The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 13, 2004
Filed:
Feb. 16, 2002
Applicant:
Inventors:
Patrick O'Leary, Lynchburg, VA (US);
Claude W. Mays, Madison Heights, VA (US);
Assignee:
Framatome ANP, Inc., Lynchburg, VA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G21G 1/06 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G21G 1/06 ;
Abstract
A method and apparatus for optimizing the production of Pu-238 in a nuclear reactor during normal reactor operation is disclosed wherein the production of Pu-238 is confined to one or more selectively replaced fuel cells with target cells located in the inside of the active volume of the reactor core to maximize the neutron flux for target irradiation. The target cells are modified existing nuclear fuel assembly cells having some fuel rods replaced with target rods of Np-237 forming a cluster array and having rings of water filled rods surrounding the target cluster to produce the desired optimal Pu-238 production.