Abstract: A CEDM data acquisition system (40) receives analog coil-current signals from control element drive mechanism coils (18, 20); conditions the analog signals to remove noise induced therein by the electronic circuitry (44) associated with the control element drive mechanisms; digitizes the conditioned analog signals; displays the acquired test data; and records the data for future use. The inventive data acquisition system preferably has the ability to simultaneously measure, display and record coil-current data for all of the five coils associated with each CEDM rod-group with respect to time. Further, the inventive data acquisition system preferably allows the user to monitor, display and record data for up to eight CEDMs simultaneously. It also allows the measurement of rod-drop times during rod-drop testing of the CEDMs.

Abstract: The operator of a nuclear steam supply system manually selects a lineup of either one, two, or three main feedwater pumps for normal reactor operation to generate power. This selection sets or resets a status latch for each pump, representative of intended pump operation.

Abstract: Apparatus for cooling ash exiting from circulating fluidized bed equipment includes an enclosure having a floor, a plurality of walls disposed around the floor and a ceiling. The enclosure also has an inlet and an outlet. The outlet is disposed in one of the walls near to the floor and the apparatus also includes tubing disposed within the enclosure for heat exchange relationship with ash entering the inlet of the ash cooler. In some forms of the invention the floor is planar and is disposed in oblique relationship to a horizontal plane. The outlet may be disposed proximate to the floor at the lowest elevational part thereof. The enclosure may be generally rectangular and may have first and second opposed sides and opposed third and fourth sides. The first and second sides are longer than the third and fourth sides. In some cases the ratio of the length of each of the first and second sides to the length of the third and fourth sides is two or three to one.

Abstract: A heat recovery steam generator has a housing defining a horizontally oriented exhaust gas stream path from a gas turbine. The housing has a diffuser portion and a full cross-section portion containing heat recovery assemblies. The diffuser portion expands the exhaust gas stream from the duct at the gas turbine exhaust to the full cross-section portion. Positioned in the diffuser is a diffuser heat recovery assembly for heat recovery and control of the flow distribution of the exhaust gas flow stream.

Abstract: The pressure pulsations caused by the flow patterns of flue gases entering a flue gas stack from a horizontal duct are eliminated or reduced by the installation of a partition plate in the stack opposite the inlet duct. This negates the adverse interaction of the two vortices in the stack formed by the entering flue gases and allows the vortices to travel independently up the stack.

Abstract: A bowl mill having a separator body, a grinding table and a plurality of grinding rolls for exerting grinding forces on material to be ground is provided with a plenum and a vane assembly for controlling the pressure conditions in the separator body. The vane assembly includes a plurality of vanes which rotate within the plenum to propel air from the plenum into an upper region of the separator body. This arrangement prevents or minimizes the penetration or migration of ground material into a lower region of the separator body of the bowl mill.

Abstract: Apparatus for cooperation with an associated coal burning furnace which includes a Y-shaped distributor body having one inlet and first and second outlets and a splitter disposed in the body for dividing flow between the first and second outlets. The splitter has a generally V-shaped contour and the splitter comprises a base on the housing and a liner assembly mounted on the base. In some forms of the invention the liner assembly has a surface that is harder than the surface of the housing and the housing includes a removable access panel. The access panel may be dimensioned and configured to allow passage of the liner assembly into and out of the housing. The liner assembly may comprise an outer shell having at least some foamed material disposed therein and may include anchoring means disposed in the foamed material.

Abstract: The water flow circuit for a heat recovery steam generator includes both a low pressure circuit and a high pressure circuit. Both circuits are designed for once-through flow and both include evaporators with rifled tubing. A pressure equalizing header may be located between the evaporator and superheater and orifices may be located at the inlet to the evaporator for flow stability.

Abstract: A scraper assembly for use with an associated coal pulverizer or as part of a coal pulverizer having a vertical axis with a central hub that rotates during normal operation of the pulverizer. The scraper assembly includes a bracket dimensioned and configured for attachment to the hub of the coal pulverizer that rotates in the normal operation of the coal pulverizer. The apparatus also includes a shaft extending from the bracket. The shaft is substantially horizontal and the apparatus also includes a scraping element pivotally mounted on the shaft. A torsion spring biases the scraping element with respect to the shaft. In some forms of the invention the scraping element comprises a first and second journals engaging the shaft at axially spaced points and the scraping element further includes first and second arms extending radially away from the shaft that are respectively fixed to the first and second journals.

Abstract: A separated overfire air injection system particularly suited for use in a fossil fuel-fired steam generating power plant and more specifically to a sixpoint separated overfire air tangential firing system employed in such power plants, particularly those embodying dual-chambered furnaces. A method of operating such a fossil fuel-fired steam generating power plant equipped with the sixpoint separated overfire air injection system of the present invention is also disclosed. The separated overfire injection system in accordance with the present invention includes six SOFA windboxes strategically located about the perimeter of the dual-chambered furnace volume so as to be operative to inject separated overfire air into the furnace volume in such a manner as to engage a fireball symmetrically tangential to a circle.

Abstract: An alarm significance mapping method assigns the subset of parameters and their alarms considered to be of a safety-critical nature in an industrial control system and displays that subset on an apex screen display and other selected appropriate displays, such as a touch-responsive display in the form of alarm icons for presentation to the system operators. Each alarm icon on the `apex` display is coupled or concatenated to other displays through a display page hierarchy so that the operator, by selecting a particular alarm icon on the `apex` screen, can follow the alarm `thread` through the multi-level display page hierarchy to the ultimate condition or conditions that cause an alarm on the `apex` screen.

Abstract: A heat recovery steam generator system which includes a plurality of side waterwalls defining an enclosure and a waterwall divider extending within the enclosure to define first and second chambers within the enclosure. The first chamber has an inlet and an outlet; and the second chamber has first and second inlets and an outlet, the first inlet of the second chamber is in fluid communication with the outlet of the first chamber, and a plurality of boiler bank tubes extend through the second chamber. Some forms of the invention have ducting for connecting the exhaust of an associated gas turbine partially to the inlet of the first chamber and partially to the second inlet of the second chamber. A plurality of burners may be disposed at the inlet of the first chamber and the system may also include a forced draft blower for blowing ambient air and ducting coupling the forced draft blower to the inlet of the first chamber.

Abstract: Changes in the value of the control element assembly position signal (26,28) are monitored over a preselected time period, and a determination is made whether these changes conform to a regular, predetermined pattern (S.sub.1), characteristic of normal control element assembly motion. If any change deviates (S.sub.2,S.sub.3) from the pattern by more than a permissible tolerance, a position invalidity signal is generated.

Abstract: A measurement chamber (18) having an upper and a lower region is at substantially the same elevation as a horizontal pipe (12) having a top region and a bottom region. An equalization line (14) fluidly connects the top region of the pipe (12) to the upper region of measurement chamber (18). A sample line (16) fluidly connects the bottom region of pipe (12) to the lower region of the measurement chamber (18). Heat junction thermocouples (22) generate a signal indicative of the level of fluid in the measurement chamber (12) which is equal to the level of fluid in the pipe (12). The signal is transmitted to a remote location by line (24).

Abstract: An image of the object remains in the field of view of the camera, thereby generating a continuously changing image signal. The images are captured and digitized in a continual sequence S of discrete images of the scenes at a respective sequence T of points in time. During this capture sequence, a first plurality of reference signals are established corresponding to a plurality of respective captured images. In this manner, a plurality of reference images are generated on-line, during movement of the object or cameras. A second plurality of detected signals corresponding to a second plurality of captured images, are individually correlated with the respective next previous reference signal of the sequence, thereby establishing a relative position of the object or camera, for each detected signal. The absolute position of the camera or object, is determined by accumulating these relative positions.

Abstract: A method of controlling the operation of the bowl mills in a coal-fired steam generating power plant is disclosed; and in particular a method of controlling the operation of such bowl mills such that the furnace of a steam generating power plant can more rapidly respond to abrupt changes in the demands placed upon the output of the furnace due to abrupt changes in the power requirements of an electric power grid.

Abstract: A cyclone and inlet duct apparatus which includes a cyclone having a cylindrical axial portion. The cylindrical axial portion has a metallic housing and the housing has wall. The apparatus also includes a rectangular inlet duct that has an interface with the cylindrical axial portion of the cyclone. The rectangular inlet duct is disposed in fluid communication with the cylindrical axial portion of the cyclone. One side of the rectangular inlet duct is disposed in generally tangential relationship to the wall of the cylindrical axial portion of the cyclone. A first refractory material stop block extends vertically in the cylindrical axial portion of the cyclone proximate to the wall of the cylindrical axial portion and proximate to the intersection of a first side of the inlet duct and the cylindrical axial portion in substantially parallel relationship to the intersection of the first side of the inlet duct and the cylindrical axial portion.

Abstract: A pair of openings are formed using an EDM technique. A pair of clamps are inserted into the openings and moved toward each other until such time as the inboard edges of the two openings are engaged. A pair of EDM cutters are used to cut a pair of slots which extend from one opening to the other. Upon completion of these slots, the sample, which remains clamped between the two clamps, is withdrawn and lowered back down the conduit to a remote collection point.

Abstract: A buckstay system of an associated furnace having a combustion cavity with a front waterwall, a rear waterwall, and opposed left and right side waterwalls joining the front and rear waterwalls and where the waterwalls are arranged in a generally square pattern about the cavity. The cavity has four corners and each buckstay an attachment module welded to each end, each attachment module includes first and second planar plates. The first and second planar plates are disposed in side abutting relationship to the web of the buckstay and extend beyond the end of the buckstay, each of the first and second plates have coaxial pivot holes disposed in a part thereof that extends beyond the end of the buckstay. The planar plates in the attachment module my be rectangular. Or have a notch or recess for clearance.