Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring a neutron flux in which the neutrons induce fission reactions in the layer of fissile material, the fission reactions in turn inducing light pulses in a scintillator material. A photomultiplier tube detects the light pulses and emits an electrical pulse in response. The electrical pulses are summed, checked for coincidence, stored, and otherwise manipulated in order to detect and measure neutron flux. In one advantageous embodiment of the invention, several different fissile materials or coated and uncoated fissile materials are used in order to obtain a spectral distribution of the incident neutron flux. At another embodiment, opposed detectors are used in order to discriminate between actual neutron-induced fission events and background events.

Abstract: Signals from redundant sensors located throughout a pressurized water reactor (PWR) nuclear power plant are processed in four independent channel sets each of which includes a plurality of independent microcomputers which calibrate, convert to engineering units and calculate partial trip signals and engineered safeguard actuation signals from the sensor signals for use in the conventional voting logic of a plant protection system. The primary and secondary partial trip and engineered safeguard actuation functions associated with various postulated abnormal events are allocated to different independent microcomputers in the channel set for reliability. A test unit common to the channel set automatically, rapidly bypasses and tests each protection function independently while the other protection functions in the channel set remain on-line and also continually tests each microcomputer through a dummy test function performed along with the assigned protection functions.

Abstract: The operator of a complex process facility is aided in executing step by step procedures by a computer based system which incorporates monitored plant data and interactive plant operator responses to prompts to progress step by step through selected procedures. At each procedure step the plant status is evaluated and a recommended course of action is identified. The results are displayed on a visual display device to provide operator guidance for executing the procedure in effect. Parallel process monitoring visually alerts the user to conditions not considered by the current step of the active procedure, and where the seriousness of the other condition warrants, provides procedure-based recommendations for priority action. The system can be accessed by multiple users at separate locations for coordinated execution of a single procedure or simultaneous execution of two different procedures.

Abstract: An ultrasonic signal processing system that includes flaw gates that process signals from an inspection transducer is disclosed. The flaw gates operate in pairs where each pair is dedicated to a time window corresponding to, for example, flaw depth or transducer angle. The time window for a pair of flaw gates is indicated by a channel code produced by a timing control unit. One flaw gate in each pair processes incoming digitized transducer signals during a scan to produce reflector indications while the other gate in each pair transfers data from a previous different position scan to a main computer. The main computer determines flaw locations from the reflector indications and transducer positions provided by the flaw gate.

Abstract: Apparatus for monitoring temperature, including: a body which experiences a change in shape in response to a change in the temperature of the body; a rotatable device having an axis of rotation and an optical transmissivity which varies circumferentially and radially relative to the axis of rotation; a light conductor device disposed for passing a light beam along a beam axis which intersects the rotatable device at a location spaced from the axis of rotation; and an arrangement for rotating the rotatable device about the axis of rotation while the light beam impinges on the rotatable device such that the rotatable device permits light to be transmitted therethrough with an intensity which varies in time as a function of the distance between the beam axis and the axis of rotation, with one of the devices being mounted on the body such that a change in the shape of the body in response to a change in body temperature produces a corresponding change in the distance between the axis of rotation and the beam axis

Abstract: A real time analysis of nuclear reactor vessel integrity is preformed by monitoring reactor coolant temperature and pressure and fast neutron fluence, and generating therefrom a visual comparison of the reference nil-ductility transition temperature, RT.sub.ndt, required for flaw initiation and the actual RT.sub.ndt through the entire depth of the vessel wall at selected critical locations. When flaw initiation is indicated at any depth, the RT.sub.ndt required for flaw propagation arrest is also generated and displayed. A display can also be generated to provide guidance for optimum performance during heatup and cooldown. Thermocouples located at the reactor core inlet are used in conjunction with the resistance temperature detectors, RTDs, conventionally provided in the cold leg conduits to generate a more accurate measurement of the coolant temperature at the critical locations in the vessel.

Abstract: A coil support arrangement for use in connection with a dynamoelectric machine equipped with a stator having top and bottom winding coil end portions arranged in phase groups and extending outwardly from the stator at each end thereof. The support arrangement consists of a support ring encircling the bottom winding coil end portions, blocking means providing lateral support for the coil end portions to restrain vibrational movement of the latter during machine operation and a series of bands for holding the coil end portions of the phase group, the related blocking means and the support ring together, with the blocking means disposed in axial alignment with the ring to thereby present a single blocked and banded, elongated phase group structure which extends circumferentially around the inside of the ring. The blocking means consists of a plurality of individual block elements which extend the full radial depth of the phase group structure to provide deep beam strength characteristics to the structure.

Abstract: A support for the top ends of plural rod guides of at least first and second types which are generally vertically disposed within a pressurized water reactor vessel in corresponding, first and second interleaved matrices. Lower ends of the rod guides are affixed to a lower support structure and the upper ends thereof are disposed adjacent to and spaced vertically below an upper support structure of the vessel. Corresponding, first and second types of top support plates are disposed on and connected to respective top ends of the first and second types of rod guides. The first and second types of top support plates have mating exterior peripheral surfaces which are assembled in sliding, telescoping relationship, a transverse extension from one peripheral surface being received in a vertically extending, recessed channel in a mating peripheral surface of the contiguous support plates.

Abstract: A terminal module provides for attaching components to terminals of a terminal frame. The terminal module utilizes an integral printed circuit board having a component assembly potted within a rectangular plastic shell with the remaining portion of the printed circuit board protruding from the shell for use as electrical terminals and for physical attachment to screw terminal strips of the termination frame. The modules are suitably of a predetermined geometric configuration, and the potted component assembly portion is contoured to fit between respective ones of stacked terminal strips.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for eliminating aberrations in position-time data provided by an apparatus which monitors the position of a rotating blade in a turbo machine as a function periodic rotation, the apparatus including at least one sensor adjacent at least one blade position to provide a time signal corresponding to the actual arrival time required for a blade to move from a predetermined position to the at least one sensor position, the aberrations being caused by misalignment or movement of the at least one sensor with respect to a rotating blade. The method comprises the steps of first calculating an average blade arrival time for blade movement from the predetermined position to the at least one sensor position, and then estimating sensor position relative to the predetermined position based on blade velocity and average arrival time.

Abstract: The invention projects a known geometry light source onto the surface of an object. A camera with a known distance and angular orientation with respect to the light source is used to capture the light source image on the object. The normal to the surface of the object is determined from the known size of the projected image, the angles of the intersecting lines in the projected image and the corresponding values in the received image. If a hole is to be located, the image projected is a cross and the center of the hole is determined by finding the end points of image line segments which correspond to hole edges. The center and surface normal define the location and orientation of the hole. The surface normal and the center of the hole are transformed into a robot coordinate system and a robot can be commanded to insert a bolt into the hole based on the values.

Abstract: Fluid flow is determined for a large flow pipe based upon differential pressure across an orifice in the pipe having a known cross-sectional area. In one form, the orifice is variable and adjusted in response to differential pressure so as to maintain differential pressure at a constant value. Flow is determined directly from orifice area. The orifice may be a part of a closed loop flow measurement system which responds to differential pressure changes to adjust orifice area. Various differential pressure settings may be used to accommodate selected back pressures in the flow pipe.

Abstract: A system for discharging and cooling hot ash from a coal combustion unit, such as a coal combustor or an associated filter, where the hot ash at a temperature in excess of 700.degree. C. and at superatmospheric pressure is charged to a jacketed, cooled screw conveyor and passed therethrough in contact with a countercurrent flow of a purge gas. The ash is cooled in the screw conveyor to a temperature of below 320.degree. C. and dischaged to a collection hopper, under pressure, while the purge gas and gases evolved from the hot ash are returned to the combustion unit.

Abstract: Water for use in steam generation systems, which is contained in a storage tank, is deoxygenated for use in the system by adding hydrogen to a stream of the water and intimately mixing the same, pressurizing the stream to a pressure of 60-150 psig, and contacting the pressurized stream with a catalyst bed of palladium or platinum dispersed on a solid carrier. The hydrogen reacts with the dissolved oxygen in the presence of the catalyst at ambient temperatures, to produce a deoxygenated stream of water containing less than 10 ppb of oxygen. The deoxygenated water can be returned to the storage tank or supplied directly to the steam generation system.

Abstract: Portions of an image generated on an electronic display device are magnified for closer examination while other areas are compressed so that no material is lost from the total viewing area. To achieve this, the image is divided into segments with some assigned scaling functions having values greater than one and others assigned scaling functions having values less than one in a manner such that the mean value of the scaling functions across the screen is one. A transformation function is generated for each segment as a function of the assigned scaling functions. Each image point is then transformed using the appropriate transformation function an a rescaled image is generated from the rescaled image points. The variably scaled image can be generated on a touch screen device such that an area to be magnified can be designated by touching the screen at the desired location and the value of the scaling function can be set as a function of the length of time that the screen is touched.

Abstract: A mechanical clamping assembly and method for clamping coils at stator end windings of large steam turbine generators is provided for generators of the type which inhibit access to at least one side of coils to be clamped. The apparatus includes a precured radial band clamp having an anchor assembly which can be latched into position from radially inward of the generator. The method includes forming the precured band clamp in attachment to the anchor assembly, inserting the clamp and anchor assembly into position in the generator, inserting a pin into the clamp at its radially inward end, pulling on the pin to tension the clamp and inserting shims under the pin to maintain the tension.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for heating a gaseous mixture from a nuclear reactor containing hydrogen and air to its ignition temperature to convert hydrogen to water vapor and then cooling the resultant gaseous mixture after heating to a temperature below its ignition temperature prior to discharging the resultant gaseous mixture from the apparatus.

Abstract: Selectively and remotely disconnectable two-piece drive rod assemblies comprising elongated hub and drive rod portions interconnected by a selectively disconnectable coupling, connect rod clusters within the pressure vessel of a pressurized water reactor system to respectively corresponding drive means. The drive means are selectively operable, through the drive rod assemblies, to move the corresponding rod clusters between fully inserted positions within the lower barrel assembly of the pressure vessel, in telescoping relationship with fuel rod assemblies therein, and to a fully withdrawn position within an inner barrel assembly of the pressure vessel.

Abstract: A thimble guide extender for use in a nuclear power plant shields the thimble from turbulence and absorbs vibration from it to reduce wear. The extender includes an extension element which is secured to the thimble guide, a spring bushing which is attached to the extension element and which contacts the thimble, and a cap. In one embodiment the cap clamps the spring bushing, and in other embodiments it simply shields the bushing from turbulence. In one embodiment the spring bushing is an element having a cylindrical portion on one side and dimpled spring legs on the other, in another embodiment the spring bushing is an element having bent spring legs on either side, and in another embodiment the spring bushing is provided by dimpled spring legs that are integral with the extension element. The extension element is provided with locking fingers which secure the extension element to the thimble guide.

Abstract: A dual temperature sensing device has a twin well thermowell, for installation through a penetration in a pipe wall, and which has head, shank and tip portions. The shank portion has a first part of substantially the same outer dimensions as the penetration and the head portion is of greater outer dimensions so as to define an annular ledge which overlies the exterior surface of the pipe wall, for welding same thereto. The first part of the shank portion is of greater axial length than the pipe wall thickness and a second part thereof is tapered and elongated, for disposing the tip portion within the interior of the pipe. A pair of bores extend from the outer surface of the head portion at angularly inclined and converging relationship to closely spaced, but physically separated, positions in the tip portion. The head is counter-bored relative to the first bores, to define sockets for receiving the lower ends of pipe nipples, the upper ends of which are closed by pipe unions.