Target design considerations for isotope production with high intensity 200 MeV protons

An upgrade project was recently completed on the 200 MeV H− Linac and the Brookhaven Linac Isotope Producer (BLIP) in order to improve radioisotope production capacity and reliability. The average beam current has increased from 60 to 146 μA. Because of the large increase in deposited beam power (up to 29 kW), the target cooling system was upgraded, and new targets and target mechanical system were designed. The heat transport model that guided this design and preliminary tests with beam are described.