Abstract: A pipe testing apparatus is described. The apparatus comprises two pipe end holders, respectively to hold a first and a second end of a pipe section under test; a reeling former; a straightening former; and a translator to effect relative translational movement of the pipe and the reeling former and of the pipe and the straightening former to cause the pipe to move selectively into and out of contact with and to apply a contact force against one or other of the reeling former and the straightening former. Each pipe end holder comprises a pipe end connector and an extending arm extending beyond the pipe end connector in a pipe longitudinal direction; and a lateral actuator is provided in association with each extending arm to apply a transverse load to the arm at a point distal from the pipe end connector. A pipe testing method is also described.

Abstract: A pipe support structure is described comprising a support member defining a support surface, and a plurality of pipe support elements; wherein the support surface defines a plurality of grooves each correspondingly sized and shaped to receive a respective one of the pipe support elements, with the pipe support element being sized to project beyond its groove when so received. The pipe support elements may then be fabricated from a material selected for instance for low friction, corrosion resistance or the like. A pipeline system, a method for supporting a pipe, and a method for deploying a pipeline system are also described embodying the same general principles.

Abstract: A burner includes a burner inlet and outlet. The burner also includes a primary conduit defining a flow channel extending along a burner axis for conveying a mixture of fuel and gas and a secondary conduit defining a flow channel disposed about the primary conduit for conveying gas. The primary conduit defines a flow channel extending to a primary conduit outlet within the burner substantially upstream of the burner outlet, whereby the secondary conduit downstream of the primary outlet defines a common conduit for flow from the primary and secondary conduits. A swirl generation device imparts a swirl to the flow of gas from the secondary conduit upstream of the primary conduit outlet. A venturi arrangement is provided in the vicinity of the primary outlet to act on the primary flow stream to impart a flow deviation.

Abstract: A pipe testing system is described comprising at least the following test modules: a pipe reeling and straightening simulation module comprising two pipe end holders, respectively to hold a first and a second end of a pipe section under test; a reeling former; a straightening former; a translator to effect relative translational movement of the pipe section under test and the reeling former and of the pipe and the straightening former to cause the pipe section under test to move selectively into and out of contact with and to apply a contact force against one or other of the reeling former and the straightening former; wherein each pipe end holder comprises a pipe end connector and an extending arm extending beyond the pipe end connector in a pipe longitudinal direction; and wherein a lateral actuator is provided in association with each extending arm to apply a transverse load to the arm at a point distal from the pipe end connector; and one, other or both of an in-service pressure and temperature simulatio

Abstract: A method of operation of a thermal power plant having an air separation system with a plurality of air storage unit (ASU) compressors and a liquid oxygen/liquid air (LOX/LA) storage facility for oxyfuel firing of fossil fuel and a power plant having a control system to perform the same are described. The method is characterized by the step of controlling the net power output of the plant in response to short term variations in grid demanded net plant output by dynamically adjusting the works power of the ASU compressors preferably in conjunction with co-ordinated changes in firing demand. The method is in particular a method to produce an improved primary and secondary response to transient changes in grid demand and to provide accurate response to load dispatch ramps.

Abstract: A pipe testing apparatus is described. The apparatus comprises two pipe end holders, respectively to hold a first and a second end of a pipe section under test; a reeling former; a straightening former; and a translator to effect relative translational movement of the pipe and the reeling former and of the pipe and the straightening former to cause the pipe to move selectively into and out of contact with and to apply a contact force against one or other of the reeling former and the straightening former. Each pipe end holder comprises a pipe end connector and an extending arm extending beyond the pipe end connector in a pipe longitudinal direction; and a lateral actuator is provided in association with each extending arm to apply a transverse load to the arm at a point distal from the pipe end connector. A pipe testing method is also described.

Abstract: A burner outlet set for a downshot firing burner is described comprising a first outlet array having at least one primary outlet, and at least one vent air outlet disposed either side of the primary outlet in an array direction of the first outlet array; second and third outlet arrays each comprising an array of secondary air outlets, respectively disposed either side of the a first outlet array. A burner system with a plurality of such burner outlet sets, a burner arch configured for downshot firing and having one or more such burner sets, and a combustion furnace with one or more such arches are also described.

Abstract: A pipe support structure is described comprising a support member defining a support surface, and a plurality of pipe support elements; wherein the support surface defines a plurality of grooves each correspondingly sized and shaped to receive a respective one of the pipe support elements, with the pipe support element being sized to project beyond its groove when so received. The pipe support elements may then be fabricated from a material selected for instance for low friction, corrosion resistance or the like. A pipeline system, a method for supporting a pipe, and a method for deploying a pipeline system are also described embodying the same general principles.

Abstract: Provided is a steam turbine system including: at least one high pressure turbine, and/or at least one intermediate pressure turbine, and at least one first low pressure turbine, mounted on a first rotary shaft that is coupled to drive at least one first electrical generator; and at least one further low pressure turbine, mounted on a further rotary shaft that is coupled to drive at least one further electrical generator; and the turbine system further including a steam supply system to supply low pressure steam to the low pressure turbines provided with a steam outlet to enable extraction of auxiliary process steam from a location in the steam supply system upstream of the further low pressure turbine but not upstream of the first low pressure turbine.

Abstract: A device for the flameless oxidation of fuel includes a flameless oxidation burner, a first conduit to convey a fluid fuel phase to a first outlet and a direct primary jet including the fluid fuel phase outwardly therefrom. A second conduit is provided to convey a jacketing gas to a second outlet. The second conduit is disposed surrounding the first conduit so as to direct a jacketing jet of the jacketing gas outwardly therefrom surrounding the primary jet.

Abstract: A steam generator (2) is described in which a combustion chamber has at least one combustion chamber wall formed by a plurality of longitudinal furnace tubes (10) for passage of an evaporatable flow medium, connected together in gas-tight manner by tube webs. As will be familiar different tubes are likely to be subjected to a heat input in use that varies when the combustion chamber is fired. The tube bores of the furnace tubes are larger where subject to higher heat input than where subject to lower heat input. In particular the tube bores of the furnace tubes are generally larger in the middle region of the combustion chamber wall than at the transversely peripheral regions of the combustion chamber wall.

Abstract: A column structure is described for the containment of high surface area packing and absorbent liquid reagent for the removal of a target gas from a gas stream. The column structure comprises at least one vessel having an elongate upright wall structure to define an absorption process volume for the containment of high surface area packing and for the countercurrent flow of absorbent liquid reagent and target gas in use; and a column perimeter structure comprising an elongate upright wall structure disposed around the at least one vessel in such manner that an inner wall of the elongate upright wall structure and an outer wall of a vessel cooperably define and fluidly enclose at least one secondary fluid volume fluidly isolated from the absorption process volume(s). A method of assembly of such a column and to a method of removal of a target gas from a gas phase using such a column are also described.

Abstract: A flow control device for partitioning a fluid flow from a common supply stream into at least two delivery streams by means of a common reciprocating damper such as a cylindrical sleeve damper. A combustion device using such a flow control device to partition a gas supply thereto and a combustion apparatus such as a boiler incorporating such combustion devices are also described.

Abstract: A column structure is described for the containment of high surface area packing and absorbent liquid reagent for the removal of a target gas from a gas stream. The column structure comprises a plurality of vessel column modules each having an elongate upright wall structure, each column module comprises a plurality of vertically disposed sub-modules, the modules being disposed together alongside one another in two dimensional array to constitute collectively the column structure. A column top support structure is located in the vicinity of the upper part of a column structure so assembled and each column module is mechanically supported from the column top support structure. A method of assembly of such a column and to a method of removal of a target gas from a gas phase using such a column are also described.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing of a source gas and for removal of a target gas therefrom. The apparatus has an absorption system having a first containment structure defining a first process volume for containment of a gas phase and an absorbent liquid phase and a regeneration system fluidly downstream of the absorption system having a second containment structure defining a second process volume for containment of a gas phase and an absorbent liquid phase including a heating means to heat the liquid phase. An ultrasound transducer system is provided in association with one or both of the first or second containment structure to apply in use ultrasonic vibration to a part of the said first and/or second containment structure and thus to apply in use ultrasonic vibration to the contents of a part of the first and/or second process volume as the case may be.

Abstract: A burner includes a burner inlet and outlet. The burner also includes a primary conduit defining a flow channel extending along a burner axis for conveying a mixture of fuel and gas and a secondary conduit defining a flow channel disposed about the primary conduit for conveying gas. The primary conduit defines a flow channel extending to a primary conduit outlet within the burner substantially upstream of the burner outlet, whereby the secondary conduit downstream of the primary outlet defines a common conduit for flow from the primary and secondary conduits. A swirl generation device imparts a swirl to the flow of gas from the secondary conduit upstream of the primary conduit outlet. A venturi arrangement is provided in the vicinity of the primary outlet to act on the primary flow stream to impart a flow deviation.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for fuel preparation for example by milling and drying to produce a pulverous fuel supply are described. The apparatus includes a fuel preparation unit adapted to receive a mixture of fuel and a gas and to prepare the fuel for combustion in a pulverous state; an output conduit defining an output flow path for a mixture of pulverous fuel and gas from the fuel preparation unit; a phase separator disposed to receive the mixture from the output conduit and to separate the mixture into a gas phase comprising at least a major part of the gas from the mixture and a fuel phase comprising the pulverous fuel; a gas phase conduit defining a flow path for the gas phase from the separator; a heat exchanger preferably being a process fluid heat exchanger such as a feed water heat recovery heat exchanger fluidly connected to the gas phase conduit and adapted to receive and dry the gas phase. The method applies the principles embodied in the apparatus.

Abstract: A furnace tube arrangement for a steam generator is provided. A plurality of furnace tubes disposed longitudinally form a generally planar wall structure into which burner throats are let at least two longitudinally spaced levels in familiar manner. Burner throats at the respective levels are so disposed that a vertical mid-line of each throat at a first level is laterally offset from a vertical mid line of a corresponding throat at a second level.

Abstract: A column structure (1) for the containment of high surface area packing (5) and absorbent liquid reagent for the removal of a target gas from a gas stream having an elongate upright wall structure defining a perimeter comprising a closed simple polygon or closed simple curve; a support structure extending inwardly from the perimeter of the column towards the top thereof; and slung tensile members (16) attached to the wall structure of the top support structure and extending downwardly to support at least internal column structure within the walls of the column.

Abstract: Provided is a steam turbine system including: at least one high pressure turbine, and/or at least one intermediate pressure turbine, and at least one first low pressure turbine, mounted on a first rotary shaft that is coupled to drive at least one first electrical generator; and at least one further low pressure turbine, mounted on a further rotary shaft that is coupled to drive at least one further electrical generator; and the turbine system further including a steam supply system to supply low pressure steam to the low pressure turbines provided with a steam outlet to enable extraction of auxiliary process steam from a location in the steam supply system upstream of the further low pressure turbine but not upstream of the first low pressure turbine.