Abstract: A shim for improving plasma arc weld quality has ends tapered at about 25.degree. and notches at each end roughly centered over the corner between the tapered ends and main body of the shim. The improved shim allows lower starting plasma arc heat input and reduces the occurrence of sagging, or overpenetration, of the weld.

Abstract: An improved Cyclone furnace particularly suitable for retrofit applications to an existing boiler incorporates a Cyclone furnace and an integrated de-slagging chamber as a single manufactured piece. The Cyclone furnace and the de-slagging chamber are provided with a water cooling circuit which is separate from a water cooling circuit of the existing boiler to which it may be coupled, permitting the improved Cyclone furnace to be easily retrofitted to existing boilers or furnaces, even those not originally designed for Cyclone firing.

Abstract: A debur tool for simultaneously removing burrs from holes in a workpiece, such as those in a header box tube sheet, also has a beveled surface adjacent a cutting edge for chamfering an edge of the hole from which a burr is removed. The cutting edge is horizontally offset from a shaft carrying the cutting edge.

Abstract: A device for using the density control water to continuously flush the oxidation air header and the sparge pipes in a flue gas wet scrubber agitation tank. The density control line is routed to the elevation where the control valve is located. A U-shaped trap is located between the control valve and air sparge header such that the density control water joins the humidified oxidation air. A liquid layer forms on the floor of the header and is moved toward the distant side of the header by the motion of the air passing on top of the liquid layer and by the continuous flow of water. The bottom section of the main header is perforated to allow the flowing water to exit the header into the tank and flush any accumulated solids that might penetrate the header through the air holes. The air holes are located in a section at a minimum of five degrees off the floor and maximum of one hundred eighty degrees off the header bottom and preferably at forty-five degrees.

Abstract: A gas/oil separation system for monitoring the performance of a compact, gas/oil separator apparatus which utilizes at least one pair of centrifugal force primary and secondary separators for separating a wellhead fluid containing crude oil, produced water, and hydrocarbon gas from a hydrocarbon production system into its gas and liquid parts employs relatively simple differential pressure instrumentation for producing real-time signals representative of the compact, gas/oil separator apparatus' liquid carryover performance.

Abstract: A subsea flowline or pipeline with passive insulation having improved transient heat-loss characteristics. The flowline or pipeline has a phase change material insulating the flowline pipe joints and/or pipe sections to greatly extend the cooldown time of produced or processed hydrocarbon fluid mixtures being transported therethrough during shut-in conditions. The phase change material surrounds a carrier pipe of the flowline or pipeline. The phase change material may be either dispersed or encapsulated within standard insulation. Additional insulation and/or a jacket pipe surrounds the phase change material and holds it against the carrier pipe. The phase change material can be of a micro-encapsulated or bulk-encapsulated type.

Abstract: A method for welding horizontal pipe along the inner diameter of the pipe and outer diameter of the pipe to prevent weld root defects on the bottom half of the pipe.

Abstract: A planar solid oxide fuel cell stack has a number of fuel cells (anode/electrolyte/cathode) connected in series by a gas tight, electrically conductive interconnection in which at least one electrode is a porous composite of a contiguous network of an ionically conductive material or phase, a contiguous network of an electrically conductive material or phase, and a highly efficient electrocatalyst material or phase which is dispersed within the pores of the electrode so that the electrocatalyst material or phase particles are in contact with both the ionically conductive material or phase and the electrically conductive material or phase. The electrocatalyst particles are introduced into the electrode of the assembled stack by infiltrating the pores of the electrode with a precursor solution through the fuel gas or oxidant gas manifolding connections, respectively.

Abstract: A wire cleaner having a chamber and containing an arc ring for passing a wire therethrough, such that when the wire and arc ring are provided with opposite electrical potentials, an electric arc discharge occurs from the wire to the arc ring which carries off impurities from the surface of the wire. An inert gas is used to purge the chamber to prevent oxidation of the wire during and following the discharge from the wire. A pair of annular permanent magnets are positioned around the wire on each side of the arc ring to produce a magnetic field parallel to the wire which interacts with the electrical arc discharge and causes the arc to rotate around the circumferences of the wire and arc ring, thereby cleaning the entire wire. A second embodiment is provided in which the pair of permanent annular magnets is replaced by a variable strength electromagnet surrounding the arc ring and wire path. Other embodiments employ a pair of arc rings to carry the electric current so that two arcs are created in tandem.

Abstract: A wire cleaner having a chamber and containing an arc ring for passing a wire therethrough, such that when the wire and arc ring are provided with opposite electrical potentials, an electric arc discharge occurs from the wire to the arc ring which carries off impurities from the surface of the wire. An inert gas is used to purge the chamber to prevent oxidation of the wire during and following the discharge from the wire. A pair of annular permanent magnets are positioned around the wire on each side of the arc ring to produce a magnetic field parallel to the wire which interacts with the electrical arc discharge and causes the arc to rotate around the circumferences of the wire and arc ring, thereby cleaning the entire wire. A second embodiment is provided in which the pair of permanent annular magnets is replaced by a variable strength electromagnet surrounding the arc ring and wire path.

Abstract: An apparatus for the controlled heating of a process fluid has a heater, a process fluid vessel containing the process fluid, and a bundle of thermosyphons extending between a burner chamber of the heater and the process fluid inside the vessel for transferring heat from the heater to the process fluid. Burners in the burner chamber are controlled to maintain the bulk temperature of the process fluid T.sub.BULK substantially within an operating range defined by preset upper T.sub.HIGH and lower T.sub.LOW temperature setpoints. The burners can be turned on to maintain an outside metal temperature T.sub.EVAP of the evaporator ends of the thermosyphons above a preset dew point temperature T.sub.DEW to prevent corrosion. The burners can also be shut down if an outside surface temperature T.sub.OD of at least one of the condenser ends of the thermosyphons extending into the vessel exceeds a predetermined setpoint temperature T.sub.ALARM.

Abstract: A compact, mobile fuel converter for producing molecular hydrogen from hydrocarbon fuels, such as automotive gasoline, or other fuels such as methanol and ethanol has a steam reformer for producing molecular hydrogen from a pressurized and desulfurized fuel and water vapor preheated by flue gases from the fuel processor. The fuel processor is fed with the desulfurized fuel and water mix and a burner is provided to combust off-gas from the fuel processor reaction. Uncombusted off-gas is depressurized and mixed with auxiliary fuel used in the burner. Hydrogen produced in the fuel processor by the steam reforming process is separated from other reformate products using membrane filtration.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack made from two different ceramic materials which are used to form four distinct layers of each individual fuel cell is provided. The fuel cell stack uses a ceramic ionic conductor to form the electrolyte layer and a ceramic electronic conductor to form an interconnect layer, with the anode and cathode formed from the combination of the electronic and ionic conductor materials. The internally balanced or mirror symmetric configuration eliminates the warpage or camber problems encountered in conventional multilayer cosintering systems, and the use of common materials in adjacent layers enhances bonding across the adjoining interfaces.

Abstract: A thermally integrated burner/emitter/recuperator (BER) for a thermophotovoltaic (TPV) electric generator achieves improved energy efficiency using either liquid or gaseous fuels. A mixed ceramic and metallic alloy heat exchanger, together with a high temperature emitter, achieves increased energy density in a compact and lightweight assembly.

Abstract: A multilayer fuel cell stack comprised of a plurality of fuel cell units each having an electrolyte layer interposed between an anode layer and a cathode layer, a pair of buffer layers, and an interconnect layer. The buffer layers are interposed between each of the electrodes (anode layer and cathode layer) and the interconnect layer to improve the electrical conductivity and mechanical bonding characteristics between layers. The buffer layers have the additional effect of physically separating the layers and preventing interdiffusion among chemically incompatible components during cosintering. The materials are selected for the layers such that the fuel cell units in the fuel cell stack are cosinterable at relatively low temperatures.

Abstract: An improved plasma arc welding arm method and apparatus for keyhole welding rotating workpieces has an arcuate gear track supporting a corresponding arcuate geared cart bearing a plasma arc welding torch prevents voids in keyhole weld starts and finishes. The gear track is mounted on a manipulator arm for positioning the welding torch in proximity to a rotating workpiece to be welded. The torch may be rotated on the cart and gear track in the same direction and at the same rotational speed as the workpiece.

Abstract: A wedge shaped form is mounted on the splash plate of a black liquor nozzle with the sharp edge of the wedge located at the exhaust of the nozzle to split the black liquor from the nozzle into two flat sheets on each side of the wedge with no droplet formation at the center of the nozzle exhaust.

Abstract: A field serviceable fill tube apparatus for use on a heat pipe employs a quick-disconnect fitting on one end of the heat pipe to facilitate filling, sealing and servicing the heat pipe, both during manufacture and afterwards in the field.

Abstract: A safe, environmentally sound method for transporting energy-containing hydrocarbons from a remote natural gas source of hydrocarbons to a local site for further processing or refining. The natural gas is converted at the remote site, using a modified Fischer-Tropsch process, to produce non-volatile, long chain hydrocarbons, i.e., paraffins (C.sub.20 -C.sub.36) at the remote site, transporting the paraffins via rail, ship, or cargo air plane to a local site, and then further processing and/or refining the paraffins via distillation, cracking, or combining with other hydrocarbon feedstocks to produce fuel products at the local site for use.

Abstract: A compound spin vane (CSV) for use in an air passage of a fossil fuel-fired burner. In one embodiment, the CSV is a multi-piece construction of platelike outer and inner vane elements connected to an intermediate platelike rail element. In another embodiment, the CSV includes at least two and possibly three vane portions, rigidly interconnected in spaced lateral relationship with respect to each other. If desired, the vane portions may be simple, curved planar surfaces, and may be arranged with trailing edges arranged at angles with respect to each other. The invention may be employed as a replacement for flat spin vanes found in secondary air passages of known single and dual register burners. When used in such manner in a single register burner, the invention changes secondary air flow characteristics so as to mimic those commonly found in a dual register burner.