Abstract: A local power generation system generates DC voltage at an inverter input, modulated to generate an AC power signal to a load. The inverter input voltage may be obtained from an engine generator, providing a rectified AC power signal. An energy storage device helps maintain DC voltage at the inverter input when load power draw increases or during engine startup or acceleration, for example, until the engine accommodates increased power demand. The system may also be used in an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), in which the load draws power from a utility-provided AC power source until a fault condition appears. When the fault condition appears, the load switches its power draw from the utility-provided AC power source to the inverter output. The energy storage device is charged through a bidirectional DC-to-DC converter and through an inverter operating in rectifier mode to rectify a utility-provided AC power signal.

Abstract: A system includes a combustion engine for a genset. The engine having an exhaust to emit water and exhaust gases from the exhaust and a sound-dampening device coupled between the exhaust and a muffler, the sound-dampening device including a tubular member having internal rings.

Abstract: A power plant for generating electricity has a high temperature heat reservoir and a low temperature heat reservoir. The plant is operated to store heat during off peak power periods and to use the stored heat during peak power periods to produce additional electricity.

Abstract: A sensor assembly for a stringed musical instrument having a plurality of movable strings includes a primary winding adapted to be disposed at one end of either one of a fingerboard and a neck of the stringed musical instrument. The sensor assembly includes at least one magnet disposed adjacent the primary winding and the movable strings to generate a magnetic field. The primary winding creates a primary current from a disruption in the magnetic field by the movable strings and the primary current creates a primary electromagnetic flux. The sensor assembly further includes at least one secondary being coupled to the primary winding. The at least one secondary winding transforms the primary electromagnetic flux into a secondary current adapted to pass out the stringed musical instrument.

Abstract: A method of making a combustion turbine component includes forming a nanosized powder including a plurality of metals and at least one rare-earth element and agglomerating the nanosized powder to form a microsized powder including a plurality of metals and at least one rare-earth element. The microsized powder is processed to form a cohesive metallic mass and a primary aging heat treating is performed on the cohesive metallic mass. A solution heat treating may be performed on the cohesive metallic mass prior to the primary aging heat treating. A secondary aging treating may be performed on the cohesive metallic mass after the primary aging treating.

Abstract: A method of making a composite blade that is attachable to a rotating shaft using a conventional metal blade attachment. A blade is formed from a composite material with a blade root at one end thereof. A metallic member having an external shape conforming to a conventional metal blade root is shaped with an interior cavity having an opening for receipt of the blade root. Before the composite material is fully cured, a bladder is formed into or is inserted into an end of the blade root and inflated, thereby forcing the composite material into intimate contact with the interior cavity of the metallic member, thereby ensuring a fret-free interface upon final curing of the composite material. The interior cavity of the metallic member may be shaped or surfaced to improve the load carrying capability there between.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling delivery of fuel to a dual stage nozzle in the combustor of a gas turbine. A liquid fuel is conveyed from a single stage fuel supply through a plurality of primary fuel supply lines to a first nozzle stage including a plurality of primary nozzles. A predetermined operating condition of the gas turbine is identified and a signal is produced in response to the identified operating condition. The signal effects actuation of valves located on secondary fuel supply lines extending from each of the primary fuel supply lines to supply fuel to respective secondary nozzles.

Abstract: Protective insert plates (54, 56) installed on a working gas face (42) of a turbine vane platform (26) provide replaceable portions of a turbine shroud for improved maintenance. The plates act as tiles, and may be formed of ceramic materials for thermal protection. Two cages (58, 60) in the vane platform slidably receive the two insert plates (54, 56) from opposite circumferential sides (36, 38) of the platform. The plates slide into the cages up to the pressure and suction sides (32, 34) of the vane airfoil (22). The plates may have proximal edges (62, 64) shaped to fit the respective pressure and suction sides of the vane airfoil. A retainer plate 66 may be attached to a flange (72) on the cooled face (48) of each platform, and may contact each insert plate with a locking device (74, 76) to prevent sliding of the plate in the cage.

Abstract: A circuit assembly (34) resistant to high-temperature and high g centrifugal force is disclosed. A printed circuit board (42) is first fabricated from alumina and has conductive traces of said circuit formed thereon by the use of a thick film gold paste. Active and passive components of the circuit assembly are attached to the printed circuit board by means of gold powder diffused under high temperature. Gold wire is used for bonding between the circuit traces and the active components in order to complete the circuit assembly (34). Also, a method for manufacturing a circuit assembly resistant to elevated temperature is disclosed.

Abstract: A circuit assembly (34) affixed to a moving part (20) of a turbine for receiving information about a condition of the part and transmitting this information external to the engine. The circuit assembly includes a high-temperature resistant package (34A) that attaches to the part. A high temperature resistant PC board (42) supports both active and passive components of the circuit, wherein a first group of the passive components are fabricated with zero temperature coefficient of resistance and a second group of the passive components are fabricated with a positive temperature coefficient of resistance. The active components are fabricated with high temperature metallization. Connectors (40) attached to the PC board pass through a wall of the package (34A) for communication with sensors (30) on the part and with an antenna (26) for transmitting data about the condition of the part to outside the turbine.

Abstract: A circuit affixed to a moving part of an engine for sensing and processing the temperature of the part. The circuit generates a signal representative of the temperature sensed by a thermocouple (110) and amplified by an amplifier (112). A square wave oscillator (113) with a temperature sensitive capacitor (C8) varies its frequency in response to changes of a local temperature of the circuit. A chopper (114, J27) converts the output of the amplifier into an alternating current signal. The chopper is gated by the square wave oscillator and a second input is coupled to an output of the amplifier. Thus, the chopper has an output signal having a frequency representative of the local temperature and an amplitude representative of the thermocouple temperature, whereby the combined signals represent the true temperature of the part.

Abstract: In a telemetry system for use in an engine, a circuit structure (34) affixed to a moving part (20) of the engine is disposed for amplifying information sensed about a condition of the part and transmitting the sensed information to a receiver external to the engine. The circuit structure is adapted for the high temperature environment of the engine and includes a differential amplifier (102, 111) having an input for receiving a signal from a sensor (101, 110) disposed on the part. A voltage controlled oscillator (104, 115) with an input coupled to the output of the amplifier produces an oscillatory signal having a frequency representative of the sensed condition. A buffer (105, 116) with an input coupled to the output of the oscillator buffers the oscillatory signal, which is then coupled to an antenna (26) for transmitting the information to the receiver.

Abstract: A fuel injector assembly for use in a turbine engine having a combustion section and a turbine section downstream from the combustion section. The fuel injector assembly includes a flow sleeve defining a pre-mixing passage of the combustion section and including a sleeve wall having a forward end proximate to a cover plate of the combustion section and an opposed aft end. An annular cavity in fluid communication with a source of fuel is formed in the sleeve wall adjacent the aft end. A fuel dispensing structure is associated with the cavity and includes at least one fuel distribution aperture for distributing fuel from the cavity to the pre-mixing passage.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thermal insulation article may include positioning, between opposing mold walls, a first layer comprising a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) material and a second layer comprising a plurality of tiles. The method may further include moving the opposing mold walls together to compress together the first and second layers, and curing the compressed together first and second layers to produce the thermal insulation article.

Abstract: A method is provided for connecting a 110 V genset to a transfer switch feeding a 220 V service entrance such that all 220 V loads are automatically blocked out and all 110 V circuits are accessed. The method includes wiring of the genset to the transfer switch such that the two hot 220 V terminals on the genset entrance side of the transfer switch are connected together and wired to the hot 110 V side of the genset. The neutral lead of the transfer switch is connected to the neutral side of the genset, as per normal practice.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the conversion of water into hydrogen and oxygen, and more particularly to a conversion of water into hydrogen and oxygen using sunlight and an inorganic catalyst. More specifically, the invention relates to systems and processes for generating hydrogen molecules from sunlight and water, such as a process comprising the steps of: i) contacting the water with nanoparticles of an inorganic photocatalyst compound in a reaction zone of a reaction chamber; ii) concentrating sunlight with an optical intensifier such that the intensity is increased by a factor greater than 2; iii) heating the reaction zone to one or more reaction temperatures greater than 140° C.

Abstract: In the present invention, a method is provided for biasing or controlling the deal of cards, or other indicia, to players of a game. The cards are biased such that each player in the game will receive a hand that is close in ranking to all the other players of the game. Each player of the game is assigned a deviation multiplier selected from a list. Next an initial single hand rank is randomly selected and each player's deviation number is used to identify a range of hand rankings from which each player's hand is selected. If the initial hand ranking is 50 and the average deviation for a player is 2, the player's hand ranking will be in the range of 50±(10×deviation multiplier) or 50±(20) which is 30-70. (i.e. 50±20 or 50?20=30 and 50+20=70). Biasing the deal of the cards increases the excitement and competition of the game by allowing all players of the game to have relatively close hand rankings.

Abstract: The gas turbine exhaust sound suppressor, or exhaust silencer, and method are for a gas turbine and reduce low frequency exhaust flow noise while avoiding the creation of additional acoustical standing waves, e.g. from wake shedding at certain predictable frequencies. A plurality of elongated flow obstruction members, e.g. pipes or airfoils, extend within the exhaust passage to reduce acoustic waves within the exhaust flow, and at least some of the elongated flow obstruction members have different widths. Each of the elongated flow obstruction members is positioned at a respective angle within a predetermined angular range transverse to the flow direction, with the predetermined angular range being greater than or equal to 10 degrees from normal to the flow direction.

Abstract: A system and method for determining a connection between a one or more “from” connections points and one or more “to” connections points, wherein connections between the connection points are determined as a function of intermediate connections in the path formed between the “from” and “to” connection endpoints.

Abstract: A method for making a gas turbine component (100). A central core (20) is positioned to occupy a space that will define a central channel (42), and an outer channel core (30) is positioned spaced apart from the central core (20). A mold (35) is formed around the central core (20) and the outer channel core (30), so that an exterior wall (32) contacts the mold (35). A substrate material, such as a metal alloy (247) in liquid form, is added to the mold (35) to form an internal volume (41) of the component (100). The central core (20) and the outer channel core (30) are removed, and interconnect channels (44) are formed between the thus-formed central channel (42) and the inner portion (49) of the outer channel (62) thus far formed. A preform (55) is placed into the inner portion (49) and may have a desired outer surface (57) shape. An overlay material is applied to form an outer layer (60), thus defining the remainder of the outer channel (62), which is obtained upon removal of the preform (55).