Abstract: Methods, systems, and processes are disclosed for determining emissions outputs. One method communicates with a communications network and acquires at least one of energy usage information associated with sources of emissions and emissions information associated with sources of emissions. The energy usage information and the emissions information is acquired as each occurs in real time. The method reports emissions outputs based upon the acquired real time information. Another method communicates with a communications network and acquires at least one of energy usage information associated with sources of emissions and emissions information associated with sources of emissions. This embodiment stores the acquired information as each occurs in real time. Emissions outputs are reported for the industrial process, the emissions outputs based upon the acquired real time information.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 6, 2001
Date of Patent:
May 4, 2004
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Srinivas Krishnasnamy Bagepalli, Lynn Ann DeRose, Stephen Lan-Sun Hung, Bang Mo Kim, Tara Healy Wight, Joseph James Salvo
Abstract: An apparatus for determining past-service conditions and/or remaining useful life of a component of a combustion engine and/or a thermal barrier coating (“TBC”) of the component comprises a radiation source that provides the exciting radiation to the TBC to excite a photoluminescent (“PL”) material contained therein, a radiation detector for detecting radiation emitted by the PL material, and means for relating a characteristic of an emission spectrum of the PL material to the amount of a crystalline phase in the TBC, thereby inferring the past-service conditions or the remaining useful life of the component or the TBC.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 20, 2001
Date of Patent:
May 4, 2004
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Alok Mani Srivastava, Anant Achyut Setlur, Holly Ann Comanzo, John William Devitt, James Anthony Ruud, Luke Nathaniel Brewer
Abstract: An organic electroluminescent device (“OELD”) has a controllable brightness, an improved energy efficiency, and stable optical output at low brightness. The OELD is activated with a series of voltage pulses, each of which has a maximum voltage value that corresponds to the maximum power efficiency when the OELD is activated. The frequency of the pulses, or the duty cycle, or both are chosen to provide the desired average brightness.
Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) detector array assembly for use in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system comprises at least one RF detector array, wherein the array has a plurality of RF detector elements for use in simultaneously acquiring radio frequency (RF) signals from the MRI system, and, a decoupling interface coupled to each of the plurality of detector elements for decoupling each detector element from the remaining detector elements. A method for decoupling radio frequency (RF) detector array elements in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system is provided. The method comprises the steps of providing at least one RF detector array, wherein the detector array has a plurality of RF detector elements, and, providing a decoupling interface coupled to each of the plurality of detector elements for decoupling each detector element from the remaining detector elements.
Abstract: Oxydiphthalic anhydrides such as 4-oxydiphthalic anhydride are prepared by the reaction of a halophthalic anhydride with an alkali metal carbonate such as potassium carbonate in the presence of a catalyst system comprising an alkali metal bicarbonate such as potassium bicarbonate and a phase transfer catalyst, preferably a tetraarylphosphonium halide.
Abstract: An apparatus for estimating the time to failure acceleration factor of a large industrial motor includes a sensor, a clock for controlling sensor sampling times, and a memory address calculator for mapping output signals of the sensor to a memory address. A unit is provided for incrementing the content of a specified memory address by unity.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 20, 2001
Date of Patent:
April 27, 2004
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
John Erik Hershey, Brock Estel Osborn, Kati Illouz, Gerald Burt Kliman
Abstract: An article for use in a hot gas path of a gas turbine assembly, a metallic skin for such an article, and a method for making such an article are presented with, for example, the article comprising a spar, the spar providing mechanical support for the article and comprising a cooling fluid delivery system, a top end, and a bottom end; a standoff structure attached to the spar, the standoff structure comprising a plurality of spacing elements in a spaced-apart relation to each other, the spacing elements having first ends adjacent to the spar and second ends opposite to the first ends; a skin conformally surrounding the spar and the standoff structure, the skin comprising a top end and a bottom end, wherein the standoff structure separates the spar and the skin, wherein the plurality of spacing elements is disposed with an inner surface of the skin adjacent to the second ends of the spacing elements to form a plurality of plena between the spar and the skin, the plena in fluid communication with the cooling flu
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 18, 2002
Date of Patent:
April 27, 2004
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Ji-Cheng Zhao, Liang Jiang, Melvin Robert Jackson, Ramgopal Darolia, Robert Edward Schafrik
Abstract: Mixed alkali metal salts of phosphoric acid in combination with a co-catalyst such as tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) are excellent transesterification catalysts for use in the preparation of polycarbonate from bisphenol A and diphenyl carbonate. The mixed alkali metal phosphate salts were shown by kinetic measurements made on a model system composed of p-tert-octylphenol and bis(p-cumylphenyl) carbonate to be inherently more potent catalysts than salts of phosphoric acid comprising a single alkali metal ion. In addition to providing higher rates of polymerization, the new catalysts were shown to provide polycarbonates containing reduced levels of Fries rearrangement product relative to polymerization reactions catalyzed by conventional catalyst systems such as sodium hydroxide together with TMAH co-catalyst.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 12, 2002
Date of Patent:
April 20, 2004
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Patrick Joseph McCloskey, Warren William Reilly, Brian James Grimmond
Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for aiding a field engineer in the field such as at a remote service facility in analyzing a fault log of a malfunctioning machine such as a locomotive. The method includes obtaining data associated with operation of the malfunctioning machine from a user at a second computing unit coupled via a communications network such as the Internet to a first computing unit such as a centrally located server operable to provide data associated with analysis of the malfunctioning machine, and providing at the second computing unit at least one of a diagnosis of and a repair for the malfunctioning machine based on the data associated with the operation of the malfunctioning machine and the data associated with analysis of the malfunctioning machine.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 27, 2000
Date of Patent:
April 20, 2004
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Anil Varma, Nicholas Edward Roddy, David Richard Gibson
Abstract: A method for mitigating stress corrosion cracking in high temperature water includes introducing catalytic nanoparticles and dielectric nanoparticles to the high temperature water in an amount effective to reduce a electrochemical corrosion potential of the high temperature water.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 16, 2003
Date of Patent:
April 20, 2004
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Young-Jin Kim, Thomas Martin Angeliu, Peter Louis Andresen
Abstract: Siloxane bischloroformates are prepared in a continuous process by phosgenating siloxane bisphenols in a flow reactor using a substantial excess of phosgene and sodium hydroxide. While very high levels (>95%) of conversion of the siloxane bisphenol to the corresponding siloxane bischloroformate are achieved using a flow reactor according to the method of the invention, only more modest conversion (˜90%) of the siloxane bisphenol to the corresponding siloxane bischloroformate is attained when analogous batch processes are employed. The process holds promise for use in the manufacture of silicone-containing copolycarbonates which requires high purity siloxane bischloroformate intermediates.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 16, 2002
Date of Patent:
April 20, 2004
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
James Manio Silva, David Michel Dardaris, Gary Charles Davis
Abstract: The present invention provides an X-ray detector assembly and a fabrication method, where the X-ray detector assembly comprises a scintillator material disposed on a detector matrix array disposed on a detector substrate; an encapsulating coating disposed on the scintillator material; a moisture resistant cover disposed over the detector substrate and the encapsulating coating, and an adhesive material disposed between the detector substrate and the moisture resistant cover so as to form a moisture vapor barrier. The adhesive material is disposed so that it is not in contact with the encapsulating coating. The fabrication method of the X-ray detector assembly includes the steps of disposing the encapsulating coating on the scintillator material and a portion of the detector substrate and removing the encapsulating coating from the portion of the detector substrate.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 6, 2001
Date of Patent:
April 13, 2004
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Charles Edward Baumgartner, David Francis Fobare, Michael Clement DeJule, Ching-Yeu Wei, William Andrew Hennessy, Robert John Wojnarowski, Haleh Ardebili, William Edward Burdick, Jr.
Abstract: A pulsed eddy current two-dimensional sensor array probe for electrically conducting component inspection includes a drive coil disposed adjacent to a structure under inspection, a pulse generator connected to the drive coil and operable to energize in a pulsed manner the drive coil to transmit transient electromagnetic flux into the structure under inspection, and an array of sensors arranged in a two-dimensional array and substantially surrounded by the drive coil and operable to sense and generate output signals from the transient electromagnetic flux in the structure under inspection.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 12, 2001
Date of Patent:
April 13, 2004
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Yuri Alexeyevich Plotnikov, Shridhar Champaknath Nath, Curtis Wayne Rose, Thomas James Batzinger, Kenneth Gordon Herd
Abstract: A group of alloys suitable for use in a high-temperature, oxidative environment, a protective coating system comprising a diffusion barrier that comprises an alloy selected from the group, an article comprising the diffusion barrier layer, and a method for protecting an article from a high-temperature oxidative environment comprising disposing the diffusion barrier layer onto a substrate are presented.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 5, 2002
Date of Patent:
April 13, 2004
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Ji-Cheng Zhao, Melvin Robert Jackson, Richard John Grylls, Ramgopal Darolia
Abstract: A method for producing an image of a selected region of interest included in a volume within a moving and deforming object in a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system includes applying at least one integrated preparatory pulse sequence to the region of interest prior to any subsequent imaging sequences. The integrated preparatory pulse sequence is adapted to simultaneously, alter longitudinal magnetization of spins located outside of the selected region and to further impose a grid pattern on the selected region. The integrated preparatory pulse sequence is subsequently followed by a projection imaging technique.
Abstract: The formation of leachable mercury upon disposal in a landfill or during TCLP testing of mercury vapor discharge lamps is substantially prevented by incorporation of an amount of gelatin or a degradation product of gelatin which is effective to substantially prevent formation of ferric and cuprous compounds responsible for forming leachable mercury compounds.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 1, 2001
Date of Patent:
April 6, 2004
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Donald Franklin Foust, David Key Dietrich, Deborah Ann Haitko
Abstract: A method for making alkylhalosilanes is provided comprising reacting an alkyl halide and silicon in the presence of a copper catalyst comprising copper powder, particulated copper, copper flake, or combinations thereof and at least one co-catalyst.
Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a temperature of a thermal load comprises: a dynamic compensator for calculating a heater command as a function of a user input signal without using a temperature measurement; and a heater for controlling temperature of the thermal load by applying heat in response to the said heater command.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 2, 2001
Date of Patent:
March 30, 2004
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Harry Kirk Mathews, Jr., George Charles Goodman
Abstract: The present invention is directed toward providing interactive haptic collision detection between a stationary and a moving object in a virtual reality environment. A user grasps the arm of a haptic device and manipulates an object as viewed on a virtual reality display. As any portion of the manipulated object comes too close to the surface of the stationary object, the haptic device imposes feedback forces against the user's efforts that increase in magnitude as the user manipulates the object beyond a force boundary proximate to the surface of the stationary object. The feedback forces are applied directionally in line with the shortest path between the surfaces at risk of collision. Several measures can be implemented by the user to reduce the computation load involved in constantly comparing the distances between points on the surface of the movable object and points on the surface of the stationary object without seriously compromising the collision detection and avoidance functions of the system.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 5, 2000
Date of Patent:
March 30, 2004
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Steven Eric Lithicum, Russell Scott Blue, Christopher Richard Volpe, Ricardo Scott Avila, James Vradenburg Miller
Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a composite array structure that comprises a plurality of elements of an electrically conductive composite material interconnected by at least one region of an electrically insulating material. The method comprises forming regions of the electrically insulating material around regions of the electrically conductive material such that at least a surface of the regions of the electrically insulating material is below a surface of the regions of the electrically conductive material.