Patents by Inventor James M. Vollmer
James M. Vollmer 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: 11946702Abstract: A nuclear reactor includes a heat exchanger that transfers thermal energy from a primary reactor coolant to a secondary coolant. The heat exchanger is formed with a hot flow channel, a cold flow channel, and a porous layer between the hot flow channel and the cold flow channel. The porous layer may be thermally insulative to reduce the efficiency of thermal energy transfer from the hot flow channel to the cold flow channel. The porous layer may have a control gas passed therethrough that can be tailored to control the thermal energy transfer through the porous layer. The control gas can be tested for leakage within the heat exchanger. The control gas may also be used to sequester fission or activation products.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2021Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: TERRAPOWER, LLCInventors: Joon Hyung Choi, Daniel Eichel, Mei He, Pavel Hejzlar, Mathieu G. Martin, Samuel J. Miller, James M. Vollmer
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Patent number: 11776701Abstract: A getter element includes a getter material reactive with a fission product contained within a stream of liquid and/or gas exiting a fuel assembly of a nuclear reactor. At least one transmission pathway passes through the getter element that is sufficiently sized to maintain a flow of the input stream through the getter element at above a selected flow level. At least one transmission pathway includes a reaction surface area sufficient to uptake a pre-identified quantity of the fission product.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2022Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: TERRAPOWER, LLCInventors: Daniel Eichel, James M. Vollmer
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Publication number: 20230104365Abstract: A getter element includes a getter material reactive with a fission product contained within a stream of liquid and/or gas exiting a fuel assembly of a nuclear reactor. At least one transmission pathway passes through the getter element that is sufficiently sized to maintain a flow of the input stream through the getter element at above a selected flow level. At least one transmission pathway includes a reaction surface area sufficient to uptake a pre-identified quantity of the fission product.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2022Publication date: April 6, 2023Inventors: Daniel Eichel, James M. Vollmer
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Patent number: 11501883Abstract: A getter element includes a getter material reactive with a fission product contained within a stream of liquid and/or gas exiting a fuel assembly of a nuclear reactor. At least one transmission pathway passes through the getter element that is sufficiently sized to maintain a flow of the input stream through the getter element at above a selected flow level. At least one transmission pathway includes a reaction surface area sufficient to uptake a pre-identified quantity of the fission product.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2020Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: TERRAPOWER, LLCInventors: Daniel Eichel, James M. Vollmer
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Publication number: 20220310278Abstract: A nuclear reactor includes a heat exchanger that transfers thermal energy from a primary reactor coolant to a secondary coolant. The heat exchanger is formed with a hot flow channel, a cold flow channel, and a porous layer between the hot flow channel and the cold flow channel. The porous layer may be thermally insulative to reduce the efficiency of thermal energy transfer from the hot flow channel to the cold flow channel. The porous layer may have a control gas passed therethrough that can be tailored to control the thermal energy transfer through the porous layer. The control gas can be tested for leakage within the heat exchanger. The control gas may also be used to sequester fission or activation products.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2021Publication date: September 29, 2022Inventors: Joon Hyung Choi, Daniel Eichel, Mei He, Pavel Hejzlar, Mathieu G. Martin, Samuel J. Miller, James M. Vollmer
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Patent number: 11170901Abstract: A molten salt reactor includes a nuclear reactor core for sustaining a nuclear fission reaction fueled by a molten fuel salt. A molten fuel salt control system removes a volume of the molten fuel salt from the nuclear reactor core to maintain a reactivity parameter within a range of nominal reactivity. The molten fuel salt control system includes a molten fuel salt exchange system that fluidically couples to the nuclear reactor core and exchanges a volume of the molten fuel salt with a volume of a feed material containing a mixture of a selected fertile material and a carrier salt. The molten fuel salt control system can include a volumetric displacement control system having one or more volumetric displacement bodies insertable into the nuclear reactor core. Each volumetric displacement body can remove a volume of molten fuel salt from the nuclear reactor core, such as via a spill-over system.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2019Date of Patent: November 9, 2021Assignee: TerraPower, LLCInventors: Jesse R. Cheatham, III, Anselmo T. Cisneros, Jr., Jeffery F. Latkowski, James M. Vollmer, Christopher J. Johns
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Patent number: 11028303Abstract: Sodium-tin and sodium-tin-lead compositions have been identified and created that exhibit better reactivity characteristics (i.e., are less reactive) than sodium metal under the same conditions, making these compositions safer alternatives to sodium metal for use as a coolant. These compositions include compositions having at least 90% sodium (Na), from 0-10% lead (Pb) and the balance being tin (Sn).Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2018Date of Patent: June 8, 2021Assignee: TerraPower, LLCInventors: Robert A. Corbin, Kevin Kramer, Christopher M. Regan, James M. Vollmer
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Publication number: 20200373023Abstract: A getter element includes a getter material reactive with a fission product contained within a stream of liquid and/or gas exiting a fuel assembly of a nuclear reactor. At least one transmission pathway passes through the getter clement that is sufficiently sized to maintain a flow of the input stream through the getter element at above a selected flow level. At least one transmission pathway includes a reaction surface area sufficient to uptake a pre-identified quantity of the fission product.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2020Publication date: November 26, 2020Inventors: Daniel Eichel, James M. Vollmer
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Patent number: 10685750Abstract: A getter element includes a getter material reactive with a fission product contained within a stream of liquid and/or gas exiting a fuel assembly of a nuclear reactor. At least one transmission pathway passes through the getter element that is sufficiently sized to maintain a flow of the input stream through the getter element at above a selected flow level. At least one transmission pathway includes a reaction surface area sufficient to uptake a pre-identified quantity of the fission product.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2017Date of Patent: June 16, 2020Assignee: TERRAPOWER, LLC.Inventors: Daniel Eichel, James M. Vollmer
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Publication number: 20200118698Abstract: A molten salt reactor includes a nuclear reactor core for sustaining a nuclear fission reaction fueled by a molten fuel salt. A molten fuel salt control system removes a volume of the molten fuel salt from the nuclear reactor core to maintain a reactivity parameter within a range of nominal reactivity. The molten fuel salt control system includes a molten fuel salt exchange system that fluidically couples to the nuclear reactor core and exchanges a volume of the molten fuel salt with a volume of a feed material containing a mixture of a selected fertile material and a carrier salt. The molten fuel salt control system can include a volumetric displacement control system having one or more volumetric displacement bodies insertable into the nuclear reactor core. Each volumetric displacement body can remove a volume of molten fuel salt from the nuclear reactor core, such as via a spill-over system.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2019Publication date: April 16, 2020Applicant: TerraPower, LLCInventors: Jesse R. Cheatham, III, Anselmo T. Cisneros, JR., Jeffery F. Latkowski, James M. Vollmer, Christopher J. Johns
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Publication number: 20200027583Abstract: Annular metal fuel and fuel rods are described that have improved performance over uranium oxide fuel rods. The annular metal fuel can be made out of porous metal nuclear fuel and will generate more power and operate at a much lower temperature than uranium oxide fuel. The annular metal fuel rods may be used in traveling wave reactors and other fast reactors. Pressurized water reactors may also be retrofit with annular metal fuel rods to improve reactor performance.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2018Publication date: January 23, 2020Applicant: TerraPower, LLCInventors: Joon Hyung Choi, Micah J. Hackett, Pavel Hejzlar, Ryan N. Latta, James M. Vollmer
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Patent number: 10438705Abstract: A molten salt reactor includes a nuclear reactor core for sustaining a nuclear fission reaction fueled by a molten fuel salt. A molten fuel salt control system removes a volume of the molten fuel salt from the nuclear reactor core to maintain a reactivity parameter within a range of nominal reactivity. The molten fuel salt control system includes a molten fuel salt exchange system that fluidically couples to the nuclear reactor core and exchanges a volume of the molten fuel salt with a volume of a feed material containing a mixture of a selected fertile material and a carrier salt. The molten fuel salt control system can include a volumetric displacement control system having one or more volumetric displacement bodies insertable into the nuclear reactor core. Each volumetric displacement body can remove a volume of molten fuel salt from the nuclear reactor core, such as via a spill-over system.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2015Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignee: TERRAPOWER, LLCInventors: Jesse R. Cheatham, III, Anselmo T. Cisneros, Jr., Jeffery F. Latkowski, James M. Vollmer, Christopher J. Johns
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Publication number: 20190153285Abstract: Sodium-tin and sodium-tin-lead compositions have been identified and created that exhibit better reactivity characteristics (i.e., are less reactive) than sodium metal under the same conditions, making these compositions safer alternatives to sodium metal for use as a coolant. These compositions include compositions having at least 90% sodium (Na), from 0-10% lead (Pb) and the balance being tin (Sn).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2018Publication date: May 23, 2019Applicant: TerraPower, LLCInventors: Robert A. Corbin, Christopher M. Regan, James M. Vollmer
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Publication number: 20190043625Abstract: This disclosure describes fuel-cladding chemical interaction (FCCI) resistant nuclear fuel elements and their manufacturing techniques. The nuclear fuel elements include two or more layers of different materials (i.e., adjacent barriers are of different base materials) provided on a steel cladding to reduce the effects of FCCI between the cladding and the nuclear material. Depending on the embodiment, a layer may be the structural element (i.e., a layer thick enough to provide more than 50% of the strength of the overall component consisting of the cladding and the barriers) or may be more appropriately described as a liner or coating that is applied in some fashion to a surface of the structural component (e.g., to the cladding, or to a structural form of the fuel).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2018Publication date: February 7, 2019Applicant: TerraPower, LLCInventors: Micah J. Hackett, Grant Helmreich, Ryan N. Latta, Gary Povirk, Philip M. Schloss, James M. Vollmer
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Publication number: 20170263339Abstract: A getter element includes a getter material reactive with a fission product contained within a stream of liquid and/or gas exiting a fuel assembly of a nuclear reactor. At least one transmission pathway passes through the getter element that is sufficiently sized to maintain a flow of the input stream through the getter element at above a selected flow level. At least one transmission pathway includes a reaction surface area sufficient to uptake a pre-identified quantity of the fission product.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2017Publication date: September 14, 2017Inventors: Daniel Eichel, James M. Vollmer
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Publication number: 20160189806Abstract: A molten salt reactor includes a nuclear reactor core for sustaining a nuclear fission reaction fueled by a molten fuel salt. A molten fuel salt control system removes a volume of the molten fuel salt from the nuclear reactor core to maintain a reactivity parameter within a range of nominal reactivity. The molten fuel salt control system includes a molten fuel salt exchange system that fluidically couples to the nuclear reactor core and exchanges a volume of the molten fuel salt with a volume of a feed material containing a mixture of a selected fertile material and a carrier salt. The molten fuel salt control system can include a volumetric displacement control system having one or more volumetric displacement bodies insertable into the nuclear reactor core. Each volumetric displacement body can remove a volume of molten fuel salt from the nuclear reactor core, such as via a spill-over system.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2015Publication date: June 30, 2016Inventors: Jesse R. Cheatham, III, Anselmo T. Cisneros, JR., Jeffery F. Latkowski, James M. Vollmer, Christopher J. Johns
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Patent number: 9362010Abstract: In response to a change in a thermal operational parameter in a nuclear fission reactor, reactivity is controlled by driving a neutron absorption parameter modifying material to or from a region of the core of the nuclear fission reactor. The apparatus includes a driver material disposed in a first reservoir portion and a second reservoir portion of a first reservoir and connected by a first conduit. A high-Z material may be distributed in the driver material. The neutron absorption parameter modifying material is disposed in both a second reservoir and the second reservoir portion of the first reservoir. A portion of the neutron absorption parameter modifying material is in physical contact with a portion of the driver material in the second reservoir portion. The neutron absorption parameter modifying material is driveable by the driver material between the second reservoir portion and the second reservoir through a second conduit.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2012Date of Patent: June 7, 2016Assignee: TerraPower, LLCInventors: Jesse R. Cheatham, III, Robert A. Corbin, Michael E. Garrett, John Rogers Gilleland, Pavel Hejzlar, Christopher J. Johns, Brian C. Johnson, Yu-Chih Ko, Jon D. McWhirter, Robert C. Petroski, K. Michael Steer, Bao H. Truong, James M. Vollmer, Joshua C. Walter, Kevan D. Weaver
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Publication number: 20140185733Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include fuel assemblies, methods of making a fuel element, and methods of using a fuel element.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2013Publication date: July 3, 2014Inventors: Gary Povirk, James M. Vollmer, Ryan N. Latta, Grant Helmreich, Phillip Schloss