Abstract: A system controls net thrust of a steam turbine having a stepped rotating shaft. A first leak off line fluidly couples a first stage of a turbine section to a packing near a stepped portion on the rotating shaft. A second leak off line fluidly couples a second stage of the turbine section that has a pressure different from the first stage to a step area immediately adjacent to the stepped portion, and a connection line fluidly couples the first leak off line to the second leak off line. The lines include control valves such that a controller can actively control the net thrust by regulating thrust pressure on the stepped portion using steam from the first and second stages of the turbine section. The controller may also prevent damage to an active retractable seal using the control valves.

Abstract: Disclosed is a combustor including a baffle plate having at least one through baffle hole and at least one fuel nozzle extending through the at least one baffle hole. A plurality of injection holes extend through the at least one fuel nozzle and are configured to meter a flow of diluent into the combustor. Further disclosed is a method for providing diluent to a combustor including providing a plurality of openings located at at least one fuel nozzle extending through a through hole in a baffle plate. The diluent is flowed through the plurality of openings toward at least one airflow opening in the at least one fuel nozzle.

Abstract: The system and method of the present application includes a functional software stack including a type 1 hypervisor running on a single hardware platform. One embodiment of the hardware platform includes a processor and storage media, as well as network and video hardware. The hypervisor includes a network driver and a display driver, and executes directly on the hardware and abstracts the hardware from any guest operating systems (OS). To the OS, the hypervisor appears to be the base hardware platform and the network and display drivers appear to be similar hardware as well. The guest OS includes the resident patient monitoring application as well as third party applications, both of which execute independently on the virtualized hardware of the hypervisor. The network and display drivers manage the monitoring network and display regions in a monitoring display that are available to the guest operating systems.

Abstract: An arrangement for detecting energy particle impingement includes a support frame and a multi-tube detector pack. Each pack includes multiple detector tubes. Each tube contains at least one sensitive material. Each tube is elongate along a respective axis. The tubes extend parallel with the respective axes being co-planar. Each pack includes mounting tabs located at each axial end. The tabs provide support for the tubes within the pack. At least one of the tabs has at least one securing portion and at least one adjusting portion. Each pack includes at least one operable securing member extending from the respective securing portion to the frame. Operation of the securing member secures the pack to the support frame. Each pack includes at least one operable adjusting member extending from the respective adjusting portion to the frame. Operation of the adjusting member changes an orientation of the pack.

Abstract: Various methods and systems for operating an internal combustion engine are provided. In one embodiment, an example method for operating an internal combustion engine includes, under a first condition, charging a compressed air storage vessel via a compressor. The method further includes, under a second condition, directly injecting compressed air from the storage vessel to a cylinder of the engine to enhance fuel combustion.

Abstract: A method for making a magnetic component is provided. The method comprises providing a core with one or more ridges protruding from one or more surfaces of the core, depositing one or more electrically conductive materials on the core, and removing at least a portion of the one or more ridges to form one or more continuous conductors wound around the core. Each of the one or more continuous conductors defines at least one insulating gap. Further, a magnetic component and methods for making the magnetic component are also presented.

Abstract: A system configured to decrease the emissions of a power plant system during transient state operation is disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes: at least one computing device adapted to adjust a temperature of an operational steam in a power generation system by performing actions comprising: obtaining operational data about components of a steam turbine in the power generation system, the operational data including at least one of: a temperature of the components and a set of current ambient conditions at the power generation system; determining an allowable operational steam temperature range for the steam turbine based upon the operational data; generating emissions predictions for a set of temperatures within the allowable steam temperature range; and adjusting the temperature of the operational steam based upon the emissions predictions.

Abstract: An apparatus for attenuating acoustic oscillations of a gas flow contained in part by a combustor wall of a gas turbine engine combustor, wherein the combustor includes at least one air/fuel mixer, includes at least one resonating tube with a closed end and an open end and a single cavity between the ends. The tube is located on the combustor wall downstream of the air/fuel mixer.

Abstract: An infant warmer (10) includes a heater canopy (18) comprising a. heater (30) configured to generally uniformly distribute radiant energy over a fixed region. The heater canopy (18) may also include a lamp (32) configured to selectively generate light. The heater canopy (18) may also include a stencil (34) positioned relative to the lamp (32) such that at least a portion of the light passes through the stencil (34) to generate a projected image (56). The projected image (56) is configured to highlight the fixed region.

Abstract: Systems and methods for self-sealing a coldhead sleeve of a magnetic resonance imaging system are provided. One coldhead sleeve arrangement includes a coldhead sleeve configured to receive therein a coldhead of an MRI system and having an open end. The coldhead sleeve arrangement also includes a sealing member coupled at the open end of the coldhead sleeve and configured in a normally closed position covering the open end.

Abstract: A system for removing moisture from a steam/water mixture engaging a stationary component of a steam turbine. The system includes an airfoil located within a flow path of a steam turbine. The airfoil is configured for removing moisture from a steam/water mixture traveling in the flow path. To this end, the airfoil includes a cavity in flow communication with the steam path through at least one inlet and outlet opening, near the leading and trailing edge of the airfoil, respectively. Moisture and steam are extracted from the surface through the inlet openings, the steam and water are separated in the cavity, the separated water flows towards the bottom end, and the dry steam flows through the outlet opening and returns to the steam path. The dry steam blowing out of the trailing edge reduces the size of secondary droplets, and thereby prevents erosion.

Abstract: A moisture reducing apparatus is provided that includes a housing configured to receive an air stream and a net disposed outside the housing. In the apparatus, the net is held sufficiently loosely to permit movement of the net such that flow through the net is variable over time to remove moisture with the net and to permit a relatively substantial portion of a gaseous and particulate matter in the air stream to continue to flow through the net and inside the housing to protect filter media from moisture.

Abstract: A method for brazing a component in a power generation system, the brazed power generation system component, and braze are provided to improve repairing power generation systems. The method includes providing the component having a feature in a surface of the component and coating a particulate material with a filler material to obtain a coated particulate material. The method includes preparing the feature to obtain a treatment area and filling the treatment area in the surface of the component with the coated particulate material. The method includes heating the treatment area and surrounding component to a brazing temperature and applying oxidation protection to the treatment area. After the brazing temperature is obtained, the method includes brazing the treatment area and the screen and cooling the component to obtain a brazed joint.

Abstract: Methods are provided for iteratively reconstructing an image signal to generate a reconstructed image signal. In one embodiment, sub-iterations of each iteration are performed on pixel subsets. The pixel subsets may be composed of pixels neighboring or spatially separated pixel. In a further embodiment, each iteration is performed at a different resolution. Systems and computer routines for processing image data iteratively in accordance with these techniques are also provided.

Abstract: An electrical distribution system includes at least one circuit breaker device having an electrical interruption system provided with an electrical pathway, at least one micro electro-mechanical switch (MEMS) device electrically coupled in the electrical pathway, at least one hybrid arcless limiting technology (HALT) connection, and at least one control connection. A HALT circuit member is electrically coupled to HALT connection on the circuit breaker device and a controller is electrically coupled to the control connection on the circuit breaker device. The controller is configured and disposed to selectively connect the HALT circuit member and the at least one circuit breaker device via the HALT connection to control electrical current flow through the at least one circuit breaker device.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system and method for generating compounded ultrasound data. The system and method includes acquiring data from two or more intersecting scan planes with a 2D array probe. At least one of the scan planes is disposed at a different angle of elevation with respect to the 2D array probe than at least one other of the scan planes. The system and method includes combining the data from the scan planes to generate compounded data.

Abstract: A power plant control system determines an augmented operating parameter set point responsive to a life cycle cost (LCC) objective function responsive to a LCC model. The augmented operating parameter value may be responsive to an initial set point determined by a controls model and a performance indicator determined by a performance model. The power plant may include a thermal generator, such as a gas turbine or other fuel-burning generator, and the operating parameter may include firing temperature, fuel flow rate, steam pressure/temperature/flow rate, and/or another suitable operating parameter. An offer curve is generated responsive to the augmented operating parameter.

Abstract: This disclosure describes, in one embodiment, a corrosion monitoring device to monitor fluid flowing to a turbo-machine. The device comprises an elongated body member in the form of a threaded rod. The elongated body member comprises test elements that have material properties responsive to the corrosive components. In one example, the test elements comprise cylindrical tubes that can slide onto the threaded rod. The assembly is positioned in flow streams and, more particularly, finds particular use in the flow stream of fluid found in an inlet system that couples with a turbine (e.g., a gas or steam turbine).

Abstract: A rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine is disclosed. In one embodiment, the rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade having exterior surfaces defining a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge extending between a tip and a root. The rotor blade further defines a span and a chord. The rotor blade assembly further includes a noise reducer configured on an exterior surface of the rotor blade. The noise reducer includes a plurality of noise reduction features. Each of the plurality of noise reduction features defines a centerline. In a planform view, the centerline of each of the plurality of noise reduction features is approximately parallel to a local flow streamline for that noise reduction feature at the trailing edge of the rotor blade.

Abstract: An injection system includes a plurality of actuators. Each of the actuators is configured to move one or more portions of a center body of the fuel injector. The system also includes a controller configured to control each of the plurality of actuators individually to change a flow rate or a direction of output of a mixture of fuel and air from an output of the center body of the fuel injector.