Abstract: An ice tray is filled with water and exposed to freezing temperature in a freezer. The freezing temperature is measured and integrated over time to obtain a monitoring parameter. The parameter is compared with a predetermined freezing standard for detecting transformation of the water into ice.

Abstract: A turbine assembly includes a plurality of rotor blades comprising a root portion, an airfoil having a pressure sidewall and a suction sidewall, and a top portion having a cap. An outer shroud is concentrically disposed about said rotor blades, said shroud in combination with said tip portions defining a clearance gap. At least one circumferential shroud leakage discourager is disposed within the shroud. The leakage discourager(s) increase the flow resistance and thus reduce the flow of hot gas flow leakage for a given pressure differential across the clearance gap to improve overall turbine efficiency.

Abstract: The appliance comprises a container for receiving the soiled articles, a circulation pump for distributing a hot liquid to the container, a drain positioned in the container and connected to the pump for emptying the liquid from the container upon completion of a cycle and a hydroclone connected to the drain and the pump, for removing soil from the liquid such that about ninety percent (90%) of the liquid distributed to the container during one cycle can be utilized during at least one subsequent cycle.

Abstract: A hybrid combustor, for providing stable high and low levels of operation while minimizing emissions of NOx, CO, and UHCs, includes a casing having a chamber, a catalytic combustor disposed in the chamber, and a non-premixed combustor disposed in the chamber. The hybrid combustor may comprise a fuel nozzle comprising a casing having a chamber, and a body supportable in the chamber to define a passageway between the body and the casing. The passageway has an inlet for receiving a stream of air and an outlet for discharging a stream of fuel and air, and the body includes a tapering downstream portion. Desirably, flow separation of the fuel and air mixture from the body (i.e., recirculation of the fuel and air mixture in the passageway and/or chamber) is inhibited whereby a generally uniform fuel and air mixture is provided.

Abstract: A mold for molding a core for use in casting hollow parts includes, a lower mold portion and an upper mold portion defining therein a cavity corresponding to the outer surface of the core. The lower mold portion includes a cutout disposed along a parting line defined between the lower mold portion and the upper mold portion and opening onto the cavity. After introduction of a ceramic slurry mixture into the mold the upper mold portion is removable, to expose a first side of the core and a protective flash formed in the cutout. Desirably, a heat shield is positioned over the protective flash and the exposed portion of the parting line of the lower mold portion so that the lower mold portion is not exposed directly to a flame during a preliminary firing to impart sufficient strength to the ceramic core so that the ceramic core may be handled.

Abstract: An icemaker dose dispenser includes a housing with a septum therein defining opposite chambers having corresponding water ports. Water is routed alternately through the ports for dispensing water from the chambers in sequence for accurately filling an ice tray.

Abstract: A diagnostic technique for testing a power plant system of a locomotive, desirably during routine scheduled maintenance, involves operating the power plant system in a thermally steady state. This is accomplished by operating an engine of the locomotive at a predetermined throttle position, operating radiator fans of a radiator operably connected to the engine at a predetermined speed, operating an alternator operably connected to the engine to apply a substantially constant load to the engine, and obtaining at least one measurement of the power plant system. The technique is readily implemented by a computing environment such as the locomotive's elaborate computer system.

Abstract: Increased turndown ratio is achieved by providing an atmospheric gas burner having a burner body with a plurality of ports formed therein and a fuel flow divider disposed in the burner body. The fuel flow divider defines a primary fuel chamber and at least one secondary fuel chamber, wherein the secondary fuel chamber is in fluid communication with at least one of the ports and the primary fuel chamber is in fluid communication with the remaining ports. A first mixing tube introduces a fuel-air mixture into the primary fuel chamber, and a second mixing tube introduces a fuel-air mixture into the secondary fuel chamber.

Abstract: A fuel injector is cooled by steam during operation of a combustor. The injector includes a conduit for channeling fuel into the combustor, and a jacket covering the conduit through which steam is channeled for cooling the injector. The steam may be mixed with the fuel, or kept apart from the fuel in the injector by flowing through passageways in the jacket. Cooling can be further improved by expanding the steam through an orifice prior to entry into the injector.

Abstract: A casting includes a heat transfer surface having a plurality of cavities. The plurality of cavities include a density of at least about 25 cavities per square centimeter to about 1,100 cavities per square centimeter resulting in increased surface area and therefore enhanced heat transfer capability. A mold for forming a pattern for molding the casting includes a surface defining a portion of a chamber to which are attached a plurality of particles having an average particle size in a range of about 300 microns to about 2,000 microns.

Abstract: A rotary machine has a rotor and a surrounding stator. The rotor has an outer surface with an upstream larger-radius first section, a downstream smaller-radius second section, and an intervening third section which has an area facing in a direction other than perpendicular or parallel to the axis of the rotor. In one example, the area includes a first convex area and a second concave area. The machine also has a first brush seal with bristles whose free ends are positioned near the second section, and the machine may also include a second brush seal with bristles whose free ends are positioned near the first section and with a front plate having a ledge projecting away from its corresponding bristles.

Abstract: A mixer for a combustor includes a swirler having a plurality of vanes disposed at an upstream end of a mixing duct. A centerbody extends downstream from the vanes and includes a fuel chamber integrally joined to the vanes. Fuel injection openings extend from the chamber into passages between the vanes.

Abstract: A polycrystalline article is converted to a single crystal in a solid-state process. Heat is applied at a first end of the article to effect a predetermined spatial temperature profile thereat having a maximum temperature approaching a melting temperature thereof. The temperature profile is maintained to initiate conversion at the first end. The heat is moved along the article toward an opposite second end to correspondingly propagate the conversion along the article.

Abstract: Dovetail seals are quickly and inexpensively applied to turbine buckets or rotor disks by ultrasonically welding a piece of material onto the dovetail portion of the bucket or the disk slot of the rotor disk. The method includes placing the piece of material into contact with the appropriate turbine structure and applying a compressive force so as to press the piece of material against the turbine structure. Ultrasonic energy is then applied to the piece of material so as to ultrasonically weld it to the turbine structure.

Abstract: A brush seal segment useful, when circumferentially arrayed with other such segments, to seal the gap between a rotor and a surrounding casing of a rotary machine such as a gas or steam turbine. Brush-seal bristles are positioned between a brush-seal back plate and a brush-seal front plate with the free end of each bristle extending beyond the edges of the plates. The front plate has a portion extending to the edge of the front plate with the portion spaced apart from the bristles. In one example, the portion has an array of through holes. In another example, the portion has a ledge projecting generally away from the bristles.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for sensing touch between a compression mold and a workpiece located in the compression mold including a mold cavity and a mold closure movable relative to the workpiece. The apparatus may include at least one touch sensor pad positionable to signal touch between the mold closure and the workpiece. The touch sensor pad may be in communication with a touch sensor monitor for indicating touch between the workpiece and the mold closure. The touch sensor pad may also be embodied in a touch sensor assembly.

Abstract: A caul is used in an autoclave process for consolidating a composite, multi-ply, gas turbine fan blade preform having first and second opposite sides and a varying thickness therebetween. The caul includes a body having fibers situated in a matrix. The caul is complementary in shape to the preform first side and has a bending flexibility varying over the body for correspondingly varying consolidation of the preform. The second side of the preform is shaped by a bottom mold in the autoclave chamber.

Abstract: An electrochemical machine is disclosed for use in an electrochemical machining process to simultaneously generate different levels of metal removal. The electrochemical machine comprises at least two electrodes, each including an electrically conductive cylinder having an external surface partially coated with an insulated coating. The insulating coating is in a pattern defining raised areas to be formed on an internal surface of a predrilled hole in a workpiece wherein at least one of the electrodes has a varied pattern of insulating coating.

Abstract: A technique for measuring and selectively adjusting a clearance between a stationary object and desirably a rotating object includes a non-contact, sensing system having a sensor attachable to the stationary object, a mask having a predetermined sized viewport or aperture that sets or limits the sensing or operation of the sensor, and a controller. The sensor is operable for sensing within a field of view a portion of the rotating object and generating a signal in response thereto. The field of view varies in response to varying the clearance between the sensor and the second object. Desirably, the portion of the second object includes a varying pattern. The controller is operable to determine the clearance between the first object and the second object in response to the signal. In another embodiment, sensing system is operable to adjust the clearance by controller providing an electrical current to a resistive heating element in the thermally expandable portion of a plurality of segmented labyrinth seals.

Abstract: A variable length pre-mixer assembly comprises an upstream end for receiving compressed air from a compressor and a downstream end disposed in flow communication with a combustor. Pre-mixer assembly comprises an upstream forward clamp, a swirler assembly having a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart vanes disposed adjacent the upstream end for swirling compressed air channeled therethrough. An elongate centerbody has a first end joined to and extending through the swirler and a second end disposed downstream therefrom. A downstream fuel nozzle shroud has an outlet in flow communication with the combustor. Additionally, at least one removably disposed fuel nozzle spacer is alternatively disposed between a first position between the upstream forward clamp and the swirler assembly and a second position between the swirler assembly and the downstream fuel nozzle so as to change the relative position of the swirler assembly and alter the pre-mixer assemblies acoustical resonance characteristics.