Supply-Chain Simulation for Isotopes
Getting an isotope from irradiation to the end user is a timed, multi-step chain; simulating it keeps supply reliable against a decay clock.
The chain
An isotope produced in a neutron source must be extracted, processed, purified, packaged, and delivered. Each step takes time, and radioactive products decay throughout, so the chain is a race against a clock. Simulating the whole chain lets Kronos plan production so the right quantity reaches the user at the right time.
What the simulation models
- Production rates from irradiation scheduling.
- Decay during every step of processing and transit.
- Capacity limits at each processing stage.
- Variable demand from downstream users.
The decay constraint
Because products decay, a delay anywhere in the chain reduces the quantity that arrives. The simulation captures this, so production is scheduled with enough margin to meet demand after losses, and bottlenecks are found before they cause a shortfall.
Tritium and helium-3
For the Hyperion breeder, tritium supply must serve both fueling and the startup inventory of later units, tracked through inventory management. Helium-3, which accumulates as tritium decays, has its own timing, relevant to He-3 supply for quantum computing.
Honest framing
The simulation describes capability and timing, not projected quantities dressed as guarantees. Yields carry the same nuclear-data uncertainty as breeding, carried through explicitly.
Coupling
Supply-chain simulation sits downstream of production optimization and feeds the planning that keeps the neutron source useful to the wider community.