Patents by Inventor William M. Kerlin
William M. Kerlin 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: 11373765Abstract: This disclosure describes systems and methods for synthesizing UCl3 from UCl4. These systems and methods may also be used to directly synthesize binary and ternary embodiments of uranium salts of chloride usable as nuclear fuel in certain molten salt reactor designs. The systems and methods described herein are capable of synthesizing any desired uranium chloride fuel salt that is a combination of UCl4, UCl3 and one or more non-fissile chloride compounds, such as NaCl. In particular, the systems and methods described herein are capable of synthesizing any UCl3—UCl4—NaCl or UCl3—NaCl fuel salt composition from UCl4—NaCl.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2020Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: TerraPower, LLCInventors: Ken Czerwinski, Bassem S. El-Dasher, William M. Kerlin, Aaron J. Unger
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Publication number: 20220139577Abstract: An anti-proliferation technique is disclosed to reduce the likelihood of nuclear proliferation due to the use fissionable fuel salts. The technique includes doping the fuel salt with one or more elements (referred to herein as activation dopants) that, upon exposure to neutrons such as would occur in the fuel salt when a reactor is in operation, undergo a nuclear reaction to, directly or indirectly, form highly active “protecting isotopes” (of the same element as the activation dopant or a different element). A sufficient mass of activation dopants is used so that the Figure of Merit (FOM) of the fuel salt is decreased to below 1.0 within some target number of days of fission. This allows the FOM of the fuel salt to be controlled so that the fuel becomes too dangerous to handle before to the creation of a significant amount of weaponizable isotopes.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2022Publication date: May 5, 2022Inventors: Anselmo T. Cisneros, JR., Ken Czerwinski, Bassem S. El-Dasher, Brian C. Kelleher, William M. Kerlin, Kevin Kramer, Jeffery F. Latkowski, Robert C. Petroski, Joshua C. Walter
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Patent number: 11276503Abstract: An anti-proliferation technique is disclosed to reduce the likelihood of nuclear proliferation due to the use fissionable fuel salts. The technique includes doping the fuel salt with one or more elements (referred to herein as activation dopants) that, upon exposure to neutrons such as would occur in the fuel salt when a reactor is in operation, undergo a nuclear reaction to, directly or indirectly, form highly active “protecting isotopes” (of the same element as the activation dopant or a different element). A sufficient mass of activation dopants is used so that the Figure of Merit (FOM) of the fuel salt is decreased to below 1.0 within some target number of days of fission. This allows the FOM of the fuel salt to be controlled so that the fuel becomes too dangerous to handle before to the creation of a significant amount of weaponizable isotopes.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2019Date of Patent: March 15, 2022Assignee: TerraPower, LLCInventors: Anselmo T. Cisneros, Jr., Ken Czerwinski, Bassem S. El-Dasher, Brian C. Kelleher, William M. Kerlin, Kevin Kramer, Jeffery F. Latkowski, Robert C. Petroski, Joshua C. Walter
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Publication number: 20200251231Abstract: This disclosure describes systems and methods for synthesizing UCl3 from UCl4. These systems and methods may also be used to directly synthesize binary and ternary embodiments of uranium salts of chloride usable as nuclear fuel in certain molten salt reactor designs. The systems and methods described herein are capable of synthesizing any desired uranium chloride fuel salt that is a combination of UCl4, UCl3 and one or more non-fissile chloride compounds, such as NaCl. In particular, the systems and methods described herein are capable of synthesizing any UCl3—UCl4—NaCl or UCl3—NaCl fuel salt composition from UCl4—NaCl.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2020Publication date: August 6, 2020Applicant: TerraPower, LLCInventors: Ken Czerwinski, Bassem S. El-Dasher, William M. Kerlin, Aaron J. Unger
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Publication number: 20200211724Abstract: An anti-proliferation technique is disclosed to reduce the likelihood of nuclear proliferation due to the use fissionable fuel salts. The technique includes doping the fuel salt with one or more elements (referred to herein as activation dopants) that, upon exposure to neutrons such as would occur in the fuel salt when a reactor is in operation, undergo a nuclear reaction to, directly or indirectly, form highly active “protecting isotopes” (of the same element as the activation dopant or a different element). A sufficient mass of activation dopants is used so that the Figure of Merit (FOM) of the fuel salt is decreased to below 1.0 within some target number of days of fission. This allows the FOM of the fuel salt to be controlled so that the fuel becomes too dangerous to handle before to the creation of a significant amount of weaponizable isotopes.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2019Publication date: July 2, 2020Applicant: TerraPower, LLCInventors: Anselmo T. Cisneros, JR., Ken Czerwinski, Bassem S. El-Dasher, Brian C. Kelleher, William M. Kerlin, Kevin Kramer, Jeffery F. Latkowski, Robert C. Petroski, Joshua C. Walter
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Patent number: 10665356Abstract: Configurations of molten fuel salt reactors are described that utilize neutron-reflecting coolants or a combination of primary salt coolants and secondary neutron-reflecting coolants. Further configurations are described that circulate liquid neutron-reflecting material around an reactor core to control the neutronics of the reactor. Furthermore, configurations which use the circulating neutron-reflecting material to actively cool the containment vessel are also described.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2017Date of Patent: May 26, 2020Assignee: TerraPower, LLCInventors: Ryan Abbott, Brian C. Kelleher, William M. Kerlin, Kevin Kramer, Jeffery F. Latkowski, Jon D. McWhirter, Robert C. Petroski, Joshua C. Walter, Jesse R. Cheatham, III, Anselmo T. Cisneros, Jr., Ken Czerwinski, Bassem S. El-Dasher, Daniel Flowers, Charles Gregory Freeman, Mark A. Havstad, Christopher J. Johns
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Patent number: 10566096Abstract: This disclosure describes systems and methods for synthesizing UCl3 from UCl4. These systems and methods may also be used to directly synthesize binary and ternary embodiments of uranium salts of chloride usable as nuclear fuel in certain molten salt reactor designs. The systems and methods described herein are capable of synthesizing any desired uranium chloride fuel salt that is a combination of UCl4, UCl3 and one or more non-fissile chloride compounds, such as NaCl. In particular, the systems and methods described herein are capable of synthesizing any UCl3—UCl4—NaCl or UCl3—NaCl fuel salt composition from UCl4—NaCl.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2017Date of Patent: February 18, 2020Assignee: TerraPower, LLCInventors: Ken Czerwinski, Bassem S. El-Dasher, William M. Kerlin, Aaron J. Unger
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Publication number: 20180047467Abstract: This disclosure describes systems and methods for synthesizing UCl3 from UCl4. These systems and methods may also be used to directly synthesize binary and ternary embodiments of uranium salts of chloride usable as nuclear fuel in certain molten salt reactor designs. The systems and methods described herein are capable of synthesizing any desired uranium chloride fuel salt that is a combination of UCl4, UCl3 and one or more non-fissile chloride compounds, such as NaCl. In particular, the systems and methods described herein are capable of synthesizing any UCl3—UCl4—NaCl or UCl3—NaCl fuel salt composition from UCl4—NaCl.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2017Publication date: February 15, 2018Applicant: TerraPower, LLCInventors: Ken Czerwinski, Bassem S. El-Dasher, William M. Kerlin, Aaron J. Unger
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Publication number: 20170301413Abstract: This disclosure describes nuclear fuel salts usable in certain molten salt reactor designs and related systems and methods. Binary, ternary and quaternary chloride fuel salts of uranium, as well as other fissionable elements, are described. In addition, fuel salts of UClxFy are disclosed as well as bromide fuel salts. This disclosure also presents methods and systems for manufacturing such fuel salts, for creating salts that reduce corrosion of the reactor components and for creating fuel salts that are not suitable for weapons applications.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2017Publication date: October 19, 2017Applicant: TerraPower, LLCInventors: Anselmo T. Cisneros, JR., Ken Czerwinski, Bassem S. El-Dasher, Brian C. Kelleher, William M. Kerlin, Kevin Kramer, Jeffery F. Latkowski, Robert C. Petroski, Joshua C. Walter
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Publication number: 20170301421Abstract: Configurations of molten fuel salt reactors are described that utilize neutron-reflecting coolants or a combination of primary salt coolants and secondary neutron-reflecting coolants. Further configurations are described that circulate liquid neutron-reflecting material around an reactor core to control the neutronics of the reactor. Furthermore, configurations which use the circulating neutron-reflecting material to actively cool the containment vessel are also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2017Publication date: October 19, 2017Applicant: TerraPower, LLCInventors: Ryan Abbott, Jesse R. Cheatham, III, Anselmo T. Cisneros, JR., Ken Czerwinski, Bassem S. El-Dasher, Dan Flowers, Charles Gregory Freeman, Mark A. Havstad, Christopher J. Johns, Brian C. Kelleher, William M. Kerlin, Kevin Kramer, Jeffery F. Latkowski, Jon D. McWhirter, Robert C. Petroski, Joshua C. Walter
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Publication number: 20160189813Abstract: This disclosure describes nuclear fuel salts usable in certain molten salt reactor designs and related systems and methods. Binary, ternary and quaternary chloride fuel salts of uranium, as well as other fissionable elements, are described. In addition, fuel salts of UClxFy are disclosed as well as bromide fuel salts. This disclosure also presents methods and systems for manufacturing such fuel salts, for creating salts that reduce corrosion of the reactor components and for creating fuel salts that are not suitable for weapons applications.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2015Publication date: June 30, 2016Applicant: TerraPower, LLCInventors: Anselmo T. Cisneros, JR., Ken Czerwinski, Bassem S. El-Dasher, William M. Kerlin, Kevin Kramer, Jeffery F. Latkowski, Robert C. Petroski, Joshua C. Walter