Patents Assigned to Areva GmbH
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Patent number: 10215734Abstract: The application relates to a method for testing a workpiece using ultrasound in a curved region of the surface of said workpiece, having the following steps: a plurality of ultrasonic signals are emitted from a plurality of transmitting positions into the workpiece a corresponding ultrasonic echo signal is received for each ultrasonic signal the ultrasonic echoes having amplitudes representing local maxima are determined for each transmitting position if an individual ultrasonic echo having an amplitude representing a local maximum was determined for a transmitting position in, the associated ultrasonic echo signal of said echo is selected if a plurality of ultrasonic echoes having an amplitude representing a local maximum were determined for a transmitting position, ultrasonic echo signals are selected if only an individual ultrasonic echo having an amplitude representing a local maximum was determined for an adjacent transmitting position at least the selected ultrasonic echo signals are evaluated.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2015Date of Patent: February 26, 2019Assignee: AREVA GMBHInventors: Felix Köber, Kerstin Scholz, Edgar Zaus
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Patent number: 10207248Abstract: A methyl iodide adsorber, comprising a zeolite containing at least one iodide-adsorbing metal or a compound thereof, wherein the zeolite is a hydrophobic zeolite. Also, a use of the adsorber and a method for the adsorption of methyl iodide.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2013Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: Areva GmbHInventors: Katharina Donabauer, Arno Tissler, Mika Endler, Olaf Buttner
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Patent number: 10137399Abstract: A ventilation system for an operating space accessible to operators in a nuclear installation is intended to allow a supply of decontaminated fresh air for a period of a few hours in the event of serious accidents involving the release of radioactive activity. In particular, the component of radioactive inert gases in the fresh air supplied to the operating space should be as small as possible. For this purpose, the ventilation system has a supply air line that is guided from an external inlet to the operating space, and into which a first fan and a first inert gas adsorber column are connected. An exhaust air line is guided from the operating space to an external outlet, and into which a second fan and a second inert gas adsorber column are connected. A switching device is provided for interchanging the roles of the first and second inert gas adsorber columns.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2017Date of Patent: November 27, 2018Assignee: AREVA GmbHInventor: Axel Hill
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Patent number: 10126212Abstract: A hose or tube for transporting a gas specimen has an inner envelope, forming a diffusion barrier and containing a plurality of perforation holes, and an outer envelope, forming a diffusion layer and resting on the inner envelope. The object is to develop a hose or tube so as to ensure transport of a gas specimen over as great a distance as possible without substantial weakening of the concentration, and at the same time without impairing the ability of the gas to be detected to diffuse into the hose or tube. For this purpose, the outer envelope contains diffusion-inhibiting sealing zones on its inner surface, which zones overlap the perforation holes in the inner envelope.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2016Date of Patent: November 13, 2018Assignee: AREVA GmbHInventor: Walter Knoblach
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Patent number: 10067097Abstract: The invention relates to a method for testing a workpiece using ultrasound, wherein an ultrasonic probe generates an ultrasound signal which has a central beam and which is coupled into the workpiece under test, and the central beam is guided along a predefined path on the surface of the workpiece, the central beam and the workpiece being moved in opposite directions at least along a portion of the path.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2015Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: AREVA GMBHInventors: Dieter Ungerer, Joachim Ritter, Sebastian Gripp
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Patent number: 10037827Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for repairing damage to a container wall located under water. A repair device has a carrier having means for fastening the carrier to the container wall, a repair die that has at least one injection opening and at least one outlet opening and can be pressed against the container wall in a remotely controlled manner in order to cover the damage to the container wall and to seal off a chamber formed by the repair die and the container wall, a reservoir for an adhesive, a remotely controllable injection device is arranged on the carrier, which remotely controllable injection device is provided in order to inject adhesive from the reservoir into the injection opening of the repair die so that the chamber formed by the repair die and the container wall is filled by means of the adhesive.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2014Date of Patent: July 31, 2018Assignee: AREVA GMBHInventors: Georg Krämer, Konrad Meier-Hynek, Bernd Bischoff, Martin Neumeister
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Patent number: 10037825Abstract: An emission monitoring system for a venting system of a nuclear power plant is configured for low consumption of energy and high reliability. The emission monitoring system has a pressure relief line connected to a containment and contains a high-pressure section, a low-pressure section, and a sampling line. The sampling line opens into the low-pressure section of the pressure relief line and is guided from there to a functional path and through the sampling line steam flows. A jet pump containing a pump fluid connector, a suction connector and an outlet connector is provided. A pump fluid feed line has an inlet side opening into the high-pressure section of the pressure relief line and is guided from there to the jet pump and connected to the pump fluid connector. A sample return line is guided from the functional path to the jet pump and connected to the suction connector.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2015Date of Patent: July 31, 2018Assignee: AREVA GmbHInventor: Axel Hill
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Patent number: 10031095Abstract: A method for the quantitative analysis of the composition of a gas mixture is specifically suited for the analysis of the atmosphere of a containment in a nuclear installation. Even under difficult conditions, this method enables the simple, reliable and as direct as possible determination of physical parameters, thereby permitting the characteristic definition of the ignition field and the combustion behavior of the gas mixture. A measuring device is provided with a thermal conductivity detector with a first measuring bridge, a thermal tonality detector with a second measuring bridge, and a common evaluation unit. With reference to bridge voltages present on the two measuring bridges, the hydrogen content and the oxygen content are simultaneously determined in the evaluation unit.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2014Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: AREVA GmbHInventor: Axel Hill
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Patent number: 9947425Abstract: The invention relates to a method for reducing the radioactive contamination of the surface of a component used in a nuclear reactor, which component is in contact with radioactively contaminated water, in which method a hydrophobic film is produced on the surface of a component by virtue of the surface being wetted with an aqueous solution which contains a film-forming amphiphilic substance.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2014Date of Patent: April 17, 2018Assignee: AREVA GMBHInventors: Bernhard Stellwag, Luis Sempere-Belda, Ute Ramminger
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Patent number: 9943890Abstract: A method for cleaning and conditioning the water-steam circuit of a power plant, especially of a nuclear power plant, uses an amine as a film-forming agent. The amine is metered into the working medium circulating in the water-steam circuit. The film-forming agent forms a hydrophobic film on the surfaces of the circuit. During the process, the concentration of at least one impurity contained in the water and the concentration of the film-forming agent in at least in the feed water of the steam generator are measured and monitored. The concentration of the film-forming agent is varied, as needed, subject to the concentration of the impurity.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2013Date of Patent: April 17, 2018Assignee: AREVA GmbHInventors: Ute Ramminger, Joerg Fandrich, Fernando-Mario Roumiguiere
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Patent number: 9922735Abstract: The invention relates to a device for closing a pipe opening, opening upwards, of a drive casing pipe accommodating the control rod drive of a boiling water reactor, said device comprising a closure plug with a plug housing, opening downwards, a sealing element guided axially so as to be movable within the plug housing, which element has a sealing face providing a sealing contact with an annular counter face defining the pipe opening, a locking element provided to fix the plug housing on the drive casing pipe, and a spring, which is supported by the upper end thereof on the plug housing and by the lower end thereof on the sealing element and holds said element in a lower end position.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2013Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: AREVA GMBHInventors: Erhard Müller, Paul Huprich, Arne Brockmöller-Meiners
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Patent number: 9916912Abstract: A method for encapsulating a fuel rod or a fuel rod section in a container includes inserting the fuel rod or fuel rod section into the container. One of the ends of the container is connected to a purging-gas line. The container is dehydrated and purged by use of a purging gas. The ends of the container are connected to a bypass line in such a way that a closed gas circuit is produced and a hot gas is circulated in the gas circuit until the absolute moisture content reaches an end value at which the absolute moisture content no longer rises. The container is disconnected from the gas circuit and subsequently the container is closed in a fluid-tight manner at both ends.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2014Date of Patent: March 13, 2018Assignee: Areva GmbHInventors: Wolfgang Hummel, Egon Neubauer, Werner Hoefers, Klaus Kurzer
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Patent number: 9903840Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for detecting temporally varying thermomechanical stresses and/or stress gradients over the wall thickness of metal bodies, in particular pipelines. In the method, the temperature on the outer surface of the body is measured in order to determine a temperature progression and stress progression therefrom. In addition, electromagnetic ultrasonic transducers are used at at least one measuring point on the outer surface in order to determine the progression of the stresses and/or stress gradients over time over the wall thickness of the body in conjunction with the result of the temperature measurement. The method allows the fatigue monitoring of pipelines even in the event of rapid stress changes.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2014Date of Patent: February 27, 2018Assignee: AREVA GMBHInventors: Iris Altpeter, Ralf Tschuncky, Hans-Georg Herrmann, Jochen Kurz, Gerd Dobmann, Gerhard Hübschen, Steffen Bergholz, Jürgen Rudolph
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Publication number: 20180033506Abstract: A method of decontaminating metal surfaces in a cooling system of a nuclear reactor comprises conducting a plurality of treatment cycles, with each of the treatment cycles comprising: an oxidation step wherein metal oxides including radioisotopes on the metal surfaces are contacted with an aqueous solution of a permanganate oxidant; a decontamination step after the oxidation step wherein the metal oxides are contacted with an aqueous solution of an organic acid selected from the group consisting of oxalic acid, formic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, picolinic acid, gluconic acid, glyoxylic acid and mixtures thereof so as to dissolve at least part of the metal oxides and the radioisotopes; and a cleaning step wherein at least the radioisotopes are immobilized on an ion exchange resin; wherein the oxidation step comprises at least one acidic oxidation step and at least one alkaline oxidation step carried out one after another in either the same or different treatment cycles; and wherein the plurality of treatType: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2015Publication date: February 1, 2018Applicant: Areva GMBHInventors: Luis Sempere-Belda, Christian Guenther Topf
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Patent number: 9874406Abstract: A passive two-phase cooling circuit includes a vaporizer and a condenser for a coolant conducted in the cooling circuit. A vaporizer supply line and a vaporizer discharge line are connected to the vaporizer, and a condenser supply line and a condenser discharge line are connected to the condenser. The cooling circuit has a simple and cost-effective structure which reduces or even completely prevents pressure shocks during operation by connecting the vaporizer supply line, the vaporizer discharge line, the condenser supply line and the condenser discharge line to a common damping container. A liquid column forms in the condenser discharge line during the operation of the cooling circuit and the column assumes the function of a liquid-tight seal and of a fluid-dynamic vibration damper.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2016Date of Patent: January 23, 2018Assignee: Areva GmbHInventors: Thomas Fuchs, Leo Ornot, Markus Reck, Matthias Reuter
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Publication number: 20180019033Abstract: The invention provides a method of preparing irradiation targets for radioisotope production in instrumentation tubes of a nuclear power reactor, the method comprising the steps of: providing a powder of an oxide of a rare earth metal having a purity of greater than 99%; consolidating the powder in a mold to form a round green body having a green density of at least 50 percent of the theoretical density; and sintering the spherical green body in solid phase at a temperature of at least 70 percent of a solidus temperature of the rare earth metal oxide powder and for a time sufficient to form a round sintered rare earth metal oxide target having a sintered density of at least 80 percent of the theoretical density.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2015Publication date: January 18, 2018Applicant: Areva GmbHInventors: Beatrice Schuster, Robert Bathelt, Karl Goesswein
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Patent number: 9747679Abstract: A method for measuring the deflection of a fuel element can for a fuel element of a boiling water reactor involves taking an image of the fuel element can with a camera and evaluating the image using photogrammetry. By means of the method, it is possible to determine the deflection of a fuel element can by taking a single image, even in the absence of external structural features recognizable in the image, and without knowledge of the relative position between the camera and the fuel element can.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2013Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: AREVA GMBHInventor: Wolfgang Hummel
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Patent number: 9697921Abstract: A ventilation system operating method for a service personnel-accessible operations room or control room in a nuclear plant or nuclear power plant enables a supply of decontaminated fresh air at least for a few hours in the event of serious incidents involving the release of radioactive activity. The content of radioactive inert gases in the fresh air supplied to the operations room should be as low as possible. Therefore, an air supply line is guided from an external inlet to the operations room, a first fan and a first inert gas adsorber column are connected into the air supply line, an air discharge line is guided from the operations room to an external outlet, a second fan and a second inert gas adsorber column are connected into the air discharge line, and a switchover device interchanges the roles of the first and second inert gas adsorber columns.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2016Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignee: Areva GmbHInventor: Axel Hill
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Patent number: 9666314Abstract: A device of repairing a damaged area in an underwater wall region of a container or tank, in particular in the wall region of a tank of a nuclear reactor installation. The device has a guide system that can be mounted along a side wall, at a distance therefrom, and can be secured thereto. At least one first carriage is fitted onto the track of the guide system and movable in a longitudinal direction of the guide system. On the carriage there is displaceably mounted a receptacle for a repair overlay, which can be applied with an adhesive surface to the wall region containing the damaged area. At least one suction mount that is connected to a suction line is disposed on the first carriage and can be suctioned to the side wall.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2012Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: AREVA GMBHInventors: Georg Krämer, Konrad Meier-Hynek, Lothar Nehr
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Patent number: 9527756Abstract: A process removes radioactive contamination from wastewater obtained in the decontamination of a cooling circuit of nuclear reactors or of parts thereof or in the course of operation of a nuclear reactor. A MnO2 precipitate is exclusively produced in the wastewater with the aid of permanganate ions added thereto as an oxidizing agent and of one or more organic reducing agents present in and/or metered into the wastewater, and the MnO2 precipitate is separated from the wastewater.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2014Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: Areva GmbHInventors: Luis Sempere-Belda, Rainer Gassen, Bertram Zeiler, Jose Pedro Moreira Do Amaral