Patents Assigned to BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC
  • Patent number: 12293846
    Abstract: A control rod drive mechanism having a torque tube, a control rod assembly including a connecting rod and a spider, a lock cam assembly rotatably secured to a bottom end of the connecting rod and including a locking cam, and a locking collar disposed non-rotatably within the spider, the locking collar including a locking recess with an entry slot, wherein in a first axial position the lock cam assembly is rotatable with respect to the torque tube, and a second axial position the lock cam assembly is non-rotatable with respect to the torque tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Scott J. Shargots, Ryan Z. Ziegler, Jason C. Brown, David K. Haslet, Emily D. Fleming
  • Patent number: 12288625
    Abstract: Reactor core and thermal neutron fission reactor has fuel rods with a composite fuel composition (each having the same uniform cross-section along their axial length), end plates at first and second ends, and intermediate support plates located along a longitudinal length of the reactor core. In a radial cross-section, the fuel rods are arranged at nodes of a hexagonal pitch arrangement, in which the nodes are in a spaced-apart arrangement and interconnected by ligaments. Openings between the nodes form part of a coolant flow path through the thermal neutron reactor core. At least two of the nodes of the hexagonal pitch arrangement are sized to allow insertion, translation, removal, or a combination thereof of auxiliary equipment, such as a target delivery system (TDS) for isotopes. Thermal neutron flux (neutrons ?0.06 eV) is maximized for maximum neutron activation potential, which is applied to produce both commercial and research isotopes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Craig D. Gramlich, William E. Russell, II
  • Patent number: 12280542
    Abstract: Additive manufacturing compositions include low-absorbing particles or non-absorbing particles that have an absorbance for wavelengths of 300 nm to 700 nm that is equal to or greater than 0 Au and is less 1.0 Au, such as 0.001 Au absorbance?0.7 Au. Slurries including such particles and an uranium-containing particle and that are used in additive manufacturing processes have an increased penetration depth for curative radiation. Removal of low-absorbing particles or non-absorbing particles during post-processing of as-manufactured products results in pores that create porosity in the as-manufactured product that provide a volume accommodating fission gases and/or can enhance wicking of certain heat pipe coolant liquids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC
    Inventors: John R. Salasin, Benjamin D. Fisher
  • Patent number: 12246992
    Abstract: Pre-ceramic particle solutions can prepared by a Coordinated-PDC process, a Direct-PDC process or a Coordinated-Direct-PDC process. The pre-ceramic particle solution includes a polymer selected from the group consisting of (i) an organic polymer including a metal or metalloid cation, (ii) a first organometallic polymer and (iii) a second organometallic polymer including a metal or metalloid cation different from a metal in the second organometallic polymer, a plurality of particles selected from the group consisting of (a) a ceramic fuel particle and (b) a moderator particle, a dispersant, and a polymerization initiator. The pre-ceramic particle solution can be supplied to an additive manufacturing process, such as digital light projection, and made into a structure (which is pre-ceramic particle green body) that can then be debinded to form a polymer-derived ceramic sintered body. In some embodiments, the polymer-derived ceramic sintered body is a component or structure for fission reactors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Fisher, John R. Salasin
  • Patent number: 12217402
    Abstract: A method is provided for enhancing image resolution for sequences of 2-D images of additively manufactured products. For each of a plurality of additive manufacturing processes, the process obtains a respective plurality of sequenced low-resolution 2-D images of a respective product during the respective additive manufacturing process and obtains a respective high-resolution 3-D image of the respective product after completion of the respective additive manufacturing process. The process selects tiling maps that subdivide the low-resolution 2-D images and the high-resolution 3-D images into low-resolution tiles and high-resolution tiles, respectively. The process also builds an image enhancement generator iteratively in a generative adversarial network using training inputs that includes ordered pairs of low-resolution and high-resolution tiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Simon Mason, Ryan Scott Kitchen, Travis McFalls
  • Publication number: 20250029740
    Abstract: Insulated fuel assembly core with axially arranged fuel monoliths including channels and having a composition including a fissionable fuel component, exhaust support plate, exhaust shield assembly, and insulation layer. Fuel monoliths have an eccentric cylinder shape or a right circular cylinder shape with side surface keyway. The eccentric shape and/or a keyway (with associated alignment rod) provide alignment. Channels in the exhaust support plate are oriented so propellant gas flowing from the fuel monoliths through the exhaust support plate does not impinge the exhaust shield assembly. Insulated fuel assembly cores are manufactured by forming a tensioned fuel monolith stack mandrel assembly using mandrel spacers and internal tensioning components and mandrel winding an insulation layer on an outer surface of the tensioned fuel monolith stack mandrel assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2024
    Publication date: January 23, 2025
    Applicant: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin D. FISHER, David J. GARNER, John R. SALASIN, Sabrina Emerson Amy McCOY, Richard W. GOETTLER
  • Publication number: 20250022622
    Abstract: Plurality of layers form a nuclear fission reactor structure, each layer having an inner segment body, an intermediate segment body, and an outer segment body (each segment body separated by an interface). The layers include a plurality of cladding arms having involute curve shapes that spirally radiate outward from a radially inner end to a radially outer end. Chambers in the involute curve shaped cladding arms contain fuel compositions (and/or other materials such as moderators and poisons). The design of the involute curve shaped cladding arms and the composition of the materials conform to neutronic and thermal management requirements for the nuclear fission reactor and are of sufficiently common design and/or have sufficiently few variations as to reduce manufacturing complexity and manufacturing variability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2024
    Publication date: January 16, 2025
    Applicant: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC
    Inventors: James B. INMAN, Joshua J. BERGMAN
  • Publication number: 20240428588
    Abstract: A method is provided for tracking multiple beams in weld pools. The method includes obtaining an input video feed that includes a plurality of frames having a plurality of beams for weld pools. The method also includes, for each frame of the plurality of frames of the input video feed, creating a gradient mask that identifies one or more pixels in the respective frame for a weld pool. The method also includes detecting and filtering contiguous regions based on the gradient mask to obtain a pixel mask for each contour of a weld pool. The method also includes identifying one or more beam locations within the weld pool based on the pixel mask for each contour.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2024
    Publication date: December 26, 2024
    Applicant: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Ryan Scott KITCHEN
  • Patent number: 12159727
    Abstract: Nuclear propulsion fission reactor structure has an active core region including fuel element structures, a reflector with rotatable neutron absorber structures (such as drum absorbers), and a core former conformal mating the outer surface of the fuel element structures to the reflector. Fuel element structures are arranged abutting nearest neighbor fuel element structures in a tri-pitch design. Cladding bodies defining coolant channels are inserted into and joined to lower and upper core plates to from a continuous structure that is a first portion of the containment structure. The body of the fuel element has a structure with a shape corresponding to a mathematically-based periodic solid, such as a triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) in a gyroid structure. The nuclear propulsion fission reactor structure can be incorporated into a nuclear thermal propulsion engine for propulsion applications, such as space propulsion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Fisher, John R. Salasin, Craig D. Gramlich, Jonathan K. Witter
  • Patent number: 12159726
    Abstract: Nuclear propulsion fission reactor structure has an active core region including fuel element structures, a reflector with rotatable neutron absorber structures (such as drum absorbers), and a core former conformal mating the outer surface of the fuel element structures to the reflector. Fuel element structures are arranged abutting nearest neighbor fuel element structures in a tri-pitch design. Cladding bodies defining coolant channels are inserted into and joined to lower and upper core plates to from a continuous structure that is a first portion of the containment structure. The body of the fuel element has a structure with a shape corresponding to a mathematically-based periodic solid, such as a triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) in a gyroid structure. The nuclear propulsion fission reactor structure can be incorporated into a nuclear thermal propulsion engine for propulsion applications, such as space propulsion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Fisher, John R. Salasin, Craig D. Gramlich, Jonathan K. Witter
  • Patent number: 12136497
    Abstract: Plurality of layers form a nuclear fission reactor structure, each layer having an inner segment body, an intermediate segment body, and an outer segment body (each segment body separated by an interface). The layers include a plurality of cladding arms having involute curve shapes that spirally radiate outward from a radially inner end to a radially outer end. Chambers in the involute curve shaped cladding arm contain fuel compositions (and/or other materials such as moderators and poisons). The design of the involute curve shaped cladding arms and the composition of the materials conform to neutronic and thermal management requirements for the nuclear fission reactor and are of sufficiently common design and/or have sufficiently few variations as to reduce manufacturing complexity and manufacturing variability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC
    Inventors: James B. Inman, Joshua J. Bergman
  • Publication number: 20240308136
    Abstract: Additive manufacturing methods use a surrogate slurry to iteratively develop an additive manufacturing protocol and then substitutes a final slurry composition to then additively manufacture a final component using the developed additive manufacturing protocol. In the nuclear reactor component context, the final slurry composition is a nuclear fuel slurry having a composition: 30-45 vol. % monomer resin, 30-70 vol. % plurality of particles of uranium-containing material, >0-7 vol. % dispersant, photoactivated dye, photoabsorber, photoinitiator, and 0-18 vol. % (as a balance) diluent. The surrogate slurry has a similar composition, but a plurality of surrogate particles selected to represent a uranium-containing material are substituted for the particles of uranium-containing material. The method provides a means for in-situ monitoring of characteristics of the final component during manufacture as well as in-situ volumetric inspection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2024
    Publication date: September 19, 2024
    Applicant: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin D. FISHER, John R. SALASIN, Bryan Blake WIGGINS
  • Patent number: 12094618
    Abstract: A nuclear fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor core including at least one fuel cartridge having a lattice structure including an outer wall defining an interior volume, at least one flow channel extending through the interior volume of the lattice structure, at least one lattice site disposed in the interior of the lattice structure; and at least one fuel compact disposed within a corresponding one of the at least one lattice site. A cross-sectional shape of the at least one fuel compact is the same as a cross-sectional shape of the corresponding one of the at least one lattice site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Scott J. Shargots, Gary W. Neeley, Ryan Z. Ziegler
  • Patent number: 12070900
    Abstract: Additive manufacturing compositions include low-absorbing particles or non-absorbing particles that have an absorbance for wavelengths of 300 nm to 700 nm that is equal to or greater than 0 Au and is less 1.0 Au, such as 0.001 Au?absorbance?0.7 Au. Slurries including such particles and an uranium-containing particle and that are used in additive manufacturing processes have an increased penetration depth for curative radiation. Removal of low-absorbing particles or non-absorbing particles during post-processing of as-manufactured products results in pores that create porosity in the as-manufactured product that provide a volume accommodating fission gases and/or can enhance wicking of certain heat pipe coolant liquids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC
    Inventors: John R. Salasin, Benjamin D. Fisher
  • Publication number: 20240266077
    Abstract: Nuclear propulsion fission reactor structure has an active core region including fuel element structures, a reflector with rotatable neutron absorber structures (such as drum absorbers), and a core former conformal mating the outer surface of the fuel element structures to the reflector. Fuel element structures are arranged abutting nearest neighbor fuel element structures in a tri-pitch design. Cladding bodies defining coolant channels are inserted into and joined to lower and upper core plates to from a continuous structure that is a first portion of the containment structure. The body of the fuel element has a structure with a shape corresponding to a mathematically-based periodic solid, such as a triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) in a gyroid structure. The nuclear propulsion fission reactor structure can be incorporated into a nuclear thermal propulsion engine for propulsion applications, such as space propulsion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2023
    Publication date: August 8, 2024
    Applicant: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin D. FISHER, John R. SALASIN, Craig D. GRAMLICH, Jonathan K. WITTER
  • Patent number: 12023857
    Abstract: Methods to in-situ monitor production of additive manufacturing products collects images from the deposition process on a layer-by-layer basis, including a void image of the pattern left in a slurry layer after deposition of a layer and a displacement image formed by immersing the just-deposited layer in a renewed slurry layer. Image properties of the void image and displacement image are corrected and then compared to a binary expected image from a computer generated model to identify defects in the just-deposited layer on a layer-by-layer basis. Additional methods use the output from the comparison to form a 3D model corresponding to at least a portion of the additive manufacturing product. Components to control the additive manufacturing operation based on digital model data and to in-situ monitor successive layers for manufacturing defects can be embodied in a computer system or computer-aided machine, such as a computer controlled additive manufacturing machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Ryan Scott Kitchen, Benjamin D. Fisher
  • Patent number: 12001766
    Abstract: A method is used to design nuclear reactors using design variables and metric variables. A user specifies ranges for the design variables and target values for the metric variables. A set of design parameter samples are selected. For each sample, the method runs three processes, which compute metric variables to thermal-hydraulics, neutronics, and stress. The method applies a cost function to each sample to compute an aggregate residual of the metric variables compared to the target values. The method trains a machine learning model using the samples and the computed aggregate residuals. The method shrinks the range for each design variable according to correlation between the respective design variable and estimated residuals using the machine learning model. These steps are repeated until a sample having a smallest residual is unchanged for multiple iterations. The method then uses the final machine learning model to assess relative importance of each design variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Ross Evan Pivovar
  • Patent number: 11993009
    Abstract: Additive manufacturing methods use a surrogate slurry to iteratively develop an additive manufacturing protocol and then substitutes a final slurry composition to then additively manufacture a final component using the developed additive manufacturing protocol. In the nuclear reactor component context, the final slurry composition is a nuclear fuel slurry having a composition: 30-45 vol. % monomer resin, 30-70 vol. % plurality of particles of uranium-containing material, >0-7 vol. % dispersant, photoactivated dye, photoabsorber, photoinitiator, and 0-18 vol. % (as a balance) diluent. The surrogate slurry has a similar composition, but a plurality of surrogate particles selected to represent a uranium-containing material are substituted for the particles of uranium-containing material. The method provides a means for in-situ monitoring of characteristics of the final component during manufacture as well as in-situ volumetric inspection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Fisher, John R. Salasin, Bryan Blake Wiggins
  • Patent number: 11990248
    Abstract: Nuclear propulsion fission reactor structure has an active core region including fuel element structures, a reflector with rotatable neutron absorber structures (such as drum absorbers), and a core former conformal mating the outer surface of the fuel element structures to the reflector. Fuel element structures are arranged abutting nearest neighbor fuel element structures in a tri-pitch design. Cladding bodies defining coolant channels are inserted into and joined to upper and lower core plates to from a continuous structure that is a first portion of the containment structure. The nuclear propulsion fission reactor structure can be incorporated into a nuclear thermal propulsion engine for propulsion applications, such as space propulsion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Craig D. Gramlich, Benjamin D. Fisher, William E. Russell, II
  • Publication number: 20240127974
    Abstract: Reactor core and thermal neutron fission reactor has fuel rods with a composite fuel composition (each having the same uniform cross-section along their axial length), end plates at first and second ends, and intermediate support plates located along a longitudinal length of the reactor core. In a radial cross-section, the fuel rods are arranged at nodes of a hexagonal pitch arrangement, in which the nodes are in a spaced-apart arrangement and interconnected by ligaments. Openings between the nodes form part of a coolant flow path through the thermal neutron reactor core. At least two of the nodes of the hexagonal pitch arrangement are sized to allow insertion, translation, removal, or a combination thereof of auxiliary equipment, such as a target delivery system (TDS) for isotopes. Thermal neutron flux (neutrons ?0.06 eV) is maximized for maximum neutron activation potential, which is applied to produce both commercial and research isotopes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Craig D. GRAMLICH, William E. RUSSELL, II