G21H OBTAINING ENERGY FROM RADIOACTIVE SOURCES; APPLICATIONS OF RADIATION FROM RADIOACTIVE SOURCES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; UTILISING COSMIC RADIATION
Introduced: September 1968
Classification Context
- Section:
- PHYSICS
- Class:
- NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
- Subclass:
- OBTAINING ENERGY FROM RADIOACTIVE SOURCES; APPLICATIONS OF RADIATION FROM RADIOACTIVE SOURCES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; UTILISING COSMIC RADIATION
Description
G21H covers energy extraction from radioactive decay and practical applications of radiation that do not fall within other nuclear engineering classifications. This includes radioisotope power systems (such as radioisotope thermoelectric generators and betavoltaic devices), radiation-based propulsion concepts, and direct utilization of cosmic radiation energy. The subclass also encompasses miscellaneous applications of radioactive sources not specifically addressed by companion classes G21B through G21G, serving as a catch-all for novel or unconventional energy conversion and radiation utilization technologies in the nuclear domain.
Filing statistics
IPC subclass G21H recorded 1,227 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings grew from 83 in 2013 to 115 in 2023 (+39%), peaking at 159 applications in 2021. The most active applicants in class G21 are CHINA GENERAL NUCLEAR POWER CORPORATION (2,364 applications), CGN POWER COMPANY (1,899 applications) and CHINA NUCLEAR POWER ENGINEERING COMPANY (1,870 applications).
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
In class comparison
G21H ranks 7th of 8 subclasses with filings in G21, with 1,227 applications between 2013 and 2023, 1.5% of the class. Annual filings grew 39% from 2013 to 2023, above the class as a whole (+4%).
| Rank | Subclass | Title | Applications | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G21C, Nuclear Reactors | Nuclear Reactors | 29,798 | 37.0% |
| 2 | G21F, Protection Against X-Radiation, Gamma Radiation, Corpuscular Radiation or Particle Bombardment; Treating Radioactively Contaminated Material; Decontamination Arrangements Therefor | Protection Against X-Radiation, Gamma Radiation, Corpuscular Radiation or Particle Bombardment; Treating Radioactively Contaminated Material; Decontamination Arrangements Therefor | 22,783 | 28.3% |
| 3 | G21K, Handling of Particles or Ionising Radiation Not Otherwise Provided for; Irradiation Devices; Gamma Ray or X-Ray Microscopes | Handling of Particles or Ionising Radiation Not Otherwise Provided for; Irradiation Devices; Gamma Ray or X-Ray Microscopes | 11,603 | 14.4% |
| 4 | G21D, Nuclear Power Plant | Nuclear Power Plant | 7,179 | 8.9% |
| 5 | G21G, Conversion of Chemical Elements; Radioactive Sources | Conversion of Chemical Elements; Radioactive Sources | 4,076 | 5.1% |
| 6 | G21B, Fusion Reactors | Fusion Reactors | 3,917 | 4.9% |
| 7 | G21H | Obtaining Energy From Radioactive Sources; Applications of Radiation From Radioactive Sources, Not Otherwise Provided for; Utilising Cosmic Radiation | 1,227 | 1.5% |
| 8 | G21J, Nuclear Explosives; Applications Thereof | Nuclear Explosives; Applications Thereof | 58 | 0.1% |
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
Additional Content
Measurement of nuclear or X-radiation Fusion reactors Nuclear reactors Lamps in which a gas filling is excited to luminescence by external corpuscular radiation or by radioactive material structurally associated with the lamp ,
4 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
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- G21H 1/00 Arrangements for obtaining electrical energy from radioactive sources, e.g. from radioactive isotopes
- G21H 3/00 Arrangements for direct conversion of radiation energy from radioactive sources into forms of energy other than electric energy, e.g. light
- G21H 5/00 Applications of radiation from radioactive sources or arrangements therefor, not otherwise provided for
- G21H 7/00 Use of effects of cosmic radiation
Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class G21, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- CHINA GENERAL NUCLEAR POWER CORPORATION 2,364
- CGN POWER COMPANY 1,899
- CHINA NUCLEAR POWER ENGINEERING COMPANY 1,870
- NUCLEAR POWER INSTITUTE OF CHINA 1,517
- KOREA ATOMIC ENERGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE KR 1,367
- WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION US 1,295
- KOREA HYDRO & NUCLEAR POWER COMPANY KR 1,196
- CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 1,044
- CHINA INSTITUTE OF ATOMIC ENERGY 1,011
- HITACHI-GE NUCLEAR ENERGY 955