Induced nuclear reactions: processes, systems, and elements inventions 09/09

20090238321 - Nuclear power plant with actinide burner reactor: A nuclear reactor includes a coolant and a core. The core includes a moderator material and a plurality of fuel assemblies arranged within the moderator material, each fuel assembly including an inner region and an outer region surrounding the inner region. The inner region includes at least one first fuel... Agent: Davidson, Davidson & Kappel, LLC

20090238322 - Fuel rod and assembly containing an internal hydrogen/tritium getter structure: A fuel assembly (16) for a nuclear reactor contains fuel rods (48) which contain nuclear fuel pellets (62) held in place by a spring means or a like device (64) and end plugs (56,58) where a hollow gas absorber structure (80) is also disposed within the fuel rods (48) where... Agent: Westinghouse Electric Company, LLC

20090232267 - Emergency core cooling system having core barrel injection extension ducts: An emergency core cooling system directly injects emergency core cooling water, which is supplied from a high-pressure safety injection pump or a safety injection tank for a pressurized light water reactor, into a reactor vessel downcomer. A pipe connector is completely removed from between each direct vessel injection nozzle and... Agent: Merchant & Gould PC

20090232268 - System and method for operating a modular nuclear fission deflagration wave reactor: Illustrative embodiments provide modular nuclear fission deflagration wave reactors and methods for their operation. Illustrative embodiments and aspects include, without limitation, modular nuclear fission deflagration wave reactors, modular nuclear fission deflagration wave reactor modules, methods of operating a modular nuclear fission deflagration wave reactor, and the like.... Agent: Searete LLC Clarence T. Tegreene

20090225921 - Direct production of thermal antineutrons and antiprotons: A method for obtaining free thermal antineutrons within the cage-like structure of a fullerene molecule comprising irradiating the fullerene molecule with free neutrons causing free neutrons to be trapped within the fullerene molecule wherein the trapped neutron oscillates between the neutron and antineutron states. A method for producing antiprotons comprising... Agent: Thompson Hine L.L.P. Intellectual Property Group

20090225920 - System and method for operating a modular nuclear fission deflagration wave reactor: Illustrative embodiments provide modular nuclear fission deflagration wave reactors and methods for their operation. Illustrative embodiments and aspects include, without limitation, modular nuclear fission deflagration wave reactors, modular nuclear fission deflagration wave reactor modules, methods of operating a modular nuclear fission deflagration wave reactor, and the like.... Agent: Searete LLC Clarence T. Tegreene

20090225922 - Neutron flux source and use thereof: The patent specification and claims disclose a neutron flux source supplying both monoenergentic neutrons and a spectrum of neutron energies similar to the neutron emission of 252Cf. The neutron flux source is applied to interrogate unknown materials in closed containers for classification of the contents.... Agent: Thomas A. Ladd

20090225923 - Combinatorial heterogeneous-homogeneous reactor: A combinatorial heterogeneous-homogeneous reactor configuration in which an array or groups of homogeneous fuel assemblies are interlinked together in a heterogeneous lattice. The present invention removes the limitation of a homogeneous reactor by providing a reactor concept that utilizes the inherent advantages of homogeneous fuel elements but in a heterogeneous... Agent: Babcock & Wilcox Technical Services Group, Inc. Intellectual Property Dept (bvcb2k)

20090225924 - Device for removing solid particles from the cooling medium which circulates in the primary circuit of a nuclear reactor: The geometric dimensions and shape of a device for removing solid particles from the cooling medium that is circulated in the primary circuit of a nuclear reactor, in particular a boiling water nuclear reactor, are such that the device can be inserted in lieu of a fuel element or fuel... Agent: Lerner Greenberg Stemer LLP

20090225925 - Fuel assembly loading machine and method for handling fuel assemblies: To permit the particularly safe, easy handling of fuel elements, the fuel element loading machine with a lifting apparatus has a guide mast and a fuel element gripper which can be extended telescopically from the guide mast. A video camera is for this purpose arranged on the lifting apparatus, is... Agent: Lerner Greenberg Stemer LLP

20090225926 - Cold shutdown assembly for sodium cooled reactor: A tertiary shutdown system for a liquid metal reactor that eliminates the need for considering an ATWS in setting the thermal power limits of the reactor. The shutdown system includes a reservoir of neutron absorber material that is sealed by a valve that may actively dispense the absorber upon operator... Agent: Westinghouse Electric Company, LLC

20090225927 - Method for catalytic recombination of hydrogen, which is carried in a gas flow, with oxygen, and a recombination system for carrying out the method: A method and a system for catalytic recombination of hydrogen, which is carried in a gas flow, with oxygen, has the gas flow passed through a reaction zone with a number of catalytic converter elements, with steam being added to the gas flow before it enters the reaction zone. The... Agent: Lerner Greenberg Stemer LLP

20090225928 - Method of stress corrosion cracking mitigating for nuclear power plant structural materials: The object of this invention is to provide a method for mitigating a stress corrosion cracking of reactor structural material which makes it possible to suppress the rise in the main steam line dose rate without secondary effects such as a rise in the concentration of radioactive cobalt-60, etc. in... Agent: Brundidge & Stanger, P.C.

20090225929 - Petrochemical complex: Provided is a petrochemical complex 100 that produces a fuel and a petrochemical, by applying heat generated in heating means to crude oil by use of a heating medium. In the petrochemical complex 100, the heating means is a light-water reactor 110.... Agent: Westerman, Hattori, Daniels & Adrian, LLP

20090225930 - Neutron shielding panels for reactor pressure vessels: In a nuclear reactor neutron panels varying in thickness in the circumferential direction are disposed at spaced circumferential locations around the reactor core so that the greatest radial thickness is at the point of highest fluence with lesser thicknesses at adjacent locations where the fluence level is lower. The neutron... Agent: Westinghouse Electric Company, LLC

20090220039 - Formation of a field reversed configuration for magnetic and electrostatic confinement of plasma: A system and method for containing plasma and forming a Field Reversed Configuration (FRC) magnetic topology are described in which plasma ions are contained magnetically in stable, non-adiabatic orbits in the FRC. Further, the electrons are contained electrostatically in a deep energy well, created by tuning an externally applied magnetic... Agent: Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLPIPProsecution Department

20090220040 - Tubular body and method for producing the same: A tubular body includes a tubular fiber-reinforced carbonaceous substrate and an SiC layer. The tubular fiber-reinforced carbonaceous substrate includes an aggregate formed of ceramic fibers, and a carbonaceous material filled in interstices between the ceramic fibers. The SiC layer is formed at least on an outer surface of the tubular... Agent: Ditthavong Mori & Steiner, P.C.