Patents by Inventor Karl W. R. Johnson

Karl W. R. Johnson 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).

  • Fabrication of thorium bearing carbide fuels
    Patent number: 4261935
    Abstract: Thorium-uranium carbide and thorium-plutonium carbide fuel pellets have been fabricated by the carbothermic reduction process. Temperatures of 1750.degree. C. and 2000.degree. C. were used during the reduction cycle. Sintering temperatures of 1800.degree. C. and 2000.degree. C. were used to prepare fuel pellet densities of 87% and >94% of theoretical, respectively. The process allows the fabrication of kilogram quantities of fuel with good reproducibility of chemicals and phase composition. Methods employing liquid techniques that form carbide microspheres or alloying-techniques which form alloys of thorium-uranium or thorium-plutonium suffer from limitation on the quantities processed of because of criticality concerns and lack of precise control of process conditions, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1979
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1981
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Rueben L. Gutierrez, Richard J. Herbst, Karl W. R. Johnson