Abstract: A remote control for use in connection with a consumer electronics device and a computer. The remote control comprises a central processing unit, a set of buttons linked to the central processing unit, a circuit linked to the central processing unit for use in transmitting an infrared signal to the consumer electronic device in response to activation of at least one of the set of buttons, and a two-way circuit linked to the central processing unit for enabling two-way communication between the remote control and the computer.

Abstract: A reclinable, lift chair is provided being movable between a fully reclined and forward lifted positions, comprising a chair portion, a back portion, and a base member having front and rear portions, a lower ground engaging surface that defines a first plane, and an upper surface that defines a first mating surface. A sub-frame assembly supports the chair portion and includes a front, rear, and side portions and a second mating surface that is engageable with the first mating surface. The sub-frame assembly is rotatably connected to the base at the front portion thereof wherein the sub-frame assembly further comprises a rotatable beam having a back support member to which the back portion is attached.

Abstract: A turbine blade assembly is provided which comprises a rotor which is rotatable about a turbine axis of rotation and a plurality of turbine blades supported by the rotor where each of the turbine blades has a root and the rotor is provided with a plurality of grooves which terminate in a projection. Each groove is shaped for holding each root in a manner such that the root and the groove have mutually contacting surfaces which apply a radially inwardly directed restraining force to the root. The root has a bottom facing the turbine axis and the groove has a base which is located radially inwardly of, and faces, the root bottom. Positioned between the root bottom and the groove base is a lock strip and disc spring assembly for pressing together the mutually contacting surfaces of the root and the groove.

Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine having primary and secondary combustion zones. The combustor has a centrally disposed dual fuel nozzle that can supply a fuel rich mixture of either liquid and gaseous fuel to the primary combustion zone. The combustor also has primary gas fuel spray bars for supplying a lean mixture of gaseous fuel to the primary combustion zone via a first annular pre-mixing passage and secondary gas fuel spray bars for supplying a lean mixture of gaseous fuel to the secondary combustion zone via a second annular pre-mixing passage. In addition, the combustor also has a plurality of liquid fuel spray nozzles for introducing a lean mixture of liquid fuel into the secondary combustion zone via the second annular pre-mixing passage. The liquid fuel spray nozzles are disposed in fan shaped channels that are arranged in a circumferential array and that are connected to the second annular pre-mixing passage.

Abstract: The current invention concerns a combustor having a coupling for a cross-flame tube. The coupling has inner and outer sleeves that form an annular passage therebetween. Holes in the outer sleeve place the annular passage in flow communication with cooling air in the combustion system chamber, thereby causing the cooling air to flow over the proximal end of the outer sleeve. A baffle is formed on the inner sleeve and has a pattern of raised and depressed areas. The raised areas form lands that are attached to the combustor wall. The depressed areas form passages with the wall that direct the cooling air from the annular passage so that it flows over the surface of the combustor inner wall, thereby preventing over heating of the wall.

Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine having a centrally located fuel nozzle and inner, middle and outer concentric cylindrical liners, the inner liner enclosing a primary combustion zone. The combustor has an air inlet that forms two passages, each of which has a circumferential array of individually rotatable swirl vanes. The swirl vanes are mounted on axially oriented primary fuel pegs that extend through the air inlet passages. The middle and outer liners form an outer annular passage in which radially oriented secondary fuel pegs are disposed. The middle and inner liners form an inner annular passage that is supplied with cooling air. A perforated circumferentially extending baffle is locating in the inner annular passage and directs the cooling air to flow over the inner liner.

Abstract: A cooling system for stationary vanes in the turbine section of a gas ture. Combustors for the turbine are disposed in a chamber that receives compressed air from a compressor section. This compressed air forms both combustion air and cooling air. The cooling air portion of the compressed air is recirculated through the vanes by bleeding it from the chamber and further pressurizing it, after which it flows through a cooling air flow path in the vanes, thereby resulting in the cooling of the vanes and the heating of the air. The heated air is then returned to the chamber where it mixes with the incoming combustion air, thereby giving up a portion of the heat transferred from the vane to the combustion air. As a result, the temperature of the combustion air is increased, thereby increasing the thermodynamic efficiency of the gas turbine.

Abstract: A support assembly for the end windings of a turbine generator includes a plurality of braces which are spaced apart around the circumference of the winding basket and which are mechanically connected to support rings disposed around the stator coils. The support assembly is decoupled from the stator core such that the end windings and end winding support structure float freely of the stator core during normal generator operating conditions. During abnormal short circuit operating conditions, the support assembly contacts brackets on the stator core such that the end windings are slidably engaged upon and supported by the stator core. Radial clamps tightly secure the top and bottom coils to the end winding support assembly to apply radial compressive load to the coils to prevent radial displacement of the coils and to maintain the end winding-end winding support structure as a monolithic structure capable of withstanding abnormal operating conditions.

Abstract: An improved MOS photodetector having polysilicon gate material which is made more transparent to visible light by the addition of up to 50% carbon, and preferably about 10% carbon. The surfaces of the polysilicon-carbon gates are oxidized to form a silicon dioxide dielectric layer, thus eliminating the need to deposit a separate dielectric layer for isolation of adjacent gates in an overlapping gate array. The elimination of a separate dielectric layer permits all gates to be formed directly on the substrate dielectric layer, thus providing a uniform drive voltage requirement across the array.

Abstract: Method of attaching a target for use in a system for monitoring the vibration of a plurality of shrouded turbine blades to a shroud segment. The target includes a shim plated with a highly conductive material for inducing variations in eddy currents generated by stationary sensors, as part of a system for monitoring blade vibrations. The target is spot welded to the shroud segment of the turbine blades at the turbine site using portable welding equipment, providing effective and low cost installation.

Abstract: A wedge assembly for use in retaining a conductive winding in the core slot of a dynamoelectric machine including a conformable hose positioned within the core slot and cooperable with the conductive winding. The conformable hose is useful in minimizing movement of the conductive winding during operation of the dynamoelectric machine by filling gaps caused during the assembly process. The conformable hose may be filled with a resinous material under pressure and may be further looped over the end of and attached to the top of the slot wedge for use in retaining optionally used wedge locks.

Abstract: A fuel nozzle assembly is provided having the capability of burning either gaseous or liquid fuel, or both simultaneously, along with steam injection. The nozzle has a nozzle body that is attached to a nozzle cap by inner, outer and middle sleeves. The sleeves form inner and outer concentric annular conduits between themselves for directing the flow of gaseous fuel and steam from the fuel and steam inlet ports to the outlet ports. In addition, the inner sleeve forms a central chamber in which an oil fuel nozzle is disposed. Radial passages in the nozzle body allow cooling air to flow over the oil nozzle and through the oil outlet port, thereby preventing coking at the nozzle tip. The fuel nozzle assembly is originally built, and the nozzle cap is replaced, by sliding the sleeves forward and aft on the assembly so as to gain access to the next innermost sleeve.

Abstract: An improved system for recovering waste heat from a combustion turbine in a combined cycle power plant of the type that includes at least one combustion turbine and at least one steam turbine includes a first heat recovery system for heating condensate in the steam turbine cycle with heat from the hot exhaust gases from the combustion-type turbine, and a second heat recovery system for heating the fuel that is used in the combustion turbine with heat from the exhaust gases. The second system permits recovery of heat energy that is not recovered by the first system, thereby improving plant efficiency.

Abstract: A vane for the turbine section of a gas turbine has an airfoil portion with leading edge, center and trailing edge portions. The leading edge portion is attached to the center portion by a dove tail joint that allows the leading edge portion to slide in the radial direction with respect to the center portion while preventing movement in the axial and circumferential directions, thereby eliminating thermal stresses created by differential thermal expansion between the leading edge portion and the remainder of the vane. An opening in the vane inner shroud that is normally sealed by a closure plate allows the leading edge portion to be readily replaced in the event of damage. The leading edge portion may be formed from a ceramic material and need not be supplied with cooling air.

Abstract: A steam purity monitor (10) detects the presence of sodium hydroxide and sodium chloride in a steam turbine (12). In the steam purity monitor (10), a control unit (18) is connected to a sensor unit (14) in the steam turbine (12) which has a conductance sensor (30), pressure sensor (34) and temperature sensor (32) to measure conductance, pressure and temperature in the steam turbine (12). A heating coil (40) is further provided to vary the temperature of the sensor unit (14). If conductance is detected by the conductance sensor (30), then the temperature is obtained from the temperature sensor (32) and compared by the control unit (18) to a saturation temperature calculated based on pressure readings from the pressure (34). If the temperature exceeds the saturation temperature by a predetermined amount, the control unit (18) indicates the presence of sodium hydroxide on a display unit (29).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring radioactivity associated with nuclear reactor coolant leaks. The method includes providing a delay tank in a gas sampling line upstream of a radiation particulate monitor, the delay tank allowing radioactive noble gases from the leak to decay to radioactive daughter particulates that are monitored by the radiation particulate monitor. The apparatus includes the delay tank as well as a background delay tank and a valve sequencer for comparing radiation associated with the delay tank to radiation associated with the background delay tank.

Abstract: In an improved panel interior assembly of the type in which elongated bus bars are snap-fit into an insulating support structure a plurality of integrally molded pins are attached to the insulating support structure positioned to extend through holes in a pan to which the insulating support structure is to be attached. These pins are ultrasonically staked to securely hold the insulating support structure and bus bars attached thereto on the pan.

Abstract: A method for improving operational efficiency of a partial-arc steam turbine power plant during power output variations by dynamically adjusting valve point values during turbine operation. Impulse chamber pressure at each of a plurality of valve points is first determined during operation of the steam turbine at constant pressure. For each adjacent pair of valve points, an optimum constant pressure transition point pressure for transitioning from one to the other of the sliding pressure mode and constant pressure mode is then computed. The optimum constant pressure transition point pressure for each pair of valve points is converted to a corresponding percentage of the pressure difference between the adjacent pairs of valve points. The impulse chamber pressure at each valve point is then used to calculate a corresponding impulse chamber pressure for transitioning from the one mode to the other mode based upon the percentage pressure difference.

Abstract: A half-coil for the stator winding of an electrodynamic system such as an electrical generator or motor includes an improved tube stack arrangement and a roebelling configuration which is designed to minimize power loss. The tube stack arrangement includes, in the disclosed embodiment, two central tube stacks and two roebel bars, one on each side of the tube stacks. By this arrangement, the individual strands in the roebel bars do not need to be transposed around the tube stacks, as was the case in prior art configurations utilizing more than one tube stack. The improved roebelling arrangement includes, in the disclosed embodiment, a total 720.degree. transposition, including a 90.degree. transposition in each of the two involute portions. To accomplish the 720.degree. transposition in a limited space, the individual strands are combined into groups of two for a portion of the transposition.

Abstract: An electrohydraulic fluid system monitors the fluid line 1, reservoir 2, motor pumps 4 and 6, accumulators 10 and drain line 13 in an electrohydraulic fluid system. The electrohydraulic fluid monitor system includes sensors 14-40 to detect temperature, pressure, fluid level and motor pump current in the electrohydraulic fluid system. Signals from these sensors are converted 54 by an analog to digital converter into digital signals read by a processor unit 58 and stored by the processor unit as data for diagnostic analysis. In one embodiment of the present invention, the processor unit 58 stores the information and compares the information to predetermined threshold amounts or to previous values and outputs a malfunction indication to a status display, responsive to results of these comparisons, which indicates the presence or nonpresence of a malfunction in the electrohydraulic fluid system.