Abstract: To permit high-temperature differential cross flow of an initially cool, heat absorbing medium and an initially hot, heat releasing medium, with temperature differences in the order of 1000.degree. and higher, and to prevent localized thermal overload, the heat exchanger is a two-stage heat exchanger, with plate packages (5, 6) which are serially passed by the media, typically gaseous media. The first package (5) forms a preheater stage and the second package (6) forms a final heater stage. Connecting ducts (9, 10) are provided and so arranged that the initially hot fluid medium is conducted through flow channels in the second heater stage which receives heat absorbing medium which has already passed through the preheater stage, so that it has already been preheated, thereby reducing the temperature difference between the preheated heat absorbing medium and the initially hot, heat releasing medium.

Abstract: A hearth for use in a furnace, which comprises an upper layer of magnesia containing chromic oxide, a lower layer containing graphite and an organic bonding agent, and an intermediate layer of a mixture of the materials forming the upper and lower layers. The hearth is particularly useful in DC arc funaces, in which steel rods embedded in the bottom act as the anode. The hearth has improved service durability.

Abstract: In order to make possible precisely controlled and reliable operation of the rotors of a neutron chopper each rotor is to be driven by a hysteresis motor, whose rotor is in the form of a hollow cylinder. The attachment of each drive rotor to the one end of the rotor is by way of a non-magnetic disk or ring which is screwed to the lower end of the rotor or the top end thereof in accordance with the design. The drive rotor is only shrunk onto the disk or ring. The stator placed around the drive rotor is embedded within the neutron chopper housing in an electrically insulating cast material which is not affected by high vacuum and radiation.

Abstract: An upright reactor for the generation of methanol comprises a cylindrical housing closed by a removable hood, where several catalyst beds, arranged one over the other and each carried by a detachable gas-permeable bottom or net, are surrounded by a cylindrical jacket of finned tubes into which open the ends of the exchanger tubes traversing the catalyst bed. According to the invention, horizontal gas-impermeable partitions are arranged below the gas-permeable bottoms or nets of the second lowest and of the next highest catalyst beds at the level of inflow or outflow openings for the gas.

Abstract: An air-compressing, self-ignition or spark-ignition, four-stroke internal combustion engine having direct fuel injection, turbo-charging, and load-dependent exhaust gas recirculation which is effected, at least in certain operating ranges, by intervention in the gas change system. In order to prevent weakening of the air swirl energy (charge swirl energy) by exhaust gas recirculation at low load in such an internal combustion engine, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, to obtain assisted cylinder scavenging at higher loads, the intake valve is briefly opened during the exhaust stroke. The opening of the intake valve occurs no earlier than 30 degress crank angle after gas-change bottom dead center, and the highest lift is between 15 and 30% of the maximun intake valve lift; and, at the latest, when the exhaust valve closes (shortly before gas change top dead center).

Abstract: An electronic control method and apparatus for controlling the sloughing strokes in sloughing machines for coal and other minerals, has a stroke frequency generator which supplies recurrent signal codes to parallel-connected inlet and outlet stroke generators. Power amplifiers are connected to the stroke generators for amplifying command pulses therefrom, the pulses being supplied to inlet and outlet valves of the machine. A signal code is supplied from the stroke frequency generator through a divisor in a freely selectable clock sequence to the outlet stroke generator or alternatively the divisor releases the command pulse from the outlet stroke generator to the outlet valve in a freely selectable clock sequence.

Abstract: A gear train comprises a central wheel for rotation about a central axis and a plurality of pinions engaged with either inner or out circumferential teeth of the central wheel. The pinions are mounted on shafts and have teeth which are meshed with the teeth of the central wheel. A relative position of the pinion and central wheel teeth is influenced through external adjusting forces applied to the wheel and pinions. To this end, the pinions are mounted in active magnetic bearings whose magnetic force is controlled through sensors which sense the radial position of the central wheel. In this way, the radial position of the pinion shafts can be controlled using the magnetic bearings and as a function of the radial position of the circumference of the central wheel to maintain a desired spacing between the wheel and pinion teeth. This control can be used to compensate for centrifugal and thermal expansion or contraction forces.

Abstract: A floating dock comprises a base portion forming a floating pontoon and side portions made up of closed side boxes or tanks located on each side of said base and including detachable buoyancy boxes carried on the exterior of said side portions.

Abstract: In a discharge device for heavy matter discharge in settling machines for the processing of coal or other mineral raw materials by means of a bottom drain with variable opening cross-section actuated by a device for sensing the heavy matter layer, at least two bottom drains arranged one behind the other in flow direction are actuated simultaneously by a single sensing device.

Abstract: A process for producing a synthesis gas containing methane and using a reactor having a fuel containing carbon comprises directing gasification gases in a circulation system through a bed of fuel containing carbon to form a synthesis gas containing methane and carbon dioxide. Thereafter, the synthesis gas is cooled in a regenerator and subjected to the gas separation wherein the syngas is subjected to a gas cleansing by means of a pressure change absorption in a gas scrubber to remove most of the methane and carbon dioxide and its water content is increased. The separated gas is then heated and subsequently the portion is returned into the system together with the waste gases and fuel containing carbon. The process includes a 4-pole heater which includes the first heat exchange passage for the syngas which is cooled and a second heat exchange passage for the recirculation of the syngas and is further cooled and passed through a scrubber.

Abstract: The invention relates to gravity-closing tongs for handling steel ingots, slabs, and similar products. The tongs include two legs, each of which has two arms which are supported, in a tongs housing, on pivots disposed horizontally and transversely to the plane in which the tongs legs move. The lower arms of the tongs legs are provided with gripping pins or similar devices, and the upper arms are hinged to links of equal length. An adjusting device permits axial displacement of the tongs pivots and an accumulator intensifies the force with which the tongs gripping pins are applied. In order to minimize the investment for intensifying the contact pressure of the tongs gripping pins and to mitigate impacts or shocks on the drive of the adjusting device(s), the accumulator includes two horizontally acting force-accumulating elements (compression springs) which are each arranged between the upper end of the corresponding tongs leg and the extreme end of the corresponding link.

Abstract: In a method of preparing from weld material a component having a curvature which is symmetrical in rotation, difficulties arise, more particularly in the case of large and heavy components, in guiding the treatment zone. The treatment zone remains in a horizontal positio for welding, on stationary welding heads. For economic form welding under numerical control, it is proposed that the rotational axis of the component be tilted stepwise, to an extent depending upon the advance of the buildup of weld material layers, around a horizontal axis perpendicular to the rotational axis, the welding heads being adjusted stepwise as the tilt position varies.

Abstract: An arrangement for increasing the roll stability of rail vehicles equipped with air suspension. Two air spring bellows having integrated emergency springs of a first bogie are controlled by a respective leveling valve. In addition to these bellows, a roll stabilizer is provided, so that in the vicinity of the first bogie, the car body, when viewed in the horizontal direction, is nearly parallel to this bogie. So that when track twist is encountered, the second bogie can swing relative to the car body, only one of the air spring bellows of this bogie is controlled by a third leveling valve disposed in the center of the car body, while the other air spring bellows is connected via an equalizing line with one of the air spring bellows of the first bogie. A central emergency spring extends concentrically around the center pivot of the second bogie.

Abstract: Method and device for measuring two orthogonal electromagnetic field components using a cross coil and for evaluating the components in the distance measurement in electronically course-steered vehicles (13). For rapid and ensured detection of malfunctions of the distance measuring system, use is made of an antenna effecting concurrent positionally and timewise measurements, and with the coils each consisting of bifilar or trifilar coil wires representing a redundant measuring system. A monitoring unit is used to continuously compare the signals generated by the various wires of the antenna when scanning the magnetic field. When a malfunction occurs in one of the channels, vehicle steering control is continued by the respective other channel and the defect is indicated via the monitoring unit. As monitoring signals, use can also be made of direct currents superimposed in the coils.

Abstract: In an automatic control method for reduction in the level of contaminants emitted by a gas engine, the automatic control process is orientated in accordance with the reference point at which lambda is equal to unity and enriches the mixture after detecting this point by a certain step. Subsequently the instantaneous probe potential is measured and used by an automatic control circuit as a set point, which so affects the actuator for setting the air ratio that the probe potential is kept constant at this set point. The automatic control system in keeping with the invention reacts immediately in response to a disturbance and does not have to wait until a renewed search for the reference point takes place.

Abstract: A method and arrangement for controlling the operation of turbo compressors, particularly those of high capacity, utilizes flow rate and pressure values for an analog controller as well as a computing circuit to optimize the operation of the compressor. The compressor is assumed to have a characteristic basic linear blowoff line and an optimum non-linear blowoff line on its pressure/flow curve. The calculating or computing circuit computes an error signal representing a difference between the basic and optimum blowoff line at an operating pressure and applies the signal to the analog controller which controls the compressor to its optimum extent. An analog system connected to the controller maintains control at least according to the basic blowoff line if the computing circuit fails.

Abstract: A thermally insulating piston for internal combustion engines is provided on the piston crown or in its dished combustion space portion with a thermally insulating liner which on the side thereof facing the combustion space consists entirely of a ceramic material, and which on the side thereof facing the piston crown or its dished combustion space portion has a metallic or metal-ceramic material fused with the piston metal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fluid tight pipe connection having an intermediate ring between the two pipe ends. By making the two surfaces of the ring complementary to the pipe end faces the ring may be displaced in relation to one pipe end and may be moved pivotally in relation to the other pipe end to enable the connection to allow for angular misalignment and parallel offset of the pipe axes while still maintaining a sealing joint.

Abstract: In order to perform an ice-breaking operation more readily or with a defined geometry, an ice breaking aid is employed by virtue of which the ice is irradiated with high-frequency oscillations such as phonons or photons prior to the ice-breaking operation proper.

Abstract: A cavity receiver having an aperture through which concentrated solar radiation enters the cavity. Holes are provided in the bottom wall of the receiver through which cold air, which enters the cavity through the aperture, can be withdrawn by an aspirator. The outlet of the aspirator can exhaust the cold air to the atmosphere, or reintroduce the air into the cavity through holes adjacent to the aperture. Holes can also be provided in the top wall of the receiver, and an aspirator used to withdraw air from the cavity through the top wall holes and reintroduce it into the cavity through the bottom wall holes.