Patents by Inventor Brett J. Dooies
Brett J. Dooies 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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Patent number: 10770191Abstract: Mobile apparatuses move within contaminated fluid to create fluid flows against structures that remove and prevent contaminant deposition on structure surfaces immersed in the fluid. Unsettling flows in water may exceed approximately 2 m/s for radionuclide particles and solutes found in nuclear power plants. Mobile apparatuses include pressurized liquid from a pump or pressurized source that can be chemically and thermally treated to maximize deposition removal. When spraying the pressurized liquid to create the deposition-removing flow, mobile apparatuses may be self-propelled within the fluid about an entire surface to be cleaned. Mobile apparatuses include filters keyed to remove the contaminants moved into the coolant by the flow, and by taking in ambient fluid, enable such filtering of the ambient fluid along with a larger flow volume and propulsion. Propulsion and the pressurized liquid in turn enhance intake of ambient fluid.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2014Date of Patent: September 8, 2020Assignee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLCInventors: Eric P. Loewen, Brett J. Dooies, Nicholas F. O'Neill
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Patent number: 10706972Abstract: In one embodiment, the fuel bundle for a liquid metal cooled reactor includes a channel, a nose assembly secured to a lower end of the channel, and a plurality of fuel rods disposed within the channel. At least one of the fuel rods has at least one guard ring surround the fuel rod and spacing the fuel rod from adjacent fuel rods.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2017Date of Patent: July 7, 2020Assignee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLCInventors: Brian S. Triplett, Eric P. Loewen, Brett J. Dooies, Scott L. Pfeffer
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Patent number: 10209139Abstract: A temperature change detection apparatus for monitoring temperature change in various portions of a large space includes a trip logic unit configured to execute a trip operation based on receipt of a trip signal at the trip logic unit; a plurality of temperature sensors each including a sensing portion composed of optical fiber cable and each being configured to generate light information indicating an amount of Brillouin scattering that occurs within the sensing portion; a plurality of monitoring units configured such that each monitoring unit determines a temperature value corresponding to each temperature sensor connected to the monitoring unit based on an amount of Brillouin scattering indicated by the light information generated by each of the connected temperature sensors, an each monitoring unit generates a trip signal when a determined temperature value exceeds a running average by more than a threshold amount.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2018Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY AMERICAS LLCInventors: Eric P. Loewen, Brett J. Dooies, Seth Ryan Paul Strege, Nicholas Francis O'Neill
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Patent number: 9921113Abstract: A temperature change detection apparatus for monitoring temperature change in various portions of a large space includes a trip logic unit configured to execute a trip operation based on receipt of a trip signal at the trip logic unit; a plurality of temperature sensors each including a sensing portion composed of optical fiber cable and each being configured to generate light information indicating an amount of Brillouin scattering that occurs within the sensing portion; a plurality of monitoring units configured such that each monitoring unit determines a temperature value corresponding to each temperature sensor connected to the monitoring unit based on an amount of Brillouin scattering indicated by the light information generated by each of the connected temperature sensors, an each monitoring unit generates a trip signal when a determined temperature value exceeds a running average by more than a threshold amount.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2014Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY AMERICAS LLCInventors: Eric P. Loewen, Brett J. Dooies, Seth Ryan Paul Strege, Nicholas Francis O'Neill
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Patent number: 9839925Abstract: A method of cleaning a submerged surface covered by a liquid medium includes injecting a cleaning liquid with a submerged fluid jet through the liquid medium at the submerged surface. The method may also include introducing at least one of a non-reactive gas and a reactive gas with the cleaning liquid through the submerged fluid jet.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2012Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLCInventors: Eric P. Loewen, Brian S. Triplett, Brett J. Dooies
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Patent number: 9767931Abstract: A chimney structure according to a non-limiting example embodiment may include a guide structure defining an opening, and a plurality of chimney partitions including 1 to N chimney partitions concentrically arranged and spaced apart from each other on the guide structure. The 1 to N chimney partitions may each define a curved opening over the opening the guide structure. N may be an integer greater than 1.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2014Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLCInventors: Eric P. Loewen, Brett J. Dooies
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Patent number: 9576685Abstract: In one embodiment, the fuel bundle for a liquid metal cooled reactor includes a channel, a nose assembly secured to a lower end of the channel, and a plurality of fuel rods disposed within the channel. At least one of the fuel rods has at least one guard ring surround the fuel rod and spacing the fuel rod from adjacent fuel rods.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2012Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignee: GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY AMERICAS LLCInventors: Eric P. Loewen, Brian S. Triplett, Brett J. Dooies, Scott L. Pfeffer
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Patent number: 9455052Abstract: In one embodiment, a fuel bundle for a liquid metal cooled reactor includes a channel, a nose assembly secured to a lower end of the channel, a plurality of fuel rods disposed within the channel, and an internal mixer disposed within the channel above the plurality of fuel rods. The internal mixer includes peripheral flow control members and interior flow control members. The peripheral flow control members are located near walls of the channel, and the interior flow control members are located towards a longitudinal center of the housing. At least one of the peripheral flow control members is configured to direct liquid metal flowing through the channel towards an interior of the channel, and at least one of the interior flow control members is configured to direct liquid metal flowing through the channel away from the interior of the channel.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2012Date of Patent: September 27, 2016Assignee: GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY AMERICAS LLCInventors: Eric P. Loewen, Brian S. Triplett, Brett J. Dooies, Scott L. Pfeffer
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Patent number: 9384862Abstract: A method of fabricating a liquid-metal coolant includes adding nanoparticles to the liquid-metal coolant to change neutronic properties of the liquid-metal coolant. The nanoparticles have neutronic properties different from that of the liquid-metal coolant.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2012Date of Patent: July 5, 2016Assignee: GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY AMERICAS LLCInventors: Brett J. Dooies, Eric P. Loewen
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Patent number: 9368241Abstract: A method for processing a coolant includes filtering a coolant using a first filtration system to generate a first filtered material, and filtering the filtered coolant using a second filtration system to generate a second filtered material. The second filtration system is different from the first filtration system. The first filtered material is transferred to a first waste treatment container and converted to a first waste product for permanent disposal, and the second waste product is transferred to a second waste treatment container and converted to a second waste product for permanent disposal.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2012Date of Patent: June 14, 2016Assignee: GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY AMERICAS LLCInventors: Eric P. Loewen, John F. Berger, Brett J. Dooies
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Patent number: 9251920Abstract: A system for monitoring a state of a reactor core in a nuclear reactor may include an internal monitoring device located inside the reactor core, the internal monitoring device including one or more internal sensor arrays configured to take measurements of conditions of the reactor core at different vertical regions within the reactor core to generate internal measurement data; an external monitoring device located in the reactor structure outside the reactor core, the external monitoring device including one or more external sensor arrays configured to take measurements of conditions of the reactor core at positions outside the reactor core corresponding the plurality of different vertical regions within the reactor core to generate external measurement data, and a transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit the external measurement data; and a receiver station configured to determine a state of the reactor core based on the external and internal measurement data.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2012Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Assignee: GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY AMERICA LLCInventors: Eric P. Loewen, Brian S. Triplett, Brett J. Dooies
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Publication number: 20150318063Abstract: Mobile apparatuses move within contaminated fluid to create fluid flows against structures that remove and prevent contaminant deposition on structure surfaces immersed in the fluid. Unsettling flows in water may exceed approximately 2 m/s for radionuclide particles and solutes found in nuclear power plants. Mobile apparatuses include pressurized liquid from a pump or pressurized source that can be chemically and thermally treated to maximize deposition removal. When spraying the pressurized liquid to create the deposition-removing flow, mobile apparatuses may be self-propelled within the fluid about an entire surface to be cleaned. Mobile apparatuses include filters keyed to remove the contaminants moved into the coolant by the flow, and by taking in ambient fluid, enable such filtering of the ambient fluid along with a larger flow volume and propulsion. Propulsion and the pressurized liquid in turn enhance intake of ambient fluid.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2014Publication date: November 5, 2015Applicant: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLCInventors: Eric P. Loewen, Brett J. Dooies, Nicholas F. O'Neill
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Patent number: 8871991Abstract: A method of stabilizing a fuel containing a reactive sodium metal may include puncturing a cladding of a fuel pin enclosing the fuel containing the reactive sodium metal to form an injection passage and an extraction passage. A reaction gas may be injected into the fuel pin through the injection passage to react with the reactive sodium metal to form a stable sodium compound. A ratio of a product gas and a remaining quantity of the reaction gas exiting the fuel pin through the extraction passage is subsequently measured, wherein the product gas is a reaction product of the reaction gas and the reactive sodium metal within the fuel pin. Once the measured ratio indicates that a reaction between the reaction gas and the reactive sodium metal is complete, the injection passage and the extraction passage are sealed so as to confine the stable sodium compound within the fuel pin.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2012Date of Patent: October 28, 2014Assignee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLCInventors: Eric P. Loewen, Brian S. Triplett, Brett J. Dooies
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Publication number: 20140005462Abstract: A method for processing a coolant includes filtering a coolant using a first filtration system to generate a first filtered material, and filtering the filtered coolant using a second filtration system to generate a second filtered material. The second filtration system is different from the first filtration system. The first filtered material is transferred to a first waste treatment container and converted to a first waste product for permanent disposal, and the second waste product is transferred to a second waste treatment container and converted to a second waste product for permanent disposal.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2012Publication date: January 2, 2014Applicant: GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY AMERICAS LLCInventors: Eric P. Loewen, John F. Berger, Brett J. Dooies
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Publication number: 20130341555Abstract: A method of fabricating a liquid-metal coolant includes adding nanoparticles to the liquid-metal coolant to change neutronic properties of the liquid-metal coolant. The nanoparticles have neutronic properties different from that of the liquid-metal coolant.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2012Publication date: December 26, 2013Applicant: GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY AMERICAS LLCInventors: Brett J. Dooies, Eric P. Loewen
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Publication number: 20130308742Abstract: In one embodiment, a fuel bundle for a liquid metal cooled reactor includes a channel, a nose assembly secured to a lower end of the channel, a plurality of fuel rods disposed within the channel, and an internal mixer disposed within the channel above the plurality of fuel rods. The internal mixer includes peripheral flow control members and interior flow control members. The peripheral flow control members are located near walls of the channel, and the interior flow control members are located towards a longitudinal center of the housing. At least one of the peripheral flow control members is configured to direct liquid metal flowing through the channel towards an interior of the channel, and at least one of the interior flow control members is configured to direct liquid metal flowing through the channel away from the interior of the channel.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2012Publication date: November 21, 2013Applicant: GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY AMERICAS LLCInventors: Eric P. Loewen, Brian S. Triplett, Brett J. Dooies, Scott L. Pfeffer
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Publication number: 20130287163Abstract: In one embodiment, the fuel bundle for a liquid metal cooled reactor includes a channel, a nose assembly secured to a lower end of the channel, and a plurality of fuel rods disposed within the channel. At least one of the fuel rods has at least one guard ring surround the fuel rod and spacing the fuel rod from adjacent fuel rods.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2012Publication date: October 31, 2013Applicant: GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY AMERICAS LLCInventors: Eric P. Loewen, Brian S. Triplett, Brett J. Dooies, Scott L. Pfeffer
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Publication number: 20130272469Abstract: A device for monitoring a reactor during normal and off-normal operating conditions may include a case formed of a rigid material, the case including a shielding layer configured to insulate an internal portion of the device from external heat and radiation; a coupling unit configured to adhere the case to a surface location of a reactor; a sensing unit configured to generate environmental measurements by measuring environmental conditions in the vicinity of the reactor; a data processing unit configured to generate measurement data by processing the environmental measurements; a transmitter configured to transmit the measurement data externally from the device; and a power unit configured to power the device independently of an external power source.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2012Publication date: October 17, 2013Applicant: GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY AMERICAS LLCInventors: Eric P. Loewen, Brian S. Triplett, Brett J. Dooies
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Publication number: 20130272468Abstract: A system for monitoring a state of a reactor core in a nuclear reactor may include an internal monitoring device located inside the reactor core, the internal monitoring device including one or more internal sensor arrays configured to take measurements of conditions of the reactor core at different vertical regions within the reactor core to generate internal measurement data; an external monitoring device located in the reactor structure outside the reactor core, the external monitoring device including one or more external sensor arrays configured to take measurements of conditions of the reactor core at positions outside the reactor core corresponding the plurality of different vertical regions within the reactor core to generate external measurement data, and a transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit the external measurement data; and a receiver station configured to determine a state of the reactor core based on the external and internal measurement data.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2012Publication date: October 17, 2013Applicant: GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY AMERICAS LLCInventors: Eric P. Loewen, Brian S. Triplett, Brett J. Dooies
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Patent number: 8424253Abstract: Systems mitigate structural damage by selectively engaging energy-absorbing structures only during impact events, including aircraft impacts. Systems include lateral dampening devices and/or seismic bearings between a structure and its foundation. Lateral dampening devices include a restorative member and/or reactive member configured to rigidly join the structure and the foundation and dampen reactive movement after the structure moves toward the foundation during an impact event. Seismic bearings include a top plate connected to the structure, a bottom plate connected to the foundation, and a resistive core between the top plate that dampens relative movement between the structure and the foundation. Seismic bearings may include a capture assembly that rigidly joins and dampens reactive movement between the structure and the foundation during an impact event.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2010Date of Patent: April 23, 2013Assignee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLCInventors: Eric P. Loewen, Brett J. Dooies