Patents by Inventor Ronald J. Litchford

Ronald J. Litchford 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).

  • Co-60 breeding reactor tandem with thermionic avalanche cell
    Patent number: 11037687
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments enable a Nuclear Thermionic Avalanche Cell (NTAC) to capture gamma ray photons emitted during a fission process, such as a fission process of Uranium-235 (U-235), and to breed and use a new gamma ray source to increase an overall emission flux of gamma ray photons. Various embodiments combine a fission process with the production of Co-60, thereby boosting the output flux of gamma ray photons for use by a NTAC in generating power. Various embodiments combine a fission process with the production of Co-60, a NTAC generating avalanche cell power, and a thermoelectric generator generating thermoelectric power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA
    Inventors: Sang H. Choi, Ronald J. Litchford
  • Co-60 Breeding Reactor Tandem with Thermionic Avalanche Cell
    Publication number: 20190287687
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments enable a Nuclear Thermionic Avalanche Cell (NTAC) to capture gamma ray photons emitted during a fission process, such as a fission process of Uranium-235 (U-235), and to breed and use a new gamma ray source to increase an overall emission flux of gamma ray photons. Various embodiments combine a fission process with the production of Co-60, thereby boosting the output flux of gamma ray photons for use by a NTAC in generating power. Various embodiments combine a fission process with the production of Co-60, a NTAC generating avalanche cell power, and a thermoelectric generator generating thermoelectric power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventors: Sang H. Choi, Ronald J. Litchford