US Patent Issued to GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas on Sept. 16 for "Digital systems and methods for high precision control in nuclear reactors" (North Carolina Inventors)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 17 -- United States Patent no. 12,417,855, issued on Sept. 16, was assigned to GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC (Wilmington, N.C.).

"Digital systems and methods for high precision control in nuclear reactors" was invented by Jerry W. Nicholson (Wilmington, N.C.), Cesar M. Velasquez (Charlotte, N.C.) and Kenneth A. Morgan (Wilmington, N.C.).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "Control rod drives include all-digital monitoring, powering, and controlling systems for operating the drives. Each controlling system includes distinct microprocessor-driven channels that independently monitor and handle control rod drive position information reported from multiple position sensors...