be completed in the form of stamping, so that the second metal film 3 is once formed into the above structure, that is, stamped into the form of a bottle cap.

[0067] S4, bending the second flange 31 to be stacked on the third flange 22 to realize the first sealing.

[0068] S5, continuing to bend the third flange 22 and the second metal film 3, so that the second metal film 3 forms the fourth flange 32 surrounding the outer periphery of the support frame 4 to realize the second sealing.

[0069] Further, the sealing material 5 is coated on both sides of the second crimping 31 during the process of bending the second metal film 3; or the sealing material is coated on the bending root of the first crimping 21 and the third crimping 22, and the bending root of the second crimping 31 and the fourth crimping 32; so that the sealing is realized by the extrusion of the crimping process. In this way, when the second crimping 31 contacts the first crimping 21 and the third crimping 22 respectively, the sealing material 5 can fill the gap between the first crimping 21 and the second crimping 31, and the gap between the second crimping 31 and the third crimping 22.

[0070] In addition, when the target material 1 is made of a hard solid disc, since the strength of the target material 1 is sufficient to provide the reaction force required when the metal film is bent, the first metal film 2 and the second metal film 3 can be directly used to cover the target material 1, and the first metal film 2 and the second metal film 3 are bent with the target material 1 as support.

[0071] At this time, the method for making the target capsule includes: S1, covering the first metal film 2 on the upper end surface of the target material 1, bending the first metal film 2 along the outer peripheral edge of the target material 1, so that the first metal film 2 forms a first crimping 21 surrounding the outer periphery of the target material 1, and then bending the first metal film 2 to form a third crimping 22 flush with the lower end surface of the target material 1.

[0072] S2, covering the second metal film 3 on the lower end surface of the target material 1, bending the second metal film 3 along the outer peripheral edge of the third crimping 22, so that the second metal film 3 forms a second crimping 31 parallel to the side wall of the target material 1.

[0073] S3, bending the second crimping 31 to be superimposed on the third crimping 22, and then bending the third crimping 22 and the second metal film 3 at the same time, so that the second metal film 3 forms a fourth crimping 32 surrounding the outer periphery of the target material 1.

[0074] In this embodiment, a metal film with good ductility is used as the cladding material of the target material 1, and a sealing structure is formed by folding the connecting part of the metal film, so that the packaging process of the target capsule can not only be carried out in a general laboratory, but also can be conveniently operated in a negative pressure glove box, a vacuum box or a nuclear level hot room.

[0075] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, it should be noted that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer" and the like indicate the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings based on the orientation or positional relationship, and are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present application and simplifying the description, and therefore cannot be understood as indicating or implying that the devices or elements referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the embodiments of the present application. In addition, the terms "first", "second", "third" are only for the purpose of description and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0076] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, it should be noted that unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected", "connected" should be understood broadly, for example, it can be fixedly connected, or it can be detachably connected, or integrally connected; it can be mechanically connected, or it can be electrically connected; it can be directly connected, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0077] In the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the first feature is "on" or "under" the second feature, which can be direct contact between the first and second features, or indirect contact between the first and second features through an intermediate medium. Moreover, the first feature "above", "above" and "above" the second feature can be directly above or obliquely above the first feature, or only indicate that the horizontal height of the first feature is higher than that of the second feature. The first feature "below", "below" and "below" the second feature can be directly below or obliquely below the first feature, or only indicate that the horizontal height of the first feature is less than that of the second feature.

[0078] In the description of the present application, the description of the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example" or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In the present application, the illustrative description of the above terms is not limited to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art can combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in the present application and the features of the different embodiments or examples without contradiction.

[0079] It should be pointed out finally that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, but not to limit the same; and although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the technical solutions recorded in the foregoing embodiments can be modified, or some technical features thereof can be replaced equivalently; and these modifications or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. A weld-free target capsule for isotope production, characterized in that, The application relates to a welding-free target capsule for isotope production. The welding-free target capsule comprises a target material, a first metal film and a second metal film. The first metal film and the second metal film are made of a material with ductility. The edges of the first metal film and the second metal film are adhered to the outer circumferential side of the target material and are folded into a ring-shaped sealing structure. The welding-free target capsule further comprises a support frame for bearing extrusion stress during the folding of the first metal film and the second metal film. The support frame is arranged in a ring structure and is sleeved on the outer circumferential side of the target material, and the sealing structure is sleeved on the outer circumferential side of the support frame. The sealing structure is sequentially provided with a first hem, a second hem, a third hem and a fourth hem from the radial direction outward. The first hem and the third hem are formed by folding the first metal film, and the second hem and the fourth hem are formed by folding the second metal film. The welding-free target capsule further comprises a sealing material, which is coated on the surface of the first hem in contact with the second hem and on the surface of the second hem in contact with the third hem. The welding-free target capsule is made of a copper-based alloy, a titanium-based alloy or a nickel-based alloy. The support frame is made of a metal material or a non-metal material.

2. The weld-free target capsule for isotope production of claim 1, wherein, The welding-free target capsule is used for the welding-free target capsule for isotope production.

3. The weld-free target capsule for isotope production of claim 1, wherein, The manufacturing method comprises the following steps: S1, covering the first metal film on the upper end surface of the support frame, folding the first metal film along the outer circumferential edge of the support frame, making the first metal film form a first hem around the outer circumferential side of the support frame, and then folding the first metal film to form a third hem flush with the lower end surface of the support frame; S2, embedding the target material in the ring hole of the support frame; S3, covering the second metal film on the lower end surface of the support frame, folding the second metal film along the outer circumferential edge of the third hem, and making the second metal film form a second hem parallel to the circumferential side wall of the support frame; S4, folding the second hem to be overlapped on the third hem to realize the first sealing; S5, continuing to fold the third hem and the second metal film, making the second metal film form a fourth hem around the outer circumferential side of the support frame to realize the second sealing.

4. The weld-free target capsule for isotope production of claim 1, wherein, The sealing material is coated on the two sides of the second hem during the folding of the second metal film.

5. A method of making a weldless target capsule, characterized by, The sealing material is coated on the folding roots of the first hem and the third hem and the folding roots of the second hem and the fourth hem. The sealing is realized through the extrusion of the hemming process. ​ ​ ​ ​ 6. The method of making a weldless target capsule of claim 5, wherein, ​ ​ ​ 7. The method of making a weldless target capsule of claim 6, wherein, When the target is made of a hard solid disc, the first metal film and the second metal film are directly used to coat the target, and the first metal film and the second metal film are bent with the target as a support.

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