79 patents
Page 2 of 4
Utility
Methods of Manufacturing of Molybdenum and Molybdenum-based Structures by Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing, Particularly Structures for Nuclear Components
9 Feb 23
Methodologies and manufacturing processes to manufacture components by electron beam melting additive manufacturing, particularly components of molybdenum or a molybdenum-based alloy and particularly of complex nuclear component geometries.
Andrew Harrison CHERN, Travis B. FRITTS, Daniel Walter GALICKI, Ryan Scott KITCHEN, Travis Adam MCFALLS, Elizabeth ELLIS
Filed: 25 May 22
Utility
Defective Fuel Bundle Location System
8 Dec 22
A defective fuel bundle location system for use with a heavy water moderated nuclear fission reactor having a fueling machine, including a test tool defining an internal volume, the test tool being configured to be received within both the fueling machine and a corresponding fuel channel of the reactor, and a test container defining an internal volume, wherein the test container is configured to be received within the internal volume of the test tool and the internal volume of the test container is configured to receive primary fluid from the reactor when the test tool is disposed within the corresponding fuel channel of the reactor.
Thomas G. Onderwater
Filed: 19 Aug 22
Utility
Passive Techniques for Long-term Reactor Cooling
17 Nov 22
In a pressurized water reactor (PWR), emergency core cooling (ECC) responds to depressurization due to a vessel penetration break at the top of the pressure vessel by draining water from a body of water through an injection line into the pressure vessel.
John D. Malloy, III, Billy E. Bingham, Ronald C. Watson, Jason G. Williams, Matthew W. Ales, James B. Inman, Sean M. Boyle
Filed: 2 Jun 22
Utility
Spacer Grid Welding Fixture
10 Nov 22
A spacer grid welding fixture comprises a frame sized to receive an assembled spacer grid comprising a first set of parallel straps and a second set of parallel straps oriented orthogonally to the first set of parallel straps, the first and second sets of parallel straps interlocked together by slots cut into the straps.
Roger D. Ridgeway, Jeffrey W. Austin, Jeffrey T. Lee
Filed: 23 May 22
Utility
Functionally Graded Lattice Cermet Fuel Structure with Shape Corresponding to a Mathematically-based Periodic Solid, Particularly for Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Applications
3 Nov 22
Nuclear propulsion fission reactor structure has an active core region including fuel element structures, a reflector with rotatable neutron absorber structures (such as drum absorbers), and a core former conformal mating the outer surface of the fuel element structures to the reflector.
Benjamin D. FISHER, John R. SALASIN, Craig D. GRAMLICH, Jonathan K. WITTER
Filed: 29 Jun 22
Utility
Space Nuclear Propulsion Reactor Aft Plenum Assembly
27 Oct 22
An aft plenum assembly for use with a nuclear thermal reactor including a pressure vessel and a nozzle assembly having a top plenum plate disposed within the pressure vessel, the top plenum plate defining a first plurality of fuel flow apertures, a bottom plenum plate disposed within the pressure vessel, the bottom plenum plate being parallel to the top plenum plate thereby defining a plenum space therebetween, the bottom plenum plate defining a second plurality of fuel flow apertures, and a plurality of tubular connections extending between the first plurality of fuel flow apertures of the top plenum plate and the second plurality of fuel flow apertures of the bottom plenum plate, wherein the aft plenum assembly is disposed between the pressure vessel and the nozzle assembly.
Matthew W. Ales, Emily D. Fleming, Ted L. Thome
Filed: 27 Apr 22
Utility
Metal Carbide/nitride Precipitation Control In Fusion Welding
13 Oct 22
Properties and performance of weld material between metals in a weldment is controlled by modifying one or more of the nitrogen content and the carbon content to produce carbide (e.g.
Frank A. ARGENTINE
Filed: 23 Jun 22
Utility
Pressurized Water Reactor with Upper Vessel Section Providing Both Pressure and Flow Control
1 Sep 22
A pressurized water reactor (PWR) includes a vertical cylindrical pressure vessel having a lower portion containing a nuclear reactor core and a vessel head defining an integral pressurizer.
Scott J. Shargots
Filed: 11 Jan 21
Utility
Lower End Fitting Locating Pins
23 Jun 22
A nuclear reactor has a core installed on a lower core plate and formed from multiple fuel assemblies, each fuel assembly including a structural cage assembly.
Julius M. Ullmann, Lewis A. Walton, Mary W. Johnson
Filed: 9 Mar 22
Utility
Deep Learning Based Image Enhancement for Additive Manufacturing
2 Jun 22
A method is provided for enhancing image resolution for sequences of 2-D images of additively manufactured products.
Simon MASON, Ryan Scott KITCHEN, Travis MCFALLS
Filed: 26 Nov 21
Utility
Photon Propagation Modified Additive Manufacturing Compositions and Methods of Additive Manufacturing Using Same
5 May 22
Additive manufacturing compositions include low-absorbing particles or non-absorbing particles that have an absorbance for wavelengths of 300 nm to 700 nm that is equal to or greater than 0 Au and is less 1.0 Au, such as 0.001 Au≤absorbance≤0.7 Au.
John R. SALASIN, Benjamin D. FISHER
Filed: 1 Nov 21
Utility
Fission Reactor with Segmented Cladding Bodies Having Cladding Arms with Involute Curve Shape
5 May 22
Plurality of layers form a nuclear fission reactor structure, each layer having an inner segment body, an intermediate segment body, and an outer segment body (each segment body separated by an interface).
James B. INMAN, Joshua J. BERGMAN
Filed: 19 Jan 22
Utility
Carbide-based Fuel Assembly for Thermal Propulsion Applications
14 Apr 22
Carbide-based fuel assembly includes outer structural member of ceramic matrix composite material, the interior surface of which is lined in higher temperature regions with an insulation layer of porous refractory ceramic material.
Eric A. BARRINGER, Russell R. JENSEN, Jeremy L. GUSTAFSON, Matt ALES, Joshua J. BERGMAN, Ryan T. SWANSON, Jonathan K. WITTER, Danny GALICKI, James B. INMAN, Matt KRECICKI, Roger RIDGEWAY
Filed: 11 Aug 21
Utility
Cermet Fuel Element and Fabrication and Applications Thereof, Including In Thermal Propulsion Reactor
14 Apr 22
CERMET fuel element includes a fuel meat of consolidated ceramic fuel particles (preferably refractory-metal coated HALEU fuel kernels) and an array of axially-oriented coolant flow channels.
James D. JOGERST, Eric A. BARRINGER
Filed: 11 Aug 21
Utility
Carbide-based Fuel Assembly for Thermal Propulsion Applications
14 Apr 22
Carbide-based fuel assembly includes outer structural member of ceramic matrix composite material (e.g., SiC—SiC composite), insulation layer of porous refractory ceramic material (e.g., zirconium carbide with open-cell foam structure or fibrous zirconium carbide), and interior structural member of refractory ceramic-graphite composite material (e.g., zirconium carbide-graphite or niobium carbide-graphite).
Eric A. BARRINGER, Russell R. JENSEN, Jeremy L. GUSTAFSON, Matt ALES, Joshua J. BERGMAN, Ryan T. SWANSON, Jonathan K. WITTER, Danny GALICKI, James B. INMAN, Matt KRECICKI, Roger RIDGEWAY
Filed: 11 Aug 21
Utility
Integral Vessel Isolation Valve
17 Mar 22
A nuclear reactor comprises a nuclear reactor core disposed in a pressure vessel.
John D. Malloy, III, Matthew W. Ales, Michael J. Edwards, Ronald C. Watson, Andrew C. Whitten
Filed: 29 Nov 21
Utility
Universal Inverted Reactor and Method for Design and Manufacture of Universal Inverted Reactor
3 Mar 22
Fission reactor has a shell encompassing a reactor space within which are a central longitudinal channel, a plurality of axially extending rings with adjacent rings defining an annular cylindrical space in which a first plurality of primary axial tubes are circumferential located.
William E. RUSSELL, II, Joshua J. BERGMAN, Jonathan W. CIRTAIN, Craig D. GRAMLICH, James B. INMAN, Matthew P. LEVASSEUR, Joseph K. MILLER, Ryan Z. ZIEGLER
Filed: 9 Nov 21
Utility
Combined Mounting/electrical Distribution Plate for Powering Internal Control Rod Drive Mechanism (CRDM) Units of a Nuclear Reactor
6 Jan 22
A power distribution plate (PDP) sits on top of a support plate.
Scott J. Shargots
Filed: 2 Jul 21
Utility
Dual Shut-off Valve
9 Dec 21
A dual shut-off valve including a valve body defining an interior cavity and a flow tube passing therethrough, an outer cylinder including a body portion defining an interior cavity and a through hole passing therethrough, the outer cylinder being rotatably disposed within the interior cavity of the valve body, and an inner cylinder including a body portion defining a through hole passing therethrough, the inner cylinder being rotatably disposed within the interior cavity of the outer cylinder, wherein the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder are both rotatable between a first position in which the through holes of the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder are aligned with the flow tube and a second position in which the through holes of the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder are transverse to the flow tube.
James Brian Inman
Filed: 4 Jun 21
Utility
Nuclear Reactor Fuel Assemblies and Process for Production
2 Dec 21
A nuclear fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor core, the fuel assembly having at least one fuel element including an elongated shell defining an interior volume, a lattice structure disposed within the interior volume, at least one flow channel extending through the lattice structure, at least one lattice site disposed in the lattice structure, and at least one fuel compact disposed within a corresponding one of the at least one lattice site, a first end cap including a boss having a first cross-sectional shape, the first end cap being affixed to a first end of the shell, and a second end cap including a first bore having a second cross-sectional shape, the second end cap being affixed to a second end of the shell, wherein the first cross-sectional shape of the boss is the same as the cross-sectional shape of the bore.
Scott J. Shargots, Scott Lee Fitzner, Emily Fleming, Ryan Z. Ziegler, Todd Oswald, Earl Brian Barger
Filed: 28 May 21