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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 6442226 | Accelerator-driven transmutation of spent fuel elements An apparatus and method is described for transmuting higher actinides, plutonium and selected fission products in a liquid-fuel subcritical assembly. Uranium may also be enriched, thereby providing new fuel for use in conventional nuclear power plants. An... | 08/27/2002 |
| 6351511 | Local repair of top guide in boiling water reactor by installation of cruciform beam An apparatus for reinforcing weakened portions of the top guide assembly in a boiling water reactor. The repair apparatus includes a cruciform lattice segment which reinforces the damaged or weakened region of the top guide beam lattice. This cruciform la... | 02/26/2002 |
| 6320924 | I-Spring and associated ferrule assembly for a nuclear fuel bundle A sub-assembly for a spacer in a nuclear fuel bundle includes at least first and second ferrules lying adjacent one another for receiving respective nuclear fuel rods. Each ferrule has fuel rod contacting points along one side of the ferrule for abutting ... | 11/20/2001 |
| 6163587 | Process for the production of antihydrogen The present invention provides a process for the production of antihydrogen, comprising the steps of: (i) exciting alkali atoms to a Rydberg state; (ii) charge-exchanging the excited alkali atoms with positrons to produce Rydberg-state positronium; and (i... | 12/19/2000 |
| 6144716 | Nuclear fuel assembly grid with diagonal fuel retaining springs A support grid for laterally maintaining the relative position of elongated fuel elements within a fuel assembly for use within a core of a nuclear reactor. The grid is formed in the shape of a lattice with the intersecting lattice members defining a plur... | 11/07/2000 |
| 6104773 | Fuel rod for a nuclear reactor A fuel rod for a nuclear reactor includes a metal cladding tube being filled with nuclear fuel and having ends, an outer surface, and a longitudinal axis. A metal seal plug is welded to one of the ends of the cladding tube at a transition point, defining ... | 08/15/2000 |
| 6055288 | Nuclear reactor vessel A nuclear reactor vessel has a baffle-barrel assembly for supporting the fuel assemblies in its core region and guiding coolant flowing through the core region when the reactor vessel is in service. The baffle assembly includes a baffle plate fastened to ... | 04/25/2000 |
| 6047037 | Multi-lift tool and method for moving control rods in a nuclear reactor A multi-lift tool and method for moving control rod assemblies in a nuclear reactor. The multi-lift tool comprises a frame having an upper end and a lower end. A control rod grapple is supported by the frame for engaging a lifting handle of a control rod.... | 04/04/2000 |
| 6038277 | Plant operation apparatus A plant operation apparatus for satisfying a separation criteria includes an operation panel, an operation display screen control device for controlling a display on the operation panel and a touch operation and for selecting a train in a software selecti... | 03/14/2000 |
| 6026137 | Control rod guide tube mounting pin A control rod guide tube mounting pin for engaging a hole in an upper core plate of a nuclear reactor pressure vessel has a resilient tubular portion with one or more axial crimps which flex allowing for resiliently fitting into a hole in an upper core pl... | 02/15/2000 |
| 6018557 | Methods and assemblies for cleaning a control rod guide in a nuclear reactor Methods and assemblies for cleaning a control rod guide tube in a nuclear reactor are described. An assembly, in accordance with one embodiment, includes a support housing and a flush tube. The support housing includes a bore extending between its first a... | 01/25/2000 |
| 6014418 | Fuel rod for light water reactor and method for manufacturing the same A fuel rod for a light water reactor comprises a cladding tube which comprises a zirconium alloy having a composition including 0.6 to 2.0% by weight of Nb, 0.5 to 1.5% by weight of Sn, 0.05 to 0.3% by weight of Fe, and the balance being Zr and incidental... | 01/11/2000 |
| 6011826 | Steam power station A steam power station, in particular a nuclear power station, includes a steam conduit leading through a wall and forming a fixed point with the wall for the introduction of forces and moments. A main valve is connected to the steam conduit at the fixed p... | 01/04/2000 |
| 6002734 | Method and systems for gold assay in large ore samples A technique for assaying samples entails irradiating a sample with a beam of gamma rays of sufficient energy to excite the nuclei of the assay elements into their isomeric states, ceasing the irradiation, detecting the gamma rays resulting from the decay ... | 12/14/1999 |
| 5995575 | In-core guide tube restraint for a boiling water reactor A restraint assembly which is a bolted lattice structure for preventing the in-core guide tubes from experiencing excessive flow induced vibrations is described. In one embodiment, the restraint assembly includes upper and lower restraint brackets secured... | 11/30/1999 |
| 5995576 | Inhibition of radioactive material deposition in primary coolant structure of nuclear power plant A mixture of metal ions is added to the primary cooling water of a water-cooled nuclear reactor to inhibit deposition of radioactive materials in the cooling water on the inner surfaces of pipes. The mixture of metal ions added to the cooling water introd... | 11/30/1999 |
| 5995574 | Integral forged shroud flange for a boiling water reactor A shroud including an integral track for mounting inspection and cleaning tooling is described. In one embodiment, the shroud includes substantially cylindrical first and second shroud sections having a main body with a first end and a second end. One shr... | 11/30/1999 |
| 5991351 | Method and system to directly produce electrical power within the lithium blanket region of a magnetically confined, deuterium-tritium (DT) fueled, thermonuclear fusion reactor A method for integrating liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic power generation with fusion blanket technology to produce electrical power from a thermonuclear fusion reactor located within a confining magnetic field and within a toroidal structure. A hot liqu... | 11/23/1999 |
| 5991353 | Core barrel for a reactor pressure vessel of a nuclear reactor plant and method of repairing a core barrel A core barrel for a reactor pressure vessel of a nuclear reactor plant has a carrying structure that is supported on an inner surface of the shroud of the barrel. The carrying structure receives a tension rod that extends parallel to the longitudinal axis... | 11/23/1999 |
| 5982838 | Method and portable apparatus for the detection of substances by use of neutron irradiation The present invention relates to a method and portable apparatus which is used to detect substances, such as explosives and drugs, by neutron irradiation. The apparatus has a portable neutron generating probe and corresponding controllers and data collect... | 11/09/1999 |
| 5982839 | Assemblies and methods for inspecting piping of a nuclear reactor Automated inspection assemblies for scanning pipes of a nuclear reactor are described. In one embodiment, the assembly includes a mounting subassembly and a scanning subassembly. The mounting subassembly includes a clamp configured to be mounted to select... | 11/09/1999 |
| 5978431 | Nuclear fuel pellets A method of producing mixed oxide fuel pellets. The method uses oxides of at least two fissile elements and includes a mixing, milling, spheroidising and sintering step to produce a fuel pellet incorporating a neutron poison.... | 11/02/1999 |
| 5978429 | Method and device for operating a reactor in an unstable state A transiently unstable state of a boiling-water reactor is damped by measuring the oscillating neutron flux and, after a first threshold value is exceeded over a plurality of oscillation periods, the rate of increase of the oscillation is determined. Depe... | 11/02/1999 |
| 5978434 | Pebble bed reactor The invention relates to a pebble bed reactor comprising a core cavity filled with spherical fuel elements and bounded by reflector material. Spherical fuel elements pass through the core cavity under the effect of gravity. Coolant gas flows through the c... | 11/02/1999 |
| 5978430 | Length gauge for in situ measurement of water rod lengths in nuclear fuel bundles and methods of measurement The length gauge includes an elongated standards rod, an indicator location block carrying a gauge and an indicator set block. The set block is applied to the location block and the gauge is zeroed out at a known distance between the movable element on th... | 11/02/1999 |
| 5978433 | Jet pump wedge locking support apparatus A wedge locking support apparatus that applies a downward preload force to a jet pump inlet mixer gravity wedge and is remotely installable without disassembly of the jet pumps is described. The downward force supplied by the wedge locking support apparat... | 11/02/1999 |
| 5978432 | Dispersion fuel with spherical uranium alloy, and the fuel fabrication process The invention is directed to a high-density dispersion nuclear fuel having spherical particles of an uranium alloy dispersed in a nonfissionable matrix. The alloy includes uranium and 4-9 wt % Q, wherein Q is selected from the group consisting of Mo, Nb, ... | 11/02/1999 |
| 5970108 | Method and apparatus for detecting high velocity alpha particles having captured electrons An apparatus for the creation and detection of high velocity alpha particles accompanied by one or two captured electrons. The apparatus is a modification of the well-known Cockcroft and Walton experiment used to disintegrate lithium-7 into high energy al... | 10/19/1999 |
| 5970109 | Method for disposing of a component located in a reactor pressure vessel of a nuclear reactor plant A method for disposing of a component located in a reactor pressure vessel of a nuclear reactor plant. The component is, in particular, a lower core structure of a pressurized water reactor plant. An upper part of a container provided for further transpor... | 10/19/1999 |
| 5966418 | Method for the destruction of plutonium by irradiation in a light water reactor This invention relates to a method for the destruction of plutonium (Pu) by irradiation in a light water reactor (LWR). According to the invention Pu is mixed with highly enriched uranium (U) in roughly equal weight proportion rates. This mixture is embed... | 10/12/1999 |
| 5966419 | Spacing grid of a fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor and fuel assembly The spacer grids consist of interlaced metal straps defining a regular lattice of cells. A spring for holding a fuel rod against bearing stops is fixed on at least one wall of each of the cells. In its part which constitutes the wall of the cell, the stra... | 10/12/1999 |
| 5963611 | Steam separator, nuclear power generation plant, and boiler apparatus A separator/injector having an outlet pressure higher than an inlet pressure thereof is introduced instead of the dynamic equipment for a reactor recirculation system that is necessary in the prior art, to achieve both liquid-vapor separation and forced c... | 10/05/1999 |
| 5963610 | CEDM data acquisition system A CEDM data acquisition system (40) receives analog coil-current signals from control element drive mechanism coils (18, 20); conditions the analog signals to remove noise induced therein by the electronic circuitry (44) associated with the control elemen... | 10/05/1999 |
| 5958234 | Suction strainer with an internal core tube A suction strainer includes a hollow internal core tube and an external filtering surface built around the internal core tube. A plurality of openings are defined through the side wall of the internal core tube core. In some cases the openings through the... | 09/28/1999 |
| 5960050 | Method of fission heat flux determination from experimental data A method is provided for determining the fission heat flux of a prime specimen inserted into a specimen of a test reactor. A pair of thermocouple test specimens are positioned at the same level in the holder and a determination is made of various experime... | 09/28/1999 |
| 5960051 | Methods and apparatus for moving fuel bundles in a nuclear reactor Methods and apparatus for moving fuel bundles in a reactor pressure vessel (RPV) of a nuclear reactor are described. In one embodiment of the apparatus, a support tube facilitates the positioning of a multiple channeled magazine within the RPV, especially... | 09/28/1999 |
| 5956380 | Method and apparatus for determining neutron flux density, in particular in a nuclear power facility A method and an apparatus are used for determining the neutron flux density of a neutron-emitting source, in particular a reactor core of a nuclear power facility. In the method, a first measurement signal and a second measurement signal, which differ fro... | 09/21/1999 |
| 5954350 | Twist beam suspension A twist beam suspension includes a twist beam which is disposed so that the longitudinal direction thereof runs along with the transverse direction of a vehicle, and a pair of trailing arms being connected to a body of the vehicle and each of which is dis... | 09/21/1999 |
| 5956381 | Method and apparatus for detecting the dropping of a control element A method and an apparatus detect the dropping of at least one control element in a reactor core of a power station by delaying signals output by detectors disposed along a fall path of the control element in such a way that they are approximately simultan... | 09/21/1999 |
| 5949835 | Steady-state, high dose neutron generation and concentration apparatus and method for deuterium atoms A steady-state source of neutrons is produced within an electrically grounded and temperature controlled chamber confining tritium or deuterium plasma at a predetermined density to effect implantation of ions in the surface of a palladium target rod coate... | 09/07/1999 |
