Babcock & Wilcox Technical Services Group, Inc. (B&W TSG) has developed ground-breaking technology to manufacture molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), the parent isotope of technetium 99m (Tc-99m), the most widely used radioisotope in the world for molecular imaging and nuclear medicine procedures.
B&W's agreement with Covidien, a leading radiopharmaceutical and medical device supplier, is an initial step toward establishing a large-scale U.S. supply of medical isotopes. Currently, 100 percent of the U.S. Mo-99 supply is imported. Unplanned shutdowns at a handful of aging nuclear reactors have led to periodic shortages of medical isotopes. Working in collaboration with Covidien, B&W's Medical Isotope Production System (MIPS) has the potential to supply more than 50 percent of U.S. demand for Mo-99.
The MIPS program is based on B&W's patented technology for the Aqueous Homogenous Reactor, or "solution reactor," which is fueled by low-enriched uranium (LEU) in place of highly enriched uranium (HEU).
- LEU is dissolved in acid, and then brought to criticality in an atmospheric vessel the size of a 50-gallon drum
- Solution is routed back into reactor for a repeat cycle once Mo-99 isotopes are extracted
- Produces no nuclear weapons-grade waste that most current Mo-99 production facilities generate
- Several 100 - 200 Kilowatt reactors to be housed in state-of-the-art facility
By reducing the amount of nuclear waste, the MIPS program is supporting the National Nuclear Security Administration's Global Threat Reduction Initiative, whose mission is to secure nuclear and radiological materials and equipment that pose a threat to the U.S. and the world.
A team of highly skilled B&W engineers are developing plans for a new facility that is expected to begin producing Mo-99 isotopes in approximately five years.
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