Abstract: An improved method of heating feedwater streams in a steam-to-steam reheating system for turbine generators is disclosed in which a drain cooler is located to receive the reheater drain and pass it in heat exchange relationship with the discharge of the highest pressure feedwater heater. By use of the drain cooler, heat rate improvement is effected on both single stage reheat plants and two-stage reheat plants. Cycle impairment from moisture carryover in the moisture separator/reheater is also reduced.

Abstract: A combustor for burning MSW (municipal solid waste) having a porous wall drum in which burning takes place with combustion air supplied from outside of the drum, in which air driven through the drum into the material being burned is supplied in pulses.

Abstract: A nozzle chamber assembly comprising an upper nozzle chamber resting on a lower nozzle chamber wherein the nozzle chambers are neither bolted nor pinned at their horizontal juncture but are held together by gravitational and pressure forces. A removable bolt which passes through the upper portion of the inner cylinder during assembly of the turbine and threads into the upper portion of the nozzle chamber to fasten the upper nozzle chamber in the upper portion of the inner cylinder during assembly and is removable once the inner cylinder is assembled. The inlet nozzles for the turbine and nozzle chambers are slidably received and sealed in a common bore which extends through the inner cylinder.

Abstract: A safe and effected method of starting up operating and shutting down a plasma fired cupola. The starting up and shutting down procedures incorporated interlocks and warning signals that insure the safety of the operators and equipment and the controls utilize the temperature of the iron in the spout as a focal point to control the torch output by separately changing field current, arc current, and torch air supply, to compensate for changes in charge make-up, particulate feed, percentage of shroud air to shroud recirculating gases to produce different irons at various melt rates.

Abstract: Notches are placed between adjacent shroud portions of integrally shrouded rotating blades of a steam turbine forming a turbine rotor blade row generally 90.degree. apart and a predetermined wedging force is applied to each notch to wedge adjacent shroud segments apart, the width of the gap formed is measured, recorded and compared with future measurements made after the turbine has been in service to determine wear on the shroud portions; also, a wedging force is applied to open a gap at each notch to receive a predetermined sized shim, the wedging force is relieved clamping the shim in the gap and then generally increased until the shim can be pulled from the gap by hand, the wedging force at which the shim can be pulled is recorded and compared with future similar recordings after the rotor has been in service to provide an indication of wear on the shroud portions.

Abstract: A rotary combustor formed of water cooled tubes in an inclined cylindrical array with the lower portion being conical so as to reduce the incline at the lower end. The combustor extends into the cooperating furnace, and is formed with openings between the tubes that increase in size toward the lower end.

Abstract: The process of the invention includes applying precursors 6 with N- and P-type dopants therein to a silicon web 2, with the web 2 then being baked in an oven 10 to drive off excessive solvents, and the web 2 is then heated using a pulsed high intensity light in a mechanism 12 at 1100.degree.-1150.degree. C. for about 10 seconds to simultaneously form semiconductor junctions in both faces of the web.

Abstract: A combustor formed of a plurality of water cooled pipes secured as a drum by members defining a plurality of holes between the pipes, the drum being mounted for rotation at an angle, with there being low U-shaped walls surrounding the sides and high ends of the holes so that aluminum melted by burning material in the drum is guided around the holes while that material flows to the lower end of the drum.

Abstract: A rotary combustor, in which material is burned in a gas porous cylinder, having a sectioned and compartmented wind box permitting selective delivery of air through the burning material, above the burning material, at the start of the burning process, and after burning has been well initiated.

Abstract: A trough is formed above the moisture separators in a moisture separator reheater for a power plant and drain conduits are connected to the trough to direct moisture collected in the trough to the bottom of the shell where it joins other collected moisture and is drained from the lower portion of the shell via drain nozzles disposed therein preventing droplets from forming above the separator and dripping down into the flow path of motive steam, becoming reentrained, and resulting in erosion of the separators.

Abstract: An arrangement for feeding material to the open end of a combustor including a vertical chute leading to a doorway to the combustor which is normally closed by a biased door, and a stepped ram reciprocating at the bottom of the chute for feeding material through the door and into the combustor.

Abstract: A side entry rotatable control stage blade with a wedge shape trailing edge support on the root portion which is formed to have two generally right trapezoidal surfaces which converge and a notch disposed on the opposite side of the platform with a trapezoidal surface which registers with one of the trapezoidal surfaces on the trailing edge support of the adjacent blade when the blades are disposed in a circular array in a steam turbine.

Abstract: A retrofit emergency lubrication system utilizing friction-hydrostatic drive is disclosed. The retrofit system provides an emergency lubrication system backup to existing bearing lubrication systems such as for turbine-generator rotors. The retrofit system utilizes actuators to detect low bearing oil pressure and to activate resilient wheels to contact the rotor which drive high pressure pumps. The high pressure pumps in turn drive a hydraulic motor pump which in turn drives an oil supply tank pump.

Abstract: A stationary blade assembly with a segmented inner shroud to permit radial expansion and contraction of the blades and circumferential expansion and contraction of the shroud segments and a seal plate which fits into a circumferential groove in the shroud segments and is held therein by pinned keys which slide in kerfs in the outer edge of the seal plate and a labyrinth seal strip disposed in a circumferential groove in the inner edge of the seal plate to provide a small clearance seal not affected by thermal gradients.

Abstract: A method of making a composite to metal joint between a metal ring and a tubular composite formed from crossing helical windings of high strength fibers including the steps of winding the fiber on a mandrel at a helical angle equal to or greater than the slip angle of the fiber and providing the metal ring with a surface in the form of a hyperboloid of one sheet and a pair of isotensoidal surfaces of revolution contiguous with the hyperboloidal surface to form a concave portion in the ring over which the helical fibers form straight lines without bridging and hug these concave surfaces to form an interference fit between the composite and the metal ring.

Abstract: In a combustor assembly having a main water cooled rotary combustor in which material is burned and which discharges into a furnace, a generally cylindruical secondary grate formed of water cooled pipes positioned in the furnace for receiving and holding material discharged from the main combustor so as to complete the burning while the secondary grate is slowly rotated to eventually discharge ashes and unburnable material from the furnace.

Abstract: A blade ring for a steam turbine having an outer generally cylindrical casing, an inner generally cylindrical casing disposed within the outer casing and supported by the outer casing and a blade ring to which are affixed a plurality of circular arrays of stationary blades forming stationary blade rows, the blade ring being disposed partially within the inner casing and partially within the outer casing and having a support arm which extends outerwardly to and is supported by the outer casing.

Abstract: A shipping and storage enclosure for an ultrasonic inspection system used to inspect turbine and generator rotors from the bore which is flooded with water and which enclosure can be expanded into an operating enclosure in which the environment is controlled to provide for affective operation of the equipment and provide for alignment of the ultrasonic sensing head with the bore of the rotor shaft.

Abstract: A self-actuated shutdown system incorporated into a reactivity control assembly in a nuclear reactor includes pumping means for creating an auxiliary downward flow of a portion of the heated coolant exiting from the fuel assemblies disposed adjacent to the control assembly. The shutdown system includes a hollow tubular member which extends through the outlet of the control assembly top nozzle so as to define an outer annular flow channel through the top nozzle outlet separate from an inner flow channel for primary coolant flow through the control assembly. Also, a latching mechanism is disposed in an inner duct of the control assembly and is operable for holding absorber bundles in a raised position in the control assembly and for releasing them to drop them into the core of the reactor for shutdown purposes.

Abstract: A laser welding beam transport system is provided in which the laser beam 14 emanating from the laser generator 10 is expanded in diameter in an expander 16 at a location close to the generator, and then is transported in its expanded diameter to a remote location where the beam is reduced in diameter in a beam reducer 26 at a location close to the welding station 28 for the purpose of maintaining a relatively constant power density of the beam at the station over a significant range of working travel of the working station.