Patents Examined by Sharon M Davis
  • Patent number: 12198823
    Abstract: The invention relates to a self-cleaning liquid purification system and is designed for the use in sump tank filters in nuclear power plants, as well as in any submersible filters used in any sectors of the economy. A self-cleaning liquid purification system comprises a filtration unit with filtering elements, a clean liquid discharge pipe, and an aerator. The aerator is designed as an intake device located on the liquid-gas boundary in a source of liquid to be purified, the aerator is capable of forming a liquid-gas mixture when it enters the intake device. The aerator is connected with a vertical downcomer to an accumulation chamber that is connected to the filtration unit by a hydraulic lock that is designed to be capable of pulse feed of liquid-gas mixture. The technical result is improved operation reliability of the liquid purification system through ensuring its capability of self-cleaning in the passive mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignees: JOINT STOCK COMPANY “ATOMENERGOPROEKT”, SCIENCE AND INNOVATIONS—NUCLEAR INDUSTRY SCIENTIFIC DEVELOPMENT, PRIVATE ENTERPRISE
    Inventors: Andrey Gennadievich Mitryukhin, Leonid Aleksandrovich Matyushev, Maksim Anatolyevich Drobyshevskiy, Yevgeniya Leonidovna Shamray
  • Patent number: 12183471
    Abstract: Single-loop nuclear power plant with a pressurized coolant, comprising a power generating unit and a throttling device having an impeller, which are interconnected by an outlet pipe and a feed pipe, and a steam turbine connected to the throttling device and to a condenser connected to the throttling device, vertically divided into a steam zone, a high pressure zone, and a low pressure zone by horizontal partitions. The high pressure zone is connected to the the feed pipe and is connected to the low pressure zone by throttling nozzles provided in the partition between said zones, and the low pressure zone is connected to the steam zone by a vertical pipe which passes through the horizontal sealed partitions and the high pressure zone. The single-loop nuclear power plant is provided with an electric motor to rotate the impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignees: JOINT STOCK COMPANY ENGINEERING COMPANY ASE, JOINT STOCK COMPANY ATOMENERGOPROEKT
    Inventors: Sergey Viktorovich Korovkin, Evgeniya Viktorovna Tutunina
  • Patent number: 12176115
    Abstract: A heavy-water reactor facility dismantling apparatus according to an embodiment includes: a first cutting device for cutting the periphery of a first nozzle portion of a calandria, wherein the first nozzle portion is connected to the upper end of a first pipe positioned in the calandria of a heavy-water reactor facility; a second cutting device for cutting a first support part of the calandria, wherein the first support portion is connected to the lower end of the first pipe connected to the first nozzle portion; and a fixing and drawing device for fixing and drawing the first nozzle portion cut by the first cutting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: KOREA HYDRO & NUCLEAR POWER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seok-Ju Hwang, Young Hwan Hwang, Ju-Young Yoon, Cheon-Woo Kim
  • Patent number: 12176113
    Abstract: A heat pipe cooled nuclear reactor core (“reactor core”) includes an array of fuel, an array of primary heat rejection heat pipes, and an array of moderator cooling heat pipes or thermosiphons. Each moderator cooling heat pipe in the array of moderator cooling heat pipes is surrounded by metal hydride moderator materials, slowing neutrons from a fission energy range to a lower energy range in the reactor core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: TRIAD NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Stowers Reid
  • Patent number: 12165777
    Abstract: A method of preparing a fusion reactor divertor component is provided. Outer vertical target plasma-facing units are pinned to an outer vertical target transition support. Outer horizontal target plasma-facing units are pinned to an outer horizontal target transition support. End bending tubes of the outer vertical target plasma-facing units are aligned with reserved holes in the outer vertical target transition support. The outer vertical target transition support, an outer transition block and the outer horizontal target transition support are fixed and positioned. A lower cover plate is welded with the transition block main body. An S-shaped cover plate is welded with the outer vertical target transition support. A lower cover plate is welded with the outer horizontal target transition support. A preliminary outer target assembly structure is formed and finish machined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: HEFEI INSTITUTES OF PHYSICAL SCIENCE, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventors: Xin Mao, Xuebing Peng, Yuntao Song, Kun Lu, Wei Song, Peng Liu, Xinyuan Qian
  • Patent number: 12154697
    Abstract: An anti-proliferation technique is disclosed to reduce the likelihood of nuclear proliferation due to the use fissionable fuel salts. The technique includes doping the fuel salt with one or more elements (referred to herein as activation dopants) that, upon exposure to neutrons such as would occur in the fuel salt when a reactor is in operation, undergo a nuclear reaction to, directly or indirectly, form highly active “protecting isotopes” (of the same element as the activation dopant or a different element). A sufficient mass of activation dopants is used so that the Figure of Merit (FOM) of the fuel salt is decreased to below 1.0 within some target number of days of fission. This allows the FOM of the fuel salt to be controlled so that the fuel becomes too dangerous to handle before to the creation of a significant amount of weaponizable isotopes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: TerraPower, LLC
    Inventors: Anselmo T. Cisneros, Jr., Ken Czerwinski, Bassem S. El-Dasher, Brian C. Kelleher, William M. Kerlin, Kevin Kramer, Jeffery F. Latkowski, Robert C. Petroski, Joshua C. Walter
  • Patent number: 12148536
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method to excite a shock wave in a target assembly includes: splitting a pulsed laser beam into a plurality of pulsed laser beams; spatially shaping the plurality of pulsed laser beams into a plurality of concentric pulsed laser rings of different diameters; and adjusting temporal and/or spatial intervals between the concentric pulsed laser rings to substantially match propagation times of a ring-shaped laser-driven shock wave from one ring to the next in a shock propagation layer of the target assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignees: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE
    Inventors: Keith Nelson, Steven Kooi, Thomas Pezeril
  • Patent number: 12131831
    Abstract: A neutron absorber member is configured to be inserted into a control rod guide tube of a spent fuel assembly. The neutron absorber member includes a first plate and a second plate. The first plate extends along a longitudinal axis between a first end and a second end. The first plate has a slot formed therethrough at the first end. The slot extends from the first end towards the second end. The second plate is disposed within the slot of the first plate. The first plate and the second plate are arranged to have a cross-sectional shape of a cruciform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: CURTISS-WRIGHT FLOW CONTROL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Karl Scot Leuenroth, Matthew C. Harris
  • Patent number: 12122539
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system including a nuclear thermal rocket or a nuclear reactor, at least one nuclear electric thruster coupled to the nuclear thermal rocket or the nuclear reactor, and a Nuclear Thermionic Avalanche Cell (NTAC) configured to generate electrical power. The NTAC cell may be positioned around a nuclear reactor core of the nuclear thermal rocket or the nuclear reactor, and the nuclear electric thruster may be powered by the NTAC generated electrical power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA
    Inventors: Sang H. Choi, Robert W. Moses, Dennis M. Bushnell
  • Patent number: 12127326
    Abstract: A solid target system for the radionuclide preparation, including a cassette, an ejection sub-system, a laser radar positioning sub-system, a cooling sub-system and a control cabinet. The cassette includes a solid target component for the nuclide preparation and a shielding box. The ejection sub-system is configured to eject the cassette to a recovery hole after the nuclide preparation is completed. The laser radar positioning sub-system is arranged above the ejection sub-system, and is electrically connected to the control cabinet. Both sides of the cassette are each provided with the cooling sub-system for cooling down the solid target component. The control cabinet is electrically connected to a direct-current servo motor for controlling an operating state thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2024
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: HEFEI INSTITUTES OF PHYSICAL SCIENCE, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventors: Xuebing Peng, Xu Han, Yonghua Chen, Peng Liu, Xin Mao, Jianghua Wei, Kaizhong Ding
  • Patent number: 12087456
    Abstract: A nuclear reactor comprises a nuclear reactor core disposed in a pressure vessel. An isolation valve protects a penetration through the pressure vessel. The isolation valve comprises: a mounting flange connecting with a mating flange of the pressure vessel; a valve seat formed into the mounting flange; and a valve member movable between an open position and a closed position sealing against the valve seat. The valve member is disposed inside the mounting flange or inside the mating flange of the pressure vessel. A biasing member operatively connects to the valve member to bias the valve member towards the open position. The bias keeps the valve member in the open position except when a differential fluid pressure across the isolation valve and directed outward from the pressure vessel exceeds a threshold pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: BWXT mPower, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Malloy, III, Matthew W. Ales, Michael J. Edwards, Ronald C. Watson, Andrew C. Whitten
  • Patent number: 12080437
    Abstract: A method comprises inserting the fuel rod (4) through the spacer grids (14) aligned along an assembling axis (A) with passing the fuel rod (4) through a lubrication chamber (30) aligned with the spacer grids (14) such that the lubrication chamber (30) is passed through by the fuel rod (4) before the insertion of the fuel rod (4) through one of the spacer grids (14), and circulating a lubrication fluid containing a gas and a lubricant in gaseous phase and/or mist form in the lubrication chamber (30). The lubrication fluid is injected in the lubrication chamber (30) at a temperature strictly higher than ambient temperature, such that lubricant deposits or condensates in liquid phase with forming a lubricant film on an external surface of the fuel rod (4) that is being inserted through said one of the spacer grids (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: FRAMATOME
    Inventor: Ewald Osseforth
  • Patent number: 12080434
    Abstract: Disclosed are a radioisotope activity surveillance system and methods. The system includes a fuel rod assembly having a plurality of nuclear fuel rods and a target assembly having a top nozzle including an orifice plate and at least one target material rod fixedly coupled to the orifice plate. The least one target material rod is slidably disposed within the fuel rod assembly. A sensing assembly defines an opening sized and configured to receive the target assembly therethrough. The sensing assembly includes a self-powered detector assembly to detect radioisotope activity of the target rod material. Also disclosed is a method for measuring a self-powered detector signal to calculate radioisotope activity of a target assembly and a method for analyzing total activity of a desired radioisotope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
    Inventors: Michael D. Heibel, Robert J. Fetterman, Michael J. Prible, Jianwei Chen
  • Patent number: 12062463
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for producing neutrons for applications such as boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) are described. An apparatus can include a rotary fixture with a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet, and a plurality of neutron-producing segments. Each neutron-producing segment of the plurality of neutron-producing segments is removably coupled to the rotary fixture, and includes a substrate having a coolant channel circuit defined therein and a solid neutron source layer disposed thereon. The coolant channel circuits are in fluid communication with the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: Neutron Therapeutics LLC
    Inventors: William H. Park, Jr., Steven P. Konish, Theodore H. Smick, Takao Sakase
  • Patent number: 12062462
    Abstract: Power generation systems, such as nuclear power generation systems, are described herein. A representative power generation system includes a heat source, a heat pipe, and a thermophotovoltaic cell. The heat pipe includes a first region and a second region. The first region is positioned to absorb heat from the heat source, and the second region is positioned to radiate at least a portion of the absorbed heat away from the heat pipe as thermal radiation. The thermophotovoltaic cell is positioned to receive the thermal radiation from the second region of the heat pipe and to convert at least a portion of the thermal radiation to electrical energy. The power generation system can further include another heat pipe positioned to remove waste heat from the thermophotovoltaic cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: NuScale Power, LLC
    Inventors: Frederick Botha, Steven Mirsky, Kaeley Stevens, Michele Walden
  • Patent number: 12057240
    Abstract: A compact pressurized water nuclear reactor having connected to the reactor pressure vessel a plurality of pressure vessels connected by nozzles, and connected by curved horizontal pressure vessel heads by having their central axis horizontal, with reduced stress and simple single connection between the respective nozzle of the reactor pressure vessel with the respective nozzle of each curved horizontal pressure vessel heads, all with the same internal and external design pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: INVAP S.E.
    Inventors: Pablo Florido, Rodolfo Carlevaris, Alberto Patrignani
  • Patent number: 12051514
    Abstract: A safety method for a reactor including a primary circuit and a secondary circuit fluidly isolated from the primary circuit, and a steam generator, and in the event of a meltdown of the core of the reactor with the formation of a corium bath in a bottom of the vessel and the formation of a liquid metallic layer at the surface of the corium bath, the method includes: a break-up by explosion of the fluidic insulation to set the secondary circuit in fluidic communication with the primary circuit so that the secondary fluid follows the primary circuit to flow inside the vessel over the liquid metallic layer of the corium bath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Franck Morin, Gilles Avakian
  • Patent number: 12051515
    Abstract: A method for protecting a nuclear reactor includes reconstructing a maximum linear power density released among the fuel rods of the nuclear fuel assemblies of the core; calculating the thermomechanical state and the burnup fraction of the rods; calculating a mechanical stress or deformation energy density in the cladding of one of the rods by using the said reconstructed maximum linear power density, the calculated thermomechanical states and the calculated burnup fractions, by means of a meta-model of a thermomechanical code; comparing the calculated mechanical stress or the calculated deformation energy density with a respective threshold; and stopping the nuclear reactor if the calculated mechanical stress or the calculated deformation energy density exceeds the respective threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: FRAMATOME
    Inventors: Christian Royere, Mathieu Segond
  • Patent number: 12046381
    Abstract: The present disclosure is generally related to methods, devices and systems for improving the performances of a Rod Cluster Control Assembly (RCCA) and/or a Control Element Assembly (CEA) to mitigate clad strain, especially in the high fluence region, during normal operation conditions and accident conditions. One method may include incorporating a device such as a powder collection and blockage device between the ceramic upper and ceramic lower absorber materials of the RCCA and/or CEA. Another method may include increasing the plenum volume by incorporating an axial hole into the top end plug extension. Another method may include increasing the plenum volume by incorporating an axial hole into the bottom end plug and optionally incorporating radial grooves in the bottom of the lower absorber material to provide a flow channel for gas expansion or generation to ensure that the lower absorber does not block the opening in the bottom end plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. McCarty, Thanh H. Do
  • Patent number: 12046379
    Abstract: A nuclear reactor has an axially stratified fuel bed. The reactor features a reactor shell having a base, a top having an exhaust outlet, and an axis. The axially stratified fuel bed is within the reactor shell, and includes: a first zone configured to operate at a first temperature T1, the first zone comprising a plurality of first fuel particles, each first fuel particle comprising a first radioactive ceramic core and a first ceramic seal coating; and a second zone configured to operate at a second temperature T2, where T2>T1, the second zone comprising a plurality of second fuel particles, each second fuel particle comprising a second radioactive ceramic core and a second ceramic seal coating. A coolant fluid flow path carries a coolant fluid from the base of the reactor to the exhaust outlet, along a flow path passing sequentially through the first zone and the second zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: X-ENERGY, LLC
    Inventors: Howard Kim, Daniel Brown