Patents by Inventor Xavier Heres

Xavier Heres 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: 10354765
    Abstract: The use of hydroxyiminoalkanoic acids including at least four carbon atoms as anti-nitrous agents in operations of reductive stripping of plutonium. The invention may be useful in any method for processing spent nuclear fuels that includes one or more operations of reductive stripping of plutonium and, more particularly, in the PUREX method as implemented in modern nuclear fuel processing plants, as well as in processes derived therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignees: COMMISSARIAT À L'ÉNERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES, ORANO CYCLE
    Inventors: Xavier Heres, Gilles Bernier, Binh Dinh, Patrick Pochon, Danièle Sans, Elisabeth Zekri
  • Patent number: 10249396
    Abstract: A method for the treatment of an aqueous solution resulting from the dissolution of a spent nuclear fuel in nitric acid, allowing the uranium and plutonium contained in the solution to be extracted, separated and decontaminated in a single cycle, without requiring any operation involving a reductive stripping of plutonium. Applications for the method include the processing of uranium-based and/or plutonium-based spent nuclear fuels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignees: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES, ORANO CYCLE
    Inventors: Manuel Miguirditchian, Christian Sorel, Sylvain Costenoble, Vincent Vanel, Xavier Heres, Pascal Baron, Michel Masson, Laurence Chareyre
  • Publication number: 20180286527
    Abstract: The use of hydroxyiminoalkanoic acids including at least four carbon atoms as anti-nitrous agents in operations of reductive stripping of plutonium. The invention may be useful in any method for processing spent nuclear fuels that includes one or more operations of reductive stripping of plutonium and, more particularly, in the PUREX method as implemented in modern nuclear fuel processing plants, as well as in processes derived therefrom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2016
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Xavier Heres, Gilles Bernier, Binh Dinh, Patrick Pochon, Danièle Sans, Elisabeth Zekri
  • Publication number: 20180218798
    Abstract: A method for the treatment of an aqueous solution resulting from the dissolution of a spent nuclear fuel in nitric acid, allowing the uranium and plutonium contained in the solution to be extracted, separated and decontaminated in a single cycle, without requiring any operation involving a reductive stripping of plutonium. Applications for the method include the processing of uranium-based and/or plutonium-based spent nuclear fuels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventors: Manuel Miguirditchian, Christian Sorel, Sylvain Costenoble, Vincent Vanel, Xavier Heres, Pascal Baron, Michel Masson, Laurence Chareyre
  • Patent number: 9284620
    Abstract: A method using diglycolamide for increasing the separation factor between americium and curium and/or between lanthanides during an extraction operation. The operation comprising putting an acid aqueous phase, in which are found the americium, curium and/or lanthanides, in contact with an organic phase non-miscible with water, containing at least one extractant in an organic diluent. The aqueous and organic phases are then separated, and the diglycolamide is added to the aqueous phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignees: Commissariat a l'energie atomique et aux energies alternatives, AREVA NC
    Inventors: Xavier Heres, Pascal Baron
  • Patent number: 9051629
    Abstract: A process which allows separation of americium present in an acid aqueous phase or in an organic phase from the other metal elements also found in this phase, by complexation of the americium with a water-soluble ethylenediamine derivative; and a process for selective recovery of americium from an acid aqueous phase containing, in addition to americium, other metal elements, which comprises the application of this separation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignees: Commissariat a l'energie atomique et aux energies alternatives, AREVA NC
    Inventors: Xavier Heres, Fabien Burdet, Julien Borrini, Marie-Therese Duchesne, Marinella Mazzanti, Gilles Bernier, Stephane Pellet-Rostaing, Alain Favre-Reguillon, Marc Lemaire
  • Patent number: 8753420
    Abstract: A method with which americium may be selectively recovered from a nitric aqueous phase containing americium, curium and fission products including lanthanides and yttrium, but which is free of uranium, plutonium and neptunium or which only contains these three last elements in trace amounts. The method is applicable for treatment and recycling of irradiated nuclear fuels, in particular for removing americium from raffinates stemming from methods for extracting and purifying uranium and plutonium such as the PUREX and COEX™ methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignees: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Areva NC
    Inventors: Xavier Heres, Pascal Baron, Christian Sorel, Clément Hill, Gilles Bernier
  • Patent number: 8557120
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for collectively separating all the actinides (III), (IV), (V) and (VI) present in a strongly acidic aqueous phase, from the fission products, and in particular from the lanthanides, which are also present in this phase, using two extractants that operate in unconnected chemical fields. Applications: reprocessing of irradiated nuclear fuels, especially to recover plutonium, neptunium, americium, curium and, possibly, uranium present in trace amounts, in a grouped manner but selectively with respect to the lanthanides, from a solution for dissolution of an irradiated nuclear fuel, downstream of a uranium extraction cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Xavier Heres, Manuel Miguirditchian, Pascal Baron, Laurence Chareyre
  • Publication number: 20130259776
    Abstract: A process which allows separation of americium present in an acid aqueous phase or in an organic phase from the other metal elements also found in this phase, by complexation of the americium with a water-soluble ethylenediamine derivative; and a process for selective recovery of americium from an acid aqueous phase containing, in addition to americium, other metal elements, which comprises the application of this separation process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2011
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicants: AREVA NC, COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Xavier Heres, Fabien Burdet, Julien Borrini, Marie-Therese Duchesne, Marinella Mazzanti, Gilles Bernier, Stephane Pellet-Rostaing, Alain Favre-Reguillon, Marc Lemaire
  • Publication number: 20120160061
    Abstract: A method using diglycolamide for increasing the separation factor between americium and curium and/or between lanthanides during an extraction operation. The operation comprising putting an acid aqueous phase, in which are found the americium, curium and/or lanthanides, in contact with an organic phase non-miscible with water, containing at least one extractant in an organic diluent. The aqueous and organic phases are then separated, and the diglycolamide is added to the aqueous phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicants: Commissariat a l'energie atomique et aux energies alternatives, AREVA NC
    Inventors: Xavier Heres, Pascal Baron
  • Publication number: 20120152059
    Abstract: A method with which americium may be selectively recovered from a nitric aqueous phase containing americium, curium and fission products including lanthanides and yttrium, but which is free of uranium, plutonium and neptunium or which only contains these three last elements in trace amounts. The method is applicable for treatment and recycling of irradiated nuclear fuels, in particular for removing americium from raffinates stemming from methods for extracting and purifying uranium and plutonium such as the PUREX and COEX™ methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicants: AREVA INC, Commissariat a l'energie atomique et aux energies alternatives
    Inventors: Xavier Heres, Pascal Baron, Christian Sorel, Clément Hill, Gilles Bernier
  • Publication number: 20090184051
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for collectively separating all the actinides (III), (IV), (V) and (VI) present in a strongly acidic aqueous phase, from the fission products, and in particular from the lanthanides, which are also present in this phase, using two extractants that operate in unconnected chemical fields. Applications: reprocessing of irradiated nuclear fuels, especially to recover plutonium, neptunium, americium, curium and, possibly, uranium present in trace amounts, in a grouped manner but selectively with respect to the lanthanides, from a solution for dissolution of an irradiated nuclear fuel, downstream of a uranium extraction cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Inventors: Xavier Heres, Manuel Miguirditchian, Pascal Baron, Laurence Chareyre
  • Patent number: 7157003
    Abstract: The invention concerns a cyclic method for separating at least one chemical element E1 from at least one chemical element E2 from an aqueous solution containing said elements, which employs a mixture of two extractants operating in non-overlapping chemical fields. Each cycle of said method comprises: a) co-extracting elements E1 and E2 by means of an organic phase containing a first extractant suited to causing the migration of said elements into said organic phase; b) adding to the organic phase a second extractant suited to selectively retaining the element(s) E2 in said organic phase during step c): c) selectively stripping the element(s) E1 from the organic phase; d) selectively stripping the element(s) E2 from the organic phase; e) separating the first and second extractants present in said organic phase at the end of step d).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Commissariat A L'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Pascal Baron, Michael Lecomte, Xavier Heres, Bernard Mauborgne
  • Publication number: 20040124141
    Abstract: The invention concerns a cyclic method for separating at least one chemical element E1 from at least one chemical element E2 from an aqueous solution containing said elements, which employs a mixture of two extractants operating in non-overlapping chemical fields.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Applicant: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE
    Inventors: Pascal Baron, Michael Lecomte, Xavier Heres, Bernard Mauborgne