Patents by Inventor James C. PALMER

James C. PALMER 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: 11742100
    Abstract: A depressurisation valve for a cooling system including a main chamber having a main valve, a pilot line having a secondary valve and a blowdown line; the main valve being located to seal a path of the coolant system of the nuclear reactor. The main chamber is connected to the cooling circuit via the pilot line allowing coolant to enter the main chamber, and the blowdown line allows coolant to escape from the main chamber, the pilot line having a lower fluid resistance than the blowdown line. The pressure of coolant in the main chamber maintains the main valve in a closed position, and under elevated temperature and/or pressure conditions fluid is prevented from entering the main chamber via a closure of the secondary valve on the pilot line and reduce the pressure from the valve, moving it to its open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE SMR LIMITED
    Inventors: Brenton D Shearer, James C Palmer, Benjamin J Ireland
  • Publication number: 20220406478
    Abstract: A depressurisation valve for a cooling system including a main chamber having a main valve, a pilot line having a secondary valve and a blowdown line; the main valve being located to seal a path of the coolant system of the nuclear reactor. The main chamber is connected to the cooling circuit via the pilot line allowing coolant to enter the main chamber, and the blowdown line allows coolant to escape from the main chamber, the pilot line having a lower fluid resistance than the blowdown line. The pressure of coolant in the main chamber maintains the main valve in a closed position, and under elevated temperature and/or pressure conditions fluid is prevented from entering the main chamber via a closure of the secondary valve on the pilot line and reduce the pressure from the valve, moving it to its open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE SMR LIMITED
    Inventors: Brenton D SHEARER, James C PALMER, Benjamin J IRELAND
  • Patent number: 11521758
    Abstract: A depressurisation valve for a cooling system comprising: a main chamber having a main valve, a pilot line having a secondary valve and a blowdown line; the main valve being located to seal a path of the coolant system of the nuclear reactor. The main chamber is connected to the cooling circuit via the pilot line allowing coolant to enter the main chamber, and the blowdown line allows coolant to escape from the main chamber, the pilot line having a lower fluid resistance than the blowdown line. The pressure of coolant in the main chamber maintains the main valve in a closed position, and under elevated temperature and/or pressure conditions fluid is prevented from entering the main chamber via a closure of the secondary valve on the pilot line and reduce the pressure from the valve, moving it to its open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE SMR LIMITED
    Inventors: Brenton D Shearer, James C Palmer, Benjamin J Ireland
  • Publication number: 20200194134
    Abstract: A depressurisation valve for a cooling system comprising: a main chamber having a main valve, a pilot line having a secondary valve and a blowdown line; the main valve being located to seal a path of the coolant system of the nuclear reactor. The main chamber is connected to the cooling circuit via the pilot line allowing coolant to enter the main chamber, and the blowdown line allows coolant to escape from the main chamber, the pilot line having a lower fluid resistance than the blowdown line. The pressure of coolant in the main chamber maintains the main valve in a closed position, and under elevated temperature and/or pressure conditions fluid is prevented from entering the main chamber via a closure of the secondary valve on the pilot line and reduce the pressure from the valve, moving it to its open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Applicants: ROLLS-ROYCE plc, ROLLS-ROYCE POWER ENGINEERING plc
    Inventors: Brenton D SHEARER, James C PALMER, Benjamin J IRELAND
  • Publication number: 20190164654
    Abstract: A nuclear power plant, having a reactor pressure vessel; a steam generator arranged to generate steam utilising thermal energy generated within the reactor pressure vessel; and a fluid circuit for transferring thermal energy from the reactor pressure vessel to the steam generator. The plant also has a coolant reservoir for storing coolant for supply to the steam generator under gravity in emergency conditions. The steam generator has a steam drying zone comprising one or more steam separators configured to dry steam; and the steam generator and coolant reservoir are configured such that when coolant is supplied from the coolant reservoir to the steam generator in emergency conditions the coolant stays below a threshold level defined by the steam drying zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: James C. PALMER