US Patent Issued to Westinghouse Electric on July 7 for "Nuclear fuel rods and heat pipes in a graphite moderator matrix for a micro-reactor, with the fuel rods having fuel pellets in a BeO sleeve" (New Mexico Inventor)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 7 -- United States Patent no. 12,676,245, issued on July 7, was assigned to Westinghouse Electric Co. LLC (Cranberry Township, Pa.).

"Nuclear fuel rods and heat pipes in a graphite moderator matrix for a micro-reactor, with the fuel rods having fuel pellets in a BeO sleeve" was invented by Alex Levinsky (Sante Fe, N.M.).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A reactor unit cell is disclosed including a graphite moderator structure, a heat pipe positioned in the graphite moderator structure, and a fuel assembly positioned in the graphite moderator structure. The fuel assembly comprises a beryllium-oxide sleeve and nuclear fuel positioned in the beryllium-oxide sleeve."

The patent...