G21 NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
Description
Class G21 encompasses nuclear physics research and practical nuclear engineering applications. It covers nuclear reactions, fission and fusion processes, reactor design and operation, radiation protection, nuclear fuel handling, and waste management technologies. This classification includes both fundamental scientific investigations into nuclear phenomena and industrial implementations such as power generation, propulsion systems, and medical/industrial radiation applications. Adjacent classes address related topics like general radiation physics (G21H) or specific particle physics experiments, which may be classified elsewhere within the G section.
Filing statistics
CPC G21 recorded 71,295 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023, summed across its 8 subclasses. Annual filings grew from 6,044 in 2013 to 6,216 in 2023 (+3%), peaking at 7,331 applications in 2021. The most active applicants in class G21 are CHINA GENERAL NUCLEAR POWER CORPORATION (1,383 applications), WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION (1,347 applications) and KOREA ATOMIC ENERGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE (1,303 applications).
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
8 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
Navigate with arrow keys, Enter to open
- G21B FUSION REACTORS (uncontrolled reactors G21J)
- G21C NUCLEAR REACTORS (fusion reactors, hybrid fission-fusion reactors G21B; nuclear explosives G21J)
- G21D NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
- G21F PROTECTION AGAINST X-RADIATION, GAMMA RADIATION, CORPUSCULAR RADIATION OR PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT; TREATING RADIOACTIVELY CONTAMINATED MATERIAL; DECONTAMINATION ARRANGEMENTS THEREFOR (radiation protection by pharmaceutical means A61K8/00, A61Q17/04; in cosmonautic vehicles B64G1/54; combined with a reactor G21C11/00; combined with X-ray tubes H01J35/16; combined with X-ray apparatus H05G1/02)
- G21G CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS; RADIOACTIVE SOURCES (applications of radiation in general G21H5/00; handling particles, e.g. neutrons, or electromagnetic radiation not otherwise provided for G21K)
- G21H OBTAINING ENERGY FROM RADIOACTIVE SOURCES; APPLICATIONS OF RADIATION FROM RADIOACTIVE SOURCES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; UTILISING COSMIC RADIATION (measurement of nuclear or X-radiation G01T; fusion reactors G21B; nuclear reactors G21C; lamps in which a gas filling is excited to luminescence by external corpuscular radiation or by radioactive material structurally associated with the lamp H01J65/04, H01J65/06)
- G21J NUCLEAR EXPLOSIVES; APPLICATIONS THEREOF (electric or magnetic analogue computers, e.g. simulators, for nuclear physics G06G7/54)
- G21K HANDLING OF PARTICLES OR IONISING RADIATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; IRRADIATION DEVICES; GAMMA RAY OR X-RAY MICROSCOPES
Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filings, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- CHINA GENERAL NUCLEAR POWER CORPORATION 1,383
- WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION US 1,347
- KOREA ATOMIC ENERGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE KR 1,303
- CGN POWER COMPANY 1,156
- CHINA NUCLEAR POWER ENGINEERING COMPANY 1,149
- KOREA HYDRO & NUCLEAR POWER COMPANY KR 1,146
- NUCLEAR POWER INSTITUTE OF CHINA 1,086
- CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 765
- CEA (COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE) FR 763
- CHINA INSTITUTE OF ATOMIC ENERGY 659