Patents Assigned to Areva NP GmbH
  • Patent number: 8774341
    Abstract: A nuclear power plant is provided including a BWR, a reactor cooling system cooling the BWR, an HWC hydrogen injection system connected to the reactor cooling system and an alcohol injection system connected to the reactor cooling system. Methods for providing methanol and hydrogen are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignees: AREVA Inc., AREVA NP GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Stellwag, Mihai G. M. Pop
  • Patent number: 8608861
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of decontaminating an oxide layer-comprising surface of a component or a system of a nuclear facility, wherein the oxide layer is treated with gaseous nitrogen oxide (NOx) as oxidizing agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Areva NP GmbH
    Inventors: Horst-Otto Bertholdt, Terezinha Claudete Maciel, Franz Strohmer
  • Publication number: 20130271120
    Abstract: A position measuring system detects an extreme position of a guide rod which extends along a path that is rectilinear relative to a guide system and can be moved along the rectilinear path, wherein the system operates reliably, and requires a minimum of electrical lines. The position measuring system is equipped with a plurality of sensor elements and a magnetic element, wherein the magnetic element is configured to form a magnetic field. The magnetic element is connected to the guide rod. Each sensor element is configured to detect a magnetic field within a detection region, a field strength of the magnetic field being greater at the location of the sensor element than a predefined threshold value. At least one sensor element is connected to the guide system and is arranged in an environment of the path. A corresponding measuring method uses the position measuring system to detect the extreme positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: AREVA NP GMBH
    Inventor: Markus Reymann
  • Publication number: 20130220366
    Abstract: A method for chemical decontamination of an oxide-coated surface of a metal structural part or of a system in a nuclear power plant with several cleaning cycles, involves oxidation steps, in which the oxide layer is treated with an aqueous solution containing an oxidation agent, and a subsequent decontamination step, in which the oxide layer is treated with an aqueous solution of an acid. At least one oxidation step is carried out in an acid solution and at least one oxidation step in an alkaline solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: AREVA NP GMBH
    Inventors: RAINER GASSEN, BERTRAM ZEILER
  • Publication number: 20130225066
    Abstract: A protective cover is provided for a ventilation opening in a plant space of a nuclear-engineering plant. The cover is configured, with a construction that is simple, and with simple manufacture and mounting, for a sufficient air-flow cross section and also for protection against ingress of destructive projectiles into the building interior. The protective cover has profile elements, which are arranged in a mounting plane in a rectangular frame, are aligned in a longitudinal direction such that they are parallel to one another, and are shaped in the same way and orientated in the same way. The relevant profile element has an L-shaped or V-shaped cross section with two limbs that meet in a peak, with the peaks pointing in the transverse direction. A spacing between profile elements that immediately follow each other is chosen such that there is no rectilinear passage between them.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: AREVA NP GMBH
    Inventors: WLADIMIR TRUBNIKOW, CARSTEN CHRISTGAU, CLAUDE GRATIEUX
  • Publication number: 20130182812
    Abstract: A method and a device depressurize a nuclear power plant. A depressurization flow is conducted out of a containment shell into the atmosphere via a depressurization line having a filter system. The filter system contains a filter chamber having an inlet, an outlet, and a sorbent filter. The depressurization flow is first conducted in a high-pressure section, then is depressurized by expansion at a throttle device, then conducted through the filter chamber having the sorbent filter, and finally blown out. To enable an effective retention of activity carriers contained in the depressurization flow, including organic compounds containing iodine, the depressurization flow depressurized by the throttle device is conducted through a superheating section before the depressurization flow enters the filter chamber, in which superheating section the depressurization flow is heated from the not yet depressurized depressurization flow to a temperature that is at least 10 ° C. above the dew point temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: AREVA NP GMBH
    Inventor: AREVA NP GMBH
  • Publication number: 20130181728
    Abstract: A component for conducting or receiving a fluid, in particular a component of a fluid-conducting line system of an industrial plant, especially of a line system of a tertiary cooling circuit of a nuclear power plant, includes a wall having a supporting structure made of a glass-fiber-reinforced plastic. Electrically insulating inner and outer protective layers are disposed on respective inner and outer surfaces of the supporting structure. An electrically conductive inner intermediate layer lies between the inner protective layer and the supporting structure and is provided with an electrical terminal. An electrically conductive outer intermediate layer lies between the outer protective layer and the supporting structure, is provided with an electrical terminal and is electrically insulated from the inner intermediate layer. A method for testing the component is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: AREVA NP GMBH
    Inventor: AREVA NP GMBH
  • Publication number: 20130160267
    Abstract: A method takes a sample of a deposit on a secondary side of a pipe base plate of a steam generator of a nuclear power plant, In the method a steam generator pipe is removed from the pipe base plate to expose a hot pipe bore penetrating the pipe base plate. A removal tool of a device for taking the sample is introduced into the hot pipe bore by the primary side of the pipe base plate which is opposite the secondary side. A part of the deposit is removed by the removal tool as the sample. The sample is transported and removed from the steam generator. The removal tool is removed from the steam generator. The device contains the removal tool which can be introduced by a primary side of the pipe base plate in an exposed hot pipe bore penetrating the pipe base plate for removing the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: AREVA NP GMBH
    Inventor: AREVA NP GMBH
  • Publication number: 20130145594
    Abstract: A device of repairing a damaged area in an underwater wall region of a container or tank, in particular in the wall region of a tank of a nuclear reactor installation. The device has a guide system that can be mounted along a side wall, at a distance therefrom, and can be secured thereto. At least one first carriage is fitted onto the track of the guide system and movable in a longitudinal direction of the guide system. On the carriage there is displaceably mounted a receptacle for a repair overlay, which can be applied with an adhesive surface to the wall region containing the damaged area. At least one suction mount that is connected to a suction line is disposed on the first carriage and can be suctioned to the side wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: AREVA NP GMBH
    Inventors: GEORG KRÄMER, KONRAD MEIER-HYNEK, LOTHAR NEHR
  • Publication number: 20130089173
    Abstract: A securing device for a control rod in a nuclear facility contains a control rod drive and a drive housing enclosing the control rod drive and configured to pass through a reactor pressure wall. The securing device further has a reactor pressure wall connection piece arranged inwardly of the reactor pressure wall and connected to the reactor pressure wall. A device of this type is to be producible as cost-effectively as possible, is to perform its intended tasks reliably and is to be maintenance-free during operation. Accordingly, a number of connection elements are provided for this purpose between the reactor pressure wall connection piece and the drive housing. A respective connection element forms a form-locking connection to the drive housing and a form-locking connection to the reactor pressure wall connection piece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2012
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: AREVA NP GMBH
    Inventor: AREVA NP GMBH
  • Patent number: 8371025
    Abstract: A device is provided for repairing a damaged location in an underwater region of a wall of a vessel or pool, in particular in the region of a wall of a pool of a nuclear reactor plant. The device includes a guiding system, which can be attached along a side wall at a distance therefrom and can be fixed thereto, for guiding a carriage which can be made to move in a longitudinal direction of the guiding system. Arranged on the carriage is a displaceably mounted holder for a repair support, which can be placed with an adhesive surface against the wall region containing the damaged location. With such a device, wall regions that are at a great depth and can only be accessed through narrow gaps can be repaired quickly and reliably.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Areva NP GmbH
    Inventors: Georg Krämer, Konrad Meier-Hynek
  • Patent number: 8372289
    Abstract: A method for conditioning a contaminated ion exchange resin includes mixing the contaminated ion exchange resin with water and at least partly breaking up the contaminated ion exchange resin into water-soluble components or fragments through the use of an oxidizing agent added to the water. A resulting aqueous solution is consolidated with a binder, optionally after concentration by evaporation of water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Areva NP GmbH
    Inventor: Rainer Gassen
  • Patent number: 8360229
    Abstract: An isolating plant for isolating objects, in particular nuclear fuel pellets, fed in stacks, includes a feeding conveyor belt and an output conveyor belt, permitting a particularly reliable and interruption-free isolation of the fed objects simultaneously with a high processing speed. A delivery area, situated between the feeding conveyor belt and the output conveyor belt, includes a separating device driven by a pressure gas, in which the fed objects are separated from each other during operation of the plant by purposeful pressure-gas pulses in order to be delivered one by one to the output conveyor belt. A method for isolating nuclear fuel pellets is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Areva NP GmbH
    Inventor: Hermann Janning
  • Patent number: 8353990
    Abstract: A process is provided for chemically decontaminating the surface of a metallic component. In a first treatment step, an oxide layer formed on the component by corrosion of the material of the component is detached from the surface of the component with a first aqueous treatment solution containing an organic decontamination acid. In a subsequent second treatment step, the surface which is at least partially freed of the oxide layer is treated with an aqueous solution containing an active component for removing particles which adhere to the surface. The active component is formed of at least one anionic surfactant from the group including sulphonic acids, phosphonic acids, carboxylic acids and salts of those acids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Areva NP GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Gassen, Luis Sempere Belda, Werner Schweighofer, Bertram Zeiler
  • Publication number: 20130003909
    Abstract: A filter is provided for cooling water conducting primary circuit of a nuclear power station. The power station contains a reactor container with a discharge opening for the cooling water that opens into the interior of the reactor container and being accessed when the power station is brought to a stop for an inspection shutdown. The filter contains a base carrier with an entrance, at least one filter cartridge held on the base carrier and is fluidically coupled to the entrance, and a fixing device that can be fixed to the discharge end such that the entrance couples fluidically to the discharge opening. In a method for filtering cooling water during the inspection shutdown a filter is fixed, by its fixing device, with its entrance in fluid connection with the discharge opening, the cooling water is circulated through the discharge opening, and the filter is removed from the discharge opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: AREVA NP GMBH
    Inventor: ARNE BROCKMÖLLER-MEINERS
  • Patent number: 8345815
    Abstract: A fuel assembly for a pressurized water nuclear reactor contains a multiplicity of fuel rods which are guided in a plurality of axially spaced spacers which in each case form a square grid, composed of grid webs, with a multiplicity of cells arranged in rows and columns. In each case one control rod guide tube is guided through a number of these cells. At least one spacer is configured to be mechanically stronger in a first partial region than in a second partial region. In this second partial region, the spacer is provided with at least one resisting element which protrudes into a flow sub-channel formed between the fuel rods and increases the flow resistance. The resisting element counteracts a reduction associated with the mechanically weaker configuration, in the flow resistance in the second partial region and in this manner effects a homogenization of the hydraulic behavior of a spacer which is mechanically inhomogeneous on account of the varying mechanical configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Areva NP GmbH
    Inventors: Jürgen Stabel, Udo Borsdorf
  • Publication number: 20120325898
    Abstract: A method produces a welded connection between first and second components each having inner and outer sides interconnected by an end face. The first component has a ferritic basic body carrying a plating at the inside and having an end face with a buffer layer of Ni-based alloy. The second component is of austenitic material. The end faces of the components enclose a weld groove. An austenitic root, connecting the plating to the end face of the second component, is welded in the weld groove. An intermediate layer of a nickel alloy having at least 90% nickel is welded onto the root. The intermediate layer is connected to the end faces of the plating and the second component. A weld seam is then produced in the remaining weld groove using a nickel-based welding additive. A method for repairing a welded connection between first and second components is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: AREVA NP GMBH
    Inventors: ERHARD BRÜCKNER, GERHARD ENGELHARD, SIEGRIED GÜGEL
  • Patent number: 8315425
    Abstract: A method for carrying out comparison between the as-built state of an industrial plant and the associated CAD planning model, characterized in that the comparison is achieved by superimposition of unreliable components of the CAD model and digital images on the plant, whereby the superimposition is computed without any particular instrumentation within the plant, but only based on selected reliable components from the CAD model, whose physical installations are visible in the images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignees: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, Areva NP GmbH
    Inventors: Mirko Appel, Pierre Georgel, Ralf Keller, Nassir Navab
  • Publication number: 20120288051
    Abstract: A control rod for a pressurized-water nuclear reactor contains an absorber rod which is arranged in a casing tube. At least in a lower section, the absorber rod is provided with at least one recess which takes up at most a portion of the circumferential surface of this section. This reduces problems associated with an expansion in the volume of the absorber rod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2008
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: AREVA NP GMBH
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Fuchs, Florian Schebitz, Peter Dewes, Gunter Fischer, Alfons Roppelt, Winfried Beck
  • Patent number: 8302761
    Abstract: An isolating device for isolating objects, in particular fuel pellets, contains a conveying device having a conveying belt with a conveying side and a backing side and is guided over at least two deflection pulleys and on which a number of pushing elements protruding from the conveying side of the conveying belt are arranged. The isolating device is configured for a particularly reliable and interruption-free isolation at a high processing speed. Each pushing element is connected with a directing element arranged on the backing side. The directing element includes a sliding surface facing away from the conveying belt. The conveying device contains a guide rail having a guiding surface for the directing elements arranged in a partial section of the conveying belt lying between the deflection pulleys. The sliding surface and the guiding surface are of a complementary shape so that the sliding surface can slide on the guiding surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Areva NP GmbH
    Inventors: Hermann Janning, Jürgen Schlump