Patents Assigned to Combustion Engineering
  • Patent number: 4158552
    Abstract: An entrained flow coal gasifier wherein a high temperature product gas stream is essentially formed by burning char with air. Additional char, formed by partial gasification of coal, is added immediately thereafter to obtain the gasification reaction. Fresh coal is thereafter supplied in a lower temperature region thereby obtaining the volatile components driven off at a relatively low temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1979
    Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Henry J. Blaskowski, Arun K. Mehta
  • Patent number: 4157506
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing signals produced by a flame detector. A phase-locked loop is used to generate a binary indication of whether the signal from a flame probe is within a predetermined frequency band. A signal indicative of the average analog value of the resulting pulse train is produced and tested to determine whether it is in a range consistent with flame presence. The resultant binary signal is ANDed with a binary determination of whether the average DC value of the probe signal is within a range consistent with flame presence, and if both the DC and the frequency indications imply possible flame presence, then flame presence is indicated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1979
    Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: John D. Spencer
  • Patent number: 4157368
    Abstract: An air-cooled tower for cooling of fluid wherein a vortex is established within a vertically standing cylinder.Air entering through the upper portion of the cylinder is directed tangentially and downwardly, establishing a downwardly flowing vortex which is reversed at the bottom forming a smaller diameter intense upwardly flowing vortex. Additional air is induced through the center of the cylinder at the bottom. Heat exchange between the fluid to be cooled and the air is through indirect heat exchange surface or direct injection of the fluid. Evaporative cooling is accelerated due to the turbulent conditions, and the centrifugal action reduces the water carryover in the airstream exiting from the top of the cylinder. A turbine-fan combination centrally located at the bottom of the cylinder permits supplementing the airflow under low-wind conditions and extracting energy from the induced airflow under high wind conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1979
    Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: John H. Fernandes
  • Patent number: 4151856
    Abstract: A primary element is connected to a control element of a first fluid pressure relay to move the element to positions at which pressure fluid outputs of relatively small volumes will be generated to represent the element positions. The pressure fluid outputs of the first relay are directed to the input of a second relay which generates pressure values for pressure fluid which are proportional to the first relay outputs in, and at, relatively larger volumes of the pressure fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1979
    Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Billy S. Burrus
  • Patent number: 4152394
    Abstract: Water is sprayed through a gas stream before it flows to an Air Quality Control System scrubber tank to absorb SO.sub.2 and produce a highly acidic liquid stream. The acid stream is mixed with a bleed stream from the AQCS cycle in a tank which will provide the residence time to complete the reaction of chemical in the bleed stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1979
    Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Arun K. Mehta
  • Patent number: 4150631
    Abstract: A tangentially fired pulverized coal furnace in which the means for introducing fuel and air from the corners operate as independent firing systems at low ratings and contribute to the fireball at higher ratings. The coal flow through a nozzle is deflected radially outwardly at low ratings and allowed to continue essentially straight at high ratings. A surrounding secondary air flow is concentrated at the coal stream and may be varied from a swirling action at low ratings to a parallel flow action at high ratings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1979
    Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald J. Frey, Thomas B. Hamilton
  • Patent number: 4150632
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1979
    Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Francis T. Matthews
  • Patent number: 4149558
    Abstract: A non-rising valve stem is provided with a shoulder that, in normal opening and closing of the valve, remains free of a complementary seat formed inside the valve bonnet. Should the valve stem packing in the bonnet begin to leak while the valve is open and under pressure, the bonnet packing gland may be backed out a few turns to effect a seal between the shoulder and seat. Then a disassembly, packing change, reassembly and testing may be effected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 17, 1979
    Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: John K. McGee, Floyd J. Lane
  • Patent number: 4149060
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1979
    Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: John J. Barger
  • Patent number: 4149139
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1979
    Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard E. Kronk
  • Patent number: 4147755
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1979
    Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Madanamohana R. Gogineni, Philip C. Rader, Wilfred R. Roczniak
  • Patent number: 4147325
    Abstract: A hydraulic control assembly especially suited for operation of a fail-safe valve. An integral structure is provided having a pair of check valves disposed in passageways extending from one chamber of a piston operator to a hydraulic reservoir and the other chamber of the piston reservoir, and in a fluid line extending from a high pressure source. In a fail-safe valve, cavity pressure normally acts on the valve stem and provides the force which moves the valve to its close position. A spring is disposed in the second chamber of the piston operator and, in conjunction with any force resulting from internal cavity pressure on the valve stem, aids in closing the valve. The second chamber is equal or greater in volume than the first chamber so that all of the hydraulic fluid displaced from the first chamber during valve closing can flow into the second chamber. In this way, the hydraulic power needed to pump hydraulic fluid back to the reservoir is not effected by installed hydraulic system variations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1979
    Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: John K. McGee
  • Patent number: 4144477
    Abstract: A supply and switching system for incandescent indicator lights is disclosed. A solid-state AC switch is used in conjunction with a current-limiting-transformer supply. The use of the current-limiting transformer protects the solid-state switch from the large current transients that are sometimes caused by failures in incandescent bulbs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1979
    Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Favre E. Eaton
  • Patent number: 4140007
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1979
    Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven C. Bosland, William H. Kingston
  • Patent number: 4139414
    Abstract: An apparatus for holding, releasing, and resetting a multiplicity of neutron absorbing balls within a safety assembly of a liquid metal nuclear reactor comprising vertically hinged trap doors resting on the shoulders of a generally cylindrical release valve, the actuation of which disengages the doors, permitting the poison balls above the doors to drop into the core. In the reset mode of operation a platform is raised, lifting the balls from the bottom of the core and swinging the trap doors upward until the balls are above the door hinges. The release valve is reset and the platform is lowered to reset the doors against the valve shoulders. In the disclosed embodiment, the valve is operated by a self-actuated, temperature responsive scram mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1977
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1979
    Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas Giuggio, Richard C. Noyes
  • Patent number: 4138091
    Abstract: A gate valve gate is raised and lowered by a threaded stem. The stem threads into a separately formed nut that is secured to the gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1977
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1979
    Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: John K. McGee
  • Patent number: 4135972
    Abstract: A fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor wherein the fuel element receiving and supporting grid is comprised of a first metal, the guide tubes which pass through the grid assembly are comprised of a second metal and the grid is supported on the guide tubes by means of expanded sleeves located intermediate the grid and guide tubes. The fuel assembly is fabricated by inserting the sleeves, of initial outer diameter commensurate with the guide tube outer diameters, through the holes in the grid assembly provided for the guide tubes and thereafter expanding the sleeves radially outwardly along their entire length such that the guide tubes can subsequently be passed through the sleeves. The step of radial expansion, as a result of windows provided in the sleeves having dimensions commensurate with the geometry of the grid, mechanically captures the grid and simultaneously preloads the sleeve against the grid whereby relative motion between the grid and guide tube will be precluded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1979
    Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew J. Anthony, Malcolm D. Groves
  • Patent number: 4135971
    Abstract: A fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor has a pressure plate attached to the upper or lower end thereof. The side of the pressure plate adjacent the fuel elements is exposed to the ambient pressure of the reactor coolant. The alternate side of the pressure plate is exposed to a pressure from another location in the reactor, selected so that the pressure above the pressure plate is greater than that below the pressure plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1979
    Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: John N. Calvin
  • Patent number: 4134790
    Abstract: A lock down device for restraining a nuclear fuel assembly against hydraulic flow forces having cantilever leaf springs on the fuel assembly lower end fitting which lock into recesses in the fuel alignment pins located on the core support plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1979
    Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Bevilacqua, Malcolm D. Groves
  • Patent number: 4133635
    Abstract: A system for drying and preheating small metallic particles such as chips, turnings, borings and the like to remove volatiles therefrom which includes a dryer working in conjunction with a briquetting press. The dryer includes a drying and preliminary combustion chamber including a revolving drum therein through which the chips pass. The drying and preliminary combustion is heated and is atmospherically sealed and operated with a reducing atmosphere. The volatiles driven from the metallic particles are passed to a combustion completion chamber which is maintained at a temperature sufficient to burn the combustibles and into which air is injected to complete the combustion. The hot metallic particles are thermally insulated and sealed from the atmosphere while being conveyed from the drying and preliminary combustion chamber to the briquetting press where they are compressed into briquettes for subsequent introduction into induction furnaces and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1979
    Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: John R. Fellnor, William J. Love, Jr.