Patents by Inventor Matthew R. Heisel
Matthew R. Heisel 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).
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Patent number: 11830630Abstract: A nuclear reactor is disclosed including a reactor core and a reflector assembly surrounding the reactor core. The reflector assembly includes a stationary reflector component including a graphite support structure comprising a plurality of channels defined therein and a plurality of beryllium-oxide pins positioned in the channels.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2020Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLCInventors: Yuriy Aleshin, Alex Levinsky, Matthew R. Heisel, Stuart T. Kellner
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Patent number: 11373766Abstract: A rotation apparatus is usable with a control drum in a nuclear environment. The control drum is situated on a shaft that is rotatable about a horizontal axis of rotation, and the control drum includes an absorber portion and a reflector portion. The rotation apparatus includes a rotation mechanism that is structured to apply to the shaft in an operational position a force that biases the shaft to rotate toward a shutdown position, with the force being resisted by a motor to retain the shaft in the operational position when the motor is powered. The force is not resisted when the motor is unpowered. The rotation apparatus further includes a rotation management system that controls the rotation of the shaft.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2020Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLCInventors: John L. Lyons, Yasir Arafat, Jurie Van Wyk, Luke D. Czerniak, James L. Yankel, Matthew R. Heisel
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Publication number: 20220130561Abstract: A nuclear reactor is disclosed including a reactor core and a reflector assembly surrounding the reactor core. The reflector assembly includes a stationary reflector component including a graphite support structure comprising a plurality of channels defined therein and a plurality of beryllium-oxide pins positioned in the channels.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2020Publication date: April 28, 2022Applicant: Westinghouse Electric Company LLCInventors: Yuriy ALESHIN, Alex LEVINSKY, Matthew R. HEISEL, Stuart T. KELLNER
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Patent number: 11300359Abstract: A block style heat exchanger for a heat pipe reactor having a plurality of heat pipes extending from a reactor core. The heat exchanger includes a plurality of primary channels, each for receiving heat transferred from the core via one of the heat pipes. The primary channels extending within a block of one or more materials. The heat exchanger also includes a plurality of secondary channels defined within the block for transmitting a flow of the secondary heat transfer medium through the heat exchanger from an inlet to an outlet. The block is formed from one or both of: a plurality of plates bonded together, with each plate defining at least a portion of one or more of the plurality of primary channels and/or the plurality of secondary channels, and/or a unitary piece of material formed from an additive manufacturing process.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2019Date of Patent: April 12, 2022Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLCInventors: Clinton B. Armstrong, Yasir Arafat, Jurie J. Van Wyk, Matthew R. Heisel
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Publication number: 20210199383Abstract: A block style heat exchanger for a heat pipe reactor having a plurality of heat pipes extending from a reactor core. The heat exchanger includes a plurality of primary channels, each for receiving heat transferred from the core via one of the heat pipes. The primary channels extending within a block of one or more materials. The heat exchanger also includes a plurality of secondary channels defined within the block for transmitting a flow of the secondary heat transfer medium through the heat exchanger from an inlet to an outlet. The block is formed from one or both of: a plurality of plates bonded together, with each plate defining at least a portion of one or more of the plurality of primary channels and/or the plurality of secondary channels, and/or a unitary piece of material formed from an additive manufacturing process.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2019Publication date: July 1, 2021Applicant: Westinghouse Electric Company LLCInventors: Clinton B. ARMSTRONG, Yasir ARAFAT, Jurie J. VAN WYK, Matthew R. HEISEL
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Publication number: 20200395134Abstract: A rotation apparatus is usable with a control drum in a nuclear environment. The control drum is situated on a shaft that is rotatable about a horizontal axis of rotation, and the control drum includes an absorber portion and a reflector portion. The rotation apparatus includes a rotation mechanism that is structured to apply to the shaft in an operational position a force that biases the shaft to rotate toward a shutdown position, with the force being resisted by a motor to retain the shaft in the operational position when the motor is powered. The force is not resisted when the motor is unpowered.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2020Publication date: December 17, 2020Applicant: Westinghouse Electric Company LLCInventors: John L. LYONS, Yasir ARAFAT, Jurie VAN WYK, Luke D. CZERNIAK, James L. YANKEL, Matthew R. HEISEL
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Patent number: 10790066Abstract: A rotation apparatus is usable with a control drum in a nuclear environment. The control drum is situated on a shaft that is rotatable about a horizontal axis of rotation, and the control drum includes an absorber portion and a reflector portion. The rotation apparatus includes a rotation mechanism that is structured to apply to the shaft in an operational position a force that biases the shaft to rotate toward a shutdown position, with the force being resisted by a motor to retain the shaft in the operational position when the motor is powered. The force is not resisted when the motor is unpowered. The rotation apparatus further includes a rotation management system that controls the rotation of the shaft.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2017Date of Patent: September 29, 2020Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLCInventors: John L. Lyons, Yasir Arafat, Jurie Van Wyk, Luke D. Czerniak, James L. Yankel, Matthew R. Heisel
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Patent number: 10734124Abstract: A heat pipe assembly of a nuclear apparatus includes a number of elongated heat pipes and a detection system having one or more fiber optic cable assemblies that are elongated and are wrapped in a helical fashion along an exterior surface of one or more of the heat pipes. The detection system further includes an optical signal generator that supplies to each, fiber optic assembly an optical signal and additionally includes a sensor that detects a number of reflections of the optical signal and generates an output. The output is usable by an instrumentation and control system to determine a number of temperatures along one or more of the heat tubes by detecting a temperature at each of a plurality of locations along each fiber optic cable assembly.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2017Date of Patent: August 4, 2020Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLCInventors: Jorge V. Carvajal, Thomas W. Tweedle, Raghu K. Avali, Yasir Arafat, Matthew R. Heisel, Jurie Van Wyk
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Publication number: 20190172594Abstract: A rotation apparatus is usable with a control drum in a nuclear environment. The control drum is situated on a shaft that is rotatable about a horizontal axis of rotation, and the control drum includes an absorber portion and a reflector portion. The rotation apparatus includes a rotation mechanism that is structured to apply to the shaft in an operational position a force that biases the shaft to rotate toward a shutdown position, with the force being resisted by a motor to retain the shaft in the operational position when the motor is powered. The force is not resisted when the motor is unpowered.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2017Publication date: June 6, 2019Applicant: Westinghouse Electric Company LLCInventors: John L. Lyons, Yasir Arafat, Jurie Van Wyk, Luke D. Czerniak, James L. Yankel, Matthew R. Heisel
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Publication number: 20190172597Abstract: A heat pipe assembly of a nuclear apparatus includes a number of elongated heat pipes and a detection system having one or more fiber optic cable assemblies that are elongated and are wrapped in a helical fashion along an exterior surface of one or more of the heat pipes. The detection system further includes an optical signal generator that supplies to each, fiber optic assembly an optical signal and additionally includes a sensor that detects a number of reflections of the optical signal and generates an output. The output is usable by an instrumentation and control system to determine a number of temperatures along one or more of the heat tubes by detecting a temperature at each of a plurality of locations along each fiber optic cable assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2017Publication date: June 6, 2019Applicant: Westinghouse Electric Company LLCInventors: Jorge V. Carvajal, Thomas W. Tweedle, Raghu K. Avali, Yasir Arafat, Matthew R. Heisel, Jurie Van Wyk