Confidential
LightHouseProduction of radio-isotopes with a
super-conducting electron accelerator
Patrick de Jager – Director New Business
October 2017
Radio-isotopes with medical application
The accelerator
The exposure cell
30 October 2017
Slide 2
Confidential
Radio-isotopes with medical application
The accelerator
The exposure cell
30 October 2017
Slide 3
Confidential
Periodic table of elementsWhat is an isotope?
Source: Wikipedia
30 October 2017
Confidential
Slide 4
SPECT (Single Photon Emission
Computed Tomography) with radioactive
Tc-99m
Brachytherapy of prostate cancer
with radioactive I-125
Diagnostic and therapeutic medical applications
Source: Ref 15, 51
30 October 2017
Confidential
Slide 5
30 October 2017
Slide 6
SPECT CT image of left vertricle of the heart
Developed by
Types of radio-isotopes and demand
Isotope Worldwide
demand
[Ci/year]
Cd-109 10
Cu-67 3,000
F-18 150,000
I-123 2,000
I-125 1,000
I-131 22,000
Ir-192 28,000
P-32 10
Pd-103 3,000
Re-86 8,000
Re-188 18,000
Ru-82 30
Sm-153 14,000
Sr-189 800
Tc-99m 600,000
Tl-201 3,000
Y-90 2,600
Demand of commonly used radio-isotopes is mainly
Tc-99m (Technetium)
Other significant demand from F-18 (Fluor), Ir-192
(Iridium), I-131 (iodine) and Re-188 (Rhenium)
30 October 2017
Confidential
Slide 7
Cd-109
Cu-67
F-18
I-123
I-125
I-131
Ir-192
P-32
Pd-103
Re-186
Re-188
Ru-82
Sm-153
Sr-89
Tc-99m
Tl-201
Y-90
SPECT scan
High levels of Tc-99m in pelvis and axilla (red)
showing areas of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.
Tc-99m
injected6 hr half-life
SPECT scannerdetects gamma photon emitted
by decay of Tc-99m
Generatortransport to hospital
decay of Mo-99 to Tc-99m
Mo-9966 hr half-life
30 October 2017
Confidential
Slide 8
Radio-isotopes are needed for cardiology or cancer
diagnosis and treatment of 60 million people annually
Reliability is of prime importance.
30 October 2017
Slide 9
Confidential
Current production process with 50 year old reactors
Uranium target
production
Reactor
irradiation
Uranium target
processingGenerator
Radio-
Pharmacy /
Hospital
Reactor Mo-99/Tc-99m production
Non-
proliferation
50 year old
reactors
Nuclear
waste
1. 3.2 Alternative production flows
Reactor
Electron
accelerator
Proton
accelerator
Deuteron
accelerator
HEU
LEU
Molybdenum
e,g target
p,n target
direct
D,n target
U-235
U-235
Mo-98
U-235 or
Th-232
Mo-100
U-235 or
Th-232
Mo-100
Mo-100
U-235
Mo-100
Mo-99
Mo-99
Mo-99
Mo-99
Mo-99
Mo-99
Mo-99
Mo-99
Mo-99
Tc-99m
Tc-99m
Tc-99m
Tc-99m
Tc-99m
Source: Ref 19,33, 152
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
(n,f)
(n,f)
(n,g)
(g,f)
(g,n)
(n,f)
(n,2n)
(p,2n)
(n,f)
(n,2n)
reaction
p=proton, n=neutron, f=fritting, g=gamma photon No fission
Fission based process
30 October 2017
Confidential
Slide 10
Zr-96 Mo-99K (alpha,n)Alpha
acceleratorAlpha beam Tc-99m
Production physics
Use of 35-60 MeV electrons to make very hard X-rays via Bremsstrahlung radiation
At higher energy unwanted reaction can happen resulting in Zircon-89 and Yttrium-
87 when using natural Molybdenum. These contaminants are not present when
using enriched Mo-100 targets
Mo-100 Mo-99
n
(g,n)
Source: Ref 1, 16, 23, 108, 109
30 October 2017
Confidential
Slide 11
30 October 2017
Slide 12
Confidential
Production process with accelerator using EUV-FEL modules
Uranium target
production
Reactor
irradiation
Uranium target
processingGenerator
Radio-
Pharmacy /
Hospital
Reactor Mo-99/Tc-99m production
Mo-100 target
production
Accelerator
irradiation
Mo-100 target
processingGenerator
Radio-
Pharmacy /
Hospital
Accelerator Mo-99/Tc-99m production
Accelerator &
Mo-100 target processing
(ASML)
Non-
proliferation
50 year old
reactors
Nuclear
waste
Not radio-
active
Innovative
acceleratorNegligible
waste
30 October 2017
Slide 13
Confidential
Production process with accelerator using EUV-FEL modules
Uranium target
production
Reactor
irradiation
Uranium target
processing
Reactor Mo-99/Tc-99m production
Mo-100 target
production
Accelerator
irradiation
Mo-100 target
processing
Accelerator Mo-99/Tc-99m production
Accelerator &
Mo-100 target processing
(ASML)
Non-
proliferation
50 year old
reactors
Nuclear
waste
Not radio-
active
Innovative
acceleratorNegligible
waste
Generator
Radio-
Pharmacy /
Hospital
No cost for
nuclear waste
ASML has involved many partners in feasibility study “Production of radio-isotopes with an electron accelerator”
Mo-100 target
production
Accelerator
irradiation
Mo-100 target
processingGenerator
Radio-
Pharmacy /
Hospital
Technical results of the feasibility study have been reviewed with all parties
30 October 2017
Confidential
Slide 14
Accelerator
Electron
source
Mo-100
exposure chamber
Processing
chamber
Conclusions feasibility study
Electron accelerator is feasible production method for Mo-99/Tc-99m
Commercial feasibility• Full cost 30% lower than with
nuclear reactor (NRG modelling)
• Investment of 65 MEuro per
beamline depreciated in 20 year
• Financing by consortium
Technical feasibility• Production volume
of 2 beamlines similar
to HFR: 200.000 6d-Ci/yr
• Existing generators can be
used
• Accelerator using modules of
ASML FEL
• Production of other radio-
isotopes is possible
Durability• Installation intrinsically safe
• Minimal nuclear waste generated
since production with electron
accelerator is very specific
• Modelling shows quality of
Mo-99 meeting requirements
Social importance• Medical need: Supply
guaranteed in consortium with
Generator Manufacturer(s)
• Employment: Potential
continuation of employment
with consortium including build
and operations of facility
Political importance• Investments are 4x lower
for production of radio-
isotopes with electron
accelerator than for
nuclear reactor
• Location of electron
accelerator and production
of radio-isotopes open for
discussion and depending
on consortium members
Next steps• Experimental
verification
• Create consortium
with Generator
Manufacturer(s)
• Start of production
possible by 2020
30 October 2017
Confidential
Slide 15
Radio-isotopes with medical application
The accelerator
The exposure cell
30 October 2017
Slide 16
Confidential
Technical feasibility
Accelerator using modules of ASML Free Electron Laser
Accelerator
Electron
source
Mo-100
exposure chamber
Processing
chamber
52 m
10 m
“Kicker”
Beam splitter
• Components in isotope accelerator are the same as designed for EUV-FEL
• Laser induced injector generates beam of 30 mA
• Super-conducting linear accelerator accelerates electrons to 60 MeV
• “Kicker” beam splitter and transport optics split the beam such that Molybdenum target is exposed from both sides Developed by
30 October 2017
Confidential
Slide 17
Isotope beamline
RF cavity (1)
InjectorSolenoid
Initial Beam
shaper
Screen
30 October 2017
Confidential
Slide 18
RF gravity (sections)
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Slide 19
Isotope beamline
Deflector
Screen
RF cavity (5)
Sectorbend
Quadrupole
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Confidential
Slide 20
Isotope beamline
Sector bend
Quadrupole
Sector bend
30 October 2017
Confidential
Slide 21
Radio-isotopes with medical application
The accelerator
The exposure cell
30 October 2017
Slide 22
Confidential
The yield challenge
Three conflicting challenges
have to be addressed
simultaneously in the design
of the exposure cell
The Thermal Challenge• Beam of > 1MW deposited in
Molybdenum
• Molybdenum should not melt
• Maximum cooling 30 W/mm2
• Design drives towards:
• Lower beampower
• More Molybdenum
• Enlarge Mo surface
The Specific Activity Challenge• Loading state-of-art generator with
certain capacity of Mo-99 requires
minimal Specific Activity
• SA should be >130 Ci/gram (End
of Exposure)
• Design drives towards:
• Longer exposure
• Less Molybdenum
The Yield Challenge• Sufficient production of Mo-
99 should be realized to
justify investments
• A beamlines should produce
100.000 Ci/yr (6d EoP)
• Design drives towards:
• Shorter exposure
• Higher beam power
30 October 2017
Confidential
Slide 23
Technical feasibility
Production volume of 2 beamlines similar to HFR
Electron beam
Two beamlines can produce
200.000 6d-Ci/year End of Processing
• Compare to HFR capacity of
170.000 6d-Ci /year End of Processing
Simulation results by NRG and RuG• Central 20 mm of disks :
762.612 Ci/yr End of Exposure @ 130 Ci/gr
Outer part of 30 mm of disks:
170.169 Ci/yr End of Exposure @ 37 Ci/gr
• Two beamlines of 30 mA at 60 MeV
• Ratio of activity between “End of Exposure”
and “6days End of Processing” is <7.5
• Mo-100 target of 30x30x56 mm3 with 50%
filling produced by 3D-printing
30 October 2017
Confidential
Slide 24
Mo-100 target 3D printed
100 micron features
Developed by
Developed by
Developed by
Isotope beamline
Transport lineProcess cell
Sample
chamber
Helium pumps
30 October 2017
Confidential
Slide 25
Isotope line
68m
16m
3,5m
Developed by
Picture generated by Rob Lansbergen
30 October 2017
Confidential
Slide 26
30 October 2017
Confidential
Slide 27
LightHouseIsotopes
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