RRFM 2009 Transactions - European Nuclear Society

IRE and COVIDEN are following closely the projects of replacing in Petten HFR, with
PALLAS a multi purpose reactor and in Mol; BR2, with MYRRHA, a large multi purpose ADS.
In the US the adaptation of the MURR reactor and the installation of a Mo production facility
have to be decided soon, and B&W is working again on the Homogeneous Reactor but with
COVIDIEN this time.
In the rest of the world, different projects are also under consideration, in particular, in South
Africa, Argentina, Korea, Japan, and Pakistan without forgetting China and the CRP
sponsors by IAEA.
4.4. On very long term, i.e. 10 years and more, the major suppliers having secured a network
of reliable reactors and processing facilities available for ensuring the security of supply of
Mo 99 , with significant over capacity the feasibility of conversion to use of LEU target might be
considered without putting at risk the security of supply of Tc 99m . Today we have to state
clearly that such option is still facing both significant technical and economical obstacles.
As a matter of fact the use of standard target design with LEU is feasible but will require
irradiation and processing of five time more targets. Beside significant economical aspects
this would require availability of 5 time more irradiation RIG’s or reactors which is not
foreseen with the current projects of extending the reactor network. Even having all
producers adopting the CNEA dispersed LEU fuel target design, will be faced a similar
obstacle as it requires still the availability of 3 time more irradiation RIG’s and having the new
process qualified and validated by all producers. Even if the ANL foil design would require
only 10 % increase of number of targets to be irradiated it is a matter of fact that by to day,
the design has not yet been proven acceptable for a large scale reliable industrial production
which let CNEA and ANSTO adopting the dispersed fuel target design despite the capacity
constraints involved. Within the next 10 years, the increase of the network of producers as
encouraged by IAEA-CRP, might help, considering nevertheless that the Mo 99 market size
might have increased by 50 to 100 %. For small scale production, the use of the gel Mo 98
(nγ) Mo 99 proven process usually used in China as well as the possible validation of a new
accelerator driven photo fission of U 238 or possible positive results from feasibility studies for
ADONIS with use of LEU targets as an option, might also contribute to improve the security
of supply and reduce the use of HEU. Nevertheless we cannot today only relay on these
technical options.
5. Conclusions
The current crisis resulting from the historical development of the Mo 99 production industry is
not really surprising and might have been more dramatic if on the basis of the MAPLE project
only 1 or 2 producers might have survived.
The short time preventive actions, with in particular access to the FRM-II reactor as soon as
possible should improve the reliability of supply. Whereas during the next few years the risk
of a new crisis is real if the repair of HFR is facing problems or if NRU reactor has to be
shutdown during several months for refurbishments and upgrading for getting extension of its
operating license.
For mid term extending the reactor network or implementing successfully diversified options
as ADONIS or MIPS might help but in any case all options will significantly increase the level
of investments and the cost of productions which already today imply that the cost of Mo99
and Tc 99m generator production is significantly increased and has to be charged to Nuclear
Medicines procedures.
The last crisis revealed the importance of the security of supply of Mo 99 for the health of
million of people in the world. This aspect has to be duly taken into consideration by both
nuclear safety and drug control authorities, but this should never result as a threat to the
safety of operations and workers or local population health.
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