Did You Know...
...that the video game, Pong, was invented by a guy who graduated at the bottom of his engineering class? Nolan Bushnell spent more time running the games at a local amusement park than he did on his studies at the University of Utah. His dreams of working for Disney's amusement empire were dashed when the company wouldn't hire him. Taking a boring job, Nolan daydreamed about electronic versions of popular games. He invented Pong, the first video game, and went on to found Atari Co.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8107585 | Fuel rod for a nuclear reactor The nuclear reactor comprises a lower stopper sealingly fixed to a lower end of a tubular casing of the pencil that comprises a part which is internal to the casing successively comprising a first cylindrical section having a diameter which is substantially equal to... | 01/31/2012 |
| 7961836 | Use of boron or enriched boron 10 in UO The present invention provides a nuclear fuel assembly, where a boron-containing compound is used as a burnable poison and is distributed in a majority of the rods in the assembly. The assembly comprises a plurality of fuel rods, each fuel rod containing a plurality... | 06/14/2011 |
| 7848476 | Channel seating tool for nuclear fuel assembly and method for seating channel on the assembly A tool to slide a channel on a nuclear reactor fuel bundle assembly, the tool includes: a plate having a slot to receive a handle of the fuel bundle and a lower surface that engages an upper edge of the channel; at least one post extends up from the plate, and an ar... | 12/07/2010 |
| 7738620 | Method of manufacturing a fuel cladding tube for a nuclear reactor, and a tube obtained thereby A method for production of a fuel cladding tube for a nuclear reactor, characterized by the preparation of an ingot of an alloy of zirconium with the following composition by weight %: 0.8%≦Nb≦2.8%, traces≦Sn≦0.65%, 0.015%≦Fe≦0.40%, C≦100 ppm, 600 ppmâ... | 06/15/2010 |
| 7715518 | Method, use and device concerning cladding tubes for nuclear fuel and a fuel assembly for a nuclear boiling water reactor The invention concerns a method of producing a cladding tube for nuclear fuel for a nuclear boiling water reactor. According to the method, a tube is formed which comprises an outer cylindrical component (10) mainly containing zirconium and an inner cylindric... | 05/11/2010 |
| 7702060 | Expanded nuclear fuel channel A fuel channel for housing a fuel rod bundle in a boiling water nuclear reactor includes an expanded section to create an increased flow area at a top of the fuel channel and thereby reduce a pressure drop through the fuel channel. The expanded section eliminates a ... | 04/20/2010 |
| 7570728 | Nuclear fuel rod In a nuclear fuel rod a cladding tube is provided having a closed inner space and manufactured from at least one of the materials in the group zirconium and a zirconium-based alloy, and a pile of nuclear fuel pellets arranged in the inner space in the cladding tube.... | 08/04/2009 |
| 7463711 | Fuel channel fastener A fuel channel fastener having a body with a hole, a bolt inserted into the hole, at least two anti-rotation supports attached to the body, a spring configured to attach to the body and to extend away from the body down the sides of a fuel assembly fuel channel, and... | 12/09/2008 |
| 7424086 | Fuel assembly for a pressurized-water nuclear reactor A fuel element for a pressurized water reactor has fuel rods guided through a number of axially spaced spacers. The spacers form a square grid with mesh openings arranged in rows and columns. Support tubes that do not contain fuel pass through a number of the mesh h... | 09/09/2008 |
| 7292671 | Zirconium based alloy and component in a nuclear energy plant A zirconium-based alloy, suitable for use in a corrosive environment, where it is subjected to increased radiation and comprises 0.5-1.6 percentage by weight Nb and 0.3-0.6 percentage by weight Fe. The alloy is characterised in that it comprises 0.5-0.85 percentage ... | 11/06/2007 |
| 7187744 | Method of providing a nuclear fuel and a fuel element provided by such a method A method for providing a nuclear fuel includes forming a uranium-molybdenum alloy that provides an enhanced reactivity in research, test and radioisotope production nuclear reactors. In this uranium-molybdenum alloy, the uranium is enriched in the isotope 235-U, whi... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7139360 | Use of boron or enriched boron 10 in UO The present invention provides a nuclear fuel assembly, where a boron-containing compound is used as a burnable poison and is distributed in a majority of the rods in the assembly. The assembly comprises a plurality of fuel rods, each fuel rod containing a plurality... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7127024 | Fuel element for a pressurized water reactor A fuel element for a pressurized water reactor is described. The fuel element contains a laterally open skeleton having control-rod guide tubes each with a first end and a second end, spacers fastened to the control-rod guide tubes, a fuel element head disposed at t... | 10/24/2006 |
| 6909766 | Production method for a nuclear fuel assembly support grid and a nuclear fuel assembly support grid produced by the same One object of the present invention is to provide a production method for a nuclear fuel assembly support grid that improves the corrosion resistance of welded parts without impairing the characteristics of the support grid so as to be able adequately withstand high... | 06/21/2005 |
| 6901969 | Plugs for use in conduits to reinforce air conditioning ducts, and methods of manufacture and use A method and apparatus for reinforcing duct work is provided. In one embodiment, a reinforcement comprises a conduit having a first end and a second end. A pair of plugs is insertable into the first and second ends of the conduit. Each of the plugs has a groove exte... | 06/07/2005 |
| 6811746 | Zirconium alloy having excellent corrosion resistance and mechanical properties for nuclear fuel cladding tube The present invention relates to a zirconium alloy having excellent corrosion resistance and mechanical properties and a method for preparing a nuclear fuel cladding tube by zirconium alloy. More particulary, the present invention is directed to a zirconium alloy co... | 11/02/2004 |
| 6761862 | Method of determining the extent to which a nickel structure has been attached by a fluorine-containing gas The method of determining the extent to which a nickel structure has been attacked by a halogen containing gas to which it has been exposed which comprises preparing a quantity of water substantially free from dissolved oxygen, passing ammonia gas through a cuprammo... | 07/13/2004 |
| 6744842 | Fuel assembly for a pressurized-water reactor A fuel assembly for a pressurized-water reactor includes fuel rods held in cells of spacers, control rod guide tubes, and a headpiece and a foot piece, by which it is fixed to upper and lower core grids, respectively. A spacer having a first part, which lies on a ra... | 06/01/2004 |
| 6697448 | Neutronic fuel element fabrication This disclosure describes a method for metallurgically bonding a complete leak-tight enclosure to a matrix-type fuel element penetrated longitudinally by a multiplicity of coolant channels. Coolant tubes containing solid filler pins are disposed in the co... | 02/24/2004 |
| 6690758 | Perforated debris catcher for a nuclear fuel assembly A nuclear fuel assembly includes a fuel bundle resting on a lower tie plate. The lower tie plate includes a grid having raised bosses disposed in a rectilinear array for receiving the end plugs of the fuel rods and webs interconnecting the bosses. Between... | 02/10/2004 |
| 6669874 | Method for production of and material adapted to be sintered to a nuclear fuel element with oxide base A method for production of a nuclear fuel element with oxide base, in which the nuclear fuel with oxide base is mixed with Cr and sintered to a solid body. The amount of chrome oxide added is =>50 and | 12/30/2003 |
| 6658078 | MOX nuclear fuel assembly employable for a thermal neutron nuclear reactor A MOX nuclear fuel assembly employable either for a thermal neutron reactor employing UO2 as the nuclear fuel and light water as the moderator/coolant or for a thermal neutron reactor employing the MOX fuels as the nuclear fuel and light water ... | 12/02/2003 |
| 6327320 | Tube loading apparatus An apparatus for succesively loading solid objects (19) into a tube (27), for instance, nuclear fuel pellets into a nuclear fuel tube, includes means (17) for feeding the objects towards one, open end (29) of the tube. A reduced pressure is induced betwee... | 12/04/2001 |
| 6235223 | Method for producing a sintered nuclear fuel body A sintered nuclear fuel body includes (U, Pu)O2 mixed crystals having a mean particle size in a range from 7.5 μm to 50 μm. This sintered nuclear fuel body has a high retention capacity for fission gas in a power reactor. In order to produce ... | 05/22/2001 |
| 6212250 | Fuel element closure method A method for providing a leak-tight metal enclosure to a fuel matrix penetrated by coolant channels, wherein the mutually contacting surfaces of said metal enclosure and said fuel matrix are metallurgically bonded, comprising placing a metal cladding abou... | 04/03/2001 |
| 6181762 | Nuclear fuel bundle having different peak power limits A nuclear fuel bundle has differential peak power limits for the edge or peripheral fuel rods and the interior fuel rods. Also, the magnitude of nuclear fuel in the edge or peripheral rods is decreased in comparison with the magnitude of nuclear fuel in t... | 01/30/2001 |
| 6088419 | Corrosion and hydride resistant nuclear fuel rod A corrosion and hydride resistant nuclear fuel rod having a highly corrosion resistant outer portion in which hydride precipitation is inhibited and an inner portion in which hydride precipitation is promoted.... | 07/11/2000 |
| 6058155 | Corrosion and hydride resistant Nuclear fuel rod A corrosion and hydride resistant nuclear fuel rod having a highly corrosion resistant outer portion in which hydride precipitation is inhibited and an inner portion in which hydride precipitation is promoted.... | 05/02/2000 |
| 6005906 | Corrosion and hydride resistant nuclear fuel rod A corrosion and hydride resistant nuclear fuel rod having a highly corrosion resistant outer portion in which hydride precipitation is inhibited and an inner portion in which hydride precipitation is promoted.... | 12/21/1999 |
| 5894501 | Sintered nuclear fuel body and method for producing a sintered nuclear fuel body A sintered nuclear fuel body includes (U, Pu)O2 mixed crystals having a mean particle size in a range from 7.5 μm to 50 μm. This sintered nuclear fuel body has a high retention capacity for fission gas in a power reactor. In order to produce ... | 04/13/1999 |
| 5887044 | Fuel element design for the enhanced destruction of plutonium in a nuclear reactor A uranium-free fuel for a fast nuclear reactor comprising an alloy of Pu, Zr and Hf, wherein Hf is present in an amount less than about 10% by weight of the alloy. The fuel may be in the form of a Pu alloy surrounded by a Zr--Hf alloy or an alloy of Pu--Z... | 03/23/1999 |
| 5854818 | Zirconium tin iron alloys for nuclear fuel rods and structural parts for high burnup Zirconium alloys for use in an aqueous environment subject to high fluence of a water reactor and characterized by improved corrosion resistance, consisting essentially of 0.3 to 1.8 weight percent tin, 0.1 to 0.65 weight percent iron, the balance of allo... | 12/29/1998 |
| 5844959 | Zirconium niobium tin alloys for nuclear fuel rods and structural parts for high burnup Zirconium alloys for use in an aqueous environment subject to high fluence of a water reactor and characterized by improved corrosion resistance, consisting essentially of from 0.5 to 3.25 weight percent niobium, from 0.3 to 1.8 weight percent tin, the ba... | 12/01/1998 |
| 5838753 | Method of manufacturing zirconium niobium tin alloys for nuclear fuel rods and structural parts for high burnup A process for fabricating nuclear fuel rod cladding tube comprising beta quenching a zirconium alloy billet consisting essentially of from 0.5 to 3.25 weight percent niobium, from 0.3 to 1.8 weight percent tin, the balance of the alloy being essentially n... | 11/17/1998 |
| 5835550 | Method of manufacturing zirconium tin iron alloys for nuclear fuel rods and structural parts for high burnup A process for fabricating nuclear fuel rod cladding tube comprising beta quenching a zirconium alloy billet consisting essentially of 0.3 to 1.8 weight percent tin, 0.1 to 0.65 weight percent iron, the balance of the alloy being essentially nuclear grade ... | 11/10/1998 |
| 5828715 | Fuel rods, its manufacturing method and fuel assembly Fuel rod 2 has a fuel cladding tube 3, and upper end plug 5 and a lower end plug 6 welded to the ends of fuel cladding tube 3. He gas 1 and U pellets 4 are filled in the fuel cladding tube 3. The He gas pressure 1 is about 8 atm, and the average crystal g... | 10/27/1998 |
| 5790623 | Composite cladding for nuclear fuel rods A high strength cladding tube for nuclear fuel for a nuclear reactor having an inner tubular layer of a zirconium alloy with alloying components of molybdenum and 3 to 6 weight percent bismuth, the balance zirconium.... | 08/04/1998 |
| 5524032 | Nuclear fuel cladding having an alloyed zirconium barrier layer A cladding tube having a cross-section and including (1) a zirconium alloy outer circumferential substrate having an inner surface and having one or more alloying elements, (2) a zirconium barrier layer bonded to the inner surface of the outer circumferen... | 06/04/1996 |
| 5517540 | Two-step process for bonding the elements of a three-layer cladding tube A method is provided for preparing a cladding tube having an outer substrate, an intermediate zirconium barrier layer, and an inner liner. The method includes the following steps: (a) bonding an inner liner alloy sheath exterior circumferential surface to... | 05/14/1996 |
| 5517541 | Inner liners for fuel cladding having zirconium barriers layers The present invention provides a cladding having an outer circumferential substrate, a zirconium barrier layer metallurgically bonded to the inside surface of the substrate and an inner circumferential liner metallurgically bonded to the zirconium barrier... | 05/14/1996 |
