Patents Assigned to Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires
  • Patent number: 8615843
    Abstract: A powered operation device for a glove box in a particular application to the field of nuclear fuel manufacturing. The device including a receiving portion designed to be driven by a motor part. The receiving portion has primary attachment means designed so as to enable this receiving portion to be mounted inside the glove box on a docking cylinder provided on the latter, and the motor part has secondary attachment means designed so as to enable this motor part to be mounted on the same docking cylinder, but outside the glove box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignees: S.T.M.I. Societe des Techniques en Milieu Ionisant, Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires
    Inventors: Xavier Ladet, Jean-Pierre Alanore, Patrick Bolcato
  • Patent number: 8138446
    Abstract: A monitoring device by laser shadowscopy, which comprises a light emitter (5) and receiver (6), mounted on an arm (8) oscillating at will around two joints (13, 14), in order to restore the image of the monitored profile more accurately. An important application relates to welding methods and especially in hollow beveled edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignees: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires
    Inventor: Christophe Chagnot
  • Patent number: 8003845
    Abstract: The invention concerns a process enabling the complete combustion and oxidation of the mineral fraction of combustible waste contained in an apparatus intended to treat waste by direct incineration-vitrification, said process comprising the following steps: a step to add said waste to the apparatus for its depositing on the surface of a molten glass bath contained in the apparatus, an incineration and oxidation step of the waste on the surface of the glass bath, an incorporation step to incorporate combustion products in the glass during which the glass bath, the combustion products and any vitrification additives added to the glass bath are heated until a paste-like, liquid mass is obtained, a step during which said mass is removed from the apparatus and left to cool to obtain finally what is called a confinement matrix, said process being characterized in that the complete combustion and oxidation of the waste is achieved partly during the waste adding step and partly during the waste incineration and ox
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignees: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires
    Inventors: Olivier Pinet, Christophe Girold
  • Patent number: 7887767
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for reprocessing a spent nuclear fuel and for preparing a mixed uranium-plutonium oxide, which process comprises: a) the separation of the uranium and plutonium from the fission products, the americium and the curium that are present in an aqueous nitric solution resulting from the dissolution of the fuel in nitric acid, this step including at least one operation of coextracting the uranium and plutonium from said solution by a solvent phase; b) the partition of the coextracted uranium and plutonium to a first aqueous phase containing plutonium and uranium, and a second aqueous phase containing uranium but no plutonium; c) the purification of the plutonium and uranium that are present in the first aqueous phase; and d) a step of coconverting the plutonium and uranium to a mixed uranium/plutonium oxide. Applications: reprocessing of nuclear fuels based on uranium oxide or on mixed uranium-plutonium oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignees: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires
    Inventors: Pascal Baron, Binh Dinh, Michel Masson, Francois Drain, Jean-Luc Emin
  • Patent number: 7881893
    Abstract: A method for processing a two-parameter spectrum including selecting a profile parameter for the spectrum and an initial correction function, for any profile selected according to this parameter, carrying out at least a correction operation by multiplying this selected profile by a correction function, equal to the sum of at least a portion of the already corrected profiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignees: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires
    Inventor: Guillaume Montemont
  • Patent number: 7861882
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the sealed docking (14) of mobile containers (42) equipped with plugs (44) of various diameters on a containment box (10). The device includes a center disk (22) and at least one docking flange (20a, 20b, 20c) that are concentric to each other, normally plugging the access opening (18) of the containment box. A locking/unlocking mechanism (24) makes it possible to only unlock the center disk (22) alone or the center disk and one or more of the docking flanges (20a, 20b, 20c), according to the diameter of the plug (44). This arrangement makes it possible, in particular, to clean the plug (44) of a mobile container (42) serving to transport contaminated nuclear equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires
    Inventors: Luc Tumolo, Pascal Le Chevalier
  • Patent number: 7829043
    Abstract: Method for coprecipitation (or simultaneous precipitation) of at least one actinide in oxidation state (IV) with at least one actinide in oxidation state (III), wherein: a solution i.e. mixture of actinide(s) in oxidation state (IV) and actinide(s) in oxidation state (III) is prepared by adding to it a singly charged cation whose presence makes it possible to stabilize the aforementioned oxidation states in the mixture, or a singly charged cation which does not act to stabilize the aforementioned oxidation states in the mixture; a solution containing oxalate ions is mixed with the said mixture of actinides in order to carry out coprecipitation, i.e. simultaneous precipitation, of the said actinides in oxidation states (IV) and (III) and a fraction of the singly charged cation. According to another embodiment, a solution i.e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignees: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires
    Inventors: Stéphane Grandjean, André Beres, Christophe Maillard, Jérôme Rousselle
  • Patent number: 7730745
    Abstract: Process for combustion and vitrification of waste in which at least one oxygen plasma jet is associated with a continuous melting device by high frequency direct induction. The crucible is composed of a continuous external shell and a sole plate, both cooled by a liquid circulating in internal channels. The inductor is placed below the sole plate. There is a gravity drain valve at the bottom or on the side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignees: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires
    Inventors: Christophe Girold, Lionel Bruguiere, Roger Boen, Armand Bonnetier, Louis Bojat
  • Patent number: 7718010
    Abstract: The present invention related to a method for treating a surface with a gel, as well as to a treatment gel. The treatment may be a decontamination, etching or surface degreasing treatment, for example. The method comprises in this order, the following steps: applying the treatment gel on the surface to be treated, maintaining the treatment gel on the surface to be treated at a temperature and relative humidity such that the gel dries by breaking up and that it has the time to treat the surface before forming a dry and solid residue, and removing the dry and solid residue from the treated surface by suction or brushing. The gel comprises a viscosing agent, a treatment agent and optional an oxidizing agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignees: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique, Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires
    Inventors: Sylvain Faure, Bruno Fournel, Paul Fuentes, Yvan Lallot
  • Patent number: 7713357
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for treating a surface with a gel, as well as to a treatment gel. The treatment may be a decontamination, etching or surface degreasing treatment, for example. The method comprises in this order, the following steps: applying the treatment gel on the surface to be treated, maintaining the treatment gel on the surface to be treated at a temperature and relative humidity such that the gel dries by breaking up and that it has the time to treat the surface before forming a dry and solid residue, and removing the dry and solid residue from the treated surface by suction or brushing. The gel comprises a viscosing agent, a treatment agent and optionally an oxidizing agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignees: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires
    Inventors: Sylvain Faure, Bruno Fournel, Paul Fuentes, Yvan Lallot
  • Patent number: 7713585
    Abstract: The invention relates to the use of a composition comprising a chlorinated polyester resin in which the polyester satisfies formula (I) below: together with a crosslinking catalyst and a crosslinking accelerator in order to plug a crack affecting the wall of a metal device intended to contain a radioactive acid material. It is especially applicable in the maintenance of metal equipment of nuclear installations, in particular equipment that is for irradiated nuclear fuel reprocessing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignees: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires
    Inventors: David Descarsin, Jacques Raby, Raphael Robin, Christelle Vittoz
  • Patent number: 7683329
    Abstract: The system for automatic determination of the density of an object (100) comprises: an apparatus (2) to determine a significant dimension (x) of said object (100), an apparatus (30) to determine the intensity (I) of a photon beam attenuated by passing through said object (100), an acquisition, processing and analysis apparatus (200), means (70, 72, 80, 82, 84, 86, 88) of transporting the object (100), first means (74, 76, 78) of adjusting the position of the object (100), second means (90, 92, 94, 96, 98) of adjusting the position of the object (100). The method for using the system described above includes steps to calibrate components of apparatuses 2 and 30, and steps to actually determine the significant dimension of objects (100), that are done on each object (100) in said set of objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignees: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires
    Inventors: Abdallah Lyoussi, Emmanuel Payan
  • Publication number: 20100039004
    Abstract: The flexible glove holder (1) comprises a flat structure (13) with three S-shaped branches (2, 3 and 4) on which the glove is wound. The holder (1) is then pushed into the opening of the glove box. This rapid action method makes it possible to avoid knotting the gloves when they must be drawn toward the outside for an operation within the box and also allows the implementation of biological protection on the opening of the glove box as well as a protection of the agents against radiation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES MATIERES NUCLEAIRES
    Inventors: Francis Hebuterne, Pierre Riba
  • Publication number: 20100034713
    Abstract: A chemical element to be very efficiently separated from uranium starting from an acid aqueous phase, in an extraction cycle for the uranium, when this chemical element is present in said phase at a concentration less than that of the uranium, or even as a trace element, and when it is moreover less extractable by the extractant used in this extraction cycle than is the uranium. The chemical element can notably be neptunium(IV) or thorium 228.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2007
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicant: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES MATIERES NUCLEAIRES
    Inventors: Jean-Paul Moulin, Gilbert Andreoletti, Patrick Bourdet
  • Publication number: 20090103110
    Abstract: A system based on the continuous measurement (20) of the diameter of a cylindrical object (1) moving, laid down, on a belt conveyor (10) allows dimensional compliance of the latter object to be checked. The measurement system (20) may be coupled with a sorting system based on ejection out of the conveyor (10) by projecting a gas through a transverse nozzle (42). By means of the system according to the invention, it is possible to continuously determine whether a nuclear fuel pellet (1), in particular after rectification (2), has to be rejected or not.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES MATIERES NUCLEAIRES
    Inventor: Philippe Ferlet
  • Publication number: 20090093666
    Abstract: Process for combustion and vitrification of waste in which at least one oxygen plasma jet is associated with a continuous melting device by high frequency direct induction. The crucible is composed of a continuous external shell and a sole plate, both cooled by a liquid circulating in internal channels. The inductor is placed below the sole plate. There is a gravity drain valve at the bottom or on the side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Applicants: Commissariat A L'Energie Atomique, Compagnie Generale Des Matieres Nucleaires
    Inventors: Christophe Girold, Lionel Bruguiere, Roger Boen, Armand Bonnetier, Louis Bojat
  • Patent number: 7503188
    Abstract: Process for combustion and vitrification of waste in which at least one oxygen plasma jet is associated with a continuous melting device by high frequency direct induction. The crucible is composed of a continuous external shell and a sole plate, both cooled by a liquid circulating in internal channels. The inductor is placed below the sole plate. There is a gravity drain valve at the bottom or on the side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignees: Commissariat A l 'Energie Atomique, Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires
    Inventors: Christophe Girold, Lionel Bruguiere, Roger Boen, Armand Bonnetier, Louis Bojat
  • Patent number: 7329399
    Abstract: A hydrogen-trapping compound is provided, along with a process for manufacturing the compound, and its uses, wherein the hydrogen-trapping compound is characterized in that it contains at least one metal salt of formula MX(OH), in which M represents a divalent transition element, for example Co or Ni; O represents an oxygen atom; X represents an atom of group 16 of the Periodic Table of the Elements, excluding O, for example a sulphur atom; and H represents a hydrogen atom, and wherein the hydrogen-trapping compound is effective for trapping hydrogen, hydrogen within a material and free hydrogen and is applicable in situations in which hydrogen is evolved and in which it has to be trapped, especially for safety reasons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignees: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires
    Inventors: Sylvie Camaro, Quentin Ragetly, Chantal Riglet-Martial
  • Publication number: 20080000545
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the sealed docking (14) of mobile containers (42) equipped with plugs (44) of various diameters on a containment box (10). The device includes a center disk (22) and at least one docking flange (20a, 20b, 20c) that are concentric to each other, normally plugging the access opening (18) of the containment box. A locking/unlocking mechanism (24) makes it possible to only unlock the center disk (22) alone or the center disk and one or more of the docking flanges (20a, 20b, 20c), according to the diameter of the plug (44). This arrangement makes it possible, in particular, to clean the plug (44) of a mobile container (42) serving to transport contaminated nuclear equipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Publication date: January 3, 2008
    Applicant: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES MATIERES NUCLEAIRES
    Inventors: Luc Tumolo, Pascal Le Chevalier
  • Publication number: 20070290178
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for reprocessing a spent nuclear fuel and for preparing a mixed uranium-plutonium oxide, which process comprises: a) the separation of the uranium and plutonium from the fission products, the americium and the curium that are present in an aqueous nitric solution resulting from the dissolution of the fuel in nitric acid, this step including at least one operation of coextracting the uranium and plutonium from said solution by a solvent phase; b) the partition of the coextracted uranium and plutonium to a first aqueous phase containing plutonium and uranium, and a second aqueous phase containing uranium but no plutonium; c) the purification of the plutonium and uranium that are present in the first aqueous phase; and d) a step of coconverting the plutonium and uranium to a mixed uranium/plutonium oxide. Applications: reprocessing of nuclear fuels based on uranium oxide or on mixed uranium-plutonium oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2007
    Publication date: December 20, 2007
    Applicants: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE, COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES MATIERES NUCLEAIRES
    Inventors: Pascal Baron, Binh Dinh, Michel Masson, Francois Drain, Jean-Luc Emin