Abstract: A method to transport a deck at sea and install the deck on an offshore substructure. The deck is completely fabricated on a set of deep girders. The deck and deep girders are skidded onto two pontoons. The deck and deep girders are tied down together. A set of jacking units is installed into the deep girders prior to sail out. The complete assembly is towed to the installation site. At the site, the tie downs are removed. The girders are jacked up and the pontoons simultaneously ballasted down until the assembly is supported on the pontoons.

Abstract: An improved main shaft and assembly for a coal pulverizer having a circumferential groove at a predetermined location on the main shaft and in the yoke bushing to provide improved fretting resistance to reduce the occurrence of main shaft failure.

Abstract: A drumless natural circulation boiler system has a furnace enclosure with wall tubes and upper and lower headers connected to respective upper and lower ends of the wall tubes. At least one tangential steam/water separator is connected to a plurality of riser tubes that are also connected to the upper headers. The riser tubes return a steam/water mixture to the separator. Each riser tube is connected to the separator at a tangential nozzle for swirling the steam/water mixture in the separator for separating steam from water in the separator. At least one saturated connecting tube is connected to the separator for conveying steam therefrom. A downcomer is connected to the separator for conveying water from the separator and a plurality of supply tubes are connected between the downcomer and the lower headers. The separator includes a vertically extending cylindrical enclosure and a feedwater conduit is connected to the separator for supplying feedwater to the separator.

Abstract: A method for capturing and reducing the mercury content of an industrial flue gas such as that produced in the combustion of a fossil fuel or solid waste adds a chelating agent, such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) or other similar compounds like HEDTA, DTPA and/or NTA, to the flue gas being scrubbed in a wet scrubber used in the industrial process. The chelating agent prevents the reduction of oxidized mercury to elemental mercury, thereby increasing the mercury removal efficiency of the wet scrubber. Exemplary tests on inlet and outlet mercury concentration in an industrial flue gas were performed without and with EDTA addition. Without EDTA, mercury removal totaled 42%. With EDTA, mercury removal increased to 71%.

Abstract: A fuel cell manifold arrangement includes a fuel cell stack and a manifold enclosure connected to and sealed to an inlet side of the fuel cell stack and defining with the stack a gas plenum for receiving a fuel gas for the fuel cell stack. A catalyst screen is connected to the manifold enclosure for defining a gas passage for passing fuel gas and for containing a catalyst that is bounded by the screen. The manifold enclosure has a gas inlet for receiving fuel gas, the gas inlet communicating with the screen for passing fuel gas through the screen and past the catalyst. A plate in the manifold enclosure separates the catalyst from the plenum and heat insulation is on at least part of the manifold enclosure and on at least part of the plate for insulating the manifold enclosure from the fuel cell stack and from an exterior of the manifold enclosure. A passage in the manifold enclosure connects the screen to the plenum for passing fuel gas from the catalyst to the plenum.

Abstract: A boiler attachment used to support a boiler component within the furnace or boiler chamber is composed of a similar material to the boiler component it is welded to, in order to eliminate the dissimilar weld failure. The boiler attachment is coated using a diffusion coating method to cover the attachments with a coating of aluminum, chromium, silicon or a combination thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating solids from flue gas in a circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boiler includes a plurality of impact type particle separators mounted vertically to a wall of the CFB. The impact type particle separators being adjacently positioned and horizontally spaced. Each impact type particle separator includes a plurality of vertically mounted cooling tubes connected to a fluid circulating system. A slip fit element surrounds the cooling tubes. A cup shaped configuration is formed by side walls and a back wall. The side walls and back wall have a plurality of separate vertically aligned segments extending along the height of the impact type particle separator. Each vertically aligned segment is connected at its ends to an adjacent segment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing NOx emissions in a furnace having a main combustion zone with a waterwall and apparatus for supplying main combustion air and fuel to the main combustion zone, also reduces unburned carbon and waterwall corrosion in the furnace. The method involves providing at least one lower overfire air injector at a first level over the main combustion zone of the furnace for supplying overfire air to create a lower overfire air zone in the furnace over the main combustion zone and at least one upper overfire air injector at a second level over the lower overfire zone for supplying overfire air to create an upper overfire air zone in the furnace over the lower overfire zone. The overfire air in the lower and upper overfire air zones are supplied at a rate for reducing the stoichiometry in the main combustion zone which reduces unburned carbon and a corrosive reducing atmosphere in the furnace.

Abstract: A combined, integral steam generator coal gasifier includes a vertically elongated, all welded, gas tight enclosure with a burner zone having a double pitch sloping furnace floor and a slag tap extending therethrough. Successive zones located above the burner zone are provided with appropriate tube materials for conveying synthesis gas produced by the coal gasification process. A multi-pass convection pass zone having upflow and downflow passes is located at an upper portion of the enclosure and contains a plurality of superheater (primary and secondary) as well as economizer heating surfaces which extract heat from the synthesis gas to produce steam. An ash remover is connected to the outlet of the convection pass zone to remove ash from the synthesis gas exiting from the convection pass zone. The slag tap located at the bottom of the burner zone communicates with a slag tank or a drag chain deasher for receiving and removing slag from the burner zone.

Abstract: A seal joint for an arrangement for separating a gas and liquid mixture, the arrangement having a vessel with an inlet for entry of the gas and liquid mixture and an outlet for exit of a separated gas, and a centrifugal separation cyclone in the vessel for centrifugally separating the gas from the mixture. The vessel includes an internal tubular member having an open end and an inlet tube having an open end extending toward the open end of the internal tubular member. A seal joint ring is fixed to the open end of the internal tubular member. The ring has an annular trough which is open toward the open end of the inlet tube and a gasket is provided in the trough and is engaged by the open end of the inlet tube for sealing the open end of the inlet tube to the open end of the internal tubular member.

Abstract: A method and system for removing SO3 and SO2 from a flue gas produced by the burning of a fossil fuel. Particulates are removed from the flue gas to produce partially cleaned flue gas. A sufficient amount of calcium-based, sodium based or magnesium-based dry sorbent, preferably having a particle size larger than 1.0-2.0 microns, is injected into the flue gas to react with and remove substantially all of the SO3 from the partially cleaned flue gas to produce a substantially SO3-free flue gas containing reacted and unreacted dry sorbent. The substantially SO3-free flue gas is conveyed to wet scrubber means for removing SO2 to produce cleaned flue gas. In a first embodiment, sufficient dry sorbent is provided to remove desired amounts of SO3 and SO2.

Abstract: A method for improving the fracture toughness for aluminum-based diffusion coatings by thermal spray means to simultaneously apply aluminum, chromium, boron, and/or silicon onto a steel workpiece, followed by heat treatment of the workpiece for a sufficient time to cause the aluminum, chromium, boron, and/or silicon to diffuse into the workpiece. The resulting diffusion coating demonstrates improved fracture toughness and does not necessitate the use of a slurry.

Abstract: A system is provided for delivering an unfocused laser beam through a first end of a fiber optic cable to a workpiece. The laser beam travels through the fiber optic cable and emerges from the second end of the fiber optic cable. The second end of the fiber optic cable is not covered with any coating or armor and has a polished exterior. The fiber optic cable is supported and guided by a blade which guides the fiber optic cable to the workpiece. The blade also provides cover gas and/or oxygen in the vicinity of the workpiece during welding or cutting operations.

Abstract: A fiber optic acoustic emission (FOAE) sensor particularly suitable for vibration sensing in a hostile environment has a pair of optical fibers each having an end face. In one embodiment, a hollow tube or core having opposite open ends receives the end faces of the optical fibers. Means are provided for fixing the optical fibers in the hollow core with the end faces facing each other and spaced by a distance from each other in the core. A signal processing unit is connected to the optical fibers for supplying light to, and for receiving light from, the optical fibers and for measuring variations in optical phase which result in changes in the light intensity due to vibrations of the hollow core. The hollow core is fixed in a resonant cylinder, and the resonant cylinder is fixed in a housing to complete the sensor.

Abstract: An EMAT device for non-destructive inspection of the surface of a tube for cracks using acoustic surface waves includes a pulsed magnet having an active surface for facing the surface of a tube to be inspected. A receive emat coil is on the active surface and a transmit emat coil is on the opposite surface of the receive coil. The transmit emat coil has a scan surface for scanning over the tube surface. A transmitter for generating and transmitting an RF signal to the transmit emat coil is provided for generating a transmitted acoustic wave signal along the tube, the transmitted wave creating a reflected acoustic wave if a crack in the tube is encountered, the reflected wave generating a reflection signal in the receive emat coil. A receiver is connected to the receive emat coil for receiving the reflection signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing mercury in industrial gases such as the flue gas produced by the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal adds hydrogen sulfide to the flue gas in or just before a scrubber of the industrial process which contains the wet scrubber. The method and apparatus of the present invention is applicable to installations employing either wet or dry scrubber flue gas desulfurization systems. The present invention uses kraft green liquor as a source for hydrogen sulfide and/or the injection of mineral acids into the green liquor to release vaporous hydrogen sulfide in order to form mercury sulfide solids.

Abstract: A variable resistance device for use in a duct of a high pressure air supply system employs a rotatable butterfly damper locatable in the air supply system having a closed and an open position for variably restricting airflow through the air supply system. The butterfly damper is provided with apertures which permit air to flow through the butterfly damper even when it is in a closed position. The apertures are sized to provide a maximum resistance value at a minimum air flow rate in a closed position, a minimum resistance value at a maximum air flow rate in a 70% open position, and a nearly linear relationship between an angular rotation position of the butterfly damper and resistance.

Abstract: A system for eliminating mist from a flue gas while providing air toxic control includes a wet scrubber housing having an inlet at one of the housing for the entry of the flue gas and an outlet at an opposite end of the housing for the exit of the flue gas. Sprayers are located in the housing for spraying the flue gas with a cleaning liquid in order to remove contaminants from the flue gas. At least one heat exchanger is located in the housing above the sprayers in order to remove entrained contaminants from the flue gas by cooling the flue gas. The flue gas is channeled from the inlet past the collection trays, sprayers and heat exchanger prior to exiting the housing through the outlet. A mist eliminator is also provided for eliminating mist from the flue gas.

Abstract: A spacing arrangement for tubes of a reheater or superheater tube section uses a spacer bar that is sufficiently long to span a space across a plurality of tubes in the tube section. The spacer bar has a plurality of holes therein which are spaced apart by a selected spacing corresponding to a desired spacing between the plurality of tubes in the section. A plurality of sleeves is provided with one sleeve on adjacent tubes in the section. A tab is fixed to each sleeve and extends outwardly from the sleeve to which it is fixed so that the tabs of all the sleeves extend outwardly from a common plane containing all the adjacent tubes in the section. The tabs extend into respective holes in the spacer bar and fillet welds fix the tabs to the spacer bar adjacent the holes and at a location spaced from the sleeves.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for sensing temperature within a broad temperature range, includes a fiber optic having an etalon at one end for reflecting light supplied at an opposite end by a pair of light sources operating at different wavelengths. The light sources are either applied to the optical fiber at different times for discriminating between the wavelengths and producing a temperature signal based on the two wavelengths, or the light is simultaneously applied to the optical fiber from both sources and thereafter divided into its component wavelengths before reflected and reference light detectors detect light signals at the different wavelengths. Known etalon/optical fiber based temperature sensors having a usual maximum temperature range of 500° C. are thus modified to increase their range to as much as double this range.