(19)

(11)

EP 4 073 824 A2

(12)

(88) Date of publication A3: 19.08.2021 (43) Date of publication: 19.10.2022 Bulletin 2022/42 (21) Application number: 20900437.3 (22) Date of filing: 11.12.2020

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC):  G21F 5/14(2006.01) G21C 19/32(2006.01) (52) Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC): G21F 5/10; G21F 5/06; Y02E 30/30 (86) International application number: PCT/US2020/064713 (87) International publication number: WO 2021/119557 (17.06.2021 Gazette 2021/24)

(84) Designated Contracting States: AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR Designated Extension States: BA ME Designated Validation States: KH MA MD TN (30) Priority: 11.12.2019 US 201962946901 P (71) Applicant: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC Wilmington, NC 28401 (US)	(72) Inventors: KMIEC, Christopher Wilmington, NC 28401 (US) SAITO, Earl Wilmington, NC 28401 (US) LOEWEN, Eric Wilmington, NC 28401 (US) MAJOR, David Wilmington, NC 28401 (US) RODRIGUEZ ROJAS, Shirly Wilmington, NC 28401 (US) KARCHER, Kenneth Wilmington, NC 28401 (US) (74) Representative: Handsome I.P. Ltd  27-28 Monmouth Street Bath BA1 2AP Bath BA1 2AP (GB)