Patents by Inventor Francis Y Tsang

Francis Y Tsang 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: 20240409483
    Abstract: Described herein are techniques that may be performed in an Integrated Energy System (IES). The IES may include a power plant, an emission source, and a chemical processing plant. The IES may include one or more sub-plants configured to receive Carbon Dioxide from an emission source, convert a first portion of the Carbon Dioxide into Carbon Monoxide, receive Sodium Hydroxide, combine the Carbon Monoxide and the Sodium Hydroxide to produce Hydrogen gas, and combine, using a reaction chamber, a second portion of the Carbon Dioxide, the Carbon Monoxide, and the Hydrogen to produce Methanol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2024
    Publication date: December 12, 2024
    Inventors: Francis Y. Tsang, José N. Reyes, JR., Luis DePavia
  • Publication number: 20240392700
    Abstract: An integrated system for indirect cycle steam heating comprising a nuclear power module configured to output first steam; a turbine generator configured to receive the first steam and output second steam; a heat exchanger configured to receive water, receive at least one of first steam, second steam, and transfer heat from the at least one of first steam and second steam into the water to create third steam a peaking heater configured to receive the third steam, transfer augmenting heat into the third steam, and heat, based at least in part on the transfer, the third steam to have a temperature above a threshold temperature an auxiliary heater configured to receive the third steam; and a chemical processing plant configured to receive the third steam and transfer heat from the third steam into a chemical.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2024
    Publication date: November 28, 2024
    Applicant: NuScale Power, LLC
    Inventors: José N. Reyes, JR., John Swanson, Luis DePavia, Francis Y. Tsang, Zack Houghton, Mustafa Aljabery
  • Publication number: 20240308850
    Abstract: Described herein are techniques that may be performed in an Integrated Energy System (IES) to produce Nitric Acid (HNO3) while minimizing a carbon footprint. Such techniques, as performed by a resource production plant, may comprise receiving electricity and steam from a power plant to produce Hydrogen (H2) gas from the steam at a Hydrogen (H2) production sub-plant, receiving electricity from the power plant and air from the environment to produce Nitrogen (N2) gas at a Nitrogen (N2) production sub-plant, producing Ammonia (NH3) from the Hydrogen (H2) gas and the Nitrogen (N2) gas at a nitrogen production sub-plant, and producing Nitric Acid (HNO3) from the Ammonia (NH3) at a Nitric Acid (HNO3) production sub-plant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2024
    Publication date: September 19, 2024
    Inventors: Francis Y. Tsang, José N. Reyes, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20240246023
    Abstract: Integrated Energy Systems (IESs), such as for use in capturing atmospheric carbon dioxide, and associated devices and methods are described herein. A representative IES can include a power plant system having multiple modular nuclear reactors, a desalination plant, a brine processing plant, and a direct air capture plant. The nuclear reactors can generate electricity and/or steam for use by the desalination plant and the direct air capture plant. The desalination plant can use the electricity and/or steam to produce brine from seawater or brackish water. The brine processing plant can receive the brine from the desalination plant and process the brine to produce sodium hydroxide. The direct air capture plant can use the sodium hydroxide as a liquid sorbent in a direct air capture process to capture carbon dioxide from atmospheric air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2023
    Publication date: July 25, 2024
    Inventors: Francis Y. Tsang, José N. Reyes, JR., Luis DePavia
  • Publication number: 20240124985
    Abstract: Integrated energy systems, such as for use in producing sodium formate and/or processing sodium formate to generate hydrogen as an energy carrier and that produce few or no carbon emissions, and associated devices and methods are described herein. A representative integrated energy system can include a power plant system having multiple modular nuclear reactors. The nuclear reactors can generate electricity and steam for direct use in a sodium formate process or for use in an electrical power conversion system to generate electricity for use in the sodium formate process or for supply to a power grid. Individual ones of the nuclear reactors can be configured to flexibly generate differing outputs of steam or electricity based on a demand state of the power grid—for example, supplying excess electricity and/or steam to the sodium formate process during off-peak hours.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Inventors: Francis Y. Tsang, José N. Reyes, JR., Luis DePavia
  • Publication number: 20180019034
    Abstract: A method of producing 13N-ammonia for use in medical imaging is provided, which includes irradiating 14N (having a natural abundance of 99.64%) with a collimated bremsstrahlung radiation (gamma-ray beam) obtained by directing high-energy electrons onto a high-Z converter. The 14N to be irradiated may be in the form of liquid ammonia (14NH3) or ammonia gas to directly produce 13N-ammonia (13NH3) or in the form of liquid nitrogen to indirectly produce 13N-ammonia through conversion of the irradiated liquid nitrogen (N2) via known conversion processes to 13N-ammonia. The photons have an energy level above the threshold of the 14N(?,n)13N reaction (about 10.5 MeV).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventor: Francis Y. Tsang
  • Patent number: 9576691
    Abstract: A system for radioisotope production uses fast-neutron-caused fission of depleted or naturally occurring uranium targets in an irradiation chamber. Fast fission can be enhanced by having neutrons encountering the target undergo scattering or reflection to increase each neutron's probability of causing fission (n, f) reactions in U-238. The U-238 can be deployed as one or more layers sandwiched between layers of neutron-reflecting material, or as rods surrounded by neutron-reflecting material. The gaseous fission products can be withdrawn from the irradiation chamber on a continuous basis, and the radioactive iodine isotopes (including I-131) extracted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Global Medical Isotope Systems LLC
    Inventor: Francis Y Tsang
  • Publication number: 20160379728
    Abstract: A method of producing the therapeutic medical isotope yttrium-90 (Y-90) is provided that includes providing a zirconium target composed at least partially of Zr-90, directing an electron beam onto a high-Z converter to generate a neutron beam having a maximum energy level of 12.1 MeV, and directing the neutron beam onto the zirconium target to isotopically convert at least a portion of the Zr-90 to the Y-90 medical isotope.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Inventor: Francis Y. Tsang
  • Patent number: 9443629
    Abstract: A system for radioisotope production uses fast-neutron-caused fission of depleted or naturally occurring uranium targets in an irradiation chamber. Fast fission can be enhanced by having neutrons encountering the target undergo scattering or reflection to increase each neutron's probability of causing fission (n, f) reactions in U-238. The U-238 can be deployed as one or more layers sandwiched between layers of neutron-reflecting material, or as rods surrounded by neutron-reflecting material. The gaseous fission products can be withdrawn from the irradiation chamber on a continuous basis, and the radioactive iodine isotopes (including I-131) extracted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Global Medical Isotope Systems LLC
    Inventor: Francis Y Tsang
  • Publication number: 20150243395
    Abstract: A system for radioisotope production uses fast-neutron-caused fission of depleted or naturally occurring uranium targets in an irradiation chamber. Fast fission can be enhanced by having neutrons encountering the target undergo scattering or reflection to increase each neutron's probability of causing fission (n, f) reactions in U-238. The U-238 can be deployed as one or more layers sandwiched between layers of neutron-reflecting material, or as rods surrounded by neutron-reflecting material. The gaseous fission products can be withdrawn from the irradiation chamber on a continuous basis, and the radioactive iodine isotopes (including I-131) extracted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Applicant: GLOBAL MEDICAL ISOTOPE SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventor: Francis Y Tsang
  • Publication number: 20150243396
    Abstract: A system for radioisotope production uses fast-neutron-caused fission of depleted or naturally occurring uranium targets in an irradiation chamber. Fast fission can be enhanced by having neutrons encountering the target undergo scattering or reflection to increase each neutron's probability of causing fission (n, f) reactions in U-238. The U-238 can be deployed as one or more layers sandwiched between layers of neutron-reflecting material, or as rods surrounded by neutron-reflecting material. The gaseous fission products can be withdrawn from the irradiation chamber on a continuous basis, and the radioactive iodine isotopes (including I-131) extracted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Applicant: GLOBAL MEDICAL ISOTOPE SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventor: Francis Y. Tsang