Patents by Inventor Ted Hough
Ted Hough 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: 10672528Abstract: A multi-modular power plant includes a plurality of on-site nuclear power modules that generate a power plant output, and a number of power plant systems which operate using electricity associated with a house load of the power plant. A switchyard associated with the power plant may electrically connect the power plant to a distributed electrical grid. The distributed electrical grid may be configured to service a plurality of geographically distributed consumers. Additionally, the switchyard may electrically connect the power plant to a dedicated electrical grid. The dedicated electrical grid may provide electricity generated from the power plant output to a dedicated service load, and the power plant output may be equal to or greater than a combined load of the dedicated service load and the house load. At least a portion of the power plant output may be distributed to both the power plant systems and the dedicated electrical grid.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2016Date of Patent: June 2, 2020Assignee: NUSCALE POWER LLCInventors: Daniel Ingersoll, Jose N. Reyes, Jr., Bill Galyean, Jeremiah Doyle, Ted Hough, Ross Snuggerud
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Patent number: 10510455Abstract: A multi-modular power plant may include a plurality of on-site nuclear power modules configured to generate a power plant output, wherein one or more of the nuclear power modules may be designated as service module units which are configured to generate a first portion of the power plant output. A remainder of the nuclear power modules may be configured to generate a second portion of the power plant output. A number of power plant systems may be configured to operate using electricity associated with a house load of the power plant, wherein the first portion of the power plant output is equal to or greater than the house load. Additionally, a switchyard may be configured to electrically connect the power plant to a distributed electrical grid. The distributed electrical grid may be configured to service a plurality of geographically distributed consumers, and the switchyard may be configured to apply the second portion of the power plant output to the distributed electrical grid.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2016Date of Patent: December 17, 2019Assignee: NUSCALE POWER, LLCInventors: Ted Hough, Ross Snuggerud
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Patent number: 10445160Abstract: A nuclear reactor instrumentation system monitors a nuclear power system that includes a reactor core within a reactor vessel and one or more sensors for monitoring parameters of the nuclear power system. The nuclear reactor instrumentation system includes a computer having a processor and configured to be powered by a normal power source and a backup power source; a wireless transmitter operable under the control of the processor; and a memory coupled to the processor and containing stored programming instructions. The stored programming instructions are executable by the processor to cause the processor to receive data from the sensors; identify a loss of normal power from the normal power source; and in response to identifying the loss of normal power, cause the wireless transmitter to transmit the received data.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2015Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Assignee: NUSCALE POWER, LLCInventors: Jason Pottorf, Ted Hough
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Patent number: 10404062Abstract: Embodiments are directed to fault-tolerant power-distribution modules (PDM). A PDM is included in a power plant to provide a portion of the power generated by the plant as a direct current (DC) signal for the operation of the plant. A power-distribution system distributes a portion of the power generated by the plant to one or more PDMs, as an alternating current (AC) signal. The PDMs provide electrical power to various plant loads. The plant loads may be related to the safety of the operation of the power plant. At least one of the plant loads is a non-safety related load. A PDM may be a DC power supply. The power plant may include one or more power-generating module (PGM) assemblies. At least one of the PGM assemblies may include a nuclear reactor. Accordingly, the power plant may be a modular nuclear power plant.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2016Date of Patent: September 3, 2019Assignee: NUSCALE POWER, LLCInventors: Hughes Wike, Ted Hough, Drummond Fudge
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Patent number: 10333342Abstract: Fault-tolerant power distribution systems for modular power plants are discussed. The systems enable the transmission of a portion of the power generated by a modular power plant to remote consumers. The systems also enable the local distribution of another portion of the generated power within the power plant. The various fault-tolerant systems enable the plant to continuously, and without degradation or disruption, transmit power to remote consumers and distribute power within in the power plant in the event of one or more faults within the distribution system. The various embodiments include redundant power-transmission paths, power-distribution module feeds, switchgear, and other hardware components.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2017Date of Patent: June 25, 2019Assignee: NUSCALE POWER, LLCInventor: Ted Hough
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Patent number: 10304575Abstract: A nuclear reactor trip apparatus includes a remote circuit breaker trip device operatively connected to a reactor trip breaker to release a control rod into a nuclear reactor core, an active power source, a passive power source, and a local circuit breaker trip device operatively connected to the reactor trip breaker including a sensor to trigger the local circuit breaker trip device upon sensing a predefined condition. The active power source is electrically coupled to energize the remote circuit breaker trip device under normal operating conditions. The passive power source is electrically coupled to energize the remote circuit breaker trip device based on a loss of the active power source.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2014Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignee: NuScale Power, LLCInventors: Ted Hough, Aaron Abb, Tim Branam
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Publication number: 20180097397Abstract: Fault-tolerant power distribution systems for modular power plants are discussed. The systems enable the transmission of a portion of the power generated by a modular power plant to remote consumers. The systems also enable the local distribution of another portion of the generated power within the power plant. The various fault-tolerant systems enable the plant to continuously, and without degradation or disruption, transmit power to remote consumers and distribute power within in the power plant in the event of one or more faults within the distribution system. The various embodiments include redundant power-transmission paths, power-distribution module feeds, switchgear, and other hardware components.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2017Publication date: April 5, 2018Inventor: Ted Hough
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Patent number: 9866063Abstract: Fault-tolerant power distribution systems for modular power plants are discussed. The systems enable the transmission of a portion of the power generated by a modular power plant to remote consumers. The systems also enable the local distribution of another portion of the generated power within the power plant. The various fault-tolerant systems enable the plant to continuously, and without degradation or disruption, transmit power to remote consumers and distribute power within in the power plant in the event of one or more faults within the distribution system. The various embodiments include redundant power-transmission paths, power-distribution module feeds, switchgear, and other hardware components.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2016Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: NUSCALE POWER, LLCInventor: Ted Hough
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Publication number: 20170310116Abstract: Embodiments are directed to fault-tolerant power-distribution modules (PDM). A PDM is included in a power plant to provide a portion of the power generated by the plant as a direct current (DC) signal for the operation of the plant. A power-distribution system distributes a portion of the power generated by the plant to one or more PDMs, as an alternating current (AC) signal. The PDMs provide electrical power to various plant loads. The plant loads may be related to the safety of the operation of the power plant. At least one of the plant loads is a non-safety related load. A PDM may be a DC power supply. The power plant may include one or more power-generating module (PGM) assemblies. At least one of the PGM assemblies may include a nuclear reactor. Accordingly, the power plant may be a modular nuclear power plant.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2016Publication date: October 26, 2017Inventors: Hughes Wike, Ted Hough, Drummond Fudge
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Publication number: 20170288453Abstract: Fault-tolerant power distribution systems for modular power plants are discussed. The systems enable the transmission of a portion of the power generated by a modular power plant to remote consumers. The systems also enable the local distribution of another portion of the generated power within the power plant. The various fault-tolerant systems enable the plant to continuously, and without degradation or disruption, transmit power to remote consumers and distribute power within in the power plant in the event of one or more faults within the distribution system. The various embodiments include redundant power-transmission paths, power-distribution module feeds, switchgear, and other hardware components.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 5, 2016Publication date: October 5, 2017Inventor: Ted Hough
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Publication number: 20170178757Abstract: A multi-modular power plant may include a plurality of on-site nuclear power modules configured to generate a power plant output, wherein one or more of the nuclear power modules may be designated as service module units which are configured to generate a first portion of the power plant output. A remainder of the nuclear power modules may be configured to generate a second portion of the power plant output. A number of power plant systems may be configured to operate using electricity associated with a house load of the power plant, wherein the first portion of the power plant output is equal to or greater than the house load. Additionally, a switchyard may be configured to electrically connect the power plant to a distributed electrical grid. The distributed electrical grid may be configured to service a plurality of geographically distributed consumers, and the switchyard may be configured to apply the second portion of the power plant output to the distributed electrical grid.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2016Publication date: June 22, 2017Applicant: NuScale Power, LLCInventors: Ted HOUGH, Ross SNUGGERUD
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Publication number: 20170178756Abstract: A multi-modular power plant includes a plurality of on-site nuclear power modules that generate a power plant output, and a number of power plant systems which operate using electricity associated with a house load of the power plant. A switchyard associated with the power plant may electrically connect the power plant to a distributed electrical grid. The distributed electrical grid may be configured to service a plurality of geographically distributed consumers. Additionally, the switchyard may electrically connect the power plant to a dedicated electrical grid. The dedicated electrical grid may provide electricity generated from the power plant output to a dedicated service load, and the power plant output may be equal to or greater than a combined load of the dedicated service load and the house load. At least a portion of the power plant output may be distributed to both the power plant systems and the dedicated electrical grid.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2016Publication date: June 22, 2017Applicant: NuScale Power, LLCInventors: Daniel INGERSOLL, Jose N. REYES, JR., Bill GALYEAN, Jeremiah DOYLE, Ted HOUGH, Ross SNUGGERUD
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Publication number: 20160189811Abstract: A nuclear reactor instrumentation system and method, including a backup power source, a wireless transmitter, and various system sensors is configured to identify a loss of normal power to a nuclear reactor instrumentation system and cause power to be provided from the backup power source to the wireless transmitter in order to transmit data from nuclear reactor instrumentation sensors to a remote location via the wireless transmitter.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2015Publication date: June 30, 2016Inventors: Jason Pottorf, Ted Hough
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Patent number: 9305671Abstract: An electrical power system for a nuclear power facility includes an active alternating current (AC) power bus configured to be electrically coupled to a plurality of engineered safety feature (ESF) loads of a plurality of nuclear power systems, each of the ESF loads configured to fail to a safe position upon loss of primary AC power; a critical battery system electrically coupled to the active AC bus, the critical battery system comprising a plurality of valve regulated lead acid (VRLA) batteries; and a primary AC power source electrically coupled to the active AC bus.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2013Date of Patent: April 5, 2016Assignee: NuScale Power, LLCInventor: Ted Hough
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Publication number: 20160042815Abstract: A nuclear reactor trip apparatus includes a remote circuit breaker trip device operatively connected to a reactor trip breaker to release a control rod into a nuclear reactor core, an active power source, a passive power source, and a local circuit breaker trip device operatively connected to the reactor trip breaker including a sensor to trigger the local circuit breaker trip device upon sensing a predefined condition. The active power source is electrically coupled to energize the remote circuit breaker trip device under normal operating conditions. The passive power source is electrically coupled to energize the remote circuit breaker trip device based on a loss of the active power source.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2014Publication date: February 11, 2016Inventors: Ted Hough, Aaron Abb, Tim Branam