Patents by Inventor Andrew F. Long

Andrew F. Long has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240379255
    Abstract: A target well of a target delivery assembly for use in an irradiation system operative to allow irradiation of a radioisotope target via a vessel penetration of a fission reactor. The target well includes an outer tube and an inner tube disposed therein so that an annulus is formed therebetween. The target is positioned in the inner tube during irradiation. At least one flow channel extends between a bottom end of the outer tube and a bottom end of the inner tube. An elevation piston is slidably disposed within the inner tube to elevate the target, the elevation piston including a one-way check valve allowing flow in a downward direction and preventing flow in an upward direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2024
    Publication date: November 14, 2024
    Inventors: Thomas G. Onderwater, Mark A. Alboino, Benjamin D. Fisher, Andrew F. Long
  • Patent number: 12051518
    Abstract: A target well of a target delivery assembly for use in an irradiation system operative to allow irradiation of a radioisotope target via a vessel penetration of a fission reactor. The target well includes an outer tube and an inner tube disposed therein so that an annulus is formed therebetween. The target is positioned in the inner tube during irradiation. At least one flow channel extends between a bottom end of the outer tube and a bottom end of the inner tube. An elevation piston is slidably disposed within the inner tube to elevate the target, the elevation piston including a one-way check valve allowing flow in a downward direction and preventing flow in an upward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: BWXT Isotope Technology Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas G. Onderwater, Mark A. Alboino, Benjamin D. Fisher, Andrew F. Long
  • Publication number: 20230154632
    Abstract: A target irradiation system for irradiating a radioisotope target in a vessel penetration of a fission reactor, including a target delivery assembly including a body defining a central bore, a basket that is slidably receivable within the central bore of the body, and a winch that is connected to the basket by a cable, the target delivery assembly being affixed to the vessel penetration of the reactor, and a target passage that is in fluid communication with the target delivery assembly, wherein the basket is configured to receive the radioisotope target therein via the target passage and be lowered into the vessel penetration of the reactor when irradiating the radioisotope target, and the target delivery system forms a portion of the pressure boundary of the reactor when in fluid communication with the reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2023
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: Thomas G. Onderwater, Mark A. Alboino, Benjamin D. Fisher, Andrew F. Long
  • Patent number: 11551821
    Abstract: A target irradiation system for irradiating a radioisotope target in a vessel penetration of a fission reactor, includes a target delivery assembly with a body defining a central bore, a basket that is slidably receivable within the central bore of the body, and a winch that is connected to the basket by a cable. The target delivery assembly is affixed to the vessel penetration of the reactor; and a target passage is in fluid communication with the target delivery assembly. The basket is configured to receive a radioisotope target therein via the target passage and be lowered into the vessel penetration of the reactor when irradiating the radioisotope target. The target delivery system forms a portion of the pressure boundary of the reactor when in fluid communication with the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: BWXT Isotope Technology Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas G. Onderwater, Mark A. Alboino, Benjamin D. Fisher, Andrew F. Long
  • Patent number: 11309092
    Abstract: A target irradiation system for irradiating a radioisotope target in a vessel penetration of a fission reactor, including a target elevator assembly including a body portion defining a central bore and an open bottom end, a center tube that is disposed within the central bore of the body portion, a target basket that is slidably receivable within the center tube, and a winch that is connected to the target basket by a cable, wherein the target basket is configured to receive the radioisotope target therein and be lowered into the vessel penetration of the reactor when irradiating the radioisotope target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: BWXT Isotope Technology Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas G. Onderwater, Mark A. Alboino, Benjamin D. Fisher, Andrew F. Long
  • Publication number: 20200090824
    Abstract: A target irradiation system for irradiating a radioisotope target in a vessel penetration of a fission reactor, including a target elevator assembly including a body portion defining a central bore and an open bottom end, a center tube that is disposed within the central bore of the body portion, a target basket that is slidably receivable within the center tube, and a winch that is connected to the target basket by a cable, wherein the target basket is configured to receive the radioisotope target therein and be lowered into the vessel penetration of the reactor when irradiating the radioisotope target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Thomas G. Onderwater, Mark A. Alboino, Benjamin D. Fisher, Andrew F. Long
  • Publication number: 20200075180
    Abstract: A target irradiation system for irradiating a radioisotope target in a vessel penetration of a fission reactor, including a target delivery assembly including a body defining a central bore, a basket that is slidably receivable within the central bore of the body, and a winch that is connected to the basket by a cable, the target delivery assembly being affixed to the vessel penetration of the reactor, and a target passage that is in fluid communication with the target delivery assembly, wherein the basket is configured to receive the radioisotope target therein via the target passage and be lowered into the vessel penetration of the reactor when irradiating the radioisotope target, and the target delivery system forms a portion of the pressure boundary of the reactor when in fluid communication with the reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Thomas G. Onderwater, Mark A. Alboino, Benjamin D. Fisher, Andrew F. Long