Abstract: A magnetohydrodynamic generator (30) is fired with a clean, medium BTU combustible gas produced in an oxygen atmosphere. The combustible gas is generated in an oxygen blown coal gasifier (10) and cleaned of sulfur compounds, nitrogen compounds, and particulate matter before being delivered to the burner (32) of the MHD generator (30). An air separation plant (70) is provided to supply oxygen to both the MHD burner (32) and the coal gasifier (10). Nitrogen from the air separation plant (70) is preheated and utilized to dry the coal supplied to the gasifier (10). A vapor generator (40) is disposed downstream of the MHD generator (30) to receive and cool the hot gases exiting therefrom thereby generating steam.

Abstract: A downflow coal gasifier, supplied lime/limestone with the coal, removes sulfur and obviates the production of particulate matter in generating a clean, low BTU gas for the combustor of an MHD channel. Air for both the combustor of the MHD channel and the gasifier is heated by the discharged fluids from the channel.

Abstract: A method of operating an entrained flow coal gasifier (10) via a two-stage gasification process. A portion of the coal (18) to be gasified is combusted in a combustion zone (30) with near stoichiometric air to generate combustion products. The combustion products are conveyed from the combustion zone into a reduction zone (32) wherein additional coal is injected into the combustion products to react with the combustion products to form a combustible gas. The additional coal is injected into the reduction zone as a mixture (60) consisting of coal and steam, preferably with a coal-to-steam weight ratio of approximately ten to one.

Abstract: For sealing between two metal parts, e.g. a bonnet and a pipe string when one is coaxially received in a recess of the other, the sealing annulus includes a body of elastomeric material in communication with a reservoir of such material. This reservoir is provided with a structure for pressurizing the elastomeric material for receiving excess of such material from the sealing annulus and for supplying such material to the sealing annulus to prevent a deficiency.

Abstract: An apparatus for cooling molten material resulting from a nuclear reactor core meltdown is disclosed. The apparatus includes a basin positioned under the reactor which is protected against excessive heat by a star-like array of heat pipes whose evaporator sections are disposed above the pan and whose condenser sections are disposed in a heat sink exterior to the containment building of the reactor. Additionally, the vertical walls of the reactor vessel chamber are similarly protected by an array of heat pipes similarly arranged and provided to intercept the radient energy of the molten core material.

Abstract: A box insert for receiving nuclear fuel is formed from a plurality of vertically extending plates arranged as an open-ended polygonal container having a smaller cross-sectional area than the opening where the box is to be located in the fuel storage rack. Each plate has a flat portion forming a respective side of the container and an integral tab portion rigidly projecting outwardly from the longitudinal edge of the plate. The adjacent tabs of each plate are connected, thereby giving the container rigidity and providing the container with a plurality of outwardly projecting ribs. When the boxes are located in the rack, the ribs fit into the corners of openings and maintain the container in proper spaced relation relative to the side walls of the opening.

Abstract: A bottom supported steam generator for burning solid fuel with a vertical tube bank connecting an upper steam drum with a lower water drum. Horizontal economizer tubes are interspersed between the vertical tubes of the steam generating bank.

Abstract: The method of effecting an evacuated space above a quantity of vaporizable fluid contained in a conventional heat pipe. A quantity of vaporizable fluid 10 is admitted into the heat pipe 12 through an inlet assembly to displace residual air in the heat pipe for exhaust through vent 24. When the heat pipe is full of fluid, the inlet assembly including valve 16 and fitting 24 is removed and coupling 26 plugged. Pump 26 having a suction connection to the heat pipe is actuated, and fluid is withdrawn from the heat pipe through check valve 18 leaving an evacuated space to form above a predetermined quantity of vaporizable fluid. A cylindrical standpipe 38 above check valve 18 precludes the evacuation of vaporizable fluid from said heat pipe lower than the upper rim of said standpipe.

Abstract: Voltage pulses, whose frequency represents the flow rate of a stream of oil well production fluids, generate a train of clock pulses. Each train of clocked pulses is characterized into a non-linear analog ramp and compared with a matching non-linear analog signal representative of the percentage of water in the oil/water mixture of production fluids. The comparison controls a gate to distribute each train of clocked pulses between two digital indicators.

Abstract: A method for recovering ammonia from spent ammonia-base sulfite pulping liquor includes steam stripping spent ammonia and condensing the resulting vapor to produce a dilute ammonia or ammonium hydroxide solution. This dilute solution is passed through a cation exchange column to produce an ammonium sulfite-ammonium bisulfite solution which is delivered to a sulfur dioxide absorption tower to thereby produce a concentrated ammonia-base sulfite cooking liquor. The residual liquor from the stripping step and the non-condensable gases are burned as fuel and the waste gases from this burning, which contain a small percentage of sulfur dioxide, are delivered to the absorption tower and subsequently discharged to the atmosphere free of sulfur dioxide and ammonia.

Abstract: A fluidized bed for the combustion of coal, with limestone, is replenished with crushed coal from a system discharging the coal laterally from a station below the surface level of the bed. A compartment, or feed box, is mounted at one side of the bed and its interior separated from the bed by a weir plate beneath which the coal flows laterally into the bed while bed material is received into the compartment above the plate to maintain a predetermined minimum level of material in the compartment.

Abstract: A heat treating process for homogenizing high nickel alloy material so that the carbon is stabilized in the form of carbides having chromium-sufficient "envelopes". A heavily coldworked intermediate sized tube is annealed by a continuous conveyor furnace for about 20 minutes at a temperature of about 1350.degree. F. The stabilized product is then cold worked to final size and annealed at a temperature about 1485.degree. F., without the occurrence of sensitization and the associated susceptibility to corrosion attack. The final product has extremely fine grain size and the carbides are distributed throughout the grains. The method is also suitable for use on other austenitic alloys.

Abstract: A fossil fuel is burned substoichiometrically in the combustor (10) of a MHD power plant to produce a high temperature, fuel-rich product gas (7). The product gas is passed through a MHD channel (12) to generate electricity. A reducing agent (9), preferably natural gas or hydrocarbon, is injected into the fuel-rich product gas (7) leaving the MHD generator (14); and the resulting mixture is held at a temperature in the range of 950.degree. C. to 1500.degree. C. for about 1 second to permit the reducing agent to decompose a portion of the nitrogen oxides formed in the combustor. The fuel-rich product gas (11) then passes thru an afterburner (18) wherein combustion is completed and any excess reducing agent is consumed.

Abstract: A reconstitutable nuclear fuel assembly is improved by the placement of a wear sleeve within the control rod guide tube and below the removable guide tube post. The improvement comprises the guide tube having an internal ledge at its upper end from which a flanged, thin-walled metal cylindrical sleeve is suspended. The cylinder is expanded into firm contact with the inner wall of the guide tube over substantially the entire length of the cylinder. The friction fit provided by the firm contact prevents the sleeve from being pushed upward by the flow of coolant through the tube, while the flange and ledge prevent any downward movement of the sleeve in the tube. The flange on the ledge is located in spaced vertical alignment with the lowermost internal portion of the post. Thus, as the sleeve thermally expands it moves upward into the space.

Abstract: A soot blower assembly (10) for use in combination with a coal gasifier (14). The soot blower assembly is adapted for use in the hot combustible product gas generated in the gasifier as the blowing medium. The soot blower lance (20) and the drive means (30) by which it is moved into and out of the gasifier is housed in a gas tight enclosure (40) which completely surrounds the combination. The interior of the enclosure (40) is pressurized by an inert gas to a pressure level higher than that present in the gasifier so that any combustible product gas leaking from the soot blower lance (20) is forced into the gasifier rather than accumulating within the enclosure.

Abstract: A method for rapidly changing the amount of pulverized coal supplied to a coal-fired furnace (10) equipped with a coal pulverizer (20) from a first steady-state level to a second steady-state level in response to a change in operating load demand. The amount of pulverized coal supplied to the furnace is instantaneously increased by providing pulverized coal to the furnace from a source (42) independent of the pulverizer or instantaneously decreased by diverting away from the furnace a portion of the pulverized coal being supplied by the pulverizer.

Abstract: A heat exchanger is mounted in the upper portion of a fluidized combusting bed for the control of the temperature of the bed. A support, made up of tubes, is extended from the perforated plate of the fluidized bed up to the heat exchanger. The tubular support framework for the heat exchanger has liquid circulated therethrough to prevent deterioration of the support.

Abstract: A protective control system and method for a nuclear steam supply system for the protection against the violation of safety design limits, the system comprising the combination of two sub-systems. The first sub-system includes a method or system for a continuous calculation of an operating limit which incorporates a margin that allows sufficient time for the initiation and completion of corrective action without the violation of a design limit. The second sub-system includes a method or system for continuously predicting a pending violation of a design limit far enough in advance to allow the initiation and completion of corrective action. The combination of the two systems not only allows operation of the nuclear steam supply system with the assurance of a sufficient margin to take protective action on the occurrence of an accident but also assures that actual protective action is in fact instituted in sufficient time to avoid the violation of a design limit.

Abstract: A method of burning a sulfur-containing fuel in a fluidized bed of sulfur oxide sorbent wherein the overall utilization of sulfur oxide sorbent is increased by comminuting the bed drain solids to a smaller average particle size, preferably on the order of 50 microns, and reinjecting the comminuted bed drain solids into the bed. In comminuting the bed drain solids, particles of spent sulfur sorbent contained therein are fractured thereby exposing unreacted sorbent surface. Upon reinjecting the comminuted bed drain solids into the bed, the newly-exposed unreacted sorbent surface is available for sulfur oxide sorption, thereby increasing overall sorbent utilization.

Abstract: A grinder is supported within a pipe, the support being arranged to adjust the movement of the head of the grinder radially and axially of the pipe axis to bear against internal cracks in the pipe wall.