APPARATUS FOR PLANTING AND HARVESTING RADIOISOTOPES ON A MASS PRODUCTION BASIS

A method of irradiating multiple specimens within a core (14) of a nuclear reactor (16) that has a moveable in-core, radiation detector flux mapping system, wherein the core comprises a plurality of fuel assemblies respectively having instrument thimbles into which a radiation detector (12) of the flux mapping system can be inserted and travel through. The method comprises inserting a first specimen holder (48) containing a first specimen (72) at a lead end of a first drive cable (36) driven by a first drive unit (34), into a first instrument thimble in the core (14); remotely detaching the first drive cable (36) from the first specimen holder (48) and fixing an axial position of the first specimen holder within the first instrument thimble; withdrawing the first drive cable (36) from the reactor (16); attaching a second specimen holder (48) containing a second specimen (72) to the lead end of the first drive cable (36) driven by the first drive unit (34); inserting the second specimen holder (48) containing the second specimen (72) into a second instrument thimble in the core (14); remotely detaching the first drive cable (36) from the second specimen holder (48) and fixing an axial position of the second specimen holder within the second instrument thimble; withdrawing the first drive cable (36) from the reactor (16); in between the withdrawing step and the second inserting step inserting a moveable incore radiation detector (12) from the moveable in-core detector radiation flux mapping system, attached to a second drive cable (50) driven by a second drive unit (24), into and through a third instrument thimble; and withdrawing the moveable in-core radiation detector (12) from the reactor (16) after performing a flux mapping exercise.