Patents by Inventor Bernd Eckardt

Bernd Eckardt 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: 20230343688
    Abstract: A power semiconductor module includes a first and second insulating substrate, which is arranged parallel to and at a distance from the first insulating substrate. The first insulating substrate and the second insulating substrate each include an insulating layer, an inner metallization layer, and an outer metallization layer. The power semiconductor module also includes a first cooling device, which is arranged thermally conductively on the outer metallization layer of the first insulating substrate, a second cooling device, which is arranged thermally conductively on the outer metallization layer of the second insulating substrate. The power semiconductor module also includes a power semiconductor, arranged between the first insulating substrate and the second insulating substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Maximilian BARKOW, Patrick FUCHS, Timijan VELIC, Bernd ECKARDT, Maximilian HOFMANN, Hubert RAUH, Andre MUELLER, Benjamin BAYER, Jordan SORGE
  • Patent number: 10438706
    Abstract: A pressure-relief system for a containment of a nuclear plant has a pressure-relief line which is led through the containment and is closed by a shutoff device, and a wet scrubber being switched into the pressure-relief line lying outside the containment, for the pressure-relief gas flow developing in the pressure-relief operating mode with the shutoff device being open. An effective, reliable operation of the wet scrubber with a compact structural configuration is made possible. This is achieved by a reservoir, arranged in the containment or fluidically connected therewith such that an overpressure, as compared with the outer environment, present in the containment, is transferred to the reservoir, and a feeding line which is led from the reservoir to the wet scrubber and can be closed by a shutoff device, for feeding a liquid active as a scrubbing liquid from the reservoir to the wet scrubber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Framatome GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Eckardt, Norbert Losch, Frank Zehe
  • Patent number: 10304574
    Abstract: A nuclear plant has a containment shell and a pressure relief line passing out of the containment shell and sealed by a shut-off valve, and through which a pressure relief flow can flow during relief operation, such that it is configured for particularly reliable management of critical scenarios where there is a considerable pressure increase within the containment shell at the same time as the release of hydrogen and/or carbon monoxide. A gas flow treatment device is provided upstream from the respective pressure relief line, and contains a flow duct and has a lower inflow opening and an upper inflow/outflow opening. Catalytic elements for eliminating hydrogen and/or carbon monoxide are arranged in the flow duct above the lower inflow opening. During a critical fault, the flow duct is flowed through from bottom to top by a gas mixture present in the containment shell by the principle of natural convection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Framatome GmbH
    Inventors: Sebastian Buhlmann, Bernd Eckardt, Norbert Losch
  • Patent number: 10304573
    Abstract: A method and a corresponding device for the pressure relief of a nuclear power plant having an outlet for a relief flow. The relief flow is guided out of a containment into the atmosphere via a relief line provided with a filter system. The filter system has a filter chamber with a filter-chamber inlet and outlet and a sorbent filter arranged therebetween. The relief flow is guided in a high-pressure section of the relief line past the filter chamber, with the latter being heated, and the relief flow is expanded at the end of the high-pressure section and dried. In order for efficient retention of iodine-containing organic compounds, the relief flow is guided through a bed filter, guided in a superheating section past the high-pressure section of the relief line and in the process is heated, guided in this state directly thereafter through the filter chamber having the sorbent filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Framatome GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Eckardt, Norbert Losch, Carsten Pasler
  • Patent number: 10236085
    Abstract: A pressure-relief system for the containment of a nuclear power facility allows reliable operation of a wet scrubber for the pressure relief flow with a simultaneously compact structural design. The pressure relief system has a pressure relief line guided through the containment and can be closed by a shut-off valve, a wet scrubber arranged in a portion of the pressure relief line located inside the containment, for the pressure relief flow which forms in the pressure-relief mode when the shut-off valve is open, a reservoir arranged inside the containment and is fluidically connected to the remaining inner space of the containment such that any overpressure, with respect to the surroundings outside the containment, prevailing in the containment is transferred at least in part to the reservoir, and a supply line leading from the reservoir to the wet scrubber for supplying the wet scrubber with fluid from the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Framatome GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Eckardt, Norbert Losch, Frank Zehe
  • Patent number: 9396821
    Abstract: A safety system for a nuclear plant includes a plurality of catalytic recombiner elements each triggering a recombination reaction with oxygen when hydrogen is entrained in an onflowing gas flow, so that reliable elimination of the hydrogen from the gas mixture is ensured with an especially high degree of operational safety even based on comparatively extreme conditions or scenarios of the aforementioned type. The recombiner elements and/or the flow paths each connecting two recombiner elements on the gas side are configured in such a way that a pressure pulse triggered in the gas medium by an ignition during the recombination reaction in a first recombiner element triggers a gas displacement process having a flow rate of at least 5 m/s in the onflow region of a second, adjacent recombiner element. A nuclear plant with a safety system is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Areva GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Eckardt, Norbert Losch
  • Publication number: 20160019987
    Abstract: A pressure-relief system for the containment of a nuclear power facility allows reliable operation of a wet scrubber for the pressure relief flow with a simultaneously compact structural design. The pressure relief system has a pressure relief line guided through the containment and can be closed by a shut-off valve, a wet scrubber arranged in a portion of the pressure relief line located inside the containment, for the pressure relief flow which forms in the pressure-relief mode when the shut-off valve is open, a reservoir arranged inside the containment and is fluidically connected to the remaining inner space of the containment such that any overpressure, with respect to the surroundings outside the containment, prevailing in the containment is transferred at least in part to the reservoir, and a supply line leading from the reservoir to the wet scrubber for supplying the wet scrubber with fluid from the reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventors: BERND ECKARDT, NORBERT LOSCH, FRANK ZEHE
  • Publication number: 20160019986
    Abstract: A pressure-relief system for a containment of a nuclear plant has a pressure-relief line which is led through the containment and is closed by a shutoff device, and a wet scrubber being switched into the pressure-relief line lying outside the containment, for the pressure-relief gas flow developing in the pressure-relief operating mode with the shutoff device being open. An effective, reliable operation of the wet scrubber with a compact structural configuration is made possible. This is achieved by a reservoir, arranged in the containment or fluidically connected therewith such that an overpressure, as compared with the outer environment, present in the containment, is transferred to the reservoir, and a feeding line which is led from the reservoir to the wet scrubber and can be closed by a shutoff device, for feeding a liquid active as a scrubbing liquid from the reservoir to the wet scrubber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventors: BERND ECKARDT, NORBERT LOSCH, FRANK ZEHE
  • Publication number: 20150243379
    Abstract: A nuclear plant has a containment shell and a pressure relief line passing out of the containment shell and sealed by a shut-off valve, and through which a pressure relief flow can flow during relief operation, such that it is configured for particularly reliable management of critical scenarios where there is a considerable pressure increase within the containment shell at the same time as the release of hydrogen and/or carbon monoxide. A gas flow treatment device is provided upstream from the respective pressure relief line, and contains a flow duct and has a lower inflow opening and an upper inflow/outflow opening. Catalytic elements for eliminating hydrogen and/or carbon monoxide are arranged in the flow duct above the lower inflow opening. During a critical fault, the flow duct is flowed through from bottom to top by a gas mixture present in the containment shell by the principle of natural convection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Inventors: SEBASTIAN BUHLMANN, BERND ECKARDT, NORBERT LOSCH
  • Patent number: 9116084
    Abstract: A sampling system for taking a sample from the atmosphere in a reactor containment of a nuclear plant, includes a sampling line which is connected to a vacuum system and to an analysis system. The sampling line opens into the reactor containment and has a restriction device connected upstream thereof on the gas side for connection to the atmosphere in the reactor containment. A method for taking such a sample is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Areva GmbH
    Inventors: Axel Hill, Bernd Eckardt
  • Patent number: 8848856
    Abstract: A method and a system for catalytic recombination of hydrogen, which is carried in a gas flow, with oxygen, has the gas flow passed through a reaction zone with a number of catalytic converter elements, with steam being added to the gas flow before it enters the reaction zone. The method and system ensure a particularly high operational reliability of the recombination device, even in varying operating conditions or with varying operating methods, in particular with regard to a hydrogen feed, which is provided as required, in the steam/feed water circuit of the installation. For this purpose, the feed rate of the steam to be added is adjusted in dependence on a measured value which is characteristic of a current actual temperature in the reaction zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Areva GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Eckardt, Robert Feuerbach
  • Patent number: 8804896
    Abstract: A method and a device depressurize a nuclear power plant. A depressurization flow is conducted out of a containment shell into the atmosphere via a depressurization line having a filter system. The filter system contains a filter chamber having an inlet, an outlet, and a sorbent filter. The depressurization flow is first conducted in a high-pressure section, then is depressurized by expansion at a throttle device, then conducted through the filter chamber having the sorbent filter, and finally blown out. To enable an effective retention of activity carriers contained in the depressurization flow, including organic compounds containing iodine, the depressurization flow depressurized by the throttle device is conducted through a superheating section before the depressurization flow enters the filter chamber, in which superheating section the depressurization flow is heated from the not yet depressurized depressurization flow to a temperature that is at least 10° C. above the dew point temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Areva GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Eckardt, Norbert Losch, Carsten Pasler
  • Patent number: 8670517
    Abstract: A nuclear plant has a containment shell and a pressure relief pipe connected thereto in which a blowing device and a Venturi washer placed in a container with a washing liquid are connected in series. Even the finest particles or aerosols carried by air are held in the Venturi washer with a very high degree of reliability and the release thereof in environment is excluded in a particularly reliable manner in the case of decompression even associated with seal failures. For this purpose, the size of the blowing device and the Venturi washer are selected in such a way that during the operation of the blowing device a flow rate of liquid in the Venturi washer flowing to the decompressing pipe is higher than 130 m/sec, preferably higher than 180 m/sec.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Areva GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Eckardt, Robert Feuerbach
  • Publication number: 20140003568
    Abstract: A nuclear plant has a containment shell and a pressure relief pipe connected thereto in which a blowing device and a Venturi washer placed in a container with a washing liquid are connected in series. Even the finest particles or aerosols carried by air are held in the Venturi washer with a very high degree of reliability and the release thereof in environment is excluded in a particularly reliable manner in the case of decompression even associated with seal failures. For this purpose, the size of the blowing device and the Venturi washer are selected in such a way that during the operation of the blowing device a flow rate of liquid in the Venturi washer flowing to the decompressing pipe is higher than 130 m/sec, preferably higher than 180 m/sec.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventors: Bernd Eckardt, Robert Feuerbach
  • Patent number: 8509376
    Abstract: A nuclear engineering plant has a containment, whose interior chamber is subdivided by a wall into a systems chamber and an operating chamber which is accessible during normal operation. The containment ensures a particularly high operational reliability, in particular also in incident situations, in which hydrogen is released in the systems chamber. For this purpose, a number of overflow openings are provided in the partition wall, the respective overflow opening is closed by a closure element of a closure apparatus which opens automatically when a trigger condition associated with the respective overflow opening is reached. Closure apparatuses are provided which open both as a function of pressure and independently of pressure. The closure apparatus furthermore has a closure element containing a bursting film or a bursting diaphragm. The closure apparatus is configured such that it frees the overflow opening automatically when a predetermined environment-side trigger temperature is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Areva GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Eckardt, Norbert Losch
  • Patent number: 8218709
    Abstract: A nuclear installation has a reactor containment which is connected to a pressure relief line. A Venturi scrubber, which is arranged in a vessel containing a washing liquid, and a throttle device are connected in series in the pressure relief line. The novel system restrains, with particularly high reliability, fine air-transported activities or aerosols during decompression such that release thereof into the environment is practically impossible. The Venturi scrubber and the throttle device are dimensioned in such a way that, in the case of a critical drop in pressure of an air-vapor mixture flowing in the decompression line, a flow speed of said air-vapor mixture of more than 150 m/s, preferably more than 200 m/s, can be adjusted with respect to the throttle device in the Venturi scrubber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Areva NP GmbH
    Inventor: Bernd Eckardt
  • Publication number: 20120121057
    Abstract: A nuclear engineering plant has a containment, whose interior chamber is subdivided by a wall into a systems chamber and an operating chamber which is accessible during normal operation. The containment ensures a particularly high operational reliability, in particular also in incident situations, in which hydrogen is released in the systems chamber. For this purpose, a number of overflow openings are provided in the partition wall, the respective overflow opening is closed by a closure element of a closure apparatus which opens automatically when a trigger condition associated with the respective overflow opening is reached. Closure apparatuses are provided which open both as a function of pressure and independently of pressure. The closure apparatus furthermore has a closure element containing a bursting film or a bursting diaphragm. The closure apparatus is configured such that it frees the overflow opening automatically when a predetermined environment-side trigger temperature is reached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: AREVA NP GMBH
    Inventors: BERND ECKARDT, NORBERT LOSCH
  • Publication number: 20120051488
    Abstract: A method and a corresponding device for the pressure relief of a nuclear power plant having an outlet for a relief flow. The relief flow is guided out of a containment into the atmosphere via a relief line provided with a filter system. The filter system has a filter chamber with a filter-chamber inlet and outlet and a sorbent filter arranged therebetween. The relief flow is guided in a high-pressure section of the relief line past the filter chamber, with the latter being heated, and the relief flow is expanded at the end of the high-pressure section and dried. In order for efficient retention of iodine-containing organic compounds, the relief flow is guided through a bed filter, guided in a superheating section past the high-pressure section of the relief line and in the process is heated, guided in this state directly thereafter through the filter chamber having the sorbent filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: AREVA NP GMBH
    Inventors: BERND ECKARDT, NORBERT LOSCH, CARSTEN PASLER
  • Patent number: 8126107
    Abstract: A nuclear engineering plant has a containment, whose interior chamber is subdivided by a wall into a systems chamber and an operating chamber which is accessible during normal operation. The containment ensures a particularly high operational reliability, in particular also in incident situations, in which hydrogen is released in the systems chamber. For this purpose, a number of overflow openings are provided in the partition wall, the respective overflow opening is closed by a closure element of a closure apparatus which opens automatically when a trigger condition associated with the respective overflow opening is reached. Closure apparatuses are provided which open both as a function of pressure and independently of pressure. The closure apparatus furthermore has a closure element containing a bursting film or a bursting diaphragm. The closure apparatus is configured such that it frees the overflow opening automatically when a predetermined environment-side trigger temperature is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Areva NP GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Eckardt, Norbert Losch
  • Publication number: 20100296619
    Abstract: A safety system for a nuclear plant includes a plurality of catalytic recombiner elements each triggering a recombination reaction with oxygen when hydrogen is entrained in an onflowing gas flow, so that reliable elimination of the hydrogen from the gas mixture is ensured with an especially high degree of operational safety even based on comparatively extreme conditions or scenarios of the aforementioned type. The recombiner elements and/or the flow paths each connecting two recombiner elements on the gas side are configured in such a way that a pressure pulse triggered in the gas medium by an ignition during the recombination reaction in a first recombiner element triggers a gas displacement process having a flow rate of at least 5 m/s in the onflow region of a second, adjacent recombiner element. A nuclear plant with a safety system is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: AREVA NP GMBH
    Inventors: Bernd Eckardt, Norbert Losch