Abstract: Particulates removed from the flue gases produced in a fluidized-bed furnace are separated into high-and low-density portions. The low-density portion is predominantly char, and it is returned to the furnace or burned in a separate carbon burnup cell. The high-density portion, which is predominantly limestone products and ash, is discarded or reprocessed.According to another version, the material drained from the bed is separated, the resulting high-and low-density portions being treated in a manner similar to that in which the flue-gas particulates are treated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transmission of ultrasound to and reception of ultrasound from a fluid from outside its container. An ultrasonic transducer generates sound waves longitudinally in a transmission bar that has a reflecting surface at such an angle with the ultrasonic path that the longitudinal waves are internally reflected as shear waves in the direction of an interface between the transmission bar and the fluid. The impinging of the shear-mode waves on the interface results in an efficient transmission of energy into the fluid and an efficient reception of echo signals from the fluid. Since longitudinal waves are coupled from the transducer to the metal, a rigid bond between transducer and metal is unnecessary. The coupling may be achieved by means of a liquid-filled interface that does not subject the delicate transducer to damage from stresses produced by differential thermal expansions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for strip cladding into a corner while magnetically agitating the weld deposit. The clad strip is angled away from the corner in the plane of the electrode strip, and means are provided for using the corner-forming obstruction as a pole piece for the electromagnet. The welding head can thereby be positioned to clad into the corner without interference from an obstructing pole piece or from the welding head itself.

Abstract: Gases containing SO.sub.2 from a furnace are contacted in the scrubbing zone of a scrubber with an aqueous scrubbing medium containing Ca(OH).sub.2 whereby sulfites are formed. The Ca(OH).sub.2 additive is at least partially the Ca(OH).sub.2 sludge produced in the manufacture of acetylene from CaC.sub.2. This sludge contains constituents which retard or inhibit the oxidation of sulfite to sulfate to thereby reduce the possibility of sulfate scaling in the system.

Abstract: In order to determine the percentage of suspended solids in a slurry, a hollow tube is extended into a slurry tank in which the solids are kept in suspension by a mixer. The tube allows the liquid within it to be isolated from the action of the mixer, so the solids settle out of the tube. A pressure difference between points at the same elevation inside and outside of the tube is measured, and this gives a percent-solids indication in which error due to dissolved solids is negligible.

Abstract: An improved high-water-level trip control for a steam turbine is disclosed. Instead of causing a trip of the turbine (or reactor) based merely on the water level in the steam generator, the present invention generates a trip command that is based on a function of more than one parameter. Such a function more accurately indicates the quantity of water droplets in the steam leaving the steam generator than a function of a single parameter does. In particular, it is disclosed to trip the turbine when the water level exceeds a variable reference that increases as steam velocity decreases; this takes into account the effect of steam velocity on the entrainment of water droplets by the steam.

Abstract: Improved circuitry for regulating the average power supplied by an AC source to a load includes switching circuitry that the power applies to the load for integral numbers of full cycles of the AC source. Control of the circuit for switching the power on and off is accomplished by sensing and storing the peak current drawn by the load during the most recent application of power, reducing the stored quantity linearly with time, and causing another application of power wnen the stored quantity has dropped below a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A method of preventing a physical explosion caused by the contact of water with a molten material such as molten smelt and molten metal by the addition of a porous, high surface area powder which is coated with an anti-wetting agent. The material sinks through the water layer to the interface between the water and the molten material carrying air or gas bubbles with it. The invention is particularly applicable to smelt-water explosion in kraft chemical recovery furnaces.

Abstract: A butterfly valve with a conventional resilient seal of rubber or plastic or the like is provided with a secondary seal of a hard, fire resistant material such as metal. The secondary seal is in the form of a split ring which is held in an expanded condition with a fusible link which will melt at some selected temperature such that the secondary seal is normally out of contact with the sealing surface of the butterfly. At the selected temperature, the fusible link melts permitting the secondary seal to contract into a sealing position to replace the resilient seal prior to or coincident with the destruction of the resilient seal by the high temperature.

Abstract: A holddown column for preventing upstream motion of nuclear-reactor fuel assemblies during operation of the reactor is disclosed. The holddown column is a composite of three concentric individual columns. Lips on the intermediate column engage the other two columns so that the intermediate column expands under load as the other two columns contract. This results in a greater deflection of the column under load than would result if the column were only a single column, but the thermal expansion experienced by the composite column is not different from the thermal expansion experienced by a simple column of the same material and length.

Abstract: An alumina refractory material and its method of preparation are disclosed. The material includes a volatilized silica binder wherein the volatilized silica binder is added to the batch as a thoroughly dispersed, acidified, aqueous slurry. Graphite and silicon carbide may also be included to control erosion by molten metal. Green strength binders are also usually included.

Abstract: A removable temporary coating material for providing scratch protection particularly for nuclear components is disclosed. The coating contains a methacrylic or acrylic/methacrylic polymer in a water vehicle. Selected surfactants, lubricants and reactive solubilizing agents are also included to provide the desired lubrication and scratch resistance and to provide a coating which is readily removed so as to leave no deleterious residue. Techniques for removing and recovering the coating are also disclosed.

Abstract: A bonding material is disclosed which is stable at high temperature and radiation levels, which may be conductive and which is particularly suited as a couplant to ultrasonically and electrically couple an ultrasonic or acoustic transducer to a surface. The material comprises a carborane polysiloxane adhesive, a vehicle-solvent which will evaporate such that the bonding material cures by vehicle-solvent release, and a wetting agent. The material may also contain conductive materials which are suitable for the conditions of intended use and may also be enriched in B.sup.11 to avoid the adverse effects of B.sup.10 when subjected to radiation.

Abstract: A system is provided for the relief of excess pressure from the hot leg of a nuclear reactor to the cold leg on the occurrence of a loss of coolant accident. This system includes a conduit connecting the hot leg with the cold leg. The conduit further includes a check valve which is operated on the basis of differential pressure so that during normal operation the valve is closed.

Abstract: A new part length rod is provided which may be used to not only control xenon induced power oscillations but also to contribute to shutdown reactivity when a rapid shutdown of the reactor is required. The part length rod consists of a control rod with three regions. The lower control region is a longer weaker active portion separated from an upper stronger shorter poison section by an intermediate section which is a relative non-absorber of neutrons. The combination of the longer weaker control section with the upper high worth poison section permits the part length rod of this invention to be scrammed into the core, when a reactor shutdown is required but also permits the control rod to be used as a tool to control power distribution in both the axial and radial directions during normal operation.

Abstract: An automatic motion inhibit system for a nuclear power generating system for inhibiting automatic motion of the control elements to reduce reactor power in response to a turbine load reduction. The system generates a final reactor power level setpoint signal which is continuously compared with a reactor power signal. The final reactor power level setpoint is a setpoint within the capacity of the bypass valves to bypass steam which in no event is lower in value than the lower limit of automatic control of the reactor. If the final reactor power level setpoint is greater than the reactor power, an inhibit signal is generated to inhibit automatic control of the reactor.

Abstract: An improved core servicing apparatus for a nuclear reactor having a vessel, a head for the vessel, one or more penetration openings in the head and a core within the vessel of the type having an array of fuel assemblies and including apertures in the array for neutron absorbers. The servicing apparatus includes a support column adapted to be supported by and depend from the head in registry with a penetration opening; a plurality of core servicing elements which may include neutron absorber actuating means and/or instrument packages are supported by the support column; and means are provided for laterally displacing at least some of the servicing elements relative to the support column between a laterally compact and a laterally expanded configuration.In one embodiment, instruments may be located at the lower end of long resilient cables and are longitudinally movable within and beyond guide channels supported by the support column.

Abstract: An apparatus for the safe storage of a plurality of fissionable masses including an array of discrete neutron absorbing shields which utilizes the principle of the neutron trap to reduce the multipication factor of the storage array to a subcritical value when immersed in a neutron moderating medium. Each discrete neutron absorbing shield is designed to perimetrically encircle each of the stored fissionable masses. Each shield is spaced such that the encircled fissionable mass is spaced from the next adjacent neutron absorbing shield by a distance determined by the enrichment of the fissionable masses and attenuation of the moderating medium.

Abstract: A flow monitoring system which utilizes the decay of a measurable parameter of the flowing fluid by measuring the magnitude of the parameter at two spaced points along the flow of the fluid. Accurate measurements are enabled by the elimination of detector identity and calibration problems by repeatedly translating one detector between first and second positions external to the fluid conduit along the flow path of said fluid. This translation is preferably accomplished by a pendulum device with the detector positioned at the end of the pendulum.

Abstract: A shock buffer is provided for the gradual deceleration of a rapidly descending control element assembly in a nuclear reactor. The interactive buffer components are associated respectively with the movable control element assembly and part of the upper guide structure independent of and spaced from the fuel assemblies of the reactor.Preferably, the buffer is of the piston and cylinder type, with a piston extending upward from a tube sheet of the upper guide structure and a cylinder opening downward and carried by the control element assembly near its upper end. The cylinder descends about the buffer piston near the lower extent of control element assembly travel. Liquid naturally occupying the buffer cylinder, as the reactor coolant at the ambient pressure within the reactor, provides hydraulic decelerating forces on the control element assembly when relative insertion of the piston in the cylinder occurs.