Patents by Inventor Romain Thuillier

Romain Thuillier 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).

  • Patent number: 10385974
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a passive shutdown sealing device (20) for a reactor coolant pump unit comprising: a split sealing ring (23) having an inactivated position in which a leakage flow is permitted and an activated position in which said ring stops said leakage flow; at least one piston (22) designed to position said split sealing ring (23) in its activated position; locking/unlocking means (25) designed to lock said at least one piston (22) in its inactivated position when the temperature of said locking/unlocking means is below a temperature threshold and to release said at least one piston (22) when the temperature of said locking/unlocking means is above said temperature threshold; elastic means (24) designed to move said at least one piston (22) when said piston is released, so as to position said sealing ring (23) in its activated position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Areva NP
    Inventor: Romain Thuillier
  • Patent number: 9903473
    Abstract: A method for carrying out emergent shaft sealing for a reactor coolant pump and a shaft sealing assembly is provided. The method comprises the steps that a passive stopping sealing member is arranged in a first sealing assembly and forms an opening under the normal operation condition, without affecting the first sealing assembly using a liquid film formed by fluid static pressure to prevent reactor coolant from leaking along a pump shaft; under the station blackout condition, after sensing high-temperature fluid flowing into the first sealing assembly, the passive stopping sealing member is closed and holds the pump shaft of the reactor coolant pump tightly, the gap between the first sealing assembly and the pump shaft of the reactor coolant pump is blocked, and therefore the reactor coolant is prevented from leaking along the pump shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: AREVA NP
    Inventor: Romain Thuillier
  • Publication number: 20160312893
    Abstract: A method for carrying out emergent shaft sealing for a reactor coolant pump and a shaft sealing assembly is provided. The method comprises the steps that a passive stopping sealing member is arranged in a first sealing assembly and forms an opening under the normal operation condition, without affecting the first sealing assembly using a liquid film formed by fluid static pressure to prevent reactor coolant from leaking along a pump shaft; under the station blackout condition, after sensing high-temperature fluid flowing into the first sealing assembly, the passive stopping sealing member is closed and holds the pump shaft of the reactor coolant pump tightly, the gap between the first sealing assembly and the pump shaft of the reactor coolant pump is blocked, and therefore the reactor coolant is prevented from leaking along the pump shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Inventor: Romain THUILLIER
  • Publication number: 20150108721
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a passive shutdown sealing device (20) for a reactor coolant pump unit comprising: a split sealing ring (23) having an inactivated position in which a leakage flow is permitted and an activated position in which said ring stops said leakage flow; at least one piston (22) designed to position said split sealing ring (23) in its activated position; locking/unlocking means (25) designed to lock said at least one piston (22) in its inactivated position when the temperature of said locking/unlocking means is below a temperature threshold and to release said at least one piston (22) when the temperature of said locking/unlocking means is above said temperature threshold; elastic means (24) designed to move said at least one piston (22) when said piston is released, so as to position said sealing ring (23) in its activated position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventor: Romain Thuillier