Abstract: An arrangement of square fuel assemblies in the first and subsequent cycles of a pressurized water nuclear reactor wherein shimmed feed assemblies and once-burned or equivalent assemblies occupy the same checkerboard component of alternating diagonals in an inner region of the core, and the highest burned or equivalent assemblies occupy the other checkerboard component. The remainder of the core consists of an outer region containing another checkerboard of feed assemblies wherein the feed assemblies occupy less than one-half the assembly locations on the core periphery.

Abstract: A system for treating solid, granular and aggregate material thermally including a storage silo containing a supply of the material to be thermally treated. A combination thermal reclaimer and heat exchanger apparatus is connected in fluid flow relation to the storage silo for receiving material therefrom. The combination thermal reclaimer and heat exchanger apparatus is operative to both effect a preheating of material received thereby and to accomplish a thermal reclamation of the material received thereby as the material completes its passage through the combination thermal reclaimer and heat exchanger apparatus. A feeder device is cooperatively associated with the combination thermal reclaimer and heat exchanger means for receiving thermally reclaimed material therefrom. The feeder device has a transporter pipe cooperatively associated therewith into which thermally reclaimed material is fed. The transporter pipe is operative for transporting the thermally reclaimed material to a material storage device.

Abstract: A process gas is introduced into a treatment chamber (40) through a horizontal spiral gas supply duct (30) having a tangential inlet (31) and opening to a pair of concentric, inner and outer annular gas inlet ducts (12,22) surrounding a liquid spray apparatus (2). Partition means (32) divide the spiral supply duct (30) into independent inner and outer sub-ducts (34,36) which define separate inner and outer flow passages (44,46) connected respectively to the inner and outer annular gas inlet ducts (12,22). Damper means (70) is provided in the inlet to the outer sub-duct (36) to selectively control the flow of process gas (7) therethrough as a means of maintaining the velocity of the flow of process gas (5) through the inner flow passage (44) above a minimum acceptable velocity.

Abstract: A water cooled door (10) for a slagging furnace include a casing (16), an insulating layer (24) and a refractory layer (42). A tube panel (28) is embedded in the furnace side (12) of the refractory and carries studs (50), (52), and (54) on the furnace side of the tubes. Some of the studs (50), (54) of adjacent tubes are internested. Molten slags is solidified and retained by the studs to protect the refractory.

Abstract: A pulverized coal-air stream or auxiliary air stream discharging into a furnace (1) from a delivery pipe (12) is deflected away from the longitudinal axis of the delivery pipe by directing a working fluid stream, preferably air or flue gas, against the coal-air or auxiliary air stream as it approaches the outlet of the delivery pipe so as to impinge thereagainst at an angle of substantially ninety degrees. The resulting angle of deflection of the coal-air or auxiliary air stream away from its longitudinal axis is controlled by varying the momentum of the working fluid stream impinged against it.

Abstract: A gasifier (10) having an associated boiler (26, 32, 42, 48), for converting coal to combustible gas, and also having a desulfurizer (20) downstream of the gasifier. In order to maintain the gas leaving the gasifier and flowing to the desulfurizer above a predetermined temperature, even when operating the unit at reduced loads, a temperature sensing device (56) continuously monitors the gas temperature upstream of the desulfurizer. If the temperature drops below a predetermined value, high temperature boiler water (62) is introduced to the economizer (26) rather than feed water (24), so that less heat is absorbed by the economizer from the gases under these conditions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting disbond in laminar workpieces. Energy is transmitted to a workpiece (8) by repetitive impacts. A transducer (12) converts energy emitted from the workpiece (8) to an electrical signal. The energy emitted in response to each of the repetitive impacts is analyzed. After filtering out the DC component (20) and amplifying the signal (30) the maximum amplitude of the energy from each impact is selected (50) and passed to a sample and hold circuit (60). The piecewise linear output of the sample and hold circuit (60) is passed through a low pass active filter (70) prior to recording on a strip chart recorder. The strip chart record is analyzed to ascertain areas of the workpiece (8) having defective clad bonding (7).

Abstract: A process for preparing a mixed metal oxide, usable as the cathode or intercalation electrode in high energy density primary and secondary batteries, having the formula Li.sub.x M.sub.y O.sub.z where M is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt and nickel, x is a number from about 0.1 to about 1.1, preferably from about 0.9 to about 1.1, y is a total number from about 1.1 to about 0.1, preferably from about 1.1 to about 0.9, respectively, and z is a number from about 1.9 to about 2.1, such as LiCoO.sub.2 or [Li(Co.sub.0.5 Ni.sub.0.5) O.sub.

Abstract: A system (10) particularly suited for reclaiming used foundry sand by means of thermal reclamation. The subject system (10) includes, arranged in cooperatively associated series relation, thermal reclaimer means (14), post reclaimer means (15), primary cooling means (16), separator means (18), classifying and dust removal means (19), scrubber means (20) and secondary cooling means (22). The used sand, which preferably is first fed through a lump-crusher, shake-out apparatus (12), is made to pass through thermal reclaimer means (14) while being heated to a predetermined temperature for a preestablished period of time in order to accomplish the burning away of the organic materials, i.e., matter, which are present in the used sand. From the thermal reclaimer means (14), the used sand passes to and through the post reclaimer means (15) for further reclaiming and then to and through the primary cooling means (16) wherein the heated sand is cooled to a suitable temperature.

Abstract: An integrated method of removing alkali metal compounds from sulfur-bearing coal is disclosed. The coal is comminuted (4) and mixed (10) with water (8) to form a slurry (12). In the preferred embodiment, the slurry (12) is comingled with an SO.sub.2 -bearing gas (16) in a transport pipeline (52) to form an acidic slurry which dissolves the alkali compounds out of the coal. The slurry is then separated (22) into a solid portion (24) and a liquid portion (26), the solid portion (24) being combusted (34) to form the SO.sub.2 -bearing gas (16).

Abstract: Two parallel heat exchange tubes having that part of a support structure between them to be interrogated for defects. A pair of radiation sources are positioned in the one tube to straddle the interrogated support portion, and a radiographic film is positioned in the tube behind the interrogated portion.

Abstract: A system (10) particularly suited for treating solid, granular and aggregate material by means of thermal reclamation. The subject (10) includes, arranged in cooperatively associated series relation, storage hopper means (12), heat exchanger means (14), thermal pipe reclaimer means (16) and cyclone scrubber means (18). The function of the storage hopper means (12) is to store therewithin a suitable supply of grain size material, which is to be treated. At a preestablished rate the material is fed from the storage hopper means (12) to the heat exchanger means (14). While traveling through the heat exchanger means (14) the material is preheated to a first temperature. From the heat exchanger means (14) after undergoing metal separation and crushing of lumps, the material is supplied to the thermal pipe reclaimer means (16) wherein the material is heated to a specified temperature for a predetermined period of time in order to effect the burning away of organic matter which the material embodies.

Abstract: A pressurized water nuclear reactor of the type with vertical control rods passing through the core surrounded by control rod guide tubes. A major portion of the water flow is passed directly to the bottom of the core for upward flow therethrough. A minor portion pressurizes a volume at the top of the vessel and passes downwardly through the control rod guide tubes to join the major portion of flow at the lower end of the core.

Abstract: A non-linear pipe segment, such as an elbow or the like, is disclosed having an inner liner (14) of a wear-resistant material. The outer shell of the segment is in two halves (10, 12) which are coated with a layer of bedding material (16) before being secured around the lines (14) by clamping means (28).

Abstract: A vessel in the form of a vertically-extended cylindrical tank receives oil well production containing a difficult-to-treat component. An elongated path for the production is formed within the tank with which to stratify production fluids. The upper stratum is oil containing some percentage of emulsion, the lower stratum is water containing some percentage of emulsion, and the intermediate stratum is a concentration of the remaining difficult-to-treat emulsion. A subsystem is provided for the liquids of each stratum. The subsystem processing the intermediate stratum extracts surfactant which has been used in facilitating production from the earth, and isopropanol utilized to break the bond of oil with the surfactant and water of the emulsion.

Abstract: An integrated method of removing alkali metal compounds from sulfur-bearing coal is disclosed. The coal is comminuted (4) and mixed (10) with water (8) to form a slurry (12). In the preferred embodiment, the slurry (12) is comingled with an SO.sub.2 -bearing gas (16) in a transport pipeline (52) to form an acidic slurry which dissolves the alkali compounds out of the coal. The slurry is then separated (22) into a solid portion (24) and a liquid portion (26), the solid portion (24) being combusted (34) to form the SO.sub.2 -bearing gas (16).

Abstract: A method for the cold start of a pulverized coal-fired furnace (10) without prior warm-up of the furnace wherein a supply of microfine pulverized coal (64) supplied from a micropulverizer (60) is combusted to generate a hot gas which is passed to a load-carrying mill (20) as the drying media for the coal pulverized therein. Pulverized coal entrained in the hot gas passes from the load-carrying mill to the load-carrying burner (18) of the furnace (10) and is ignited therein to produce a warm-up flame. A portion of the microfine pulverized coal (68) may also be admixed with the pulverized coal from the load carrying mill (20) to enhance the reactivity thereof. An additional portion (66) of the microfine pulverized coal may be used to fire a pilot igniter to ignite the pulverized coal supplied to the load-carrying burners (18) from the load-carrying mill (20).

Abstract: A system for regulating the liquid level (20) in a vapor generator (10), in which the incoming flow of feed liquid (54) is regulated (48) in response to the difference between the measured liquid level (76) and a reference level (80), the difference between the exiting vapor mass flow rate (64) and the incoming liquid mass flow rate (56), and a function of the measured incoming liquid temperature (92). The temperature function produces a gain value (98), which increases in response to decreasing incoming liquid temperature.

Abstract: A solid electrolyte for power cells, especially power cells having a copper anode and a copper sulfide cathode, comprises a solid solution of from about 70 mole percent to about 90 mole percent of copper iodide and from about 30 mole percent to about 10 mole percent, respectively, of zinc iodide.

Abstract: A two part heat recovery unit receives a high temperature gas mixture (2) in the lower, refractory-lined dwell furnace (4) wherein the gas is cooled to condense out liquid inert ash material. The cooled gas mixture exits the dwell furnace (4) vertically upward through a transistion duct (18) which includes a restricted throat (28). Additional ash and potassium seed compounds condensed from the gas mixture in the convective furnace (20) either form a loose flyash which exits the convective furnace (20) with the gas mixture via the backpass (24), or collect on the walls and heat transfer surfaces (22) of the furnace (20) as a liquid which runs downward toward the throat (28) and is there reentrained by the high velocity gas stream.