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).
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Publication number: 20230343688Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2023Publication date: October 26, 2023Inventors: Maximilian BARKOW, Patrick FUCHS, Timijan VELIC, Bernd ECKARDT, Maximilian HOFMANN, Hubert RAUH, Andre MUELLER, Benjamin BAYER, Jordan SORGE
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Patent number: 10438706Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 28, 2015Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignee: Framatome GmbHInventors: Bernd Eckardt, Norbert Losch, Frank Zehe
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Patent number: 10304574Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 9, 2015Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignee: Framatome GmbHInventors: Sebastian Buhlmann, Bernd Eckardt, Norbert Losch
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Patent number: 10304573Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 25, 2011Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignee: Framatome GmbHInventors: Bernd Eckardt, Norbert Losch, Carsten Pasler
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Patent number: 10236085Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 28, 2015Date of Patent: March 19, 2019Assignee: Framatome GmbHInventors: Bernd Eckardt, Norbert Losch, Frank Zehe
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Patent number: 9396821Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 11, 2010Date of Patent: July 19, 2016Assignee: Areva GmbHInventors: Bernd Eckardt, Norbert Losch
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Publication number: 20160019987Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2015Publication date: January 21, 2016Inventors: BERND ECKARDT, NORBERT LOSCH, FRANK ZEHE
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Publication number: 20160019986Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2015Publication date: January 21, 2016Inventors: BERND ECKARDT, NORBERT LOSCH, FRANK ZEHE
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Publication number: 20150243379Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 9, 2015Publication date: August 27, 2015Inventors: SEBASTIAN BUHLMANN, BERND ECKARDT, NORBERT LOSCH
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Patent number: 9116084Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 13, 2007Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: Areva GmbHInventors: Axel Hill, Bernd Eckardt
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Patent number: 8848856Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 9, 2009Date of Patent: September 30, 2014Assignee: Areva GmbHInventors: Bernd Eckardt, Robert Feuerbach
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Patent number: 8804896Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 25, 2013Date of Patent: August 12, 2014Assignee: Areva GmbHInventors: Bernd Eckardt, Norbert Losch, Carsten Pasler
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Patent number: 8670517Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 27, 2005Date of Patent: March 11, 2014Assignee: Areva GmbHInventors: Bernd Eckardt, Robert Feuerbach
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Publication number: 20140003568Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 27, 2005Publication date: January 2, 2014Inventors: Bernd Eckardt, Robert Feuerbach
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Patent number: 8509376Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 12, 2012Date of Patent: August 13, 2013Assignee: Areva GmbHInventors: Bernd Eckardt, Norbert Losch
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Patent number: 8218709Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 27, 2005Date of Patent: July 10, 2012Assignee: Areva NP GmbHInventor: Bernd Eckardt
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Publication number: 20120121057Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2012Publication date: May 17, 2012Applicant: AREVA NP GMBHInventors: BERND ECKARDT, NORBERT LOSCH
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Publication number: 20120051488Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2011Publication date: March 1, 2012Applicant: AREVA NP GMBHInventors: BERND ECKARDT, NORBERT LOSCH, CARSTEN PASLER
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Patent number: 8126107Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 5, 2008Date of Patent: February 28, 2012Assignee: Areva NP GmbHInventors: Bernd Eckardt, Norbert Losch
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Publication number: 20100296619Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2010Publication date: November 25, 2010Applicant: AREVA NP GMBHInventors: Bernd Eckardt, Norbert Losch