Patents by Inventor John R. Honekamp

John R. Honekamp 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 of locating a leaking fuel element in a fast breeder power reactor
    Patent number: 4080250
    Abstract: Leaking fuel elements in a fast reactor are identified by measuring the ratio of .sup.134 Xe to .sup.133 Xe in the reactor cover gas following detection of a fuel element leak, this ratio being indicative of the power and burnup of the failed fuel element. This procedure can be used to identify leaking fuel elements in a power breeder reactor while continuing operation of the reactor since the ratio measured is that of the gases stored in the plenum of the failed fuel element. Thus, use of a cleanup system for the cover gas makes it possible to identify sequentially a multiplicity of leaking fuel elements without shutting the reactor down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1973
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1978
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: John R. Honekamp, Richard M. Fryer