Patents Assigned to TN International
  • Publication number: 20160211038
    Abstract: A protective shock absorbing element block made of rigid and brittle foam is provided with superficial or internal structure irregularities (20), having sharp edges in the foam to enable its immediate crushing by cracks propagating in depth throughout its entire volume, which facilitates its fragmentation with predicted characteristics. As a variant, a superficial hardening coating (28) could be used, to fill in the outer pores (27) in the foam, together with a lateral clearance with the envelope, or studs covering the inside of the envelope. Applies to shock resistant protective shock absorbing elements, particularly covering packagings exposed to drops.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Applicant: TN International
    Inventor: Marie Houillon
  • Patent number: 8927954
    Abstract: A packaging device for the transport and/or storage of a radioactive medium generating flammable gases and/or explosives via radiolysis, comprising a plurality of canisters intended to contain the radioactive medium, each canister defining an inner storage space accessible via an opening for filling the medium, on which plug-forming means are mounted. According to the invention, the device also comprises a structure forming a chamber, and means for placing in communication allowing a fluid communication to be set up between the inner storage space and the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: TN International
    Inventors: Mohamed Zibouche, Florent Ferry, Patrick Jacot
  • Patent number: 8848853
    Abstract: A storage rack for nuclear fuel assemblies, comprising a rigid structure defining a plurality of adjacent cells, and comprising in each cell a sleeve defining a cavity intended to receive a nuclear fuel assembly, the sleeve having, in cross-sectional orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, a generally polygonal shape whereof the sides are produced using plates made from a neutron-absorbing material. According to the invention, the sleeve also includes: profiles each forming a corner piece, arranged on at least several angles of the generally polygonal cross-section, these profiles serving as a mounting bracket for the plates made of a neutron-absorbing material; and a structure for maintaining the profiles therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: TN International
    Inventors: Guillaume Foussard, Régis Andre
  • Patent number: 8804895
    Abstract: The invention concerns a cask for a canister containing radioactive material, comprising a canister extraction assembly and designed so that it can bring the canister to an extraction position inside the cask housing in which this canister is free of any contact with the inner surface. Also, one of two elements from among a carriage and a support structure of the assembly is provided with a guide ramp cooperating with a ramp follower provided on the other of the two elements, the ramp being designed so that a relative translational movement between the carriage and the structure, in the longitudinal direction of the cask, causes the changeover of the two elements from a drawn-together position to a drawn-apart position, or conversely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: TN International
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Bersegol, Justo Garcia
  • Patent number: 8716686
    Abstract: A canister for transporting and/or storing radioactive materials, the canister comprising two concentric shells between which is housed a radiological protection device comprising at least a first and a second metal components adjacent along a circumferential direction. According to the invention, the first component is supported against the outer shell and at a distance from the inner shell, whereas the second component is supported against the shell and at a distance from the shell. In addition, the components are in contact with each other along an interface taking, in section along any plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and crossing this interface, the form of a straight line segment defining with a radial straight line crossing it at its centre an acute angle (A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: TN International
    Inventors: Olivier Bardon, Guilaume Foussard, Stavros Kitsos
  • Patent number: 8657549
    Abstract: A long-term storage facility has an array of storage packages receiving respective cases containing radioactive materials. Each storage package has a lateral body delimiting a housing for receiving a case, the package body being closed at its top end and at its low end respectively by a removable head cover, and by a package base. The package base has a removable base cover, allowing insertion of the case via the low end of the body. The packages can be moved inside the facility by a mechanical lift. The facility includes a pivoting frame for swinging a storage package from a horizontal orientation in which the storage package is loaded to a vertical position in which the storage package is stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignees: Transnuclear, Inc., TN International
    Inventors: Robert L. Grubb, Jayant R. Bondre, Lise Wattez
  • Patent number: 8263003
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for transporting and/or storing radioactive materials (10), comprising a closed enclosure (8) and a system (12, 16) for securing said closed enclosure, said system comprising catalytic means (12) for recombining hydrogen and oxygen into water, placed in said closed enclosure. According to the invention, the system for securing said closed enclosure further comprises a device (16) for the controlled release of oxygen in said closed enclosure (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: TN International
    Inventors: Pascale Abadie, Paul Abadie, legal representative, Françoise Abadie, legal representative, Hervé Issard, Valentin Rohr
  • Patent number: 8259893
    Abstract: A method for underwater packaging of radioactive materials includes creating a vacuum in a cavity of a cleaning device to automatically cause a portion of the cleaning device to move upward to actuate the cleaning device from an open position to a closed position; mounting the cleaning device inside a safe containment area of a transportation and/or storage device; placing the transportation and/or storage device in a pool after filling the safe containment area with water; loading a radioactive material into the safe containment area; closing the transportation and/or storage device using at least one cover; extracting the transportation and/or storage device from the pool; draining the water inside the safe containment area; and creating a pressure differential in the safe containment area to dry the safe containment area, wherein the pressure differential causes the cleaning device to automatically actuate from the closed position to the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: TN International
    Inventors: Rene Chiocca, Daniel Chanson
  • Patent number: 8029738
    Abstract: Methods and devices for removing inflammable gases produced by radiolysis in a closed chamber containing radioactive matters comprising organic compounds and possibly water, or radioactive matters in the presence of organic compounds and possibly water. Inside the chamber there may be placed a catalyst of at least one reaction for oxidizing the inflammable gases by oxygen contained in the chamber atmosphere, supported by an inert solid support; a catalyst of at least the reaction for oxidizing CO to CO2; possibly an oxygen source; and possibly a hygroscopic microporous inert solid support. Also, chambers for radioactive matters containing such devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: TN International
    Inventors: Pascale Abadie, Herve Issard
  • Patent number: 7971364
    Abstract: The invention relates to a monitoring device (20) of the position of an assembly containing nuclear fuel (4) in a housing of a storage basket (2). According to the invention, it comprises at least one mobile stop device (24, 26, 28) and a position indicator (30) suitable for being held at a stop by the mobile stop device in a first position indicating that the assembly occupies a first position, said mobile stop device being arranged so as to be able to be placed, by means of contact with the assembly located in a second position in its housing, in a position enabling it to release the position indicator devised to move automatically from the first position to a second position indicating that the assembly occupies the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: TN International
    Inventor: Roger Lahille
  • Patent number: 7961834
    Abstract: The invention relates to a storage device (1) for the storing and/or transporting of nuclear fuel assemblies, including a plurality of adjacent housings each having a lateral wall and being able to receive a nuclear fuel assembly, the lateral walls being realized at least in part using stacking and intercrossing slotted structural assemblies (6a, 6b), each structural assembly including at least one plate (22) realized in a first material comprising aluminum. According to the invention, each structural assembly (6a, 6b) further includes a tubular cross-section element (20) inside of which is located said at least one plate (22), this tubular cross-section element (20) being realized in a second material selected from steels and titanium and alloys thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: TN International
    Inventors: Regis Andre, Guillaume Foussard
  • Publication number: 20100119029
    Abstract: A storage space device for the transport and/or storage of nuclear materials, comprising a main structure defining at least one housing intended to contain the nuclear materials and includes a mobile heat conduction structure forming at least one portion of a side outer surface of the storage space device. The mobile structure has at least one mobile heat conduction component mounted on the main structure so as to be displaceable reversibly from a retracted position to a deployed position while moving away from the structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: TN International
    Inventors: Lilian Viallon, Roger Lahille, Laurent Stachetti
  • Publication number: 20100104483
    Abstract: Methods and devices for removing inflammable gases produced by radiolysis in a closed chamber containing radioactive matters comprising organic compounds and possibly water, or radioactive matters in the presence of organic compounds and possibly water. Inside the chamber there may be placed a catalyst of at least one reaction for oxidizing the inflammable gases by oxygen contained in the chamber atmosphere, supported by an inert solid support; a catalyst of at least the reaction for oxidizing CO to CO2; possibly an oxygen source; and possibly a hygroscopic microporous inert solid support. Also, chambers for radioactive matters containing such devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2010
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: TN International
    Inventors: Pascale Abadie, Hervé Issard
  • Patent number: 7655201
    Abstract: Methods and devices for removing inflammable gases produced by radiolysis in a closed chamber containing radioactive matters comprising organic compounds and possibly water, or radioactive matters in the presence of organic compounds and possibly water. Inside the chamber there may be placed a catalyst of at least one reaction for oxidizing the inflammable gases by oxygen contained in the chamber atmosphere, supported by an inert solid support; a catalyst of at least the reaction for oxidizing CO to CO2; possibly an oxygen source; and possibly a hygroscopic microporous inert solid support. Also, chambers for radioactive matters containing such devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: TN International
    Inventors: Pascale Abadie, Hervé Issard
  • Publication number: 20090172961
    Abstract: The invention relates to a monitoring device (20) of the position of an assembly containing nuclear fuel (4) in a housing of a storage basket (2). According to the invention, it comprises at least one mobile stop device (24, 26, 28) and a position indicator (30) suitable for being held at a stop by the mobile stop device in a first position indicating that the assembly occupies a first position, said mobile stop device being arranged so as to be able to be placed, by means of contact with the assembly located in a second position in its housing, in a position enabling it to release the position indicator devised to move automatically from the first position to a second position indicating that the assembly occupies the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: TN International
    Inventor: Roger Lahille