On May 3rd, according to the official public account of CNNC Group, the online irradiation production device for medical isotopes at the Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant of CNNC Group has recently completed system identification and power-on tests, marking the comprehensive completion of the device as planned.
With this achievement, China has mastered the key technology for batch production of isotopes through online irradiation.
Lutetium-177, strontium-89, yttrium-90, and other short half-life medical isotopes currently in short supply domestically will enter the large-scale production stage after the completion and operation of the supporting plant in the second half of this year.
This irradiation device, following the carbon-14 irradiation production project at Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant, is another large-scale production platform for medical isotopes built with the focus on heavy water reactors.
Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant stated, "In the past, we needed to wait for about two years until the reactor shutdown and maintenance period to produce cobalt-60, carbon-14. With the operation of this device, we can produce lutetium-177, strontium-89, yttrium-90, and other short half-life medical isotopes without the need for reactor shutdown, and the production capacity can fully meet domestic demand."
The platform has the capability to load and unload target boxes online during the normal operation of the heavy water reactor unit, breaking China's long-term dependence on imported medical isotopes for its main reactor.
This irradiation device is China's first commercial reactor online batch irradiation production isotope device, characterized by high positioning accuracy, reliable transmission, full shielding throughout, and high production output.
