ROBERT LEE COWAN
Pilots at Saint Charles Ct, Livermore, CA

6714618, Mar 30, 2004

Nov 20, 1998

09/196104

Samson Hettiarachchi - Menlo Park CA
Robert J. Law - Livermore CA
David P. Siegwarth - San Jose CA
Thomas P. Diaz - San Martin CA
Robert L. Cowan - Livermore CA

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

G21C 900

376306, 376305

Method for controlling the amount of metal atoms deposited into an oxide layer present on a metal surface, which metal atoms increase the corrosion resistance of metal when present in the oxide film, wherein the metal surface is submerged in water at a selected temperature within the range of about to 200° to 550° F. ; and a solution of a compound containing the metal which increases the corrosion resistance of the metal surface when present in the oxide film is injected into the water. The compound decomposes at the selected temperature to release atoms of the metal which incorporate in the oxide film at a desired loading.

6697449, Feb 24, 2004

Apr 10, 2002

10/118926

Samson Hettiarachchi - Menlo Park CA
Robert J. Law - Livermore CA
David P. Siegwarth - San Jose CA
Thomas P. Diaz - San Martin CA
Robert L. Cowan - Livermore CA

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

G21C 900

376305, 376306

Method for controlling the amount of metal atoms deposited into an oxide layer present on a metal surface, which metal atoms increase the corrosion resistance of metal when present in the oxide film, wherein the metal surface is submerged in water at a selected temperature within the range of about to 200° to 550° F. ; and a solution of a compound containing the metal which increases the corrosion resistance of the metal surface when present in the oxide film is injected into the water. The compound decomposes at the selected temperature to release atoms of the metal which incorporate in the oxide film at a desired loading.

5793830, Aug 11, 1998

Jul 3, 1995

8/498029

Young Jin Kim - Clifton Park NY
Peter Louis Andresen - Schenectady NY
Robert Lee Cowan - Livermore CA

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

G21C 900

376305

A method for mitigating crack initiation and propagation on the surface of metal components in a water-cooled nuclear reactor. A metal coating having an electrically insulating outer layer is applied on the surfaces of IGSCC-susceptible reactor components. The preferred metal coating is a zirconium alloy with a zirconia outer layer. The presence of an electrically insulating layer on the surface of the metal components shifts the corrosion potential in the negative direction without the addition of hydrogen and in the absence of a noble metal catalyst. Corrosion potentials. ltoreq. -0. 5 V. sub. SHE can be achieved even at high oxidant concentrations and in the absence of hydrogen.

5625656, Apr 29, 1997

Jun 7, 1995

8/482243

Samson Hettiarachchi - Menlo Park CA
Robert L. Cowan - Livermore CA
Robert J. Law - Livermore CA
Thomas P. Diaz - San Martin CA

General Electric Company - San Jose CA

G21C 17022

376245

A method for ensuring the distribution of noble metal in the reactor circuit during plant application without measuring the reactor water for noble metal content by chemical analysis. The method involves the measurement of electrochemical corrosion potential in an autoclave or a high-flow test section that is connected to the reactor water circuit through sample lines downstream of the injection port, preferably the point in the reactor circuit which is furthest from the injection port. If the noble metal flows into the autoclave or test section at these distant points in the reactor circuit, then the noble metal will deposit on the test specimens inside the autoclave or test section. After the noble metal has been injected for a predetermined duration, the electrochemical corrosion potential autoclave or test section is exposed to hydrogen water chemistry conditions and the electrochemical corrosion potentials of the specimens inside the autoclave or test section will be measured to determine the extent of their catalytic response. A good catalytic response indicates that the noble metal has reached the locations upstream where electrochemical corrosion potential is being measured.

2002011, Aug 29, 2002

May 1, 2002

10/135524

Peter Andresen - Schenectady NY, US
Young Kim - Clifton Park NY, US
Robert Cowan - Livermore CA, US
Robert Law - Livermore CA, US
Samson Hettiarachchi - Menlo Park CA, US

General Electric Company.

G21C009/00

376/306000

Method for controlling erosion and cracking in a metal component of a nuclear reactor, particularly in the highly concentrated primary and secondary systems of a PWR, comprising creating a catalytic surface on the component; and generating a stoichiometric excess of reductant the water of the reactor to reduce the oxidant concentration at the surface to substantially zero.

5285486, Feb 8, 1994

Nov 25, 1992

7/982176

Robert L. Cowan - Livermore CA
Robert J. Law - Livermore CA
James E. Charnley - Gilroy CA

General Electric Company - San Jose CA

G21C 19317

376301

A passive decomposer operating in the water/steam mixture exiting the core of a boiling water reactor. The decomposer comprises a catalytic material arranged and situated such that substantially all of the water/steam mixture entering the water/steam separator device flows over the surface of the catalytic material. The catalytic decomposing surfaces decompose hydrogen peroxide molecules dissolved in the liquid phase to form water and oxygen molecules. The passive catalytic decomposer is constructed to ensure that the pressure drop of the reactor water across the device is very small. The decomposer can include a plurality of stainless steel flow-through housings packed with stainless steel catalytic decomposer material, which could take the form of tangled wire or strips, crimped ribbon, porous sintered metal composite or any other structure having a high surface area-to-volume ratio.

6259758, Jul 10, 2001

Feb 26, 1999

9/259645

Young Jin Kim - Clifton Park NY
Leonard William Niedrach - late of Moorestown NJ
George Charles Sogoian - Glenville NY
Robert Lee Cowan - Livermore CA

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

G21C 900

376305

A metal cooling tube of a water-cooled nuclear reactor, having an inner surface thereof exposed to an aqueous cooling medium containing hydrogen peroxide. The cooling tube has its inner surface coated with matter selected from the group consisting of the element manganese, molybdenum, zinc, copper, cadmium for absorbing such hydrogen peroxide and then affecting decomposition of the hydrogen peroxide in the aqueous medium. In preferred embodiment such coating is manganese and oxides thereof. A method for lowering the electrochemical corrosion potential of a metal allow cooling tube exposed to an aqueous medium in a water-cooled nuclear reactor is also disclosed. Such method comprises the step of coating an inner surface of such tube with matter selected from the group of elements comprising manganese, molybdenum, zinc, copper, cadmium, so as to permit absorption and hydrogen peroxide in such aqueous medium and effect decomposition of hydrogen peroxide in such aqueous medium.

4882122, Nov 21, 1989

Feb 10, 1988

7/154260

Robert A. Head - San Jose CA
Robert L. Cowan - Livermore CA
Robert J. Law - Livermore CA

General Electric Company - San Jose CA

G21C 1700

376245

In a boiling water reactor, provision is made to sample the core bypass region immediate the top guide to determine the physical and chemical constituents of the moderating water. A conduit for a local power range monitor is fitted with a measurement assembly. The conduit and measurement assembly are inserted up to the vicinity of the top guide. A tube opening is provided to the bypass region immediate the top guide. During reactor operation, the saturated liquid in this region flashes to a steam water mixture (18% steam) at constant enthalpy and is rapidly removed from the reactor to measuring equipment in the reactor building. During removal, the radiolytic disassociated gases (namely hydrogen and oxygen) partition to the steam phase where their recombination is retarded and accurate measurement of their constituent content can be made. Also, temperature of the steam water mixture decreases thereby preserving unstable species like hydrogen peroxide that degrade much more rapidly a high temperatures. In the reactor building, the gases are further cooled, condensed and divided with a first stream being diverted and cooled for detailed chemical analysis and a second stream reheated and pressurized for measurement of electrochemical potential.

5287392, Feb 15, 1994

Nov 25, 1992

7/981667

Robert Lee Cowan II - Livermore CA
Robert J. Law - Livermore CA
James E. Charnley - Gilroy CA
Robert J. Brandon - San Jose CA

General Electric Company - San Jose CA

G21C 19317

376301

An internal passive catalytic device operating in the water phase of a boiling water reactor vessel downstream of the steam/water separator location. The device consists of catalytic material arranged and situated such that all (except perhaps a small leakage flow) water phase exiting the water/steam separator device flows over the surface of the catalytic material. The catalytic surfaces decompose dissolved hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. When the substrate of the catalytic material is plated or alloyed with a water recombination catalyst such as a noble metal, the catalytic surfaces also catalyze the recombination of dissolved hydrogen and oxygen molecules into water. The passive catalytic device is constructed to ensure that the pressure drop of the reactor water across the device is very small. The device includes a stainless steel flow-through housing packed with catalytic material, which could take the form of tangled wire or strips, crimped ribbon, porous sintered metal composite or any other structure having a high surface area-to-volume ratio.

4017368, Apr 12, 1977

Nov 11, 1974

5/522767

Daniel E. Wax - Livermore CA
Robert L. Cowan - Livermore CA

General Electric Company - San Jose CA

C25D 534

204 32R

A novel aqueous electrolytic activating solution and a method for electroplating zirconium and zirconium alloys are disclosed. The novel aqueous electrolytic activating solution is comprised of from about 10 to about 20 grams per liter of ammonium bifluoride (NH. sub. 4 FHF) and from about 0. 75 to 2 grams per liter of sulfuric acid (H. sub. 2 SO. sub. 4).