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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8180013 | Absolute nuclear material assay A method of absolute nuclear material assay of an unknown source comprising counting neutrons from the unknown source and providing an absolute nuclear material assay utilizing a model to optimally compare to the measured count distributions. In one embodiment, the ... | 05/15/2012 |
| 7349517 | System for measuring burn-out of fuel elements of a high-temperature reactor The burnout of a fuel element in a reactor is determined by first transferring a fuel element from a reactor to a measuring position and then subjecting the transferred fuel element at the position to a neutron flux. A first detector measures the total γ radiation ... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7277521 | Detecting special nuclear materials in containers using high-energy gamma rays emitted by fission products A method and a system for detecting the presence of special nuclear materials in a container. The system and its method include irradiating the container with an energetic beam, so as to induce a fission in the special nuclear materials, detecting the gamma rays tha... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7268353 | Measuring the moisture content of plutonium oxide canisters A process for measuring the moisture content in a quantity of PuO2 powder. The process detects the content of thermal neutrons emitted by the quantity of PuO2 powder and then deduces its moisture content from a value of the detected content ass... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7151815 | Nonintrusive method for the detection of concealed special nuclear material A method and associated apparatus for detecting concealed fissile, fissionable or special nuclear material in an article, such as a shipping container, is provided. The article is irradiated with a source of fast neutrons, and fast neutrons released by the fissile o... | 12/19/2006 |
| 6964927 | Method and production of a sensor The invention relates to a method for producing a sensor (1), wherein a carrier chip (2) is produced. Said chip is provided with a sensor structure (3) comprising an active sensor surface (4). A material (9) capable of flowing is a... | 11/15/2005 |
| 6895065 | Method and apparatus for identifying nuclear fuels The device comprises a detector (15) of radiation that could be neutron radiation and a detector (16) of another type of radiation, for example gamma radiation. The process consists in deducing a burn up fraction or irradiation of the nuclear fuel (... | 05/17/2005 |
| 6731714 | Method for measuring tritium activity in a radioactive waste drum The invention relates to a method of measuring the tritium activity of a drum (1) of radioactive waste containing a quantity of radioactive waste (2) and a free volume, the method consisting of measuring the quantity of 3He produced by the d... | 05/04/2004 |
| 6704385 | Method for simulating the response of a detector of radiation emitted by radioactive objects and method for controlling nuclear fuel elements using said simulation Process for simulation of the response of a detector of radiation emitted by radioactive objects and process for inspection of nuclear fuel elements using this simulation. The objects (16) contain radioelements or mixes of radioelements. Radioactive emiss... | 03/09/2004 |
| 6493413 | Fuel assembly mechanical flow restriction apparatus for detecting failure in situ of nuclear fuel rods in a fuel assembly during reactor shutdown A fuel assembly mechanical flow restriction apparatus for detecting failure in situ of nuclear fuel rods in a fuel assembly during reactor shutdown.... | 12/10/2002 |
| 6478948 | Method of monitoring and controlling corrosion of furnace boiler tubes A method for monitoring and reducing corrosion in furnace boiler tubes measures electrochemical noise associated with corrosion mechanisms while corrosion is occurring at the surface of the tubes as they are exposed to combustion products. This noise is d... | 11/12/2002 |
| 6421405 | Monitoring control rod element assembly position Compliance with administrative limits on cumulative exposure of control rod groups in the reactor core, is monitored by computing the incremental effective exposure for each group commensurate with core power, for each time increment at which each group i... | 07/16/2002 |
| 6400787 | Telemetering of uranium of plutonium in glass Described are a process and an apparatus for the remote measurement of uranium or plutonium in radioactive materials. in which the sample of the material to be analyzed is to be handled as little as possible. To attain that object it is proposed that the ... | 06/04/2002 |
| 6259757 | Telemetering of uranium or plutonium in glass Described are a process and an apparatus for the remote measurement of uranium or plutonium in radioactive materials, in which the sample of the material to be analyzed is to be handled as little as possible. To attain that object it is proposed that the ... | 07/10/2001 |
| 6236699 | Method and system for monitoring control rod element assembly position Compliance with administrative limits on cumulative exposure of control rod groups in the reactor core, is monitored by computing the incremental effective exposure for each group commensurate with core power, for each time increment at which each group i... | 05/22/2001 |
| 6035010 | Monitor for measuring both the gamma spectrum and neutrons emitted by an object, such as spent nuclear fuel The present invention concerns a monitor for measuring both the gamma spectrum and neutrons emitted by an object such as a spent nuclear fuel pin or pin assembly or nuclear waste material. According to the invention, it comprises a lead block (1) presenti... | 03/07/2000 |
| 5378895 | Gamma neutron assay method and apparatus The gamma neutron assay technique is an alternative method to standard safeguards techniques for the identification and assaying of special nuclear materials in a field or laboratory environment, as a tool for dismantlement and destruction of nuclear weap... | 01/03/1995 |
| 5257297 | System for monitoring the radioactivity of liquid waste A system for monitoring the radioactivity of a liquid waste stream includes a pair of tanks into which the liquid waste stream is directed during alternating fill cycles. At the conclusion of each fill cycle, the liquid waste is recirculated through the c... | 10/26/1993 |
| 5207976 | Pellet slide and inspection assembly in a nuclear fuel pellet surface defect inspection apparatus A fuel pellet surface defect inspection apparatus has an infeed conveyor, a discharge conveyor, and a slide and inspection assembly between the conveyors. The assembly includes a slide defining an inclined track having exit and entry ends adjacent the res... | 05/04/1993 |
| 5185122 | Gamma ray flux measurement system Gamma radiation leaving the surface of a radioactive materials storage vessel is measured and monitored using a plurality of gamma ray absorbing calorimeters. The gamma ray energy absorbed is converted into heat and such heat is measured or indicated for ... | 02/09/1993 |
| 5084229 | Critical heat flux test apparatus An apparatus for testing, in situ, highly irradiated specimens at high temperature transients is provided. A specimen, which has a thermocouple device attached thereto, is manipulated into test position in a sealed quartz heating tube by a robot. An induc... | 01/28/1992 |
| 5049351 | Method and apparatus for determining enrichment of uranium dioxide powder A method and apparatus for determining the enrichment of uranium dioxide powder is disclosed. A uranium dioxide powder is contained within a closed receptacle having a top, side and bottom wall surfaces. The receptacle is turned upside down so that the ur... | 09/17/1991 |
| 5002721 | Apparatus for determining number of neutrons emitted by fissile material during induced fissile It comprises a first assembly (E1) constituted by a neutron radiation source (6), a hydrogenated material block (4) having a recess for receiving said source (6) and a first neutron detector (10); a second assembly (E2) constituted by a hydrogenated mater... | 03/26/1991 |
| 4920271 | Multiple channel programmable coincidence counter A programmable digital coincidence counter having multiple channels and featuring minimal dead time. Neutron detectors supply electrical pulses to a synchronizing circuit which in turn inputs derandomized pulses to an adding circuit. A random access memor... | 04/24/1990 |
| 4902467 | Non-destructive testing of nuclear fuel rods Both gadolinia nuclear fuel rods and urania fuel rods are non-destructively tested to determine the enrichment concentration of the fuel pellets therein by serially conveying the gadolinia rods and the urania rod along separate test channels through an ac... | 02/20/1990 |
| 4881247 | Measuring nuclear fuel burnup Disclosed is a method and apparatus for measuring the burnup of nuclear fuel. A curve giving the calculated relationship between the fast neutron emission rate and the burnup of fuel is prepared. The fast neutron counting rate from a sample of nuclear fue... | 11/14/1989 |
| 4822552 | Method and apparatus for passively gamma scanning a nuclear fuel rod A method and apparatus for passively scanning for the gamma radiation emission count of nuclear fuel contained within a nuclear fuel rod to determine enrichment uniformity are enclosed, and wherein a nuclear fuel rod containing a nuclear fuel is advanced ... | 04/18/1989 |
| 4724118 | Device for detecting fissionable material A device for detecting fissionable material including a neutron source, two parallelepipedal panels placed on a support and forming a dihedral with an adjustable opening. The dihedral has an edge centered on the neutron source, and the panels consist of s... | 02/09/1988 |
| 4687605 | Manufacturing automation system for nuclear fuel rod production An automated fuel rod production system includes a radioactive powder fabrication and processing stage, a pellet fabrication stage, a pellet processing stage, a tube preparation stage and a fuel rod fabrication and inspection stage, all of which provide a... | 08/18/1987 |
| 4663112 | Method for determining the contents of a fuel rod Method for determining the contents of a fuel rod within a testing range extending in the longitudinal direction of the fuel rod, characterized by the features that (a) the position of a test coil concentrically surrounding the fuel rod is changed from th... | 05/05/1987 |
| 4647420 | Nuclear fuel pin scanner Systems and methods for inspection of nuclear fuel pins to determine fiss loading and uniformity. The system includes infeed mechanisms which stockpile, identify and install nuclear fuel pins into an irradiator. The irradiator provides extended activatio... | 03/03/1987 |
| 4642466 | Fast counting electronics for neutron coincidence counting An amplifier-discriminator is tailored to output a very short pulse upon an above-threshold input from a detector which may be a 3 He detector. The short pulse output is stretched and energizes a light emitting diode (LED) to provide a visual o... | 02/10/1987 |
| 4629600 | Method and apparatus for measuring uranium isotope enrichment A method and apparatus for measuring uranium isotope enrichment in a sample uranium solution. In the invention, the concentration of uranium in the uranium solution is determined by K-edge densitometry. The quantity of uranium-235 in the uranium solution ... | 12/16/1986 |
| 4620100 | Automated monitoring of fissile and fertile materials in large waste containers A system for determining the U-235 and U-238 content in a box of radioactive waste material. The system utilizes a passive arrangement which detects spontaneous gamma ray emission from the material in combination with an active arrangement including a neu... | 10/28/1986 |
| 4620099 | Automated monitoring of fissile and fertile materials in incinerator residue A system for determining the radioactive materials content of the ash or residue from an incinerator of contaminated materials contained in cans. The system includes can handling apparatus, a neutron source for activating the material and neutron and gamm... | 10/28/1986 |
| 4617466 | Direct fissile assay of enriched uranium using random self-interrogation and neutron coincidence response Apparatus and method for the direct, nondestructive evaluation of the 235 U nuclide content of samples containing UF6, UF4, or UO2 utilizing the passive neutron self-interrogation of the sample resulting from th... | 10/14/1986 |
| 4617169 | Measurement of radionuclides in waste packages A method is described for non-destructively assaying the radionuclide content of solid waste in a sealed container by analysis of the waste's gamma-ray spectrum and neutron emissions. Some radionuclides are measured by characteristic photopeaks in the gam... | 10/14/1986 |
| 4588547 | Method and apparatus for determining the nearness to criticality of a nuclear reactor The approach to criticality of a nuclear reactor provided with an artificial neutron source is monitored by two neutron detectors, one which measures the neutron flux in a localized region around the artificial neutron source, and the other located simlar... | 05/13/1986 |
| 4580056 | Neutron event counting circuit An electronic circuit provides various accurate counts of detected neutrons to enable the assaying of fissile material in a neutron emitting radioactive source. The circuit develops a time correlated window associated with each detected neutron, and delay... | 04/01/1986 |
| 4578237 | Nondestructive determination of nuclear fuel burnup An apparatus (10, 110, 210) including a containment capsule (12, 112, 212) a support member (16, 116, 216) removably disposed within the capsule and carrying therein a solid state track recorder material (20, 120, 220) and a layer of fissile material (20,... | 03/25/1986 |
