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:
Aug. 11, 2015
Filed:
Sep. 23, 2014
Eric Paul Loewen, Wilmington, NC (US);
Brian S. Triplett, Wilmington, NC (US);
Brett Jameson Dooies, Wilmington, NC (US);
Eric Paul Loewen, Wilmington, NC (US);
Brian S. Triplett, Wilmington, NC (US);
Brett Jameson Dooies, Wilmington, NC (US);
GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC, Wilmington, NC (US);
Abstract
A method of stabilizing a fuel containing a reactive sodium metal may include puncturing a cladding of a fuel pin enclosing the fuel containing the reactive sodium metal to form an injection passage and an extraction passage. A reaction gas may be injected into the fuel pin through the injection passage to react with the reactive sodium metal to form a stable sodium compound. A ratio of a product gas and a remaining quantity of the reaction gas exiting the fuel pin through the extraction passage is subsequently measured, wherein the product gas is a reaction product of the reaction gas and the reactive sodium metal within the fuel pin. Once the measured ratio indicates that a reaction between the reaction gas and the reactive sodium metal is complete, the injection passage and the extraction passage are sealed so as to confine the stable sodium compound within the fuel pin.