Patents Assigned to Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group Inc.
  • Patent number: 8328907
    Abstract: A system includes a resonant frequency modeler for determining a resonant frequency of a node on a collecting plate that collects particles from a gas flow; and a wave generating device that applies a wave having an applied frequency substantially equal to the resonant frequency to the node of the collecting plate to remove particles from the collecting plate. An electrostatic precipitator (ESP) including the system and related method are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert W. Taylor
  • Patent number: 8317390
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for mixing gas streams of different temperatures and/or compositions contemplates that at least one of the streams contains particle. The apparatus includes a main duct for the first gas stream and a plurality of duct assemblies extending in the main duct generally transversely to the first gas stream. Each assembly has plural inlets and outlets for receiving and discharging separate parts of the second gas stream, moving initially generally transverse to the first stream. The assemblies each have plural secondary ducts of mutually different lengths from inlet to outlet, the outlets being spaced from each other across the main duct for distributing the parts of the second gas stream into the first gas stream. A gas flow deflector is connected to each duct assembly for temporarily deflecting the first gas stream before it is combined with the parts of the second gas stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Melvin J. Albrecht
  • Patent number: 8303919
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of emission control equipment for boilers, heaters, kilns, or other flue gas-, or combustion gas-, generating devices (e.g., those located at power plants, processing plants, etc.) and, in particular to a new and useful method and apparatus for preventing the poisoning and/or contamination of an SCR catalyst. In another embodiment, the method and apparatus of the present invention is designed to protect an SCR catalyst, while simultaneously providing emission control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Mandar R. Gadgil, S. Behrooz Ghorishi, Bryan J. Jankura
  • Patent number: 8286595
    Abstract: An integrated water coil air heater and economizer arrangement for a boiler has a feedwater inlet for supplying feedwater to the boiler, and conduits and a valve for splitting the feedwater from the inlet into a first partial lower temperature, lower mass flow stream, and a second partial higher temperature, higher flow stream. A water coil air heater for passage of air to be heated for the boiler contains at least one heat transfer loop in heat transfer relationship with the air, the heat transfer loop of the water coil air heater being connected to receive the first partial stream. An economizer for passage of flue gas to be cooled for the boiler contains at least one heat transfer loop in heat transfer relationship with the flue gas, the heat transfer loop of the economizer being connected to the heat transfer loop of the water coil air heater for receiving the first partial stream from the water coil air heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian J. Cerney, William R. Stirgwolt, Melvin J. Albrecht, Kevin R. Thomas, George B. Brechun, John E. Monacelli
  • Patent number: 8056229
    Abstract: A method and apparatus particularly suited to the manufacture and assembly of cage-like, substantially cylindrical structures made of long, slender tubular components which, by themselves, are not self-supporting, employs an exo-skeleton structure to assemble cage-like, tubular structures in pie-shaped, longitudinal segments while in a horizontal or vertical position utilizing longitudinal or circumferential attachments. The apparatus comprises at least two segments which permit construction of subassemblies of the cage-like, tubular structure and their transportation, if necessary, to a remote site where they may be finally assembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignees: Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc., Babcock & Wilcox Canada Ltd.
    Inventors: Rickey A. Wilson, Ross G. Robinson, David K. Meisenhelter, James L. Barkan, Harry E. Hillegass
  • Patent number: 8047162
    Abstract: A system and method for quickly cooling and de-pressurizing a boiler arrangement in the event of a plant power loss, a.k.a. a black plant condition. A steam discharge system injects steam from the steam/water circuit into the furnace, thereby both cooling components of the boiler arrangement and reducing pressure in the steam/water circuit. This reduces or eliminates the additional cost associated with providing extra capacity in a steam drum and/or an independently powered boiler water pump. The system and method is particularly useful for quickly cooling the U-beams of a circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boiler during a black plant condition. In application to boiler arrangements with a selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR) system employing steam as a carrier for a NOx reducing agent, the steam discharge system advantageously uses the discharge nozzles of the SNCR system to inject the steam into the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Mikhail Maryamchik, Michael J. Szmania, David J. Walker, Donald L. Wietzke
  • Patent number: 8048818
    Abstract: An in-situ method for regenerating a deactivated catalyst removes a calcium sulfate layer masking active catalyst sites. A reducing agent converts the calcium sulfate to calcium oxide, which is then removed, by reintrainment into the flue gas steam using soot blowers or sonic horns. The method is particularly useful for regenerating selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalysts used to remove nitrogen oxides from flue gas produced by combustion of coal from the Powder River Basin. The method can be practiced using existing SCR system hardware, and without removing the SCR system from service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc.
    Inventors: S. Behrooz Ghorishi, Stanley J. Vecci, Lawrence E. McDonald, Donald P. Tonn
  • Patent number: 8042497
    Abstract: A method and apparatus effectively bypasses flue gas through or around selected boiler convection heat transfer tube banks within a new or existing boiler flue. Heat transfer tubes are removed, or omitted in the design of a new boiler flue, forming one or more voids at one or more locations within the tube banks. A bypass flue or conduit is formed within each void, for example using steel plates, along with existing flue walls, or using an integral sleeve. A wall of the bypass flue may include water or steam-cooled tubes. Dampers may be installed at either end of or within the bypass flue to control the amount of flue gas directed through each bypass flue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric M. Warren, Kevin A. Larson, Thomas A. Laursen, Christopher J. Thompson, Shan A. Shanmugavel
  • Patent number: 8020457
    Abstract: An apparatus for use in a sample monitoring system is provided and includes a first enclosure configured to enclose a probe body into which the sample is drawn, a sensor coupled to the probe body and configured to sense a chemical composition of the sample and at least one first heater configured to heat an interior of the first enclosure, a second enclosure configured to enclose a pump coupled to the probe body and configured to draw the sample therein and a second heater configured to heat the pump, and a third enclosure configured to enclose a pump motor configured to control an operation of the pump and to support heating controlling units configured to control the at least one first heater and the second heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Wayne Holt, William Howard Eberhardt
  • Patent number: 8007566
    Abstract: An electrostatic precipitator including: a collecting electrode in a gas passage; a discharge electrode in the gas passage and separated by a gap from the collecting electrode; a power supply applying a voltage to the discharge electrode, wherein the voltage establishes an electric field between the discharge electrode and the collecting electrode to ionize gas flow in the gap, and a resistor in series with the discharge electrode and having an effective resistance in series with the discharge electrode of at least 50 Ohms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Younsi Abdelkrim, Zhou Yingneng, David Johnston, Robert W. Taylor
  • Patent number: 8001788
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for preparing pulverized coal used in the production of synthesis gas combusted in gas turbines used in integrated gasification combined cycle power plants uses gas turbine exhaust gas to dry and convey pulverized coal from a pulverizer to a coal/gas separation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc.
    Inventors: William N. Martin, Todd M. Sommer
  • Patent number: 8000102
    Abstract: A unitary-enclosure housing apparatus and arrangement for protecting and cooling the high voltage electronic conditioning and filtering circuitry components used for providing a high-voltage waveform to an electrostatic precipitator device includes a hermetically sealed dielectric liquid coolant filled tank/housing having one or more side-mounted hollow-panel type radiator structures for dissipating heat from the coolant. The disclosed unitary-enclosure housing apparatus and the particular arrangement of the internal electronic components results in a relatively external small footprint while containing both the transformer-rectifier (TR) set and high-voltage resistor-capacitor (R-C) filter components associated with a high-voltage electrostatic precipitator device in a single unitary package. The housing apparatus is outfitted with a removable top cover plate and access panel for providing easy access to the TR set and R-C filter components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc.
    Inventors: David Fulton Johnston, Terry Lewis Farmer, Easel Roberts, Dan Steinhaur
  • Patent number: 7993615
    Abstract: A method and system for dehumidifying flue gas from a flue gas generating. Water is supplied from a cooling tower to a heat exchanger in the liquid in the lower end of a wet flue gas processor for cooling the liquid in the lower end of the wet flue gas processor to condense water from the flue gas into the liquid in the wet flue gas processor. Returning water from the heat exchanger to the cooling tower cools the water and the liquid with the condensed water is supplied from the wet flue gas processor to the cooling tower as make-up water for the cooling tower to reduce or eliminate the need for fresh make-up water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis K. McDonald, Douglas J. Devault, Vladimir Vaysman
  • Publication number: 20110005388
    Abstract: An electrostatic precipitator including: a collecting electrode in a gas passage; a discharge electrode in the gas passage and separated by a gap from the collecting electrode; a power supply applying a voltage to the discharge electrode, wherein the voltage establishes an electric field between the discharge electrode and the collecting electrode to ionize gas flow in the gap, and a resistor in series with the discharge electrode and having an effective resistance in series with the discharge electrode of at least 50 Ohms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Younsi Abdelkrim, Zhou Yingneng, David Johnston, Robert W. Taylor
  • Patent number: 7776293
    Abstract: An apparatus for low-temperature NOx-reduction is disclosed, which is useful in boiler installations used at electric-generating plants. The apparatus employs one or a plurality of moving-bed reactors wherein a moving bed of common base-metal catalyst is used for selective catalytic reduction of NOx present in flue gas. The moving bed permits continuous introduction of fresh or regenerated catalyst, thus obviating the conventional problems of sulfur-poisoning and consequent reduction in catalytic activity with such catalysts. Due to the lower activation energies of such catalysts, an SCR utilizing the moving-bed reactors disclosed herein can be located downstream of the air heater, further improving electric-generating efficiency. Methods for low-temperature NOx reduction are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc.
    Inventors: William Downs, Seyed B. Ghorishi, Ralph T. Bailey, Kevin J. Rogers
  • Patent number: 7730908
    Abstract: A self supporting header has a horizontally extending header pipe of fiberglass reinforced plastic with a horizontal axis and a flange of fiberglass reinforced plastic connected to an outer surface of the header pipe by at least one web and extending along at least part of the horizontal extent of the header pipe. The at least one web extends vertically from at least one of the top and bottom of the header pipe and is connected to the flange. A reinforcing member or material is embedded in at least one of the flange and the at least one web and that has a greater modulus of elasticity than a modulus of elasticity of the fiberglass reinforced plastic of the header pipe reinforces a cross-section of the header for increasing the self supporting strength of the header. The reinforcing member may be made of metal or a carbon composite material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald B. Johnson
  • Patent number: 7721680
    Abstract: A link-type seismic tie is provided between a steel structural support and a buckstay, and includes two horizontally arranged, parallel, and spaced apart link members, which are connected at their ends to large vertical pins. Each of the link members includes two horizontally arranged and parallel longitudinal outboard stringers and a horizontally arranged and parallel longitudinal center stringer centered between the two outboard stringers. Each link member further includes finger plates standing upright and spaced apart from each other relatively perpendicular to the longitudinal stringers. The finger plates are held between each of the outboard stringers and the longitudinal center stringer. A gusset plate connects the outboard stringers to a pin plate, which is connected to a large pin at the buckstay. The other end of the link members is connected to a large pin at the steel structural support via the ends of the outboard stringers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward F. Radke
  • Patent number: 7707782
    Abstract: An assembly and method for facilitating the attachment of a metal alloy hood to the concrete shell of a spray absorber tower, and compensating for relative radial thermal expansion of the hood and the shell during start up, shut down, and operation of the spray absorber tower, while also providing accurate and effective distribution of shear forces circumferentially along a horizontal plane from the metal alloy hood to anchor rods partially embedded in the concrete shell of the spray absorber tower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: The Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Dureiko, David Peterson, Gary W. Diefendorff, Bruce P. Guilliams
  • Patent number: 7637233
    Abstract: A control system for maintaining a desired heat exchanger outlet flue gas temperature across a range of boiler loads. The heat exchanger includes a plurality of tubular configurations in heat exchange contact with the flue gas with each tubular configuration having a separate feedwater inlet. Flue gas temperature control is achieved by modulating the feedwater flow rates through the tubular configurations. In a system having two tubular configurations, the overall heat transfer capacity of the heat exchanger may be reduced to maintain the desired heat exchanger outlet flue gas temperature by reducing feedwater flow through one tubular configuration and overflowing the other, while maintaining the total flow of feedwater through the heat exchanger substantially constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Melvin John Albrecht, James S. Bloss, Stephen V. Frascello, Monte J. McGregor
  • Patent number: 7637699
    Abstract: A conical cyclone separator for separating steam from water in a steam/water mixture supplied to a steam drum of a boiler. A widened tangential inlet extends the axial length of the conical portion of the separator, increasing the width of the inlet while causing no derogation in steaming capacity and substantially lowering pressure drop. The inlet design of this separator is compatible with smaller diameter steam drums unable to currently utilize conventional separators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Melvin J. Albrecht