Patents Assigned to AREVA
  • Pressure-regulating device for a system of fuel-cell stacks
    Patent number: 9461315
    Abstract: A system of fuel-cell stacks is provided. The system includes fuel-cell stacks, a circuit for supplying each fuel-cell stack with an oxidizing fluid, a circuit for supplying each fuel-cell stack with a reducing fluid, and a pressure-regulating device fitted to the supply circuits so as to regulate the fluid pressure in each fuel-cell stack. The pressure-regulating device includes a first line for controlling the fluid pressure and a second line for passing the fluid, these two lines being placed in parallel between an upstream channel delivering fluid from a supply circuit and downstream channels connected to each fuel-cell stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: AREVA STOCKAGE D'ENERGIE
    Inventor: Thierry Geneston
  • PROCESS FOR PREPARING A POWDER COMPRISING A SOLID SOLUTION OF URANIUM DIOXIDE AND OF A DIOXIDE OF AT LEAST ONE OTHER ACTINIDE AND/OR LANTHANIDE ELEMENT
    Publication number: 20160272505
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for preparing a powder of a solid solution of dioxide of uranium and of at least one other actinide and/or lanthanide element comprising a step for combustion of a solution comprising uranyl nitrate and at least one nitrate of the other actinide and/or lanthanide element and nitrogen-containing fuel used according to a specific predetermined amount so as to form at the end of this step, said solid solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Applicants: COMMISSARIAT À L 'ÉNERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ÉNERGIES AL TERNATIVES, AREVA NC
    Inventors: Guillaume PETER-SOLDANI, Stephane GRANDJEAN, Francis ABRAHAM
  • Device for axially holding an element of elongate shape and for setting it in rotation around its axis
    Patent number: 9446469
    Abstract: An installation for welding top plugs on to nuclear fuel rods comprising a device for axially holding the rod and setting it in rotation and a weld chamber, where the device comprises a gripper and structure to close the gripper on the rod, where the structure comprise a pusher to apply an axial force on to the gripper, a linear actuator of axis parallel to the lengthways axis of the device, a yoke translationally secured to the pusher, and able to rotate freely around a fixed axis orthogonal to the lengthways axis which is not secant with the latter, where the yoke is connected and able to pivot relative to the linear actuator around a fixed axis parallel to the orthogonal axis such that the linear actuator causes the yoke to rotate around the first orthogonal axis and causes the pusher to slide, closing the gripper on the rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Areva NC
    Inventors: Marc Fischer, Jean-Marc Boyer
  • METHOD FOR PREDICTION OF LIGHT WATER REACTOR FUEL DEFECTS USING A FUEL CONDITION INDEX
    Publication number: 20160268010
    Abstract: A method to assess light water reactor fuel integrity is presented having the steps of granting access in a nuclear reactor fuel pool to at least one of a discharged fuel rod and a nuclear fuel assembly, calculating an operating flux for the fuel rod, measuring a thickness of CRUD on the fuel rod, measuring a thickness of oxide on the fuel rod, calculating a maximized flux for the at least one fuel rod for a position of the one fuel rod in a nuclear reactor, calculating a maximized deposit for the fuel rod, calculating a maximized oxide thickness for the fuel rod, calculating a fuel condition index of the fuel rod, comparing the fuel condition index to an index constant, and removing the fuel rod from operation when the fuel condition index is greater than the index constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Applicant: AREVA Inc.
    Inventors: Mihai G. M. Pop, Brian Glenn Lockamon
  • Bifunctional compounds useful as ligands of uranium (VI), methods of synthesising same and uses thereof
    Patent number: 9441285
    Abstract: New compounds which meet general formula (I): where: m=0, 1 or 2; R1 and R2=a C6 to C12, straight-chain or branched, hydrocarbon group; R3=H, a C1 to C12, straight-chain or branched, hydrocarbon group, optionally comprising one or more heteroatoms; a C3 to C8 monocyclic hydrocarbon group, optionally comprising one or more heteroatoms, or a monocyclic (hetero)aryl group; or else R2 and R3 together form a —(CH2)n— group where n=1 to 4; R4=a C2 to C8, straight-chain or branched, hydrocarbon group, or a monocyclic aromatic group; R5=H, or a C1 to C12, straight-chain or branched, hydrocarbon group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Areva Mines
    Inventors: Guilhem Arrachart, Nicolas Aychet, Gilles Bernier, Fabien Burdet, Antoine Leydier, Manuel Miguirditchian, Stephane Pellet-Rostaing, Gabriel Plancque, Raphael Turgis, Elisabeth Zekri
  • System for storage and transportation of spent nuclear fuel
    Patent number: 9443626
    Abstract: A concrete storage module (26) is adapted to slideably receive a cylindrical canister assembly (12) therein. Heat dissipation fins (62) and a tubular heat shield (96) are disposed within the module to help dissipate heat emitted from the nuclear fuel assemblies stored in the canister to air flowing through the module. The canister assembly (12) is composed of a basket assembly (70) constructed from multi-layer structural plates disposed in cross-cross or egg carton configuration. A single port tool (106) is provided for draining water from the canister (12) and replacing the drain water with make-up gas. The single port tool is mounted in the cover (100) of the canister and is in fluid flow communication with the interior of the canister.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Areva Inc.
    Inventors: William Bracey, Thomas van Riper, Uwe Wolf, Jayant Rajabhau Bondre, Kamran Tavassoli, Raheel Haroon
  • Strip for a nuclear fuel assembly spacer grid
    Patent number: 9443619
    Abstract: The strip is of the type comprising a wall portion for delimiting a cell for receiving a fuel rod and allowing flow of a coolant upwardly through the spacer grid, a spring provided on the wall portion for biasing a fuel rod extending through the cell away from the wall portion, the spring being cut out in the strip and delimited by a slot and a motion limiter formed in the strip on the wall portion to limit motion of a fuel rod received in the cell towards the wall portion against action of the spring. According to one aspect of the invention, the motion limiter is located on an edge of the slot opposite the spring and defines a risen portion on the edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: AREVA NP
    Inventors: Michael Liebler, Werner Meier
  • Test head for testing a workpiece having an ultrasonic transducer configuration containing a plurality of ultrasonic transducers and process for producing such a test head
    Patent number: 9423382
    Abstract: A test head for testing a workpiece has an ultrasonic transducer configuration with a plurality of ultrasonic transducers. The test head further contains a carrier matched to a surface contour of the workpiece, a damping layer arranged on the carrier, and a flexible conductor foil configuration, which is arranged on the damping layer and has a number of electrically separated conductor tracks which corresponds to the number of transducer elements. The transducer elements are arranged on the conductor tracks alongside one another in at least one row, and in each case are electrically contact-connected to one of the conductor tracks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignees: Areva GmbH, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Angewandten Forschung E.V.
    Inventors: Guenter Engl, Michael Kroening, Henning Heuer, Thomas Herzog
  • METHOD FOR THE QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE COMPOSITION OF A GAS MIXTURE AND ASSOCIATED MEASURING DEVICE
    Publication number: 20160238546
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Applicant: AREVA GMBH
    Inventor: AXEL HILL
  • Working platform for an offshore wind energy plant and method for manufacturing the same
    Patent number: 9416511
    Abstract: Working platform (6) and offshore wind energy plant (2) comprising a working platform (6), wherein the working platform (6) is configured to be mounted to an outside wall (16) of the tower (4) of the offshore wind energy plant (2) by help of welded joints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: AREVA Wind GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Kramer, Michael Gennrich
  • Fuel assembly for a boiling water reactor
    Patent number: 9418766
    Abstract: A fuel assembly of a boiling water reactor contains a fuel assembly base closed at the top by a filter plate, a fuel assembly head, and, disposed between them, a bundle of long and medium-length fuel rods extending away from the fuel assembly base. A water channel is disposed inside the fuel rod bundle. A plurality of the medium-length fuel rods are fixed axially on a separate holding part which is connected to the upper side of the fuel assembly base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Areva GmbH
    Inventors: Erhard Friedrich, Hans-Joachim Lippert, Roland Rink
  • Photonic spectrometry device and method, method for calibrating the device, and use of the device
    Patent number: 9400336
    Abstract: A photonic spectrometry device is provided. The photonic spectrometry device comprises several identical spectrometers each spectrometer comprising a radiation sensor and being capable of providing a measurement spectrum corresponding to the measurements of the sensor during a time interval, the spectrometers being capable of performing measurements simultaneously on one same radiation-emitting product and of providing measurement spectra for one same time interval, and a processor capable of determining a net spectrum from each of the measurement spectra provided by the spectrometers for one same time interval, and of determining a global spectrum resulting from the summation of the net spectra determined for one same time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: AREVA NP
    Inventor: Eric Berruyer
  • Boiling water reactor core shroud head bolt retainer tool
    Patent number: 9393680
    Abstract: The inventive tool is designed to ensure proper plant operation position of the core shroud head bolt assemblies of a boiling water nuclear reactor. The tool exerts an upward pulling force on stuck retainers to return them to the locking position around the nut. The tool includes a frame, an engagement member, and a collar. The engagement member is lowered toward and end of the bolt until it comes into contact therewith. Further movement of the engagement member causes the frame and collar to move upward, lifting the retainer and extending the spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: AREVA Inc.
    Inventor: Jason B. Cocke
  • Safety system for a nuclear plant and nuclear plant with a safety system
    Patent number: 9396821
    Abstract: A safety system for a nuclear plant includes a plurality of catalytic recombiner elements each triggering a recombination reaction with oxygen when hydrogen is entrained in an onflowing gas flow, so that reliable elimination of the hydrogen from the gas mixture is ensured with an especially high degree of operational safety even based on comparatively extreme conditions or scenarios of the aforementioned type. The recombiner elements and/or the flow paths each connecting two recombiner elements on the gas side are configured in such a way that a pressure pulse triggered in the gas medium by an ignition during the recombination reaction in a first recombiner element triggers a gas displacement process having a flow rate of at least 5 m/s in the onflow region of a second, adjacent recombiner element. A nuclear plant with a safety system is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Areva GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Eckardt, Norbert Losch
  • Fuel assembly for a pressurized water reactor
    Patent number: 9390817
    Abstract: A fuel assembly for a pressurized water nuclear reactor includes a multiplicity of fuel rods which extend in a longitudinal direction and are guided in a plurality of spacers that are spaced apart from one another axially. The spacers of an upper region have a lower flow resistance in a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, than the spacers of a lower region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Areva GmbH
    Inventors: Jürgen Stabel, Hans-Joachim Lippert, Mingmin Ren, Bernd Dressel
  • Method for operating a nuclear reactor and use of a specific fuel rod cladding alloy in order to reduce damage caused by pellet/cladding interaction
    Patent number: 9378850
    Abstract: A method for operating a nuclear reactor in order to produce electricity, such that the reactor is controlled so that, during a transient power occurrence for at least one of: a linear power density of the nuclear fuel rod remains lower than a limit linear power density, the limit linear power density being greater than 430 W/cm, and a variation of linear power density of the nuclear fuel rod remains lower than a limit variation, the limit variation being greater than 180 W/cm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: AREVA NP
    Inventors: Christine Delafoy, Bruno Julien
  • Lance for removing deposits adhering to the tube sheet of a steam generator
    Patent number: 9366426
    Abstract: The invention relates to a lance for removing deposits adhering to the tube sheet of a steam generator, comprising a flexible strip which is introducing into intermediate tube areas of the steam generator, which has a cleaning head at the free end of the strip, and which comprises at least one water hose that is used to supply a flow of water to the cleaning head. In a use situation, the cleaning head comprises a working face which faces the tube sheet or deposits present thereon, an outlet opening which is fluidically connected to the water hose and opens into the working face, and a mechanical tool which acts on the deposits and removes material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: AREVA GMBH
    Inventors: Sebastian Popp, Johannes Stoss, Renate Kilian, Franz Strohmer
  • Nuclear reactor assembly having a connection between a control rod guide tube and a drive housing pipe
    Patent number: 9362011
    Abstract: A boiling water reactor assembly includes a bayonet plate closure between a control rod guide tube and a drive housing pipe. The bayonet plate closure has a bayonet plate constructed in two parts including a central bayonet ring mounted rotatably about its longitudinal axis and an outer ring completely surrounding the bayonet ring. The outer ring is mounted on the periphery of the bayonet ring and reaches inwards under the bayonet ring periphery. The ring is furthermore permanently supported in the axial direction on the drive housing pipe by spring pressure acting on the control rod guide tube, in order to produce a frictional connection. The spring pressure can be released unhindered from the reactor side by tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Areva GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Lemm, Elayza Irak, Benediktus Wintermann, Friedrich Leibold
  • Electrode-changing device having improved safety
    Patent number: 9358630
    Abstract: Device for removing an electrode from an electrode holder and/or fitting an electrode into an electrode holder, said electrode holder forming part of a welding device, said device comprising a spent electrode receptacle provided with an orifice and an assembly mounted on said orifice, said assembly comprising a through passage with a longitudinal axis connecting a housing to hold one end of the electrode holder forming a mandrel, and the receptacle, said longitudinal axis being designed to be approximately vertical, means of tightening or loosening an electrode holder mandrel, means of fixing the electrode to said device and means of enabling or disabling dropping of the spent electrode into the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: AREVA NC
    Inventors: Jean-Luc Allard, Jean-Pierre Schwanck
  • Assembly and method for detecting and measuring the fouling rateof flow holes in a secondary circuit of a pressurized water nuclear reactor
    Patent number: 9360207
    Abstract: An assembly for detecting and measuring the fouling rate by deposits containing at least one ferromagnetic material, including a probe which can be continuously moved inside a tube and which has a body carrying on its outer surface at least one magnetized source for self-orientation of the body of the probe, at least three magnetic field emitters and at least three magnetic field detectors each positioned between two contiguous emitters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: AREVA NP
    Inventors: Mikael Debroise, Yann Kernin, Marc Piriou, Bernard Sartre