Abstract: An improved platform comprising several columns at least partially submerged in service, wherein, over at least a submerged portion of at least one column, the section defined by the intersection of this portion with a horizontal plane decreases when the depth increases.

Abstract: A turbine stage which has a stationary blade set (204) followed by a moving blade set (205) which have blades (206, 207) mounted between a floor plate (201, 211) and a ceiling plate (202, 212). The surfaces of the ceiling plate (202, 212) and/or of the floor plate (201, 211) have as their meridian lines sinusoids with the maximum for the ceiling plate (202, 212) and the maximum or the minimum for the floor plate (201, 211) located in the plane between the blade sets. The curvature of the sinusoid at the outlet end of the stationary blade set (204) is calculated so as to make the tangential static pressure gradient equal to the radial static pressure gradient at the ceiling plate and/or at the floor plate equal at the outlet end of the stationary blade set (204). The disturbances are confined to restricted zones and the efficiency of the stage is thereby improved.

Abstract: The mechanical system is surrounded by a protective chamber (33) and is filled with a liquid material which is transformed in situ into a resilient material that adheres to the inside walls of the chamber and which protects the operative surfaces of the mechanical system.

Abstract: A turbine stage which has a stationary blade set (204) followed by a moving blade set (205) which have blades (206, 207) mounted between a floor plate (201, 211) and a ceiling plate (202, 212).The surfaces of the ceiling plate (202, 212) and/or of the floor plate (201, 211) have as their meridian lines sinusoids with the maximum for the ceiling plate (202, 211) and the maximum or the minimum for the floor plate (201, 211) located in the plane between the blade sets. The curvature of the sinusoid at the outlet end.The curvature of the sinusoid at the outlet end of the stationary blade set (204) is calculated so as to make the tangential static pressure gradient equal to the radial static pressure gradient at the ceiling plate and/or at the floor plate equal at the outlet end of the stationary blade set (204).The disturbances are confined to restricted zones and the efficiency of the stage is thereby improved.

Abstract: The invention provides a machine based on a known type of vernier electrodynamic machine comprising two parts separated from one another by an air gap arranged along a surface, said parts being movable relative to one another in one direction of said surface such that the width of said air gap (180) is kept constant,the first of said parts (161) consisting of a magnetic armature with N teeth forming N slots opening onto said air gap and being evenly spaced along said direction,the second part (171) comprising either M teeth forming M slots having a different pitch from that of the teeth of said first part arranged along said direction, or P groups of Q teeth with the same pitch as the teeth of the first part, said groups of teeth being staggered to yield said vernier effect, and means for creating in said air gap a magnetic field sliding along said direction relative to said first part, wherein each of said teeth (165, 175) of said first (161) and second (171) parts is provided with magnetic induction generat

Abstract: Process for insulating by impregnation an electric winding with isocyanurate and oxazolidone cycles resins, in which one wraps around the conductors a glass cloth and porous mica paper tape loaded with a quaternary ammonium salt catalyzing the condensation of the isocyanate and epoxy compounds into isocyanurate and oxazolidone cycles, one impregnates the tape with a varnish containing an isocyanate compound and a liquid epoxy resin, then one subjects the impregnated tape to a varnish polymerization thermal treatment. One uses as a quaternary ammonium salt a benzyl-trialkylammonium halide with an alkyl chain containing at the most 3 carbon atoms.

Abstract: A connector for electrical and mechanical connection to an overhead conductor (1) and for constituting the female portion of a telescopic isolating switch suitable for co-operating electrically with a male portion (6) of said switch. The connector includes the improvement whereby it comprises a plurality of metal conductors (17) which are curved and regularly disposed in such a manner as to define meridians of a substantially spherical surface, the top ends of said conductors being fixed to a metal block (2A-2B) which is electrically connected and mechanically fixed to said overhead conductor. The bottom ends of said curved metal conductors each include a rectilinear portion (7A) which is inclined relative to the vertical in such a manner as to define an inlet cone for the male connector portion, followed by a hairpin bend portion having two arms, one of which serves as a contact finger for making electrical contact with the male connector portion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a steel containing, by mass:from 0.16% to 0.22% carbon (C)less than 0.3% silicon (Si)less than 0.5% manganese (Mn)from 0.6% to 0.9% nickel (Ni)from 10.7% to 12.3% chromium (Cr)from 0.8% to 1.1% molybdenum (Mo)from 0.2% to 0.35% vanadium (V)from 0.07% to 0.20% niobium (Nb)from 0.05% to 0.11% nitrogen (N.sub.2)less than 0.008% boron (B)and not more than the following residual percentages by mass:0.020% sulfur, 0.020% phosphorous, 0.025% cobalt, 0.010% aluminum, 0.02% titanium, 0.02% tin, 0.10% copper, 0.015% tungsten, 0.020% arsenic, and 0.0025% antimony;the remainder of the alloy being iron; said steel having a nickel equivalent calculated using the formula:Ni eq=30C+0.5Mn+2Ni+25N.sub.2 +40B,lying in the range 9 to 10.2;and a chromium equivalent calculated using the formula:Cr eq=Cr+2Si+1.5Mo+5V+1.75Nblying in the range 14.5 to 15.5;the ratio between the chromium equivalent and the nickel equivalent lying in the range 1.49 to 1.65.

Abstract: Process for insulating by impregnation an electric winding with isocyanurate and oxazolidone cycles resins, in which one wraps around the conductors a glass cloth and porous mica paper tape loaded with a quaternary ammonium salt catalyzing the condensation of the isocyanate and epoxy compounds into isocyanurate and oxazolidone cycles, one impregnates the tape with a varnish containing an isocyanate compound and a liquid epoxy resin, then one subjects the impregnated tape to a varnish polymerization thermal treatment. One uses as a quaternary ammonium salt a benzyl-trialkylammonium halide with an alkyl chain containing at the most 3 carbon atoms.

Abstract: A superconducting static machine having a magnetic circuit includes a magnetic circuit core at mere ambient temperature and very low (cryogenic) temperature windings (1A, 1B) and one or more magnetic circuit cores at considerably higher temperatures. The magnetic circuit core is disposed in a thermally-insulating chamber (3) which is itself disposed inside a very low temperature (9) containing the windings. The invention is particularly applicable to transformers.

Abstract: An insulating stay comprises: a central core (1) having high electrical resistance and high tensile strength; a sheath (2) of high electrical resistivity and comprising fins (3) to offer a maximum resistance path to possible surface current losses; and end fittings (4). The central core is made of resin reinforced with long, continuous fibers, and advantageously of epoxy resin reinforced with glass fibers. The sheath (2) is made of a natural or synthetic polymer, and advantageously of EPDM elastomer. The stay is manufactured by coating the central core (1) with a high viscosity glue (8) having high longitudinal resistivity, then wrapping said glue-covered core in a hollow tube (5) of raw elastomer and placing the assembly in a mold (5) where said fins (3) are formed in the sheath (2) and where the raw elastomer (5) is polymerized by vulcanization or reticulation. The stay is intended for bracing electrical installations that need to be insolated and placed at some distance from the ground.

Abstract: A catalyst for an electrolyzer of basic solutions. An electrode catalyst for an electrolyzer of basic solutions, the catalyst consisting of a compound based on a mixed oxide of molybdenum and of nickel, characterized by the fact that the said compound is of the form (Ni.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x)MoO.sub.4, where 0.02.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.0.06.

Abstract: A cloudy liquid to be clarified is inserted, after twice receiving flocculation additive, into the bottom of a belt of sludge (4a) in a clarification chamber (4) via a plurality of injectors (22) distributed over the area of said chamber. Uniform distribution of overall flow between these injectors is ensured by internal head loss. The clarified liquid is removed via an upper overflow (4b).Each injector is constituted by a flat cyclone and forms a jet which is highly diverting from its vertical axis in such a manner that the injected flowrate spreads out over an expansion zone belonging to said injector and meeting the expansion zones of adjacent injectors. Further, these jets set up swirling motion which prevents the formation of a layer of sludge having insufficient permeability. The sludge formed in the chamber (4) is directed via a central well (7) towards a secondary clarification sludge (3) situated beneath said chamber and supplying both clarified liquid and dense sludge.

Abstract: A high tension arc-blast circuit breaker comprising at least one circuit breaker for breaking one phase of a polyphase current and disposed inside an insulating or metal envelope (70), said circuit-breaking device comprising a fixed first assembly having fixed main contacts (21) and fixed anti-sparking contacts (24, 22B ), and a moving second assembly having moving main contacts (31) and moving anti-sparking contacts (34B), the fixed assembly including a first volume (27) in which pressure is increased under the effect of the breaking arc, the gas in said volume expanding via a first nozzle (26A) to blast the arc at a zero crossing in the current to be broken, the second moving assembly including a second volume (37) in which the gas is compressed by a piston at the beginning of the circuit breaker opening phase and is directed onto the arc via a second nozzle (42A) during the later phases, characterized in that the nozzle (26A, 42A) are disposed in such a manner as to prevent any direct passage of blast gase

Abstract: This invention relates to a device for controlling the extraction pressure of an extraction condensing turbine with pivotable vanes or vane parts of guide vane lattices arranged downstream of the steam extraction point(s) where the pivoting motion of the vanes is effected by means of adjusting levers or arms by axial displacement of adjusting rings forming the bearings said adjusting levers or arms.

Abstract: The nacelle (3) is characterized in that it includes at least one cable (6) having a top end that leaves the nacelle upwardly and a bottom end that leaves the nacelle downwardly, and a mechanism (11) enabling the nacelle to move up and down the cable when the top end of the cable is hooked to a hook unit (4). A mechanism enables the top portion of the cable to be subjected to a tension greater than the weight of the nacelle while the bottom portion (7) of the cable is fixed to an anchor point, said tensioning mechanism serving to vary the distance between the nacelle (3) and said hook unit at the top end of the cable. Further, mechanism (12, 14) acts on command, on said tensioning mechanism in such a manner as to prevent the distance between the nacelle (3) and the hook unit (4) at the top end of the cable from shortening while not preventing it from lengthening.

Abstract: IP or HP casing for a turbine designed for cogeneration of electric power and heat for district heating purposes, comprising blades carried by a rotor (31) rotating in a stator (32), an inlet steam admission (8'), two exhausts (12' and 17') at different pressures p.sub.1 and p.sub.2 (p.sub.2 >p.sub.1) feeding a LP section (4) of the turbine, and two further exhausts (15', 20') at pressures p.sub.1 and p.sub.2 feeding two district heating heat exchangers (22, 23) arranged in series, each of said exchangers providing substantially half of the heating output. Turbine efficiency is improved by providing a single flow (27) from the steam inlet (8'), which is then split into two partial flows (28) with substantially equal steam flow rates as of a flow-splitting point located far enough from the two exhausts at pressure p.sub.2 (17', 20') so that changes in flow rates have little or no effect on the steam pressure at said flow-splitting point.

Abstract: Multifilament superconductor strands of less than 1 mm diameter able to carry alternating current are stranded to a pitch of between 7 and 3 diameters, at a temperature above 200.degree. C. and a speed between 30 and 5,000 rpm.

Abstract: A floating tube apparatus (7) for providing a sealed, reversible and remote-controlled connection between ducts, in particular underwater ducts or difficultly accessible ducts, provided with complementary connectors to connectors (8, 9) carried by the floating tube at its ends. The apparatus comprises a positioning device (17, 21, 22, 23, 24) for positioning the floating tube (7) relative to a reference plane defined by a rectilinear rolling path of fixed structure (18). The positioning device includes a ball joint (23, 24) mounted on the middle of the tube (7) and three carriages mounted on one another in such a manner as to enable each to be displaced rectilinearly along a displacement axis which is perpendicular to the displacement axes of the other two, the transfer carriage (17) which carries the other two carriages moving along the rolling path under the action of jacks (31A, 31B), and the carriage (22) carried by the other two carriages itself carrying the ball joint, and consequently the tube.

Abstract: A method of fabricating the lines of a taut-line platform and of prepositioning them prior to final fixing by making use of a ballastable spacer frame associated with shuttles for guiding the lines as they are constructed including preparing a floating spacer frame that is submersible by ballasting, preparing a number of shuttles of a horizontal size approximate to the group of openings through the frame to receive the same with the shuttles having releasable upper and lower mechanisms for fixing to the frame in the floating platform respectively and suspended from a second winch, being guided against rotation and having horizontal plain thrusters. After exact orientation of a platform frame assembly relative to a base, the lowering of the frame shuttle assembly is effected by ballasting the platform under guidance and shuttle thruster operation with stowing of the frame on the base occurring under conditions in which the ends of lines are permitted to heave freely in the openings of the frame.