Abstract: A support framework for a double column of U-shaped tubes of a heat exchanger for vertically suspending the tubes above the heat exchanger during a tubing operation is shown. That portion of the framework which supports the U-bends of the tubes is primarily used to support the tubes above the tubesheet and lower the tubes into the tubesheet as a unit. The U-bend support framework includes a vertical member in which the separate tubes of the double column are clamped to normally prevent movement of the tubes therein and also permits individual release of the tubes when necessary.

Abstract: A multi-stage flash evaporator design wherein two flash evaporator stages are paired in tandem with each individual condenser tube bundle. The condenser tube bundle is enclosed in a housing that is partitioned to define two separate condenser chambers and the housing is also partitioned to define two cross-flow evaporator stages. The condenser tubes extend to opposite ends of the housing and each evaporator chamber has a width substantially equal to the full extent of the condenser tubes with the brine entry port extending the full width of such chamber; however, the vapor from each flash chamber is directed to only a portion (i.e. generally one-half) of the condenser bundle with the partitions maintaining each condenser portion generally sealed from the vapor of the adjacent evaporator chamber. An internal vent orifice directs the non-condensible vapors of the high temperature chamber into the low temperature chamber.

Abstract: A gas turbine power plant is provided with an industrial gas turbine which drives a generator coupled to a power system through a braker. The turbine-generator plant is operated by a hybrid control system having digital function capability during sequenced startup, synchronizing, load buildup and steady state load, and shutdown operations. The control system also contains monitoring and protective subsystems which function through all stages of operation, with redundancy and permissive features which maximize turbine availability.

Abstract: A multiple tube pulling apparatus for pulling, at one time, a plurality of stub-tubes from the tubesheet of a steam generator. Each tube gripping apparatus of the plurality is expanded into gripping arrangement by an axially retracted tapered rod. As the internal diameter of each stub-tube can vary, the amount of axial movement of each tapered rod to provide proper gripping engagement also varies. The present invention provides a single hydraulic cylinder for axially moving the plurality of tapered rods and includes spring members connecting each tapered rod to the hydraulic cylinder to accommodate the variations in axial movement of each rod necessary to obtain the proper gripping engagement for each stub tube. Further, a spring biased guide block maintains the gripping tubes on proper centers corresponding to the stub-tube centers and once the stub-tubes are removed from the tubesheet, the guide block pushes the stub-tubes off the tube gripping apparatus freeing the apparatus for another operation.

Abstract: A transpiration cooled ceramic blade for a gas turbine is shown wherein a spar or strut member defining a root portion and an airfoil portion provides the main structural component of the blade. The air foil portion contains longitudinal grooves in the surface in flow communication with an air flow passage in the root portion and a flexible perforated ceramic tape is wrapped around the air foil portion with the perforations therein in registry with the grooves in the core. The flexible ceramic tape and the strut assembly are heated initially to a low temperature to drive off the binder forming the tape and then heated to a relatively high temperature to fuse the ceramic component of the tape together and to the strut to form a unitary blade structure with internal air flow paths and transpiratin cooling orifices through the skin.

Abstract: A gas turbine power plant is provided with an industrial gas turbine which drives a rotating brushless exciter generator coupled to a power system through a breaker. One or more of the turbine-generator plants are operated by a hybrid digital computer control system during sequenced startup, synchronizing, load, and shutdown operations. The program system for the computer and external analog circuitry operate in a multiple gas turbine control loop arrangement. Logic macro instructions are employed in programming the computer for logic operations of the control system.

Abstract: The turbine section of a gas turbine engine includes structure in the disc cavity for separating high pressure air into cooling air for delivery to cooled blades and sealing air for preventing hot motive fluid from entering the cavity. A disc cavity seal is provided to minimize leakage of the sealing air into the motive gas path resulting in increased air pressure on the air separator structure (which is integrally attached to the rotor) and providing a balance piston for counteracting the normal thrust on the rotor and reducing the thrust bearing load. The resultant decrease in leakage of high pressure air also improves the engine performance efficiency.

Abstract: A steam blending control is provided for two or more boilers in an electric power plant. To blend an oncoming boiler with an on-line boiler, the oncoming boiler is fired to a pressure ramp setpoint and outlet steam is isolated from the plant turbine and directed through position controlled bypass valve means. When steam temperature and pressure conditions are matched, the oncoming boiler isolation valve is opened and the bypass flow then existing is stored in a memory. The oncoming boiler bypass flow is cut back with total oncoming boiler steam flow controlled to the memorized flow valve as a setpoint. Flow from the on-line boiler is cut back under load control as the oncoming boiler flow to the plant turbine is increased. Deblending is implemented in a similar manner.

Abstract: An optimized high load blocking limit is independently computer calculated for each gas turbine-generator unit as a dynamic function of combustor shell pressure and exhaust temperature every second. A low load blocking limit can be calculated as a function of the high blocking limit. The high and low dynamic limits then define a band of megawatts instantaneously available to the system. At the dispatch computer, load-frequency control is executed and the calculated load demands are dispatched to the various gas turbine-generator units which respond without exceeding the respective high and low load blocking limits. A turbine control unit load reference is modified by the dispatched load change and each unit load control operates its turbine fuel control valves to satisfy the load demand.

Abstract: Removal of concentrated suspended particulate material from the recirculating carry-over water in a nuclear steam generator is provided by establishing a mud drum or reservoir of relatively quiescent water, permitting the concentrated solids contained therein to settle out prior to returning the water for mixing with the feedwater. Baffles in the mud drum intercept the entering carry-over water in a manner such that only a small portion of it is exchanged by the newly entering water so that, for the most part, there is sufficient residence time in a relatively quiescent environment to settle out the solids.

Abstract: This invention provides shielded access to the irradiated heat exchanger tube bundle of a nuclear steam generator contained within a cask after removal from the generator. This tube bundle must be reduced in size and confined for removal from the containment building through hatchways of generally limited size. Access to the enclosed bundle is at the flanged joints of adjacent sections forming the cask and which are vertically separated to permit an oxygen lance to be inserted therein for burning the tubes at that level. A rotatably supported annular seal ring covers the separation and shields against the escape of radiation or irradiated material during the burning process. The ring provides access ports through which roller supports are mounted on the cask and provide access of the cutting tool to the tubes. Rotation of the ring on the rollers permits the tool to be inserted completely around the cask.

Abstract: A hollow gas turbine vane is shown enclosing, in spaced relation, a vane insert for receiving cooling air. The insert has a plurality of apertures for selectively directing jets of the cooling air against the internal walls of the vane. A portion of the air is discharged from within the vane chamber through a slit in the trailing edge which contains cooling pins extending transversely thereacross to maintain the slit dimensionally stable and also induce turbulence in the exhausting cooling air to improve its cooling effectiveness. Certain apertures in the insert adjacent the trailing edge are selectively directed to cause jets of the cooling air to impinge at the base of certain of the pins in the inlet area of the slit to promote turbulence in the air entering the slit and adjacent the internal face, thereby maximizing heat transfer from the slit walls to the air.

Abstract: A combustion chamber for a gas turbine engine having a step-liner configuration and providing a double wall defining an annular confined cooling air flow passage along the outer surface of the chamber. The outer wall of the double-wall configuration is provided by a concentric cylindrical baffle member supported in radially spaced relation from the combustion chamber wall by a plurality of leaf spring members providing a biasing force between the combustion chamber wall and the baffle member so that relative thermal growth between the combustion chamber wall and the baffle can be accommodated by deflection of the support springs or by axial sliding between the springs and the chamber wall.

Abstract: Locking structure for maintaining a set position in assembling an annular seal ring housing to a stationary inner shroud of an annular array of vane segments of a combustion turbine engine. This permits an adjustable assembly for obtaining concentricity between the seal and the adjacent rotor structure. Thus, the seal ring is mounted to the vane segments through an adjustable mounting arrangement that, upon assembly of the two, permits the seal ring to be aligned concentrically about the rotor. Once concentricity is obtained, the mounting components must be locked in such position to maintain such concentricity. The present invention provides a bracket attached to the adjustable mounting structure to lock it in the set position.

Abstract: A hybrid digital computer gas turbine power plant control system which may operate in a multiple control loop arrangement is provided with selected process variable monitoring and control and turbine system failure detection means. More specifically, open, shorted, grounded and reversed thermocouples are detected and alarmed. Problems of any one combustor in a multiple combustor arrangement are similarly detected and alarmed. Additionally, automatic correction of previously computed temperature related control inputs is provided in response to detected variations from a predetermined temperature reasonability criterion. Novel placement and orientation of system thermocouples facilitates achieving improved monitoring, detection and control.

Abstract: An arrangement is provided for resetting the fuel inlet pressure to the throttle valve in response to sensed changes in nozzle fuel pressure to compensate for variations in the fuel viscosity resulting from changes in fuel temperature. The fuel nozzle pressure is automatically maintained at a fixed value during the ignition sequence to assure reliable ignition without overfueling throughout the range of site ambient temperature variation.

Abstract: A rubber seal vulcanized to a removable strip is shown for forming a replaceable air seal for a plug-in printed circuit board or the like which is removeably mounted in a frame. The rubber seal defines upwardly outwardly extending sealing lips in a configuration having generally parallel sides and closed ends and dimensioned to sealingly engage the opposed facing surfaces of a pair of pre-assembled spaced circuit boards having the electrical components mounted thereon disposed in the space therebetween. The strip supporting the rubber seal is slidably received within machined grooves in opposed facing mounting plate members for the boards. Apertures in the opposed mounting plates and apertures in the strip are in alignment therewith when the strip is properly inserted within the plates. The rubber seal surrounds the aperture of the strip and seals against the opposed facing boards and attached supports to direct cooling air into the space between the boards through the aligned apertures.

Abstract: Steam flow and pressure conditions needed in a turbine to satisfy the speed and load demand of an electric power generating system are controlled by a programmed digital computer system during start-up, synchronization and load operation. Manual backup control is provided for the computer control. Throttle valve tests are provided under digital control and transfers are made to manual backup control if predetermined task errors occur.

Abstract: This invention describes a double wall step-liner construction for a combustion chamber of a combustion turbine. The chamber is a series of concentric cylindrical segments stacked in overlapping arrangement such that the leading edge of each outer segment and the terminal edge of each inner segment are in general axial alignment so as to form a continuous double wall throughout the axial length of the step-liner configuration. Each cylindrical segment is attached at its inlet end and at its outlet end to the adjacent cylindrical segment by an annular transistion member formed of a wire mesh secured to each respective cylindrical segment with high temperature brazing. The relative thermal expansion between the inner and outer cylindrical segments (both axially and radially) is accommodated by deflection and distortion of the wire mesh transition members which also permits cooling air to enter between the overlapping segments and to be discharged therefrom into the combustion chamber with minimum interference.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for positioning either one of a pair of automatically controlled remote mechanisms for properly positioning the two opposed ends of a common heat exchanger tube within a tube sheet of a steam generator and having a tool for securing the tube therein. The apparatus includes a pair of microswitches precisely positioned closely adjacent the tool on each of said pair of mechanisms. The first switch is actuated upon initial engagement of the tube end and the tool to indicate which of the opposed tube ends is first engaged, and the second switch is actuated upon proper positioning of the tube end within the tube sheet. The method of operation is such that the tube end nearest the tube sheet of the two opposed tube ends to be engaged is the first tube end to be positioned and secured within the tube sheet.