Did You Know...
...that the inventor of the electric motor was a blacksmith named Thomas Davenport? Described as "a brilliantly unsuccessful inventor", Davenport invented the first rotary electric motor. In 1836 he headed out -- on foot -- from his Vermont home to file a patent application at the Patent Office in Washington, D.C. By the time he got there, he had squandered away his money and couldn't afford the $30 filing fee so he turned around and went home. When he later mailed in his application with money he'd raised, the Patent office was destroyed in a fire. He did finally get credit for his invention on Feb. 5, 1837.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 6434209 | Critical power enhancement system for a pressurized fuel channel type nuclear reactor using alignment of fuel bundle pairs A Critical Channel Power (CCP) enhancement system is provided for a pressurized fuel-channel-type water-cooled nuclear reactor of the type adapted to be refuelled on-line by the insertion and removal of fuel bundles onto and from of a plurality of said fu... | 08/13/2002 |
| 5847401 | Simultaneous double sided irradiation An apparatus for delivering a beam of charged particles along two separate beam paths comprising a pulsed charged particle beam source for producing a series of beam pulses along a first beam path, a switching magnet for developing a magnetic field, and a... | 12/08/1998 |
| 5740217 | Passive emergency hydrogen mitigation system for water-cooled nuclear reactors An improved system for passively removing hydrogen inside containment in a nuclear reactor in the event of a loss of coolant accident by means of catalytic hydrogen recombination. A baffle wall located inside containment is used to establish within contai... | 04/14/1998 |
| 5661770 | Passive emergency water system for water-cooled nuclear reactors A passive emergency water system for cooling the atmosphere inside containment in a water-cooled nuclear reactor comprises an elevated water reservoir connected to an in-containment heat exchanger. The heat exchanger promotes natural convection of contain... | 08/26/1997 |
| 5597538 | Process to remove rare earths from spent nuclear fuel The present invention relates to a process for removing rare earth elements (RE) from spent nuclear fuel. The spent nuclear fuel is subjected to an oxidation step at a temperature of between about 200° to about 800° C. and a heating step at a temperatur... | 01/28/1997 |
| 5508169 | Indexing linkers Synthetic nucleic acid molecules are provided which are called indexing linkers and which can be selectively linked to unknown, or non-identical cohesive ends of nucleic acid fragments. Such indexing linkers are useful for the selective isolation, identif... | 04/16/1996 |
| 5506503 | Differential transmit-receive eddy current probe incorporating bracelets of multi-coil units An eddy current probe for insertion into a tube to be inspected includes a transmitter coil and a pair of sensing coils. The pair of sensing coils have opposite polarity relative to one another and are series connected to provide a differential output. Th... | 04/09/1996 |
| 5493590 | Critical power enhancement system for a pressurized fuel channel type nuclear reactor using CHF enhancement appendages A critical power enhancement system is provided for a pressurized fuel channel type nuclear reactor comprising a plurality of fuel bundles contained in a fuel channel and containing a plurality of fuel elements horizontally oriented within the fuel channe... | 02/20/1996 |
| 5468462 | Geographically distributed tritium extraction plant and process for producing detritiated heavy water using combined electrolysis and catalytic exchange processes A geographically distributed apparatus and process for detritiating heavy water is provided. The apparatus and process provide a remote site enrichment plant for producing an enriched stream of DT/D2 gas and a hydriding unit for forming a hydri... | 11/21/1995 |
| 5453688 | Rotating probe for inspecting tubes having an eccentric housing for supporting sensing means A probe used for inspecting tubes or pipes comprises an elongated flexible shaft, a plurality of axially spaced guides on the shaft, the guides being engageable with the inner surface of a tube for maintaining the shaft substantially concentrically dispos... | 09/26/1995 |
| 5449916 | Electron radiation dose tailoring by variable beam pulse generation A method and apparatus for controlling the delivered dose across a target area from an electron beam produced by a high energy, high power pulsed rf linear accelerator. Pulse width modulation as a function of scan position is applied to the rf drive pulse... | 09/12/1995 |
| 5368475 | Catalyst structures and burners for heat producing devices A catalytic burner for oxidizing gaseous fuel in a catalytic combustion device having a gaseous fuel discharge tube, the burner comprises a tubular catalyst defining a catalytic combustion chamber and having an inlet opening at one end thereof for admitti... | 11/29/1994 |
| 5217682 | Passive indirect shutdown cooling system for nuclear reactors A nuclear reactor system including a main heat transport path around which a first coolant is pumped by main circulation pumps to transport heat from the reactor core to a steam generator. A heat exchanger is located in the main heat transport path after ... | 06/08/1993 |
| 5180172 | Eccentric face seal with asymmetric closing force An eccentric face seal for rotary machines in which the closing force of the seal faces towards one another is asymmetric. The asymmetric closing force is utilized to produce corresponding variations in the face seal gap which tends to produce fluid flow ... | 01/19/1993 |
| 5171521 | Intertube thermal conductance rate limiting device The invention provides an intertube thermal conductance rate limiting device for a nuclear reactor fuel channel having an inner pressure tube and outer calandria tube. The device comprises a wire screen placed in the annular region between the pressure tu... | 12/15/1992 |
| 5157340 | Method and apparatus for detecting soot concentration in particulate trap A method of detecting the accumulation of particulate material collected on a filter medium formed of dielectric material in a chamber having the property of a microwave waveguide or transmission line comprises the steps of exciting the chamber with a mic... | 10/20/1992 |
| 5151402 | Silylation of charcoal to increase its hydrophobicity When charcoal is used as an adsorbent, its effective lifetime is decreased by the adsorption of water vapor. A process is described whereby the charcoal is treated with an effective amount of a non-chlorinated organo-silane to increase the hydrophobicity ... | 09/29/1992 |
| 5123175 | Horizontal extensometer Disclosed is a horizontal extensometer for measuring strain on specimens in cryogenic to elevated temperatures with zero frictional and activation forces. The extensometer has first and second elongate hollow arms which are adapted to pivot in relation to... | 06/23/1992 |
| 5105088 | Constant sensitivity superheated droplet radiation detector/dosimeter Radiation detectors and dosimeters having superheated droplets of detector liquid as the radiation-sensitive component have been found to have significant variation in sensitivity with changes in operating temperature. In order to provide a more constant ... | 04/14/1992 |
| 5050525 | Gamma survey probe for use on ocean, lake, estuary and river sediments An underwater gamma radiation survey probe adapted to be towed by a tow cable along the bottom of a body of water. The probe comprises a tubular shell with a nose cone having a waterproof connector for the tow cable. The nose cone closes one end of the tu... | 09/24/1991 |
| 5049817 | Eddy current probe, incorporating multi-bracelets of different pancake coil diameters, for detecting internal defects in ferromagnetic tubes Eddy current probes for detecting internal defects in a ferromagnetic tube are disclosed. The probe uses a plurality of eddy current measuring means, each being operated at a different operating point on the impedance diagram. By operating more than one s... | 09/17/1991 |
| 5028837 | Low energy ion trap An ion trap for an electron beam generator consists of at least two electrically conductive elements which are in the form of a sector of a cylinder the elements being spaced apart from each other and together form a cylindrical form. Each element has end... | 07/02/1991 |
| 5027419 | Optical images by quadrupole convolution The invention described is a process of and an apparatus for recognizing the size, location, orientation etc. of an object without human intervention. The convolution technique is used to solve the field theory equations to generate linearity signals char... | 06/25/1991 |
| 4981659 | Reduction of nitrogen oxides A process is disclosed for reducing nitrogen oxides by passing them in admixture with ammonia or hydrogen over a group VIII metal catalyst on a hydrophobic support. The process is carried out at 0°-200° C. when hydrogen is used, or 100°-200° C. when ... | 01/01/1991 |
| 4965486 | Electron gun design using a lanthanum hexaboride cathode A novel technique for mounting a disc of lanthanum hexaboride electron emission material within a hot cathode assembly of an electron gun is described. The disc is partly received in a recess of a graphite mounting member and the combined disc and mountin... | 10/23/1990 |
| 4925621 | Pressure tube sampling A sample of the pressure tube of a CANDU type of nuclear reactor is obtained for deuterium analyses without removing the pressure tube from the reactor. The preferred sampling tool comprises two cutters and means for capturing the removed material, wherei... | 05/15/1990 |
| 4855676 | Ferromagnetic eddy current probe having transmit and receive coil assemblies An eddy current probe capable of detecting localized defects in a ferromagnetic tube is disclosed. The probe employs a transmit coil assembly and a receive coil assembly. Means for magnetically saturating the tube near the transmit and receive coil assemb... | 08/08/1989 |
| 4848162 | Elastodynamic testing of elongate compressible material This invention provides non-destructive testing of elongate compressible materials, and particularly to determine the elastodynamic properties of a material, and/or to detect defects such as non-uniformities in resilience or hardness, subsurface as well a... | 07/18/1989 |
| 4848161 | Extensometer A simple extensometer that allows remote sensing under harsh testing conditions, such as elevated temperatures. The apparatus uses two extension arms arranged such that there is no contact between the two linkages connecting the specimen to a strain measu... | 07/18/1989 |
| 4808924 | Circumferentially compensating eddy current probe with alternately polarized transmit coils and receiver coils An eddy current probe capable of detecting defects independent of orientation, with complete circumferential coverage in tubes, tubes under support plates, etc., is disclosed. The probe employs multiple coils, operating in transmit-receive mode, in which ... | 02/28/1989 |
| 4808927 | Circumferentially compensating eddy current probe with alternately polarized receiver coil An eddy current probe capable of detecting localized defects with 100% circumferential coverage in tubes, tubes under support plates etc., is disclosed. The probe employs multiple receiver coils with each excitation coil, operating in transmit-receive mod... | 02/28/1989 |
| 4779000 | Detector/dosimeter for gamma and microwave radiation A direct reading, self-powered detector and dosimeter for gamma rays, and other low LET radiation, and optionally microwaves, is described. A transparent elastic solid medium contains uniformly dispersed droplets of a very high vapor pressure detector liq... | 10/18/1988 |
| 4755352 | System of generating electricity using a swimming pool type nuclear reactor A system of generating electricity is disclosed. The system employs a new kind of swimming pool type nuclear reactor which is safe and can be made operable unattended but at the same time raises the mean pool temperature by forcing moderator-coolant-shiel... | 07/05/1988 |
| 4714834 | Method and apparatus for generating ion beams In an ion beam source, the plasma is contained near the extraction front by a cup-shaped magnetic field for improved stability and uniformity. The intermediate electrode has a profiled electron beam aperture having a first narrowest section, a second slig... | 12/22/1987 |
| 4684180 | Sliding electric contacts An arrangement of sliding contacts for high current levels comprising a large number of closely spaced conductive spring contact elements formed of sheet material connected to one member and projecting obliquely towards another and for contact therewith, ... | 08/04/1987 |
| 4649336 | Automatic, self sustaining probe for measuring the work function An apparatus for measuring changes in the work function of a surface using a method devised by Kelvin and known as the "dynamic capacitor method". This apparatus comprises a system for monitoring and automatically regulating the vibration of a Kelvin prob... | 03/10/1987 |
| 4645635 | Method and apparatus for determining the properties of wet steam A partially collimated beam of thermal/epithermal neutrons is transmitted through a small bore pipe in which wet steam flows under a high pressure. A thermal neutron detector measures the transmission of the thermal/epithermal neutrons by the wet steam an... | 02/24/1987 |
| 4627069 | Joule melter for the processing of radioactive wastes The joule melter has an outer cylindrical electrode which forms the outer wall of the melt containment, an inner cylindrical electrode which protrudes upward in the containment and forms the outlet for the melt, thus, also determining the depth of the mel... | 12/02/1986 |
| 4622201 | Gas-target method for the production of iodine-123 Charged-particles in the 45-15 MeV energy range incident upon isotopically enriched xenon-124 gas in a gas-target assembly cause nuclear reactions which yield radioactive xenon-123. The xenon-123, decaying either in the target assembly or in a decay vesse... | 11/11/1986 |
| 4555361 | Method of reducing the volume of solid radioactive waste Combustible, solid radioactive waste, such as paper, plastics, rubber, cloth and wood, are reduced in volume to an ash residue using pyrohydrolysis, a method which combines pyrolysis of the waste in a vessel at temperatures in the range of 500° to 700° ... | 11/26/1985 |
