Patents by Inventor Andrew C. Whitten
Andrew C. Whitten has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11724830Abstract: A nuclear reactor has first and second plenum plates disposed in a pressure vessel. Both plenum plates have a plurality of apertures. The second plenum plate is parallel to the first plenum plate. A fuel element includes a fuel element coolant flow tube which extends through aligned apertures of the parallel plenum plates. A fuel element standoff spool is disposed about a portion of the fuel element coolant flow tube which is located between the plenum plates. The nuclear reactor is also usable in nuclear thermal propulsion.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2020Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: BWXT Nuclear Energy, Inc.Inventors: James B. Inman, Steven M. Delessio, Andrew C. Whitten, Curtis G. Hamilton
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Publication number: 20220084701Abstract: A nuclear reactor comprises a nuclear reactor core disposed in a pressure vessel. An isolation valve protects a penetration through the pressure vessel. The isolation valve comprises: a mounting flange connecting with a mating flange of the pressure vessel; a valve seat formed into the mounting flange; and a valve member movable between an open position and a closed position sealing against the valve seat. The valve member is disposed inside the mounting flange or inside the mating flange of the pressure vessel. A biasing member operatively connects to the valve member to bias the valve member towards the open position. The bias keeps the valve member in the open position except when a differential fluid pressure across the isolation valve and directed outward from the pressure vessel exceeds a threshold pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2021Publication date: March 17, 2022Inventors: John D. Malloy, III, Matthew W. Ales, Michael J. Edwards, Ronald C. Watson, Andrew C. Whitten
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Patent number: 11189385Abstract: A nuclear reactor comprises a nuclear reactor core disposed in a pressure vessel. An isolation valve protects a penetration through the pressure vessel. The isolation valve comprises: a mounting flange connecting with a mating flange of the pressure vessel; a valve seat formed into the mounting flange; and a valve member movable between an open position and a closed position sealing against the valve seat. The valve member is disposed inside the mounting flange or inside the mating flange of the pressure vessel. A biasing member operatively connects to the valve member to bias the valve member towards the open position. The bias keeps the valve member in the open position except when a differential fluid pressure across the isolation valve and directed outward from the pressure vessel exceeds a threshold pressure.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2018Date of Patent: November 30, 2021Assignee: BWXT mPower, Inc.Inventors: John D. Malloy, III, Matthew W. Ales, Michael J. Edwards, Ronald C. Watson, Andrew C. Whitten
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Patent number: 11158433Abstract: An internal interface structure of a nuclear thermal propulsion nuclear reactor including a reactor vessel and a reactor head, including a substantially cylindrical body having a top end, a bottom end, an inner surface, and an outer surface, and an annular flange extending radially-outwardly from the outer surface of the body, wherein the annular flange of the interface structure is mounted between an upper flange of the reactor vessel and a bottom flange of the reactor head.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2020Date of Patent: October 26, 2021Assignee: BWXT Nuclear Energy, Inc.Inventors: James Brian Inman, Andrew C. Whitten
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Patent number: 10991470Abstract: A nuclear reactor core comprising fissile material is surrounded by a core former. The core former comprises one or more single-piece annular rings wherein each single-piece annular ring comprises neutron-reflecting material. In some embodiments the core former comprises a stack of two or more such single-piece annular rings. In some embodiments the stack of single-piece annular rings is self-supporting. In some embodiments the stack of single-piece annular rings does not include welds or fasteners securing adjacent single-piece annular rings together. A core basket may contain the nuclear reactor core and the core former, and in some embodiments an annular gap is defined between the core former and the core basket. In some embodiments the core former does not include welds and does not include fasteners.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2018Date of Patent: April 27, 2021Assignee: BWXT mPower, Inc.Inventors: Andrew C. Whitten, Matthew W. Ales, Michael J. Edwards
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Publication number: 20210094706Abstract: A nuclear reactor having a pressure vessel, the reactor including a first plenum plate disposed within the pressure vessel, the first plenum plate defining a first plurality of apertures, a second plenum plate disposed within the pressure vessel, the second plenum plate being parallel to the first plenum plate and defining a first plurality of apertures, a fuel element including a fuel element flow tube extending through a first one of both the first pluralities of apertures of both the first and the second plenum plates, and a first fuel element standoff spool being disposed about a portion of the fuel element flow tube that is disposed between the first and the second plenum plates.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2020Publication date: April 1, 2021Inventors: James B. Inman, Steven M. Delessio, Andrew C. Whitten, Curtis G. Hamilton
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Publication number: 20200357531Abstract: An internal interface structure of a nuclear thermal propulsion nuclear reactor including a reactor vessel and a reactor head, including a substantially cylindrical body having a top end, a bottom end, an inner surface, and an outer surface, and an annular flange extending radially-outwardly from the outer surface of the body, wherein the annular flange of the interface structure is mounted between an upper flange of the reactor vessel and a bottom flange of the reactor head.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2020Publication date: November 12, 2020Inventors: James Brian Inman, Andrew C. Whitten
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Publication number: 20190019587Abstract: A nuclear reactor comprises a nuclear reactor core disposed in a pressure vessel. An isolation valve protects a penetration through the pressure vessel. The isolation valve comprises: a mounting flange connecting with a mating flange of the pressure vessel; a valve seat formed into the mounting flange; and a valve member movable between an open position and a closed position sealing against the valve seat. The valve member is disposed inside the mounting flange or inside the mating flange of the pressure vessel. A biasing member operatively connects to the valve member to bias the valve member towards the open position. The bias keeps the valve member in the open position except when a differential fluid pressure across the isolation valve and directed outward from the pressure vessel exceeds a threshold pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2018Publication date: January 17, 2019Inventors: John D. Malloy, III, Matthew W. Ales, Michael J. Edwards, Ronald C. Watson, Andrew C. Whitten
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Publication number: 20180277263Abstract: A nuclear reactor core comprising fissile material is surrounded by a core former. The core former comprises one or more single-piece annular rings wherein each single-piece annular ring comprises neutron-reflecting material. In some embodiments the core former comprises a stack of two or more such single-piece annular rings. In some embodiments the stack of single-piece annular rings is self-supporting. In some embodiments the stack of single-piece annular rings does not include welds or fasteners securing adjacent single-piece annular rings together. A core basket may contain the nuclear reactor core and the core former, and in some embodiments an annular gap is defined between the core former and the core basket. In some embodiments the core former does not include welds and does not include fasteners.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2018Publication date: September 27, 2018Inventors: Andrew C. Whitten, Matthew W. Ales, Michael J. Edwards
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Patent number: 10026511Abstract: A nuclear reactor comprises a nuclear reactor core disposed in a pressure vessel. An isolation valve protects a penetration through the pressure vessel. The isolation valve comprises: a mounting flange connecting with a mating flange of the pressure vessel; a valve seat formed into the mounting flange; and a valve member movable between an open position and a closed position sealing against the valve seat. The valve member is disposed inside the mounting flange or inside the mating flange of the pressure vessel. A biasing member operatively connects to the valve member to bias the valve member towards the open position. The bias keeps the valve member in the open position except when a differential fluid pressure across the isolation valve and directed outward from the pressure vessel exceeds a threshold pressure.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2013Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: BWXT mPower, Inc.Inventors: John D. Malloy, III, Matthew W. Ales, Michael J. Edwards, Ronald C. Watson, Andrew C. Whitten
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Patent number: 9959944Abstract: A nuclear reactor core comprising fissile material is surrounded by a core former. The core former comprises one or more single-piece annular rings wherein each single-piece annular ring comprises neutron-reflecting material. In some embodiments the core former comprises a stack of two or more such single-piece annular rings. In some embodiments the stack of single-piece annular rings is self-supporting. In some embodiments the stack of single-piece annular rings does not include welds or fasteners securing adjacent single-piece annular rings together. A core basket may contain the nuclear reactor core and the core former, and in some embodiments an annular gap is defined between the core former and the core basket. In some embodiments the core former does not include welds and does not include fasteners.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2012Date of Patent: May 1, 2018Assignee: BWXT mPower, Inc.Inventors: Andrew C. Whitten, Michael J. Edwards, Matthew W. Ales
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Patent number: 9558855Abstract: A pressurized water reactor (PWR) comprises: a nuclear core comprising a fissile material; a cylindrical pressure vessel having a vertically oriented cylinder axis and containing the nuclear core immersed in primary coolant water; and a hollow cylindrical central riser disposed concentrically with and inside the cylindrical pressure vessel. A downcomer annulus is defined between the hollow cylindrical central riser and the cylindrical pressure vessel. The hollow cylindrical central riser has a radially expanding upper orifice that merges into an annular divider plate that separates an upper plenum above the annular divider plate from a lower plenum below the annular divider plate. The upper plenum is in fluid communication with the radially expanding upper orifice and the lower plenum is in fluid communication with the downcomer annulus. A weir may extend away from a bottom wall of the lower plenum into the lower plenum.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2011Date of Patent: January 31, 2017Assignees: BWXT Nuclear Energy, Inc., BWXT Canada Ltd.Inventors: Scott J. Shargots, Matthew W. Ales, Michael J. Edwards, Andrew C. Whitten, Yuanming R. Li, Jeffrey C. Millman, Roy McGillvray
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Patent number: 8958519Abstract: A nuclear reactor comprises a pressure vessel, a nuclear reactor core comprising fissile material disposed in the pressure vessel, and a core basket disposed in the pressure vessel and containing the nuclear reactor core. An incore instrument is disposed in a guide tube of the nuclear reactor core. The incore instrument has a cable extending out of the bottom of the nuclear reactor core and making a 180° turn. A bottom support element is attached to the bottom of the core basket and defines or includes a routing tube that routes the cable of the incore instrument through the 180° turn. In some embodiments, the pressure vessel includes upper and lower vessel portions, the nuclear reactor core and core basket are disposed in the lower vessel portion, and the vessel penetration is through the lower vessel portion or through a mid-flange connecting the upper and lower vessel portions.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2012Date of Patent: February 17, 2015Assignee: Babcock & Wilcox mPower, Inc.Inventors: Andrew C. Whitten, Michael J. Edwards
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Publication number: 20130272470Abstract: A nuclear reactor core comprising fissile material is surrounded by a core former. The core former comprises one or more single-piece annular rings wherein each single-piece annular ring comprises neutron-reflecting material. In some embodiments the core former comprises a stack of two or more such single-piece annular rings. In some embodiments the stack of single-piece annular rings is self-supporting. In some embodiments the stack of single-piece annular rings does not include welds or fasteners securing adjacent single-piece annular rings together. A core basket may contain the nuclear reactor core and the core former, and in some embodiments an annular gap is defined between the core former and the core basket. In some embodiments the core former does not include welds and does not include fasteners.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2012Publication date: October 17, 2013Inventors: Andrew C. Whitten, Michael J. Edwards, Matthew W. Ales
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Publication number: 20130272478Abstract: A nuclear reactor comprises a nuclear reactor core disposed in a pressure vessel. An isolation valve protects a penetration through the pressure vessel. The isolation valve comprises: a mounting flange connecting with a mating flange of the pressure vessel; a valve seat formed into the mounting flange; and a valve member movable between an open position and a closed position sealing against the valve seat. The valve member is disposed inside the mounting flange or inside the mating flange of the pressure vessel. A biasing member operatively connects to the valve member to bias the valve member towards the open position. The bias keeps the valve member in the open position except when a differential fluid pressure across the isolation valve and directed outward from the pressure vessel exceeds a threshold pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2013Publication date: October 17, 2013Inventors: John D. MALLOY, III, Matthew W. ALES, Michael J. EDWARDS, Ronald C. WATSON, Andrew C. WHITTEN
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Publication number: 20130272467Abstract: A nuclear reactor comprises a pressure vessel, a nuclear reactor core comprising fissile material disposed in the pressure vessel, and a core basket disposed in the pressure vessel and containing the nuclear reactor core. An incore instrument is disposed in a guide tube of the nuclear reactor core. The incore instrument has a cable extending out of the bottom of the nuclear reactor core and making a 180° turn. A bottom support element is attached to the bottom of the core basket and defines or includes a routing tube that routes the cable of the incore instrument through the 180° turn. In some embodiments, the pressure vessel includes upper and lower vessel portions, the nuclear reactor core and core basket are disposed in the lower vessel portion, and the vessel penetration is through the lower vessel portion or through a mid-flange connecting the upper and lower vessel portions.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2012Publication date: October 17, 2013Applicant: Babcock & Wilcox mPower, Inc.Inventors: Andrew C. Whitten, Michael J. Edwards
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Publication number: 20130121453Abstract: A pressurized water reactor (PWR) comprises: a nuclear core comprising a fissile material; a cylindrical pressure vessel having a vertically oriented cylinder axis and containing the nuclear core immersed in primary coolant water; and a hollow cylindrical central riser disposed concentrically with and inside the cylindrical pressure vessel. A downcomer annulus is defined between the hollow cylindrical central riser and the cylindrical pressure vessel. The hollow cylindrical central riser has a radially expanding upper orifice that merges into an annular divider plate that separates an upper plenum above the annular divider plate from a lower plenum below the annular divider plate. The upper plenum is in fluid communication with the radially expanding upper orifice and the lower plenum is in fluid communication with the downcomer annulus. A weir may extend away from a bottom wall of the lower plenum into the lower plenum.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2011Publication date: May 16, 2013Inventors: Scott J. Shargots, Matthew W. Ales, Michael J. Edwards, Andrew C. Whitten
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Patent number: D713331Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2014Date of Patent: September 16, 2014Assignee: Babcock & Wilcox mPower, Inc.Inventors: James B. Inman, John D. Malloy, III, Matthew W. Ales, Michael J. Edwards, Scott J. Shargots, Andrew C. Whitten