Patents by Inventor FRANK A. BOYLAN

FRANK A. BOYLAN 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).

  • CONTROL RODS FOR LIGHT WATER REACTORS
    Publication number: 20220108808
    Abstract: A control rod for a nuclear fuel assembly is described herein that includes a neutron absorbing material having a melting point greater than 1500° C. that does not form a eutectic with a melting point less than 1500° C., and may further include a cladding material having a melting point greater than 1500° C. The cladding material is selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, zirconium, a zirconium alloy, tungsten, and molybdenum. The absorbing material is selected from the group consisting of Gd2O3, Ir, B4C, Re, and Hf. The metal cladding or the absorbing material may be coated with an anti-oxidation coating of Cr with or without a Nb intermediate layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Applicant: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
    Inventors: Edward J. LAHODA, Frank A. BOYLAN, Ho Q. LAM, Mitchell E. NISSLEY, Raymond E. SCHNEIDER, Robert L. OELRICH, Sumit RAY, Radu POMIRLEANU, Zeses KAROUTAS, Michael J. HONE
  • Control rods for light water reactors
    Patent number: 11289213
    Abstract: A control rod for a nuclear fuel assembly is described herein that includes a neutron absorbing material having a melting point greater than 1500° C. that does not form a eutectic with a melting point less than 1500° C., and may further include a cladding material having a melting point greater than 1500° C. The cladding material is selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, zirconium, a zirconium alloy, tungsten, and molybdenum. The absorbing material is selected from the group consisting of Gd2O3, Ir, B4C, Re, and Hf. The metal cladding or the absorbing material may be coated with an anti-oxidation coating of Cr with or without a Nb intermediate layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
    Inventors: Edward J. Lahoda, Frank A. Boylan, Ho Q. Lam, Mitchell E. Nissley, Raymond E. Schneider, Robert L. Oelrich, Sumit Ray, Radu Pomirleanu, Zeses Karoutas, Michael J. Hone
  • High temperature ceramic nuclear fuel system for light water reactors and lead fast reactors
    Patent number: 10515728
    Abstract: An improved, accident tolerant fuel for use in light water and lead fast reactors is described. The fuel includes a ceramic cladding, such as a multi-layered silicon carbide cladding, and fuel pellets formed from U15N and from 100 to 10000 ppm of a boron-containing integral fuel burnable absorber, such as UB2 or ZrB2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
    Inventors: Edward J. Lahoda, Frank A. Boylan
  • HIGH TEMPERATURE NUCLEAR FUEL SYSTEM FOR THERMAL NEUTRON REACTORS
    Publication number: 20190139654
    Abstract: An improved, accident tolerant fuel for use in light water and heavy water reactors is described. The fuel includes a zirconium alloy cladding having a chromium or chromium alloy coating and an optional interlayer of molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten, and niobium between the zirconium alloy cladding and the coating, and fuel pellets formed from U3Si2 or UN and from 100 to 10000 ppm of a boron-containing integral fuel burnable absorber, such as UB2 or ZrB2, either intermixed within the fuel pellet or coated over the surface of the fuel pellet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Applicant: WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: EDWARD J. LAHODA, PENG XU, Robert L. Oelrich, JR., FRANK A. BOYLAN, HEMANT SHAH, SUMIT RAY, FAUSTO FRANCESCHINI, JAVIER E. ROMERO, JONATHAN WRIGHT
  • HIGH TEMPERATURE CERAMIC NUCLEAR FUEL SYSTEM FOR LIGHT WATER REACTORS AND LEAD FAST REACTORS
    Publication number: 20190088376
    Abstract: An improved, accident tolerant fuel for use in light water and lead fast reactors is described. The fuel includes a ceramic cladding, such as a multi-layered silicon carbide cladding, and fuel pellets formed from U15N and from 100 to 10000 ppm of a boron-containing integral fuel burnable absorber, such as UB2 or ZrB2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2017
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Applicant: WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: EDWARD J. LAHODA, FRANK A. BOYLAN
  • HIGH TEMPERATURE CONTROL RODS FOR LIGHT WATER REACTORS
    Publication number: 20190066853
    Abstract: A high temperature control rod for a nuclear fuel assembly is described herein that includes a neutron absorbing material having a melting point greater than 1500° C. that does not form a eutectic with a melting point less than 1500° C., and may further include a cladding material having a melting point greater than 1500° C. The cladding material is selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, zirconium, a zirconium alloy, tungsten, and molybdenum. The absorbing material is selected from the group consisting of Gd2O3, Ir, B4C, Re, and Hf. The metal cladding or the absorbing material may be coated with an anti-oxidation coating of Cr with or without a Nb intermediate layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Applicant: WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC COMPANY LLC
    Inventors: EDWARD J. LAHODA, FRANK A. BOYLAN, HO Q. LAM, MITCHELL E. NISSLEY, RAYMOND E. SCHNEIDER, ROBERT L. OELRICH, SUMIT RAY, RADU POMIRLEANU, ZESES KAROUTAS, MICHAEL J. HONE