Patents by Inventor Gerard Picard

Gerard Picard 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).

  • Patent number: 9302918
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for manufacturing an oxychloride or oxide of actinide(s) and/or of lanthanide(s) from a chloride of actinide(s) and/or of lanthanide(s) present in a medium comprising at least one molten salt of chloride type comprising a step of bringing said chloride of actinide(s) and/or lanthanide(s) present in said medium comprising at least one molten salt of chloride type into contact with a wet inert gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'energie atomique et aux energies alternatives
    Inventors: Annabelle Laplace, Jean-Francois Vigier, Thierry Plet, Catherine Renard, Francis Abraham, Cyrine Slim, Sylvie Delpech, Gerard Picard
  • Publication number: 20140219900
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for manufacturing an oxychloride or oxide of actinide(s) and/or of lanthanide(s) from a chloride of actinide(s) and/or of lanthanide(s) present in a medium comprising at least one molten salt of chloride type comprising a step of bringing said chloride of actinide(s) and/or lanthanide(s) present in said medium comprising at least one molten salt of chloride type into contact with a wet inert gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: Commissariat a I'energie atomique et aux ene alt
    Inventors: Annabelle Laplace, Jean-Francois Vigier, Thierry Plet, Catherine Renard, Francis Abraham, Cyrine Slim, Sylvie Delpech, Gerard Picard
  • Patent number: 6929786
    Abstract: A method of separating zirconium and hafnium tetrachlorides using a solvent comprising firstly an alkaline metallic solvent comprising a salt made up of an alkali metal chloride and an acidic metal chloride A, for example a chloroaluminate or an alkaline chloroferrate, and secondly an acidic metal or metalloid chloride B of acidity that is less than that of the acidic metal chloride A. The acidic metal or metalloid chloride B may be selected from chlorides of Mg, Zn, and Cu. The method may be a continuous separation method by selective absorption of the tetrachloride vapors by the solvent in the substantially or totally molten state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Compagnie Europeenne du Zirconium CEZUS
    Inventors: Laurence Delons, GĂ©rard Picard, Delphine Tigreat
  • Publication number: 20030165419
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of separating zirconium and hafnium tetrachlorides using a solvent comprising firstly an alkaline metallic solvent comprising a salt made up of an alkali metal chloride and an acidic metal chloride A, for example a chloroaluminate or an alkaline chloroferrate, and secondly an acidic metal or metalloid chloride B of acidity that is less than that of the acidic metal chloride A. The acidic metal or metalloid chloride B is preferably selected from chlorides of Mg, Zn, and Cu. The method may be a continuous separation method by selective absorption of the tetrachloride vapors by the solvent in the substantially or totally molten state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2003
    Publication date: September 4, 2003
    Inventors: Laurence Delons, Gerard Picard, Delphine Tigreat
  • Patent number: 4935107
    Abstract: The invention concerns a process and apparatus for electrochemical measurement of the concentration of oxide ions dissolved in a bath based on molten halides. The process is based on impedance measurement at a low current and a low overvoltage, between an indicator electrode, a reference electrode and a counter electrodes. The real value Z.sub.r of the impedance is determined for two frequencies, a low frequency Zr(B) (such as 15-25 Hz) and a high frequency Zr(H) (such as 10-100 kHz); the inverse of the concentration of oxide ions is a linear function of the difference between Zr(B) and Zr(H). This method has a high level of accuracy in the low ranges of concentration of oxide ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1990
    Assignee: Aluminium Pechiney
    Inventors: Gerard Picard, Yves Bertaud, Evelyne Prat, Michel Leroy
  • Patent number: 4892630
    Abstract: A process for producing a strong, adherent protective layer on copper parts, with a high rate of covering of the substrate, by passivating anodization, characterized in that the copper parts are immersed in a liquid KF, 2HF bath and subjected to anodic current of low surface-related density which is less than 0.1 A/dm.sup.2, which current may be continuous or intermittent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Assignee: Comurhex Societe Pour la Conversion de l'Ranium en Metal et Hexafluorure
    Inventors: Patrick Germanaz, Sylvie Lamirault, Gerard Picard
  • Patent number: 4563338
    Abstract: A selective chlorination method of a mixture of simple or complex metallic oxides, comprising at least one of the elements to be used, iron, aluminum, titanium and silicon, as well as the impurities accompanying said elements, said method consisting of a grinding, a calcination, a placing in suspension in a bath of melted salts of the mixture of said metallic oxides and of their impurities and of an introduction of chlorinating agents into said bath maintained at a temperature which assures the volatility of at least one of the metallic chlorides formed; characterized by the fact that, in order to selectively extract the metallic chlorides formed from the bath, specific chlorinating mixtures are introduced into this bath by successive steps, said mixtures having increasing chlorinating power, and the introduction is in a number at the most equal to the usuable elements to be chlorinated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1986
    Assignee: Aluminium Pechiney
    Inventors: Francoise Seon, Gerard Picard, Bernard Tremillon, Yves Bertaud
  • Patent number: 4559993
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for stabilizing a mixture of molten alkali metal nitrates and alkali metal nitrites usable particularly as a heat transfer fluid and to the stabilized mixture thus obtained.The process comprises adding to the mixture a quantity of alkali metal hydroxide such that the value of the logarithm of the ratio P(H.sub.2 O)/.vertline.OH.sup.- .vertline..sup.2 (where P(H.sub.2 O) denotes the partial pressure of water vapor expressed in atmospheres and .vertline.OH.sup.- .vertline. the hydroxide ion concentration expressed in moles/kg) is between a value b corresponding to the disproportionation of the nitrites into nitrate and nitric oxide and a value a corresponding to the appearance of peroxides, the values a and b being determined for a given nitrate/nitrite ratio, a given temperature and given partial pressures of the gases blanketing the mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1985
    Assignee: Electricite de France
    Inventors: Gerard Picard, Thierry Flament, Bernard Tremillon, Pierre Saint-Paul, Pierre Spiteri