Alexander Hashemian of AMS Awarded U.S. Patent for Innovative Sensors for Next Generation of Nuclear Reactors
The U.S. Patent “Methods and Apparatus for Calibration and Response Time Testing of Level Sensors” (No. 11,346,702 B2) was awarded to Alexander Hashemian of Analysis and Measurement Services Corporation (AMS) on May 31, 2022. This innovation enables the in-situ calibration verification and response time testing of level sensors, including guided wave radar and thermal dispersion based sensor technologies, installed in systems such as integral small modular reactors (SMRs).
The product of this invention, to be commercialized by AMS, will be applicable to a variety of industrial end users especially next‑generation nuclear power reactors poised for commercial deployment in the coming years. This is the 23rd patent that AMS has received over the life of the company with the first one awarded in 1981.
Mr. Alexander Hashemian, Senior Research Engineer at AMS and author of the newly‑awarded patent, said, “Thanks to funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, AMS is performing valuable research and development in support of the safe and efficient operation of next-generation nuclear reactors including SMRs, microreactors, and advanced Generation-IV technologies.” In addition to this newly-awarded patent, Mr. Hashemian is developing other innovative technologies including a high‑temperature irradiation‑resistant sensor capable of simultaneously measuring in‑core temperature, flow, and level within a nuclear reactor as well as a temperature-regulating system for maintaining the performance of cables exposed to harsh environmental conditions for extended periods of time.
