Target Device Dual Cooling Mechanism for Radioisotope Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current target devices for producing radioisotopes in PET tests face insufficient cooling performance, which limits the intensity of radiation that can be effectively used for radioisotope production.
Innovation Solution
A target device with a dual cooling mechanism, featuring a first cooling unit for the target liquid region and a second cooling unit for the boiled gas-liquid mixture region, where the refrigerant flows from top to bottom in the second region, enhancing heat transfer efficiency and independent cooling performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the intensity of radiation irradiated to the target liquid is increased, then radioisotope production efficiency is improved, but the cooling mechanism cannot provide sufficient cooling performance
Solution Approach 1:
The target accommodation unit is divided into two distinct regions: a first region for accommodating target liquid and a second region for receiving boiled gas-liquid mixture. Correspondingly, the cooling mechanism is segmented into a first cooling unit for the first region and a second cooling unit for the second region, allowing independent optimization of cooling for each region.
Solution Approach 2:
The second cooling unit introduces a vertical dimension to cooling by forming a refrigerant flow from top to bottom in the second region, whereas the first cooling unit uses radial flow from the back surface. This dimensional change enables effective cooling of the gas-liquid mixture region that has different thermal characteristics.
2Device complexity
If a single cooling unit is used for the entire target accommodation unit, then device complexity is reduced, but cooling performance is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling mechanism is divided into two independent cooling units, each optimized for its specific region. The first cooling unit handles liquid cooling with radial refrigerant flow, while the second cooling unit handles gas-liquid mixture cooling with vertical refrigerant flow, achieving superior overall cooling performance.
Solution Approach 2:
Different cooling strategies are applied to different regions based on their specific thermal requirements. The first region (liquid) receives cooling from the back surface with radial flow, while the second region (gas-liquid mixture) receives cooling with top-to-bottom flow, matching the local thermal characteristics of each region.
3Temperature
If refrigerant flows upward in the second region, then cooling is provided, but cooling performance is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of allowing refrigerant to flow upward in the second region, the second cooling unit inverts the flow direction by forming refrigerant flow from top to bottom. This inversion creates more effective counter-current heat exchange with the rising gas-liquid mixture, significantly improving heat transfer efficiency and cooling performance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The dual cooling mechanism significantly improves cooling performance, allowing for higher radiation intensity and increased radioisotope production without exceeding pressure limits, thereby enhancing the efficiency of radioisotope production.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling mechanism that cools the target accommodation unit with a refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
the refrigerant diffused radially after striking the heat transfer wall portion by the injection (an upward flow toward the portion receiving the gas-liquid mixture)
Implementation Method 3
the second cooling unit forms a flow of the refrigerant from top to bottom in the second region
Implementation Method 4
The cooling by the injection has a high heat transfer coefficient and excellent cooling efficiency as compared to other forced convection
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a target device (100) capable of improving the cooling performance of a cooling mechanism (4). According to the target device (100), a target accommodation unit (3) has a first region (E1) that accommodates a target liquid (101) and a second region (E2) that receives a boiled gas-liquid mixture (102) of the target liquid (101). In contrast, the cooling mechanism (4) includes a first cooling unit (30A) that cools at least the first region (E1) and a second cooling unit (30B) that cools at least the second region (E2) . Moreover, the second cooling unit (30B) forms a flow (flow F2 in FIG. 2) of the refrigerant from top to bottom in the second region (E2). The cooling performance obtained by the refrigerant flowing from top to bottom can be made higher than the cooling performance in a case where the refrigerant used in the first cooling unit (30A) is used as it is.