Targeting components for the irradiation zone of a pneumatic rabbit-running system used in the preparation of medical isotopes.

Abstract

This invention relates to a target assembly for the irradiation zone of a pneumatic running rabbit system used for medical isotope preparation. It comprises a terminal delivery pipe and a running rabbit capsule. The terminal delivery pipe includes a main delivery pipe, an outer pipe, a gas path seal, and a pipe end. The two ends of the main delivery pipe are connected to the gas path seal and the pipe end, respectively, forming a main delivery gas path. The outer pipe includes a middle sleeve and an outer sleeve. The middle sleeve is fitted outside the main delivery pipe, and its two ends are connected to the gas path seal and the pipe end, respectively, forming a middle ventilation channel. The outer sleeve is fitted outside the middle sleeve, and its two ends are connected to the gas path seal and the pipe end, respectively, forming an outer ventilation channel. Both the middle and outer ventilation channels are connected to the main delivery gas path. The gas path seal is used for gas supply and exhaust. The running rabbit capsule is used to load and transport the isotope target, and the running rabbit capsule is placed inside the main delivery pipe of the terminal delivery pipe. The target assembly combines the functions of transmission, buffering, and heat dissipation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the fields of medical isotope production technology, pneumatic rabbit-running systems, and radiopharmaceutical preparation, specifically to a target assembly for the irradiation zone of a pneumatic rabbit-running system used in the preparation of medical isotopes. Background Technology

[0002] Cancer has become one of the major health threats facing the medical field today, and its clinical diagnosis and treatment typically employ a variety of methods, including surgery, chemotherapy, biological therapy, and radiotherapy. Traditional treatments have limitations in terms of efficacy, applicability, and damage to normal tissues. With the development of radiomedicine technology, radiotherapy techniques such as proton therapy, heavy ion therapy, boron neutron capture therapy, and radiopharmaceutical therapy are gradually being applied clinically. Among these, radiopharmaceutical therapy combines radionuclides with targeted ligands, allowing the drug to selectively accumulate in tumor tissue and release alpha or beta rays during the decay of the nuclide, achieving precise local irradiation of the lesion. It has advantages such as a small radiation range, strong targeting, and lower impact on surrounding normal tissues. Medical isotopes, as the core components of radiopharmaceuticals, are usually prepared using nuclear reactors or particle accelerators. Among these, accelerator preparation has gradually become an important technical route for the preparation of medical isotopes due to its high specific activity, good purity, and applicability to short half-life nuclides.

[0003] In the preparation of medical isotopes, isotope targets need to be irradiated by high-energy particle beams in a highly shielded target chamber. The method of transporting the targets between the hot chamber and the target chamber has a significant impact on the system's operational safety and preparation efficiency. To adapt to high radiation conditions and reduce personnel exposure risks, preparation devices typically need to have remote transport and control capabilities to support the rapid installation, stable operation, and safe recovery of isotope targets after irradiation. In existing technologies, isotope target transport mainly uses mechanical devices or pneumatic jack-running systems. Mechanical devices, due to their complex structure and numerous moving parts, are prone to performance degradation under strong radiation environments, resulting in high maintenance and operating costs. In contrast, pneumatic jack-running systems rely on airflow pressure differences to drive a jack-running capsule carrying the isotope target at high speed within a transport pipeline, achieving remote transport of the isotope target. These systems are characterized by relatively simple structure, high transport efficiency, and good operational safety, and are therefore widely used in the field of medical isotope preparation.

[0004] In a pneumatic irradiation system, the end of the delivery pipe is located in the irradiation zone, and its structural design significantly impacts the system's stability, safety, and production efficiency. In this system, the irradiation capsule is driven by airflow to move back and forth within the delivery pipe, completing the irradiation process of the isotope target in the end delivery pipe within the irradiation zone. Typically, the irradiation capsule and the end delivery pipe together constitute the target assembly in the irradiation zone. This assembly must minimize obstruction of incident particles to avoid affecting the yield of the target medical isotope, possess a buffer structure to protect the isotope target from impact damage, and dissipate the heat generated during irradiation. Furthermore, because the irradiation zone is exposed to strong radiation for extended periods, material activation is inevitable, placing high demands on material selection and structural design. Additionally, the end delivery pipe of the target assembly is usually directly connected to the front delivery pipe of the pneumatic irradiation system. As a core functional area, the end delivery pipe must possess excellent ease of assembly and disassembly and structural reliability during system operation and maintenance to withstand frequent capsule transport and long-term operating conditions.

[0005] The target assembly in the irradiation zone of existing pneumatic target blasting systems still faces the following challenges: 1. The particle beam propagation path needs to pass directly through the end-transmission pipe structure of the irradiation zone. Inappropriate thickness and material selection of the end-transmission pipe can easily cause beam attenuation, thus affecting yield. 2. The isotope target generates a large amount of heat during irradiation. The target assembly needs to have a good integrated heat conduction and heat exchange design. In existing pneumatic target blasting systems, the target capsule and end-transmission pipe usually rely on external cooling designs, such as introducing a cooling water system, which increases the complexity of the device. 3. Existing pneumatic target blasting systems are mostly integrated structures. If a fault occurs, maintenance efficiency is low, troubleshooting is difficult, and the required maintenance time is long, which can lead to a corresponding increase in radiation dose for maintenance personnel. 4. The running rabbit capsule is transported back and forth at high speed in the pneumatic system. The target-attacking component needs to have reliable buffering and deceleration capabilities to reduce the impact load generated when the running rabbit capsule arrives at the irradiation area at high speed, and to achieve rapid target retrieval for subsequent extraction of the target medical isotope. Existing solutions mostly use mechanical structures or magnetic attraction principles for buffering and deceleration. Mechanical structures are difficult to deploy in the irradiation area without affecting target firing. Electromagnetic devices are prone to demagnetization under strong irradiation, affecting the long-term reliable operation of the system. Existing solutions mostly rely on mechanical structures to complete the target retrieval operation, which also increases the complexity of the device and the difficulty of maintenance.

[0006] In summary, how to achieve comprehensive optimization of the target-shooting components in terms of output impact, heat dissipation performance, material activation, ease of assembly and disassembly maintenance, and transmission reliability without significantly increasing system complexity remains a key technical challenge for existing pneumatic rabbit-running systems. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address existing technical challenges, this invention provides a target assembly for the irradiation zone of a pneumatic rabbit-running system for the preparation of medical isotopes. The assembly comprises a rabbit-running capsule and a terminal transport pipe. Without significantly increasing system complexity, it effectively buffers the arrival of the rabbit-running capsule at the irradiation zone, reducing the impact of high-speed transport on the isotope target. Cold, dry compressed air is used as the gas source. The rabbit-running capsule and terminal transport pipe are made of AA6063 aluminum alloy, which has good thermal conductivity, radiation resistance, and low activation, and are equipped with heat sinks to improve heat accumulation on the isotope target and effectively dissipate heat generated during target firing. Simultaneously, the terminal transport pipe can be tightly coupled with the pre-transport pipe for easy installation and maintenance. After target firing, the rabbit-running capsule can reliably retract, achieving stable recovery and continuous system operation, thus meeting the application requirements for the safe and efficient preparation of medical isotopes.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0009] The target assembly of the pneumatic rabbit-running system for the preparation of medical isotopes includes an end-transmission pipe and a rabbit-running capsule. The end-transmission pipe includes a main transmission pipe, an outer pipe, a gas path seal, and a pipe end.

[0010] The pipe end includes an end body, a jacketed sleeve, and an end plate. Several protrusions are evenly distributed on the inner side of the end plate. The rear end of the end body is fixedly connected to the protrusions, so that an airflow channel is formed between the rear end of the end body and the end plate. The jacketed sleeve is sleeved on the outside of the end body, and both ends of the jacketed sleeve are sealed to both ends of the end body.

[0011] The front end of the main transmission pipeline is connected to the gas path seal, and the rear end of the main transmission pipeline is connected to the end body in the pipeline end, forming the main transmission gas path; the main transmission gas path is connected to the airflow channel between the rear end of the end body and the end plate of the end;

[0012] The outer pipeline includes a middle sleeve and an outer sleeve. The middle sleeve is fitted outside the main transmission pipeline, and its front end is sealed to the outer wall of the main transmission pipeline through a gas passage seal. The rear end of the middle sleeve is sealed to the rear end of the interlayer sleeve, forming a middle ventilation channel. Ventilation ports are provided on the side walls of both the end body and the interlayer sleeve, allowing the middle ventilation channel to communicate with the main transmission gas passage. The outer sleeve is fitted outside the middle sleeve, and its front end is sealed to the outer wall of the middle sleeve through a gas passage seal. The rear end of the outer sleeve is sealed to the end plate, forming an outer ventilation channel. The outer ventilation channel communicates with the airflow channel between the rear end of the end body and the end plate.

[0013] The gas passage seal is provided with round holes for gas supply and exhaust;

[0014] The rabbit-running capsule is used to load and transport isotope targets, and the rabbit-running capsule is placed inside the main transmission pipe of the terminal transmission pipe.

[0015] Furthermore, a grid-shaped vent is provided on the side wall at the rear end of the end body, and multiple elliptical vents are provided on the side wall at the front end of the interlayer sleeve.

[0016] Furthermore, the main transmission pipeline includes several sequentially connected coupling pipelines. Each coupling pipeline has a stepped snap-fit ​​part or a threaded connection part at both ends. Adjacent coupling pipelines are detachably connected by stepped snap-fit ​​parts or threaded connection parts with matching dimensions. The front coupling pipeline is connected to the main gas path seal, and the rear coupling pipeline is connected to the end body in the pipeline end, forming the main transmission gas path.

[0017] Furthermore, both the middle sleeve and the outer sleeve are long tubes composed of multiple short tubes connected together, with stepped snap-fit ​​parts or threaded connections provided between adjacent short tubes to achieve a detachable connection.

[0018] Furthermore, the gas path sealing component includes a main gas path sealing component, a middle gas path sealing component, and an outer gas path sealing component, which are respectively connected to the main transmission pipeline, the middle sleeve, and the front end of the outer sleeve.

[0019] Furthermore, the rabbit-running capsule includes a capsule shell, a target chamber, a heat sink, and a fixed gas transmission component. The rear end of the capsule shell contacts the rear end of the end transmission pipe. The target chamber, heat sink, and fixed gas transmission component are all disposed inside the capsule shell. The target chamber is used to seal and load the isotope target. The rear end of the target chamber contacts the rear end of the capsule shell, the rear end of the heat sink contacts the front end of the target chamber, the rear end of the fixed gas transmission component contacts the front end of the heat sink, and the front end of the fixed gas transmission component is detachably connected to the front end of the capsule shell.

[0020] Furthermore, the capsule shell has an opening at the front end and is provided with internal threads; the outer side wall of the front end of the fixed air passage transmission component is provided with external threads, and the front end of the fixed air passage transmission component is threadedly connected to the front end of the capsule shell; the rear end of the capsule shell is provided with an annular end plate, and the circular hollow passage in the center of the annular end plate is provided for the particle beam and airflow to pass through; at least three protruding limiting blocks are provided on the outer side of the annular end plate, and the limiting blocks are evenly distributed around the center of the annular end plate, and the limiting blocks are in contact with the interior of the end plate of the end transmission pipe.

[0021] Furthermore, the fixed air passage transmission component has a radially penetrating frustum-shaped heat dissipation channel inside; a groove is provided at the rear end of the fixed air passage transmission component; the heat dissipation component includes a heat dissipation ring and several L-shaped heat dissipation fins; the heat dissipation ring has a hollow channel in the middle, which communicates with the heat dissipation channel in the fixed air passage transmission component; a protrusion is provided at the front end of the heat dissipation ring, which matches the groove at the rear end of the fixed air passage transmission component; all heat dissipation fins are evenly distributed on the outside of the heat dissipation ring, one side of the inner side of the L-shaped bend of the heat dissipation fin is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the heat dissipation ring, and the other side of the inner side of the L-shaped bend of the heat dissipation fin is connected to the rear end face of the heat dissipation ring; the rear end face of the heat dissipation fin contacts the front end of the target chamber, and the heat dissipation fin leaves a distance between the heat dissipation ring and the target chamber, so that the hollow channel in the middle of the heat dissipation ring and the gap between adjacent heat dissipation fins together form a heat dissipation channel.

[0022] Furthermore, a protrusion is provided on the inner side of the annular end plate at the rear end of the capsule shell to limit the target chamber, leaving a gap between the target chamber and the annular end plate to reserve an airflow channel; at the same time, multiple air holes are evenly distributed around the axis on the rear side wall of the capsule shell, and the positions of the air holes correspond to the positions of the protrusions to provide an exhaust passage, allowing airflow to pass through the end face of the target chamber; multiple elliptical heat dissipation holes are evenly distributed around the axis on the middle side wall of the capsule shell to provide the main heat dissipation path; the positions of the heat dissipation holes correspond to the positions of the heat dissipation components and the vents on the end body to provide airflow outlets.

[0023] The technical effects of this invention are as follows:

[0024] 1. Effective buffering to protect the target material:

[0025] The target firing assembly adopts an integrated design of buffering and target retraction. Combined with cold and dry compressed air, it provides effective buffering for the running rabbit capsule inside the target firing assembly that enters the irradiation area at high speed, reducing the impact of high-speed transmission on the isotope target inside the running rabbit capsule. At the same time, after the target firing is completed, the running rabbit capsule can be reliably returned without additional devices, ensuring the integrity of the target material and the stability of the target retraction process.

[0026] 2. High-efficiency heat dissipation:

[0027] This invention uses cold, dry compressed air as the air source. The running rabbit capsule and the terminal transmission pipe are both made of aluminum alloy with good thermal conductivity. The running rabbit capsule is equipped with a heat sink structure. In the terminal transmission pipe, the main transmission pipe and the outer pipe form a synergistic heat dissipation system, which realizes the rapid conduction and efficient release of heat during the irradiation target process and reduces the temperature rise of the isotope target.

[0028] 3. Low-activation materials, safe and durable:

[0029] By using radiation-resistant, low-activation-level aluminum alloy materials, the system can reduce radiation dose during maintenance, extend equipment life, and improve the safety and reliability of long-term system operation while ensuring structural strength and thermal conductivity.

[0030] 4. Easy to install and disassemble, efficient maintenance:

[0031] The target-firing assembly adopts a modular coupling design, which can be quickly and tightly connected to the front transmission pipeline of the pneumatic rabbit-running system, facilitating installation, disassembly and maintenance, reducing downtime and operational complexity, and improving overall operating efficiency.

[0032] 5. Reliable target detachment and continuous operation:

[0033] While taking into account the transmission, buffering and heat dissipation functions of the running rabbit capsule, the target firing component optimizes the target withdrawal path and airflow organization, so that the running rabbit capsule can still be stably recovered under high-frequency continuous operation conditions, thereby improving the overall structural reliability and continuous operation capability of the pneumatic running rabbit system.

[0034] 6. Wide range of applications:

[0035] The targeting assembly of this invention can not only prepare medical isotopes, but also irradiate general isotope samples, especially isotope samples irradiated by low-flux neutron and photon beams. Attached Figure Description

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the end-transmission pipe in the target assembly of the pneumatic rabbit-running system for medical isotope preparation according to the present invention.

[0037] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the terminal transmission pipe of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the terminal transmission pipe of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A magnified view of a section at point A in the middle;

[0040] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the connection state between the main transmission pipeline and the pipeline end of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the pipe end of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 7 This is an exploded three-dimensional structural view of the pipe end of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of the external pipe of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view of the gas passage seal of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 10 This is a front view of the rabbit-running capsule of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 11 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the rabbit-running capsule of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 12 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the rabbit-running capsule of the present invention from another angle;

[0048] Figure 13 This is an exploded view of the rabbit-running capsule of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 14 This is a cross-sectional view of the rabbit-running capsule of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 15 This is a cross-sectional view of the capsule shell of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the fixed air transmission component of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 17 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the heat dissipation component of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 18 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the heat sink of the present invention from another angle.

[0054] Figure 19 This is a cross-sectional view of the target assembly of the pneumatic rabbit-running system used in the preparation of medical isotopes according to the present invention.

[0055] Figure 20 yes Figure 19 A magnified view of a section at point B in the middle.

[0056] in:

[0057] 100. Terminal transmission pipeline;

[0058] 110. Main transmission pipeline; 111. Coupling pipeline;

[0059] 120. Outer pipe; 121. Middle sleeve; 122. Outer sleeve;

[0060] 130. Gas path seal; 131. Main gas path seal; 132. Middle layer gas path seal; 133. Outer layer gas path seal; 134. Middle layer ventilation channel; 135. Outer layer ventilation channel; 136. Round hole;

[0061] 140. Pipe end; 141. End body; 142. Grid-shaped vent; 143. Jacketed sleeve; 144. Elliptical vent; 145. End plate; 146. Boss;

[0062] 200. Run Rabbit Capsules;

[0063] 210. Capsule shell; 211. Limiting block; 212. Air vent; 213. Heat dissipation hole; 214. Circular end plate; 215. Protrusion;

[0064] 220. Target compartment;

[0065] 230. Heat sink; 231. Heat sink ring; 232. Heat sink fin;

[0066] 240. Fixed air transmission components; 241. Matching groove; 242. Heat dissipation channels;

[0067] 250. Fixing ring. Detailed Implementation

[0068] To better understand the above-described objects, features, and advantages of the present invention, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the invention; however, the invention may be practiced in other ways different from those described herein, and therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0069] like Figures 1-20 The pneumatic rabbit-running system irradiation zone assembly shown includes a terminal delivery conduit 100 and a rabbit-running capsule 200. The reference direction in this invention is defined as follows: Figure 1 The left side of the terminal transmission pipe 100 is the front end, and the right side is the rear end. The front end of the terminal transmission pipe 100 is connected to the front transmission pipe of the pneumatic rabbit-running system, and the rear end of the terminal transmission pipe 100 is in contact with the target stage that provides the particle beam. The rabbit-running capsule 200 is used to load and transport the isotope target. When irradiating to produce medical isotopes, the rabbit-running capsule 200 is transported by the front transmission pipe of the pneumatic rabbit-running system to the internal rear end of the terminal transmission pipe 100.

[0070] The terminal transmission pipe 100 includes a main transmission pipe 110, an outer pipe 120, an air passage seal 130, and a pipe end 140. The front end of the main transmission pipe 110 is connected to the front transmission pipe of the pneumatic rabbit running system through the air passage seal 130, and the rear end of the main transmission pipe 110 is connected to the pipe end 140 to form the main transmission air passage. The outer pipe 120 is sleeved outside the main transmission pipe 110. The front end of the outer pipe 120 is connected to the outer wall of the main transmission pipe 110 through the air passage seal 130, and the rear end of the outer pipe 120 is connected to the pipe end 140 to form an outer air passage channel. A gap is left between the rear end of the main transmission pipe 110 and the pipe end 140 to allow the main transmission air passage and the outer air passage to communicate with each other. The air passage seal 130 is provided with a round hole 136 for air supply and exhaust.

[0071] like Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the main transmission pipeline 110 includes several coupling pipeline sections 111; the outer pipeline 120 includes a middle sleeve 121 and an outer sleeve 122; the gas path seal 130 includes a main gas path seal 131, a middle gas path seal 132, and an outer gas path seal 133; the pipeline end 140 includes an end body 141, a sandwich sleeve 143, and an end plate 145. In this embodiment, the length of the main transmission pipeline 110 is greater than the length of the middle sleeve 121, and the length of the middle sleeve 121 is greater than the length of the outer sleeve 122.

[0072] like Figure 3 As shown, several coupling pipes 111 in the main transmission pipe 110 are connected sequentially. Each coupling pipe 111 has stepped snap-fit ​​parts at both ends. Adjacent coupling pipes 111 are detachably and sealed by stepped snap-fit ​​parts with matching dimensions. The airtightness of the connection between adjacent coupling pipes 111 can be enhanced by adding rubber sealing rings or sealing coatings. In other embodiments, adjacent coupling pipes 111 can also be detachably and sealed by threaded connection parts with matching dimensions. The front coupling pipe 111 is connected to the front transmission pipe of the pneumatic rabbit running system through the main air passage seal 131, and the rear coupling pipe 111 is connected to the end body 141 in the pipe end 140 to form the main transmission air passage.

[0073] like Figures 4-7As shown, in the pipe end 140, a plurality of protrusions 146 are evenly distributed in a ring on the inner end face of the end plate 145. The rear end of the end body 141 is fixedly connected to the protrusions 146, leaving a gap between the rear end of the end body 141 and the end plate 145 to form an airflow channel. The interlayer sleeve 143 is sleeved on the outside of the end body 141. The front end of the interlayer sleeve 143 is sealed to the front end of the end body 141, and the rear end of the interlayer sleeve 143 is flush with and sealed to the rear end of the end body 141, so as to achieve a seal between the rear end of the interlayer sleeve 143 and the rear end of the end body 141, so that the rear end of the interlayer sleeve 143 is not directly connected to the end plate 145.

[0074] Meanwhile, a grid-shaped vent 142 is provided on the side wall at the rear end of the end body 141, and multiple elliptical vents 144 are provided on the side wall at the front end of the interlayer sleeve 143, forming an airflow channel between the end body 141 and the interlayer sleeve 143; the grid-shaped vent 142 and the elliptical vents 144 are staggered. Furthermore, to reduce the impact of the pipe end 140 on the particle beam penetration rate, the thickness of the end plate 145 is set to 1mm~2mm; in this embodiment, the thickness of the end plate 145 is set to 1mm.

[0075] like Figures 8-9 As shown, in the outer pipe 120, the middle layer sleeve 121 is sleeved outside the main transmission pipe 110, and the front end of the middle layer sleeve 121 is sealed to the outer wall of the main transmission pipe 110 through the middle layer air passage seal 132. The rear end of the middle layer sleeve 121 is sealed to the rear end of the interlayer sleeve 143, forming a middle layer ventilation channel 134. The middle layer ventilation channel 134 is interconnected with the main transmission air passage in the main transmission pipe 110 through the elliptical ventilation port 144 on the interlayer sleeve 143 and the grid-shaped ventilation port 142 on the end body 141. The middle layer ventilation channel 134 is mainly used for exhaust to achieve heat dissipation.

[0076] In the outer pipe 120, the outer sleeve 122 is fitted over the middle sleeve 121. The front end of the outer sleeve 122 is sealed to the outer wall of the middle sleeve 121 through the outer air passage seal 133, and the rear end of the outer sleeve 122 is sealed to the end plate 145, forming an outer ventilation channel 135. In this embodiment, the side wall of the end plate 145 is provided with multiple snap-fit ​​interfaces or connecting threads, and the rear end of the outer sleeve 122 is provided with multiple snap-fit ​​blocks that match the size of the snap-fit ​​interfaces. The snap-fit ​​blocks at the rear end of the outer sleeve 122 are embedded in the snap-fit ​​interfaces on the side wall of the end plate 145. In other embodiments, the end plate 145 and the outer sleeve 122 can also be detachably connected by matching connecting threads; the outer ventilation channel 135 is connected to the main transmission air passage in the main transmission pipeline 110 through the gap between the bosses 146 on the end plate 145; the outer ventilation channel 135 is mainly used to supply air to the rear end of the end body 141 during the transmission of the rabbit capsule 200 to achieve buffering, to supply air to the rear end of the rabbit capsule 200 for heat dissipation during the shooting process, and to supply air to achieve target withdrawal after the shooting is completed.

[0077] In this embodiment, the middle sleeve 121 and the outer sleeve 122 are also configured as long pipes composed of multiple short pipe segments connected together, with stepped snap-fit ​​parts between adjacent short pipes to achieve a detachable and sealed connection. In other embodiments, adjacent short pipes can also be configured to achieve a detachable and sealed connection through threaded connections of mutually matching dimensions.

[0078] The main air passage seal 131, the middle air passage seal 132, and the outer air passage seal 133 are all hollow cavities, which are respectively connected to the main transmission pipe 110, the middle sleeve 121, and the outer sleeve 122; and the side walls of the main air passage seal 131, the middle air passage seal 132, and the outer air passage seal 133 are provided with a number of round holes 136 for air supply and exhaust. The main gas path seal 131, the middle gas path seal 132, and the outer gas path seal 133 are used to supply or exhaust gas into the main transmission pipeline 110, the middle sleeve 121, and the outer sleeve 122, respectively. In use, the circular holes 136 on the side walls of the main gas path seal 131, the middle gas path seal 132, and the outer gas path seal 133 are all connected to the gas source storage unit of the remote gas path control system via gas supply pipes equipped with solenoid valves. The solenoid valves are connected to the gas source storage unit of the remote gas path control system via wires and are used to control the flow and closure of the main transmission gas path, the middle ventilation channel 134, and the outer ventilation channel 135. The main gas path seal 131, the middle gas path seal 132, and the outer gas path seal 133... One portion of the circular holes 136 on the sealing element 133 is used for air supply, and the other portion is used for air exhaust. The number of circular holes 136 for air supply and exhaust can be flexibly adjusted according to requirements. For example, the ratio of the number of circular holes 136 for air supply and exhaust can be 1:1 or 2:1. This design allows the target assembly to open multiple circular holes 136 simultaneously to supply air and increase the air intake, and also to open multiple circular holes 136 simultaneously to exhaust air and increase the exhaust volume. This allows for flexible adjustment of the air supply and exhaust volume according to the target requirements, achieving efficient transmission and heat dissipation. Among them, the main transmission air passage and the outer ventilation channel 135 are mainly used for air supply, and the middle ventilation channel 134 is mainly used for exhausting gas, achieving heat dissipation through high-speed gas flow.

[0079] The main transmission air path is formed between the final main air path seal 131, the main transmission pipe 110, and the end body 141, serving as the transport path for the rabbit capsule 200, used for supplying air and transporting the rabbit capsule 200; the middle layer air path seal 132, the middle layer sleeve 121, and the interlayer sleeve 143 form a middle layer ventilation channel 134, which is connected to the main transmission air path and used for exhaust and heat dissipation; the outer layer air path seal 133, the outer layer sleeve 122, and the end plate 145 form an outer layer ventilation channel 135, which is connected to the main transmission air path and used for supplying air to achieve buffering and target withdrawal.

[0080] like Figures 10-13As shown, the rabbit-running capsule 200 includes a capsule shell 210, a target chamber 220, a heat sink 230, a fixed gas transmission component 240, and a fixing ring 250. The rear end of the capsule shell 210 contacts the rear end of the end transmission pipe 100. The target chamber 220, the heat sink 230, and the fixed gas transmission component 240 are all disposed inside the capsule shell 210. The target chamber 220 is used to pre-seal and load an isotope target. The rear end of the target chamber 220 contacts the rear end of the capsule shell 210, the rear end of the heat sink 230 contacts the front end of the target chamber 220, the rear end of the fixed gas transmission component 240 contacts the front end of the heat sink 230, and the front end of the fixed gas transmission component 240 is detachably connected to the front end of the capsule shell 210. The fixing ring 250 is located outside the capsule shell 210 and is movably connected to the front end of the fixed gas transmission component 240.

[0081] like Figure 14 and Figure 15 As shown, in this embodiment, the capsule shell 210 is a cylindrical shell structure with an open front end and a semi-closed rear end. Specifically, the capsule shell 210 has an open front end and is provided with internal threads. The rear end of the capsule shell 210 is provided with an annular end plate 214, which has a circular hollow passage for the particle beam and airflow to pass through. At least three protruding limiting blocks 211 are provided on the outer side of the annular end plate 214 at the rear end of the capsule shell 210. The limiting blocks 211 are evenly distributed around the center of the annular end plate 214. When the rabbit racing capsule 200 is transported by the front transmission pipe of the pneumatic rabbit racing system to the inner rear end of the end transmission pipe 100, the limiting blocks 211 contact the end plate 145 to form an airflow channel between the rear end of the capsule shell 210 of the rabbit racing capsule 200 and the end transmission pipe 100. In this embodiment, there are four limiting blocks 211.

[0082] like Figure 14 and Figure 16 As shown, the fixed gas transmission component 240 has a radially penetrating frustum-shaped heat dissipation channel 242 inside. The diameter of the rear end of the heat dissipation channel 242 is smaller than that of the front end. The tapered heat dissipation channel 242 can enhance the gas flow rate, transmission speed, and heat dissipation effect. The angle between the side generatrix and the axis of the heat dissipation channel 242 is 45°~60°. In this embodiment, the angle between the side generatrix and the axis of the heat dissipation channel 242 is set to 45°. An external thread is provided on the outer side wall of the front end of the fixed gas transmission component 240. This external thread matches the internal thread on the inner side wall of the front end of the capsule shell 210, so that the front end of the fixed gas transmission component 240 can be threadedly connected to the front end of the capsule shell 210. A groove is provided at the rear end of the fixed gas transmission component 240.

[0083] like Figures 14-18As shown, the heat sink 230 includes a heat sink ring 231 and several L-shaped heat sinks 232; the heat sink ring 231 has a hollow channel in the middle; the front end of the heat sink ring 231 is provided with a protrusion, which matches the groove at the rear end of the fixed air passage transmission component 240, so that the front end of the heat sink 230 (i.e. the front end of the heat sink ring 231) can be nested and fitted with the rear end of the fixed air passage transmission component 240; the hollow channel in the middle of the heat sink ring 231 is connected to the heat dissipation channel 242 in the fixed air passage transmission component 240, so that the airflow can be transmitted to the rear end of the heat sink 230. All heat sinks 232 are evenly distributed around the axis on the outside of the heat dissipation ring 231, with an included angle of 10° to 30° between adjacent heat sinks 232. In this embodiment, the included angle between adjacent heat sinks 232 is 10°. One side of the inner side of the L-shaped bend of the heat sink 232 is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the heat dissipation ring 231, and the other side of the inner side of the L-shaped bend of the heat sink 232 is connected to the rear end face of the heat dissipation ring 231. The rear end face of the heat sink 232 (the outer end face of the L-shaped bend) contacts the front end of the target chamber 220. At the same time, the heat sink 232 maintains a certain distance between the heat dissipation ring 231 and the target chamber 220, thereby facilitating heat dissipation. The hollow channel in the middle of the heat ring 231 and the gap between adjacent heat sinks 232 together form a heat dissipation channel. In this embodiment, the end of the heat sink 232 near the axis is provided with an inclined surface, so that the heat ring 231, the heat sink 232 and the target chamber 220 form a funnel-shaped heat dissipation channel, which facilitates the high-speed gas transmitted from the heat dissipation channel 242 to flow out quickly from the gap between adjacent heat sinks 232, and take away the heat of the target chamber 220, thereby achieving heat dissipation of the target chamber 220. In addition, by setting multiple heat sinks 232 to contact the target chamber 220, the heat dissipation area can be increased and the heat conduction efficiency can be enhanced, thereby improving the heat dissipation effect.

[0084] The target chamber 220 is used for pre-sealing and loading an isotope target. The rear end face of the target chamber 220 contacts the inner side of the annular end plate 214 at the rear end of the capsule shell 210. A protrusion 215 is also provided on the inner side of the annular end plate 214 at the rear end of the capsule shell 210 to limit the target chamber 220, leaving a gap between the target chamber 220 and the annular end plate 214 to allow for airflow. Simultaneously, multiple circular or rectangular air holes 212 are evenly distributed around the axis on the rear side wall of the capsule shell 210, with the positions of the air holes 212 corresponding to the positions of the protrusions 215. The airflow is provided to provide an exhaust passage, allowing airflow to pass through the end face of the target chamber 220 and improving the heat dissipation effect at the end of the target chamber 220. Multiple elliptical heat dissipation holes 213 are evenly distributed around the axis on the middle side wall of the capsule shell 210 to provide the main heat dissipation path. The position of the heat dissipation holes 213 corresponds to the position of the heat dissipation component 230, and the position of the heat dissipation holes 213 also corresponds to the position of the grid-shaped vent 142 on the end body 141, to provide an airflow outlet and improve the heat dissipation effect of the heat dissipation component 230.

[0085] The inner wall of the front end of the fixed gas transmission component 240 is also provided with several cylindrical matching grooves 241 and at least two fixing holes; the matching grooves 241 are symmetrically distributed and are used to match the target removal tool with the corresponding shape, so that the fixed gas transmission component 240 can be screwed apart from the capsule shell 210 later by the target removal tool; the fixing holes are symmetrically distributed, and the two ends of the fixing ring 250 are inserted into the fixing holes and rotatedly connected with the fixed gas transmission component 240, serving as a handle to facilitate the removal of the fixed gas transmission component 240 later, and then the heat sink 230 and the target chamber 220 can be removed from the capsule shell 210.

[0086] Working principle of the invention:

[0087] During the target acquisition phase, high-speed, cold, dry compressed air is delivered through the pre-transmission pipeline of the pneumatic rabbit-running system, driving the rabbit-running capsule 200 to move. The rabbit-running capsule 200 is then transferred to the end transmission pipeline 100. Upon reaching the end transmission pipeline 100, the rabbit-running capsule 200 possesses kinetic energy and continues to move, passing through the main air path seal 131 and entering the main transmission pipeline 110. At this point, air is supplied to the main air path seal 131 via the remote air path control system, propelling the rabbit-running capsule 200 forward. Simultaneously, air is supplied to the outer air path seal 133, and the cold, dry compressed air passes through the outer ventilation channel 13. 5. The air output from the gap between the bosses 146 on the end plate 145 reaches the rear end of the end body 141 and blows towards the rear end of the running rabbit capsule 200, reducing the pressure difference before and after the running rabbit capsule 200, slowing down the movement speed of the running rabbit capsule 200, and driving the running rabbit capsule 200 to slowly reach the rear end of the end transmission pipe 100 located in the irradiation area; since the air supply in the main transmission air path is greater than the air supply in the outer ventilation channel 135 (the volume in the main transmission pipe 110 is greater than the volume in the outer sleeve 122), the running rabbit capsule 200 will stop at the rear end of the end transmission pipe 100.

[0088] During the firing phase, the main air passage seal 131 and the outer air passage seal 133 are maintained in air supply, while the middle air passage seal 132 is opened for exhaust. The airflow in the main transmission pipe 110 passes through the frustum-shaped heat dissipation channel 242 inside the fixed air passage transmission component 240 in the rabbit capsule 200, increasing the velocity of the cold, dry compressed air. It continuously blows towards the heat dissipation component 230 and flows out through the gaps between the heat dissipation fins 232 and the heat dissipation holes 213, carrying away the heat transferred from the target chamber 220 to the heat dissipation component 230. The cold, dry compressed air at the rear end passes through the circular hollow passage on the annular end plate 214 at the rear end of the capsule shell 210, blows away the heat at the rear end of the target chamber 220, and carries the heat out through the air hole 212; the heat dissipation hole 213 and the air hole 212 are both connected to the middle ventilation channel 134 through the grid-shaped air vent 142 on the end body 141 and the elliptical air vent 144 on the jacket sleeve 143, continuously carrying away the heat generated during the firing, and maintaining the temperature of the isotope target inside the target chamber 220 at a low level.

[0089] During the target withdrawal phase, the air supply to the main air path seal 131 and the exhaust from the middle air path seal 132 are shut off. Air is supplied through the outer air path seal 133. Cold, dry compressed air is blown from the gap between the bosses 146 on the end plate 145 towards the rear end of the target capsule 200. The resulting reverse pressure difference drives the target capsule 200 to reverse transmission, causing it to exit the main transmission pipe 110 of the end transmission pipe 100 and be transmitted out through the front transmission pipe of the pneumatic target withdrawal system, thus achieving target withdrawal. The fixing ring 250 can be used to perform non-contact operation on the target capsule 200 using a clamping tool. The alignment groove 241 can be clamped and coupled using a target removal tool whose end size matches the alignment groove 241. The fixing air path transmission component 240 can be removed from the capsule shell 210 by twisting to remove the target chamber 220 sealed with the isotope target.

[0090] The features of this invention are:

[0091] 1. Pneumatic Transmission and Terminal Buffering: In the pneumatic rabbit-running system, the rabbit-running capsule 200 is driven by the airflow pressure difference formed by cold, dry compressed air. It moves at high speed in the front transmission pipe of the pneumatic rabbit-running system and enters the terminal transmission pipe 100 located in the irradiation area. The terminal transmission pipe 100 of the present invention adopts a sleeve design to form a multi-segment air path. It can supply air at the rear end of the rabbit-running capsule 200 to reduce the airflow pressure difference between the front and rear ends, reduce the kinetic energy of the rabbit-running capsule 200 when it reaches the terminal transmission pipe 100, and gradually decelerate the rabbit-running capsule 200 before entering the irradiation position. This achieves non-mechanical buffering and avoids high-speed impact damage to the rabbit-running capsule 200 and the internal isotope target.

[0092] 2. Low-obstruction irradiation and low-activation material selection: The irradiation assembly consists of a running capsule 200 and a terminal transmission pipe 100. The incident particle beam passes through the terminal transmission pipe 100 along a predetermined direction to complete the irradiation process of the isotope target. By selecting AA6063 aluminum alloy material and optimizing the structural thickness and geometric layout of the running capsule 200 and the terminal transmission pipe 100 in the beam direction, the material thickness traversed by the particle beam when passing through the terminal transmission pipe 100 is minimized, thereby reducing beam energy loss and avoiding significant impact on the yield of medical isotopes. Furthermore, AA6063 aluminum alloy material produces fewer types of radionuclides and has a low degree of activation under neutron irradiation conditions, and possesses good thermal conductivity and radiation resistance, which can reduce the radiation risk during subsequent maintenance and recovery processes in the irradiated area while meeting structural strength requirements.

[0093] 3. Integrated heat dissipation of the rabbit capsule and the end-of-line transmission pipeline: The fixed air transmission component 240 is provided with a frustum-shaped heat dissipation channel 242, which can increase the flow rate of cold and dry compressed air passing through the heat dissipation channel 242 to improve the heat dissipation effect; the target chamber 220 of the rabbit capsule 200 is in contact with the fin-shaped heat dissipation fin 232, which can effectively increase the heat dissipation area. During target firing, the heat generated by the isotope target is conducted to the heat dissipation fin 232 through the target chamber 220. The heat is carried away and discharged by the continuously introduced cold and dry compressed air through the heat dissipation hole 213 on the capsule shell 210 and the middle air passage 134 in the end-of-line transmission pipeline 100.

[0094] 4. Target Retrieval and Recovery: After the target is hit, the airflow supply to the front end of the terminal transmission pipe 100, i.e. the main transmission air path, is stopped, while the airflow supply to the outer ventilation channel 135 at the rear end of the terminal transmission pipe 100 is maintained, forming a reverse airflow pressure difference, which drives the running rabbit capsule 200 to reverse transmission along the terminal transmission pipe 100, thus completing the target retrieval.

[0095] 5. In the target assembly of the present invention, the end transmission pipe 100 is composed of multiple coupled pipes 111 that are detachably connected, which facilitates quick assembly and disassembly maintenance, reduces downtime and operation time, and reduces the radiation dose received during manual maintenance.

Claims

1. A target assembly for the irradiation area of ​​a pneumatic rabbit-running system used in the preparation of medical isotopes, characterized in that, It includes an end-of-line delivery pipe and a rabbit-running capsule, wherein the end-of-line delivery pipe includes a main delivery pipe, an outer pipe, an air circuit seal, and a pipe end; The pipe end includes an end body, a jacketed sleeve, and an end plate. Several protrusions are evenly distributed on the inner side of the end plate. The rear end of the end body is fixedly connected to the protrusions, so that an airflow channel is formed between the rear end of the end body and the end plate. The jacketed sleeve is sleeved on the outside of the end body, and both ends of the jacketed sleeve are sealed to both ends of the end body. The front end of the main transmission pipeline is connected to the gas path seal, and the rear end of the main transmission pipeline is connected to the end body in the pipeline end, forming the main transmission gas path; the main transmission gas path is connected to the airflow channel between the rear end of the end body and the end plate of the end; The outer pipeline includes a middle sleeve and an outer sleeve. The middle sleeve is fitted outside the main transmission pipeline, and its front end is sealed to the outer wall of the main transmission pipeline through a gas passage seal. The rear end of the middle sleeve is sealed to the rear end of the interlayer sleeve, forming a middle ventilation channel. Ventilation ports are provided on the side walls of both the end body and the interlayer sleeve, allowing the middle ventilation channel to communicate with the main transmission gas passage. The outer sleeve is fitted outside the middle sleeve, and its front end is sealed to the outer wall of the middle sleeve through a gas passage seal. The rear end of the outer sleeve is sealed to the end plate, forming an outer ventilation channel. The outer ventilation channel communicates with the airflow channel between the rear end of the end body and the end plate. The gas passage seal is provided with round holes for gas supply and exhaust; The rabbit-running capsule is used to load and transport isotope targets, and the rabbit-running capsule is placed inside the main transmission pipe of the terminal transmission pipe.

2. The target assembly for the irradiation area of ​​the pneumatic rabbit-running system for medical isotope preparation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The end body has a grid-shaped vent on its rear side wall and a plurality of elliptical vents on its front side wall.

3. The target assembly for the irradiation area of ​​the pneumatic rabbit-running system for medical isotope preparation according to claim 2, characterized in that, The main transmission pipeline includes several sections of coupling pipeline connected in sequence. Each section of coupling pipeline has a stepped snap-fit ​​part or a threaded connection part at both ends. Adjacent sections of coupling pipeline are detachably connected by stepped snap-fit ​​parts or threaded connections with matching dimensions. The front end of the coupling pipeline is connected to the main gas path seal, and the rear end of the coupling pipeline is connected to the end body in the pipeline end, forming the main transmission gas path.

4. The target assembly for the irradiation area of ​​the pneumatic rabbit-running system for medical isotope preparation according to claim 3, characterized in that, Both the middle and outer sleeves are long pipes composed of multiple short pipe segments. Adjacent short pipes are provided with mutually cooperating stepped snap-fit ​​parts or threaded connection parts, thereby achieving a detachable connection.

5. The target assembly for the irradiation area of ​​the pneumatic rabbit-running system for medical isotope preparation according to claim 4, characterized in that, The gas path sealing component includes a main gas path sealing component, a middle gas path sealing component, and an outer gas path sealing component, which are respectively connected to the main transmission pipeline, the middle sleeve, and the front end of the outer sleeve.

6. The target assembly for the irradiation area of ​​the pneumatic rabbit-running system for medical isotope preparation according to claim 5, characterized in that, The rabbit-running capsule includes a capsule shell, a target chamber, a heat sink, and a fixed gas transmission component. The rear end of the capsule shell contacts the rear end of the terminal transmission pipe. The target chamber, heat sink, and fixed gas transmission component are all located inside the capsule shell. The target chamber is used to seal and load the isotope target. The rear end of the target chamber contacts the rear end of the capsule shell, the rear end of the heat sink contacts the front end of the target chamber, the rear end of the fixed gas transmission component contacts the front end of the heat sink, and the front end of the fixed gas transmission component is detachably connected to the front end of the capsule shell.

7. The target assembly for the irradiation area of ​​the pneumatic rabbit-running system for medical isotope preparation according to claim 6, characterized in that, The capsule shell has an opening at the front end and is provided with internal threads; the outer side wall of the front end of the fixed air passage transmission component is provided with external threads, and the front end of the fixed air passage transmission component is threadedly connected to the front end of the capsule shell; the rear end of the capsule shell is provided with an annular end plate, and the circular hollow passage in the center of the annular end plate allows the particle beam and airflow to pass through; at least three protruding limiting blocks are provided on the outer side of the annular end plate, and the limiting blocks are evenly distributed around the center of the annular end plate, and the limiting blocks are in contact with the interior of the end plate of the end transmission pipe.

8. The target assembly for the irradiation area of ​​the pneumatic rabbit-running system for medical isotope preparation according to claim 7, characterized in that, The fixed air passage transmission component has a radially penetrating frustum-shaped heat dissipation channel inside; a groove is provided at the rear end of the fixed air passage transmission component; the heat dissipation component includes a heat dissipation ring and several L-shaped heat dissipation fins; the heat dissipation ring has a hollow channel in the middle, which communicates with the heat dissipation channel in the fixed air passage transmission component; a protrusion is provided at the front end of the heat dissipation ring, which matches the groove at the rear end of the fixed air passage transmission component; all heat dissipation fins are evenly distributed on the outside of the heat dissipation ring, one side of the inner side of the L-shaped bend of the heat dissipation fin is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the heat dissipation ring, and the other side of the inner side of the L-shaped bend of the heat dissipation fin is connected to the rear end face of the heat dissipation ring; the rear end face of the heat dissipation fin contacts the front end of the target chamber, and the heat dissipation fin leaves a distance between the heat dissipation ring and the target chamber, so that the hollow channel in the middle of the heat dissipation ring and the gap between adjacent heat dissipation fins together form a heat dissipation channel.

9. The target assembly for the irradiation area of ​​the pneumatic rabbit-running system for medical isotope preparation according to claim 8, characterized in that, The inner side of the annular end plate at the rear end of the capsule shell is also provided with a protrusion to limit the target chamber, leaving a gap between the target chamber and the annular end plate to reserve an airflow channel. At the same time, multiple air holes are evenly distributed around the axis on the rear side wall of the capsule shell, and the positions of the air holes correspond to the positions of the protrusions to provide an exhaust passage, allowing airflow to pass through the end face of the target chamber. Multiple elliptical heat dissipation holes are evenly distributed around the axis on the middle side wall of the capsule shell to provide the main heat dissipation path. The positions of the heat dissipation holes correspond to the positions of the heat dissipation components and the vents on the end body to provide airflow outlets.

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