In 2024, Rosatom filed over 280 patents for its inventions in more than 30 countries. Of these more than 140 patents were registered. The patents protect rights to the technologies of nuclear power plants (NPP) with Generation III+ reactors (VVER-1200, VVER-TOI), fast reactors, the equipment for floating NPPs, and SMR-based NPPs.
The most promising technological advancements patented abroad last year include a device for monitoring passive heat removal developed by Atomenergoproekt (part of Rosatom’s Engineering division). The device has enabled the rapid evaluation of the operability of the NPP’s passive heat removal system, thereby improving its operational safety.
Another innovation is a device that produces monophasic powders of actinide salts. It is used to synthesise salts of actinide elements, such as uranium and plutonium. These salts are precursors for producing nuclear fuel pellets. In addition, researchers at the VG Khlopin Radium Institute (part of Rosatom’s Scientific division) have devised a novel approach to producing powders, which enables the production of monophasic dry powders of actinide salts in a single stage, eliminating the need for multiple stages. This has enhanced the effectiveness, chemical and nuclear safety of the process, while also reducing the associated radioactive waste.
Another notable invention is a new approach to fuel assembly production. The concept was conceived by specialists from the Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant (part of Rosatom’s Fuel division). The objective of the invention is to enhance the effectiveness of the nuclear fuel production process.
“Rosatom is actively pursuing new markets. Currently, the corporation’s backlog of foreign orders includes 39 units, both large and small, in 10 countries, including but not limited to China, Turkey, Egypt, Hungary, India, and Bangladesh,” said Artem Vernigora, Deputy Director for Operations at Science & Innovations (Rosatom’s affiliate that assist industry companies in obtaining patents and managing intellectual property). “The corporation is committed to developing its technological collaborations while protecting the intellectual property of Russian scientists through patenting abroad.”
He added: “In the past three years, the growth in this field has skyrocketed. The internal resources are being reallocated to proceed with the work started in previous years. Pending are over 800 applications and patents belonging to more than 50 patent families. In addition, it is expected that the involvement of inventor companies in the process of patenting VVER project technologies will increase. Rosatom also intends to correlate inventions with specific products, form and introduce a mechanism for including the cost of patents in the prices of EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contracts for future foreign NPPs. This will be a major step in the development of Rosatom’s foreign patenting practice. These initiatives are sure to contribute to a rise in the number of patents and enhance the standing of Russian scientists.”
The initiative for foreign patenting was resumed at Science & Innovations in 2022. Since then, the company has been maintaining a register and entering details of each application into its in-house database. They have also developed and streamlined internal business processes and those with agents, and introduced automated calculations.
