Patents by Inventor Gerald Dean Kvaall, Jr.

Gerald Dean Kvaall, Jr. 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).

  • Optimized fuel assembly channels and methods of creating the same
    Patent number: 10658086
    Abstract: Fuel assemblies include an outer channel having a physical configuration optimized for a position of the fuel assembly within a core of a nuclear reactor. The position of the fuel assembly with respect to an employed control blade in the nuclear reactor determines if the outer channel may be thickened, reinforced, and/or fabricated of Zircaloy-4 or similar distortion-resistant material, so as to reduce or prevent distortion of the channel against the control blade, or thinned so as to increase water volume and enhance reactivity in the assembly. Reactor cores having configured fuel assemblies include fuel assemblies having different outer channels. Methods include determining operational characteristics of the fuel assembly, including likelihood of being placed directly adjacent to an employed control blade, and physically selecting or modifying the outer channel of the fuel assembly based thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Global Nuclear Fuel—Americas, LLC
    Inventors: Jason B. Ingraham, Gerald Dean Kvaall, Jr., Paul E. Cantonwine, Michael W. Thomas, William C. Cline
  • Moderating fuel rods including metal hydride and methods of moderating fuel bundles of boiling water reactors using the same
    Patent number: 9922732
    Abstract: A moderating fuel rod for a boiling water reactor may include a nuclear fuel section; a neutron moderator section including a metal hydride; and a threaded connector joining the nuclear fuel section and the neutron moderator section. By including one or more moderating fuel rods in a fuel bundle, the neutron moderation within the fuel bundle may be improved, thereby allowing energy to be more efficiently extracted from the entire length of the fuel bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Global Nuclear Fuel-Americas, LLC
    Inventors: John Christopher Hannah, Gerald Dean Kvaall, Jr.
  • MODERATING FUEL RODS INCLUDING METAL HYDRIDE AND METHODS OF MODERATING FUEL BUNDLES OF BOILING WATER REACTORS USING THE SAME
    Publication number: 20160099081
    Abstract: A moderating fuel rod for a boiling water reactor may include a nuclear fuel section; a neutron moderator section including a metal hydride; and a threaded connector joining the nuclear fuel section and the neutron moderator section. By including one or more moderating fuel rods in a fuel bundle, the neutron moderation within the fuel bundle may be improved, thereby allowing energy to be more efficiently extracted from the entire length of the fuel bundle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Applicant: Global Nuclear Fuels - Americas, LLC
    Inventors: John Christopher HANNAH, Gerald Dean KVAALL, JR.
  • Exposure boost zone for boiling water reactor nuclear bundles
    Patent number: 8953736
    Abstract: Disclosed are a fuel rod and a fuel bundle using the fuel rod. The fuel rod may include first enriched uranium in a boost zone of the fuel rod, wherein the boost zone may be arranged directly at a bottom of the fuel rod. The fuel rod may also include second enriched uranium in a second zone of the fuel rod, wherein the second zone is arranged over the boost zone. The fuel rod may also include natural uranium in a third zone of the fuel rod, wherein the third zone is arranged over the second zone. In this fuel rod, a percent of enrichment of the enriched uranium in the boost zone is at least one percent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Global Nuclear Fuel—Americas, LLC
    Inventors: Anthony P. Reese, Lukas Trosman, Gerald Dean Kvaall, Jr.
  • EXPOSURE BOOST ZONE FOR BOILING WATER REACTOR NUCLEAR BUNDLES
    Publication number: 20110249785
    Abstract: Disclosed are a fuel rod and a fuel bundle using the fuel rod. The fuel rod may include first enriched uranium in a boost zone of the fuel rod, wherein the boost zone may be arranged directly at a bottom of the fuel rod. The fuel rod may also include second enriched uranium in a second zone of the fuel rod, wherein the second zone is arranged over the boost zone. The fuel rod may also include natural uranium in a third zone of the fuel rod, wherein the third zone is arranged over the second zone. In this fuel rod, a percent of enrichment of the enriched uranium in the boost zone is at least one percent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Inventors: Anthony P. REESE, Lukas Trosman, Gerald Dean Kvaall, JR.
  • Method and apparatus for evaluating a proposed solution to a constraint problem
    Patent number: 7672815
    Abstract: A method of evaluating constraint functions, the evaluation being based at least in part on a control blade movement criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Global Nuclear Fuel - Americas, LLC
    Inventors: Mehdi Asgari, David Joseph Kropaczek, Gerald Dean Kvaall, Jr., Roland Otto Jackson, Steven Barry Sutton, Christian Carlos Oyarzun