Phoenix, formerly known as Phoenix Nuclear Labs, is a company specializing in neutron generator technology located in Monona, Wisconsin. Founded in 2005, the company develops nuclear and particle accelerator technologies for application in medicine, defense and energy. Phoenix has held contracts with the U.S. Army, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Air Force. Phoenix developed a proprietary gas target neutron generator technology and has designed and built a number of particle accelerator-related technologies.
In February 2014, Phoenix Nuclear Labs signed its first commercial contract to build a thermal neutron generation system for Ultra Electronics' Nuclear Control Systems, a British company that specializes in defense and security, transport and energy.[3][4]
In April 2014, Phoenix Nuclear Labs was awarded $1 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to design a high-current negative hydrogen ion source under the SBIR Phase II project. [5][6]
In August 2014, Phoenix Nuclear Labs and SHINE Medical Technologies successfully operated the second-generation neutron driver prototype for 24 consecutive hours with a 99% uptime. The test was said to be a key milestone towards the production of medical isotopes such as molybdenum-99 (parent isotope of the medically useful nuclear isomer99m Tc). SHINE plans to start production at a facility in Janesville, WI in 2017.[7]
In October 2014, Phoenix Nuclear Labs announced that it was awarded a $3 million contract by the U.S. Army to develop an advanced neutron radiography imaging system. The second-generation version will be sent to Picatinny Arsenal, a military facility in New Jersey, as an upgrade to one they sent in 2013.[8]
Products
In October 2012, Phoenix Nuclear Labs received two contracts from the U.S. Army. The first contract was a $879,000 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II grant to help the company construct a high-flux neutron generator for the purpose of sensing improvised explosive devices (IED). The second contract was a $100,000 SBIR Phase I grant to design a neutron source for White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. This source would be used to test the radiation resistance of military equipment and equipment to be exposed to radiation in space as an alternative to current testing methods that use highly enriched uranium.[9] In May 2012, the company had also raised funds to develop the neutron generator.[10]
In 2014, Phoenix Nuclear Labs also announced a successful preliminary test on the detection of 'undetectable explosives', by sensing the explosives materials instead of metal components.[11]
Medical isotope production
Phoenix Nuclear Labs developed[when?] a proprietary gas target neutron generator technology and has designed and built a number of particle accelerator-related technologies. It has the technology to produce 3×1011 neutrons per second with the deuterium-deuterium fusion reaction.[12] This can be sustained for a 24-hour period. Their spin-off company, SHINE Medical Technologies[13] plans to open a facility for the mass production of Mo-99, an isotope used for medical care.[14]
Molybdenum decays into technetium-99m, which is used in over 40,000 medical imaging procedures everyday in the US. Over 80% of nuclear medicine procedures rely on molybdenum to detect cancer and diagnose heart disease, among hundreds of other procedures utilizing this isotope.[15] The U.S. obtains all of its molybdenum (representing about half of global demand) from the aging nuclear reactors outside of the U.S. However, many of these reactors are scheduled to be shut down and they furthermore utilize highly enriched uranium (HEU), which the US considers a nuclear weapons proliferation threat.[16] To avoid the security concern of HEU, the accelerator-driven, low-enriched uranium (LEU) solution becomes the target for high-efficiency isotope production.[17] The neutrons generated by the PNL neutron generator drive fission in a subcritical LEU solution. The LEU solution is irradiated for approximately a week and medical isotopes are then extracted from the solution, purified using established techniques and packaged for sale. The LEU solution is then recycled, achieving extremely efficient[clarification needed] use of uranium and producing much less waste than current molybdenum production methods.
The company's neutron generators have been demonstrated to achieve over 1,000 hours of operation. The process produces medical isotopes that fit into existing supply chains while eliminating the use of weapons-grade uranium and reliance on aging nuclear reactors.[15] For example, the Canadian National Research Universal reactor (NRU) in Chalk River, Ontario currently produces these medical isotopes. In 2006, it produced two-thirds of the world's technetium-99m.[18] A 2009 shutdown of the NRU threatened to delay medical tests for cancer patients.[19] Prior to the 2009 shutdown the NRU produced nearly half of the world's supply of medical isotopes.[20]
^"SHINE Medical Technologies". SHINE Medical Technologies. 2014-08-14. Retrieved 2014-08-14.
^"SHINE Medical Technologies to supply MOLY‐99 to GE Healthcare" (PDF). Phoenix Nuclear Labs. 2014-04-03. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
^ ab"SHINE brings a light of hope to cancer and heart patient". In Business Madison. 8 August 2012.
^"NNSA Signs Cooperative Agreement to Support the Production of Molybdenum-99 in the United States Without the Use of Highly Enriched Uranium". National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).
^"Encouraging Reliable Supplies of Molybdenum-99 Produced without Highly Enriched Uranium". whitehouse.gov. 7 June 2012 – via National Archives.
^"NRC's Diamond in the Rough". National Research Council of Canada. 2006-06-05.
^"Isotope shortage could delay cancer tests". The Seattle Times. 2009-05-19.
^"Solving Canada's medical isotope crisis". National Research Council of Canada. 2011-01-24.
External links
Official website
March 03, 2023
phoenix, nuclear, technology, company, phoenix, formerly, known, phoenix, nuclear, labs, company, specializing, neutron, generator, technology, located, monona, wisconsin, founded, 2005, company, develops, nuclear, particle, accelerator, technologies, applicat. Phoenix formerly known as Phoenix Nuclear Labs is a company specializing in neutron generator technology located in Monona Wisconsin Founded in 2005 the company develops nuclear and particle accelerator technologies for application in medicine defense and energy Phoenix has held contracts with the U S Army the U S Department of Energy the U S Department of Defense and the U S Air Force Phoenix developed a proprietary gas target neutron generator technology and has designed and built a number of particle accelerator related technologies PhoenixTypeLLCIndustryEnergy Medical DefenseFounded2005FounderGreg Piefer 1 HeadquartersMonona WisconsinKey peopleGreg Piefer Ross Radel 1 Number of employees30 40Websitephoenixwi wbr com Contents 1 Corporate history 2 Products 2 1 Medical isotope production 3 References 4 External linksCorporate history EditPhoenix Nuclear Labs was founded in 2005 by Dr Gregory Piefer after he completed his PhD in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Wisconsin Madison 2 Dr Ross Radel who joined the company in 2010 became the company president in July 2011 1 Retired Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt is on the company s scientific advisory board 1 In February 2014 Phoenix Nuclear Labs signed its first commercial contract to build a thermal neutron generation system for Ultra Electronics Nuclear Control Systems a British company that specializes in defense and security transport and energy 3 4 In April 2014 Phoenix Nuclear Labs was awarded 1 million from the U S Department of Energy to design a high current negative hydrogen ion source under the SBIR Phase II project 5 6 In August 2014 Phoenix Nuclear Labs and SHINE Medical Technologies successfully operated the second generation neutron driver prototype for 24 consecutive hours with a 99 uptime The test was said to be a key milestone towards the production of medical isotopes such as molybdenum 99 parent isotope of the medically useful nuclear isomer 99m Tc SHINE plans to start production at a facility in Janesville WI in 2017 7 In October 2014 Phoenix Nuclear Labs announced that it was awarded a 3 million contract by the U S Army to develop an advanced neutron radiography imaging system The second generation version will be sent to Picatinny Arsenal a military facility in New Jersey as an upgrade to one they sent in 2013 8 Products EditIn October 2012 Phoenix Nuclear Labs received two contracts from the U S Army The first contract was a 879 000 Small Business Innovation Research SBIR Phase II grant to help the company construct a high flux neutron generator for the purpose of sensing improvised explosive devices IED The second contract was a 100 000 SBIR Phase I grant to design a neutron source for White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico This source would be used to test the radiation resistance of military equipment and equipment to be exposed to radiation in space as an alternative to current testing methods that use highly enriched uranium 9 In May 2012 the company had also raised funds to develop the neutron generator 10 In 2014 Phoenix Nuclear Labs also announced a successful preliminary test on the detection of undetectable explosives by sensing the explosives materials instead of metal components 11 Medical isotope production Edit Phoenix Nuclear Labs developed when a proprietary gas target neutron generator technology and has designed and built a number of particle accelerator related technologies It has the technology to produce 3 1011 neutrons per second with the deuterium deuterium fusion reaction 12 This can be sustained for a 24 hour period Their spin off company SHINE Medical Technologies 13 plans to open a facility for the mass production of Mo 99 an isotope used for medical care 14 Molybdenum decays into technetium 99m which is used in over 40 000 medical imaging procedures everyday in the US Over 80 of nuclear medicine procedures rely on molybdenum to detect cancer and diagnose heart disease among hundreds of other procedures utilizing this isotope 15 The U S obtains all of its molybdenum representing about half of global demand from the aging nuclear reactors outside of the U S However many of these reactors are scheduled to be shut down and they furthermore utilize highly enriched uranium HEU which the US considers a nuclear weapons proliferation threat 16 To avoid the security concern of HEU the accelerator driven low enriched uranium LEU solution becomes the target for high efficiency isotope production 17 The neutrons generated by the PNL neutron generator drive fission in a subcritical LEU solution The LEU solution is irradiated for approximately a week and medical isotopes are then extracted from the solution purified using established techniques and packaged for sale The LEU solution is then recycled achieving extremely efficient clarification needed use of uranium and producing much less waste than current molybdenum production methods The company s neutron generators have been demonstrated to achieve over 1 000 hours of operation The process produces medical isotopes that fit into existing supply chains while eliminating the use of weapons grade uranium and reliance on aging nuclear reactors 15 For example the Canadian National Research Universal reactor NRU in Chalk River Ontario currently produces these medical isotopes In 2006 it produced two thirds of the world s technetium 99m 18 A 2009 shutdown of the NRU threatened to delay medical tests for cancer patients 19 Prior to the 2009 shutdown the NRU produced nearly half of the world s supply of medical isotopes 20 References Edit a b c d About Phoenix Nuclear Labs Leute Jim October 11 2014 SHINE supplier wins contract Gazette Janesville WI Archived from the original on October 12 2014 Content Thomas 2014 02 25 Phoenix Nuclear Labs lands contract with British facility Journal Sentinel Milwaukee WI Newman Judy 2014 02 25 Phoenix Nuclear Labs makes its first commercial sale Wisconsin State Journal Madison WI Newman Judy 2014 04 26 Tech and Biotech Phoenix Nuclear Labs gets funds for cutting edge project texting takes a novel twist with buzzMSG Wisconsin State Journal Madison WI Phoenix Nuclear Labs Awarded one million dollar grant from the U S Department of Energy wisbusiness com PR Newswire 2014 04 23 SHINE Medical and Phoenix Nuclear achieve key technical milestone with 24 hour accelerator test DOTmed News 2014 08 08 PNL awarded 3 million Army contract KYTX CBS 19 2014 10 06 Archived from the original on 2014 10 12 Newman Judy 2012 10 23 Phoenix Nuclear Labs gets 2 Army contracts Wisconsin State Journal Madison WI Newman Judy 2012 05 26 Tech and Biotech Phoenix Nuclear Labs lands funds to build neutron machines Wisconsin State Journal Madison WI Newman Judy 2014 07 07 Phoenix Nuclear Labs develops system to detect hard to find explosives Wisconsin State Journal Madison WI Radel Ross Sengbusch Evan 2013 05 01 Phoenix Nuclear Labs meets neutron production milestone PDF PNL press release a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint uses authors parameter link SHINE Medical Technologies SHINE Medical Technologies 2014 08 14 Retrieved 2014 08 14 SHINE Medical Technologies to supply MOLY 99 to GE Healthcare PDF Phoenix Nuclear Labs 2014 04 03 Retrieved 2014 07 12 a b SHINE brings a light of hope to cancer and heart patient In Business Madison 8 August 2012 NNSA Signs Cooperative Agreement to Support the Production of Molybdenum 99 in the United States Without the Use of Highly Enriched Uranium National Nuclear Security Administration NNSA Encouraging Reliable Supplies of Molybdenum 99 Produced without Highly Enriched Uranium whitehouse gov 7 June 2012 via National Archives NRC s Diamond in the Rough National Research Council of Canada 2006 06 05 Isotope shortage could delay cancer tests The Seattle Times 2009 05 19 Solving Canada s medical isotope crisis National Research Council of Canada 2011 01 24 External links EditOfficial website Retrieved from https 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