Patents by Inventor James C. Mailen

James C. Mailen 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).

  • Method for cleaning solution used in nuclear fuel reprocessing
    Patent number: 4394269
    Abstract: A nuclear fuel processing solution containing (1) hydrocarbon diluent, (2) tri-n-butyl phosphate or tri-2-ethylhexyl phosphate, and (3) monobutyl phosphate, dibutyl phosphate, mono-2-ethylhexyl phosphate, di-2-ethylhexyl phosphate, or a complex formed by plutonium, uranium, or a fission product thereof with monobutyl phosphate, dibutyl phosphate, mono-2-ethylhexyl phosphate, or di-2-ethylhexyl phosphate is contacted with silica gel having alkali ions absorbed thereon to remove any one of the degradation products named in section (3) above from said solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1981
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1983
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Othar K. Tallent, Karen E. Dodson, James C. Mailen
  • Method for cleaning solution used in nuclear fuel reprocessing
    Patent number: 4358426
    Abstract: Nuclear fuel processing solution consisting of tri-n-butyl phosphate and dodecane, with a complex of uranium, plutonium, or zirconium and with a solvent degradation product such as di-n-butyl phosphate therein, is contacted with an aqueous solution of a salt formed from hydrazine and either a dicarboxylic acid or a hydroxycarboxylic acid, thereby removing the aforesaid complex from the processing solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1980
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1982
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Othar K. Tallent, David J. Crouse, James C. Mailen
  • Method of removing Pu(IV) polymer from nuclear fuel reclaiming liquid
    Patent number: 4316776
    Abstract: A Pu(IV) polymer not extractable from a nuclear fuel reclaiming solution by conventional processes is electrolytically converted to Pu.sup.3+ and PuO.sub.2.sup.2+ ions which are subsequently converted to Pu.sup.4+ ions extractable by the conventional processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1982
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Othar K. Tallent, James C. Mailen, Jimmy T. Bell, Phillip C. Arwood
  • Method for dissolving plutonium oxide with HI and separating plutonium
    Patent number: 4134960
    Abstract: PuO.sub.2 -containing solids, particularly residues from incomplete HNO.sub.3 dissolution of irradiated nuclear fuels, are dissolved in aqueous HI. The resulting solution is evaporated to dryness and the solids are dissolved in HNO.sub.3 for further chemical reprocessing. Alternatively, the HI solution containing dissolved Pu values, can be contacted with a cation exchange resin causing the Pu values to load the resin. The Pu values are selectively eluted from the resin with more concentrated HI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1979
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Benedict L. Vondra, Othar K. Tallent, James C. Mailen
  • Electrolytic trapping of iodine from process gas streams
    Patent number: 4004993
    Abstract: A method for removing molecular, inorganic, and organic forms of iodine from process gas streams comprises the electrolytic oxidation of iodine in the presence of cobalt-III ions. The gas stream is passed through the anode compartment of a partitioned electrolytic cell having a nitric acid anolyte containing a catalytic amount of cobalt to cause the oxidation of effluent iodine species to aqueous soluble species.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1977
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Energy Research and Development Administration
    Inventors: Donald E. Horner, James C. Mailen, Franz A. Posey