Patents by Inventor Kenneth E. Karcher

Kenneth E. Karcher 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: 11437159
    Abstract: Casks shield materials and passively remove heat via heat transport paths from deep inside to outside the cask. The transport path may be heat pipes and conductive rods that are non-linear so that radiation is always shielded by the cask. A damper may surround an end of the heat transport path to control heat loss from the cask. A jacket of fluid or meltable material that conducts heat by convection may surround stored materials ensure an even temperature within the cask, and the heat transport path may absorb heat from the jacket. Casks are useable to safely store, transport, and dispose of any sensitive or heat-generating material. Casks may be opened or closed to simultaneously load and offload materials at a consistent operating temperature provided by heaters in the cask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC
    Inventors: Christopher P. Kmiec, Earl F. Saito, Eric Paul Loewen, David L. Major, Shirly Rodriguez Rojas, Kenneth E. Karcher
  • Publication number: 20210225542
    Abstract: Casks shield materials and passively remove heat via heat transport paths from deep inside to outside the cask. The transport path may be heat pipes and conductive rods that are non-linear so that radiation is always shielded by the cask. A damper may surround an end of the heat transport path to control heat loss from the cask. A jacket of fluid or meltable material that conducts heat by convection may surround stored materials ensure an even temperature within the cask, and the heat transport path may absorb heat from the jacket. Casks are useable to safely store, transport, and dispose of any sensitive or heat-generating material. Casks may be opened or closed to simultaneously load and offload materials at a consistent operating temperature provided by heaters in the cask.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventors: Christopher P. Kmiec, Earl F. Saito, Eric Paul Loewen, David L. Major, Shirly Rodriguez Rojas, Kenneth E. Karcher