Abstract: A steam separating apparatus wherein a first separating unit receives a steam-water mixture and discharges said mixture in a substantially tangential direction against an impingement plate to separate some water from said mixture. A second separating unit is disposed in a fluid flow relation to the first separating unit and includes a plurality of plates together formed into a closed circular configuration. The latter plates are shaped in a manner to define a plurality of irregular paths for the passage of said mixture so that said mixture impinges on said plates as it passes through said paths to separate additional water from said mixture.

Abstract: A crack arrester for stopping a propagating ductile fracture in an object such as a pipe comprises a band defined by a plurality of continuous, high tensile strength, nonmetallic fibers which are wound around the object in intersecting relationship with the direction of propagation and are encapsulated in a resin matrix which is cured.

Abstract: An erosion resistant waterwall in which a plurality of erosion resistant stud members are attached to the exposed surface of a waterwall consisting of a plurality of spaced water tubes connected together by continuous fins. The size of the stud members relative to the tubes are such that a plurality of the stud members extend around the periphery of each exposed tubes surface in a spaced relationship in a direction perpendicular to the axis of each tube. The stud members may be in the form of steel balls or small rod members attached to the exposed surface, and a ceramic sleeve can extend around the rod members.

Abstract: A control valve assembly for controlling particulate solids feed upward into a fluidized bed reactor, utilizing a purged valve seat mating with a poppet head and valve stem having a vented clearance space. The valve seat surface and a stem clearance space are each purged by a clean externally supplied gas, the solids flair in an elbow-shaped passageway are fluidized by air supplied through booster nozzles, and the valve stem is operated by a pneumatic actuator. A particulate solids material such as coal is transferred by a screw conveyor through a horizontal conduit, and then fed through the elbow-shaped passageway and the poppet valve seat upwardly into the reactor fluidized bed.

Abstract: A roller mechanism and method for forming helical shaped structures from a feed wire or rod, wherein the feed wire is drawn through a plurality of staggered forming rollers by rotation of the rollers, while the wire is also being rotated about its own axis so as to form the desired helical shaped product. The mechanism includes a support frame and at least four lower fixed position driven rollers and at least five upper idler rollers having adjustable positions relative to the lower rollers rotatably mounted in the frame. The lower rollers usually have a roughened or grooved surface to facilitate drawing the feed wire through the staggered forming rollers. If desired, the feed wire can be pulled off a rotating supply reel by a pair of guiding rollers and then passed through the forming rollers to provide the desired helical shaped product.

Abstract: A process for the production of an oxygenated organic product, such as methanol, from a feedstock containing carbon, comprising the steps of: (a) gasifying the feedstock with high purity oxygen to obtain a raw synthesis gas stream comprising methane, hydrogen, and carbon oxides; (b) mixing the raw synthesis gas stream with a hydrogen-rich gas stream to form a final synthesis gas stream; (c) injecting the final synthesis gas stream into a synthesis loop, forming the oxygenated organic product in the loop and extracting from the loop a purge gas stream; (d) separating the purge gas cryogenically to form the hydrogen-rich gas stream, an argon-rich gas stream, and a methane-rich gas stream; and (e) recycling the hydrogen-rich gas stream to step (b).

Abstract: A self-positioning scarfing apparatus includes a plurality of sensing wheels and scarfing tools, each sensing wheel and scarfing tool defining an operative set mounted on a common support and biased by a biasing device, such as a spring assembly or hydraulic cylinder, into engagement with an elongated weld on a workpiece. One operative set is mounted on each end of a yoke, which is in turn mounted for movement relative to the workpiece. In one embodiment, the yoke is mounted for pivotal movement with respect to the workpiece. In an alternate embodiment, a positioning wheel is mounted in the yoke for engagement with the workpiece, and the yoke is mounted for biased reciprocation to a hydraulic cylinder or spring assembly. Apparatus identical to that just described is positioned on the opposite side of the workpiece for scarfing the opposite side.

Abstract: A gate valve assembly for controlling flow of fine particulate solids, utilizing dual seating surfaces and a slidable gate which are either or both purged by an outflowing gas. The valve body is constructed in two split parts, and the body seat surface contains a conduit spaced outwardly from the seat and having a plurality of spaced openings oriented radially inwardly. The gate contains multiple passageways and is connected to a stem adapted for supplying a flow of pressurized purge gas to the passageways arranged to prevent deposits of the particulate solids passing therethrough on the valve seating surfaces. The valve is usually used for high temperature service, e.g. at 300.degree.-1000.degree. F., the valve body and gate are cooled by a vent gas, and the valve body is covered with thermal insulation material. The valve assembly is usually located within the lower end of an insulated container and controls the flow of particulate solids from the container.

Abstract: A divided rotary valve feeder includes an inlet conduit, an outlet divided into a plurality of passages by webs, and rotor mounted between the inlet conduit and the outlet. The rotor includes vanes defining troughs and partitions dividing the troughs into a plurality of compartments. The partitions engage the webs to assure discharge of material from each compartment to an aligned passage, and the passages are in communication with conveyors for moving the material to a point of use. Tiltable splitter plates may be provided in the inlet conduit in engagement with the partitions to evenly distribute the flow of material to the compartments in each trough. Compressed air or other gas may be fed to each of the compartments to assist the discharge of material either by direct contact or by flexing a flexible boot in each compartment.

Abstract: A fluidized bed reactor in which at least a portion of the walls of the reactor housing are formed by a plurality of water wall tubes. A fluidized bed is formed in the housing and a plurality of heat exchange tubes are provided, at least a portion of each of which extends into the bed. One or both ends of each heat exchange tube registers with a water wall tube and a water flow circuit is formed that includes the water wall tubes and heat exchange tubes for passing the water in a heat exchange relation with the bed.

Abstract: A process for the production of ammonia, comprising the steps of: (a) gasifying a feedstock containing carbon and a source of hydrogen with air as the only source of free oxygen, to produce a raw synthesis gas comprising nitrogen, hydrogen, carbon oxides, and methane; (b) subjecting the raw synthesis gas to a shift conversion reaction; (c) removing the carbon oxides from the shift converted raw synthesis gas to produce a purified synthesis gas; (d) mixing the purified synthesis gas with a hydrogen-rich gas to form a final synthesis gas; (e) injecting the final synthesis gas into an ammonia synthesis loop to produce ammonia and a purge gas; (f) separating the purge gas cryogenically, to produce a methane-rich gas, a nitrogen-rich gas, and the hydrogen-rich gas; and (g) recycling the hydrogen-rich gas to step (d). The methane-rich stream is at least partially recycled to step (a). Sulfur compounds, if necessary, may be removed from the raw synthesis gas.

Abstract: A method of operating a fluidized bed heat exchanger in which a perforated plate is disposed within a housing for supporting a bed of particulate material which is introduced into the housing through an inlet. Air is passed through the plate to fluidize the particulate material and a drain pipe is provided for discharging the spent material from the bed. The flow rate of air introduced into the bed is increased in a direction across said bed from said inlet to said drain pipe to promote the circulation of the bed materials from the inlet to the drain pipe.

Abstract: A rapper for striking a target in a precipitator includes a hammer having a hub pivotally attached to a frame. The rapper also has a drive sprocket rotatably mounted in the frame. The sprocket has a driving plurality of spaced teeth distributed on the sprocket along a given peripheral sector. The latter cover less than the entire periphery of the sprocket. The teeth of the sprocket are distributed to mesh with and then release spokes on the hub of the hammer.

Abstract: A method of operating a fluidized bed in which a bed of particulate combustible material and adsorbent material are disposed on a perforated plate. Air is introduced through said plate and into said bed to fluidize and promote the combustion of the combustible material, and a gaseous agent is injected into the bed to stabilize the surface hardness, sulfur-absorption properties and catalytic properties of said adsorbent material.

Abstract: A burner monitoring system in which an array of burners are viewed by a video camera adapted to produce a video signal representing the infrared image of the burner array. The video processing electronics processes the video signal to determine which of the burners is lit and which of the burners is unlit by the presence or absence of hot spots in the infrared image. The video processing electronics generates a video signal which is applied to a cathode ray tube device to generate a visual indication for each of the burners indicating the lit or unlit condition of each of the burners.

Abstract: A particle classifier apparatus and method for separating coarse particles from a mixture of particles carried in a gas stream, for preferred use in combination with a coal crushing mill. In the classifier, the gas-solids stream is passed through a plurality of internal upper angled fixed vanes for imparting a rotational motion to the particles. The rotating gas-solids stream then flows downwardly past 3-6 pivotable deflector vanes located entirely within the rotating gas-solids stream for effectively separating the larger size particles in the gas stream from the smaller particles. The smaller particles are then carried upwardly by the gas stream, such as coal particles carried by an air stream into a combustion zone of a boiler, while the larger size particles are returned downwardly, such as to a crusher for further size reduction and for recycling the particles through the classifier.

Abstract: A replaceable inspection plug assembly and method for its use with pressure vessels. The plug assembly comprises a collar seal welded onto a pressure vessel outer wall, and a threaded plug removably threaded into the collar and the vessel wall. The plug has a shoulder portion which is seal welded to the collar. For removal of the plug, the seal weld is first machined away using a special cup-shaped rotary machining tool. The plug is then cooled and contracted relative to the collar, and is then unscrewed and removed. Following inspection of the vessel interior, the plug is replaced in the threaded hole and the plug shoulder portion is rewelded to the collar to provide a structurally-rigid and leak-tight joint without need for subsequent stress relieving the welded joint.

Abstract: A combustion system and method for a coal-fired furnace in which a burner divides a mixture of coal and air into a first stream containing most of the coal and a second stream containing most of the air. The first stream is discharged from the central part of the burner and the second stream is discharged through an annular passage surrounding the first stream in a combustion-supporting relation to the first stream. Additional air is discharged in varying amounts in a combustion-supporting relation to said streams.

Abstract: Apparatus for expanding a tube into a bore formed in tube sheet in which a primary explosive containing a relatively high number of grains of explosive per unit length extends within the tube coextensive with that portion of the tube to be expanded. An energy transfer cord extends between a detonator and the primary explosive and includes a relatively low number of grains of explosive per unit length which are insufficient to detonate the primary explosive but which be covered by a sheath to contain the debris and gases associated with the explosion of the latter explosive. A booster extends between the energy transfer cord and the primary explosive and contains an explosive which is detonatable by the energy transfer cord and, upon exploding, detonates the primary explosive.

Abstract: A test apparatus can test the erosion resistance of a specimen. The apparatus has an enclosure containing in its test chamber an abrasive medium. Also included is a spindle attached to the enclosure. The spindle has an inside end adapted to hold the specimen. A motor coupled to the spindle can spin the inside end at an adjustable angular speed within the medium. Preferably, a thermal jacket can moderate temperature within the spindle apparatus. The apparatus is used to spin the specimen through the abrasive medium at a chosen speed and then measure the extent of erosion.