Patents by Inventor Richard C. Stirn

Richard C. Stirn 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).

  • Reactivity modulation of a boiling water reactor to stabilize thermal-hydraulic instabilities
    Patent number: 5141710
    Abstract: To stabilize boiling water reactors against neutron flux oscillations caused by thermal-hydraulic instabilities, random core-wide reactivity perturbations are induced in the reactor either to suppress the onset of asymmetric (regional) mode oscillations or, in response to the detection of asymmetric mode oscillations, to stabilize the reactor in a symmetric (core-wide) oscillation mode. The reactivity perturbations are produced by effecting random changes in dome pressure, core flow or coolant enthalpy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1992
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Richard C. Stirn, Glen A. Watford