Patents Examined by Frederick A. Voss
  • Patent number: 5406594
    Abstract: The described injection system includes: a pneumatic system operating with hydrogen or helium and formed of one or more two-stage or multi-stage propulsion systems provided with special control or cutoff valves, the relative feeding circuits, and one or more decompression chambers, a cryogenic device formed of a Dewar flask containing liquid helium, a circuit for transferring and recovering the cooling fluid, and one or more conventional (in situ) or alternative cryostats provided each with one or more launching barrels in which the cryogenic pellets are solidified; a vacuum system comprising electrovalves, electropneumatic valves, rotating and turbomolecular pumps, and an equipment set for the automatic remote control of the whole system and for collecting and supplying diagnostic data to the central processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Assignee: Ente Per Le Nuove Technologie, L'Energia E L'Ambiente (ENEA)
    Inventors: Antonio Frattolillo, Silvio Migliori, Francesco Scaramuzzi, Pietro Cardoni, Lorenzo Martinis, Luciano Mori, Adolfo Reggiori, Giambattista Daminelli
  • Patent number: 5345481
    Abstract: A boiling-water reactor plant employs a baffle that parallels the interior surface of a thermally-conductive containment wall, defining an intermediate condensate channel. When the plant turbine becomes isolated from the boiling-water reactor, the reactor is shut down and steam is released from the reactor pressure vessel to the containment. Steam rises through an opening at the top of the baffle, allowing some of the steam to condense on the interior surface of the containment. Condensate then flows into the channel, which is dimensioned so that noncondensable gases are dragged into the channel along with the condensate. This minimizes thermal insulation due to the noncondensables and enhances the transfer of heat from the containment. Furthermore, the noncondensable gases are dragged at a sufficient velocity to induce turbulence. The resulting mixing of condensate flow layers further improves heat transfer to the containment wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1994
    Assignee: General Elecric Company
    Inventor: William J. Oosterkamp
  • Patent number: 5241569
    Abstract: Neutron activation analysis method and apparatus are disclosed wherein a sample in a vacuum chamber is irradiated with neutrons, the time when and energy of emitted gamma rays from a sample are detected, and delayed Beta-electrons emitted from the sample are detected and the positions of emission are imaged. Time coincidence between detected gamma rays and delayed Beta-electrons is determined and the location of elements on the sample is established from the detected coincidence and the image of the location on the sample where the delayed Beta-electrons were emitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1993
    Assignee: Charles Evans & Associates
    Inventor: Ronald H. Fleming
  • Patent number: 5091144
    Abstract: The wetwell space in a suppression pool of a nuclear reactor containment is continuously ventilated by exhausting gas therefrom, while at the same time, during normal system operation atmospheric air from a source of same is admitted to the wetwell but such admission being blocked during a LOCA. All exhaust flow from the wetwell is conveyed through a conduit that outlets at a remote elevated location in the atmosphere. All exhaust flow through the conduit is before outletting therefrom passed through gas treatment operation wherein any particulates in the gas mixture are removed. Further treatment of the gas with charcoal to adsorb noble gases can be carried out. In normal reactor operation the ventilation flow rate is at minimal level. However on occurrence of a loss-of-coolant-accident, highly heated gases from the containment drywell are passed into the suppression pool where condensables condense while non-condensable gases are cooled and vent to the wetwell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1992
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Charles W. Dillmann, Harold E. Townsend, Loyd B. Nesbitt