Abstract: A low pressure drop inlet arrangement for an absorber having straight walls has a perforated tray positioned above the gas inlet opening between the walls of the absorber. A ring around the outer edge of the tray lacks perforations, or the perforations are covered. A drip ledge may be positioned on the bottom of the tray around the inner edge of the non-perforated ring. Baffles are positioned over the tray as well. The baffles may extend between the walls of the absorber, or they may only occupy the space over the perforations in the tray and the size of the tray perforations may be varied to control the overall pressure drop. An absorber made in accordance with the invention experiences a low pressure drop at the gas inlet opening.

Abstract: A high-efficiency secondary cyclone separator used in combination with a high-efficiency primary separator produces a gas stream having low liquid content in gas for a feed stream having either a high or low liquid loading. A high surface area to volume coalescing material is combined with the secondary cyclone separator to create a more efficient gas-oil centrifugal separator system.

Abstract: An EMAT apparatus which non-destructively tests spot welds between two sheets of metal. The apparatus includes a first EMAT coil on one sheet that acts as a transmitter for generating and transmitting an acoustic wave signal toward the spot weld, and a second EMAT coil on the other sheet for receiving the acoustic wave signal and converting the received acoustic wave signal to an electronic signal having a waveform. Electronics and a PC are used to measure at least one parameter of the waveform which is indicative of a characteristic of the spot weld.

Abstract: An EMAT arrangement utilizes separate transmitter and receiver EMATs which may each be connected to a tuning capacitor by a stripline cable. An electrostatic shield may also be provided between the coils and the coils can be offset from each other by ½ the pitch distance of sections in the coil. This reduces the duration of main bang, thus making it possible for the EMAT arrangement to detect structures which are very close to the coils.

Abstract: Ceramic composites containing weak interfacial boundaries included for the purposes of providing avenues for crack deflection with a resulting toughening of a ceramic body. Weak interfacial boundaries are created between constituents of the composite, such as matrix phases and any continuous and/or particulate reinforcements, and tungstate, molybdate, tantalate, and niobate compounds of the general formula ABO4. For tungstate and molybdate compounds of the general formula ABO4, B represents tungsten or molybdenum, and A represents a divalent cation. For tantalate and niobate compounds of the general formula ABO4, B represents tantalum or niobium, and A represents a trivalent lanthanide series cation. The ABO4 tungstate, molybdate, tantalate, and niobate compounds may exist as barrier phases between the matrix and the reinforcements of the composite, or the ceramic body may contain discrete particulates, laminae, fibers, or whiskers of the ABO4 tungstate, molybdate, tantalate, and niobate compounds.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that eliminates the need for a derrick barge to lift the deck into place on a floating offshore structure. A connector is used to connect the transport barge to the floating offshore structure. The connector is a type that allows only relative pitch motions between the transport barge and floating offshore structure in response to sea states acting on the barge and floating offshore structure. The connector is also a type that allows disconnection while large forces are acting on the connector. One or more skidding girders attached to the legs of the deck support the legs of the deck above the skidding surface of the transport barge. A skidding surface on the girders, and complementary skidding surface on the surface of the transport barge and floating offshore structure, allow the deck to be skidded from the barge to the floating offshore structure.

Abstract: A method for improving the corrosion resistance, increasing the hardness, providing superior ductility, and reducing surface-cracking of a diffusion coating by nitriding and heating-treating the diffusion coating is disclosed. The nitriding and heat-treating may occur subsequently or simultaneously. Further, the disclosed method may be practiced subsequent to or incorporated as an intergral part of any known diffusion coating process which utilizes a heating step in a furnace having a cover gas.

Abstract: A transmitting and receiving switch assembly for an electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) and a method for selectively switching an EMAT between transmit mode and receive mode both use a particular circuit. This circuit contains an EMAT coil coupled to a tuning capacitor, which allows the EMAT to be operated at a desired frequency when transmitting. A set of capacitors separates the EMAT coil from a set of diode strings (preferably containing at least one fast switching silicon diode), which are joined by a resistive connection. A transformer, which is center tapped at its primary winding, is coupled to the other end of the diode strings. Finally, a receiver input is connected to the transformer. In operation, the frequency of the EMAT is set by appropriately energizing and tuning the tuning capacitor. A voltage is then applied in the center tapped transformer and in the resistive link between the diode strings.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for producing flexible fibers (30) of superconducting material includes a crucible (12) for containing a charge of the superconducting material. The material is melted in the crucible (12) and falls in a stream (18) through a bottom hole (16) in the crucible (12). The stream (18) falls through a protecting collar (22) which maintains the stream (18) at high temperatures. The stream (18) is then supplied through a downwardly directed nozzle (26) where it is subjected to a high velocity of a heated gas (36′) which breaks the melted superconducting material into ligaments which solidify into the flexible fibers (30). The fibers (30) are collected by directing them against a collection filter (32).

Abstract: An EMAT testing device for nondestructively testing tubes for surface defects and displaying the results has a EMAT transmitter arranged collinear with a pair of EMAT receivers. The EMAT receivers each receive a pair of oppositely propagating circumferential acoustic surface waves from the transmitter at different times and the relative amplitudes of the received waves are compared to located defects adjacent the receivers in the tube.

Abstract: A method for inspecting welds uses a single EMAT tranducer operated in pulse-echo mode that sends and receives Rayleigh waves to detect defects in a weld between sheet plates of dissimilar thicknesses.

Abstract: A method for detecting the location of an edge, interface, seam or other structure of a workpiece uses one or two electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMATs) to transmit an ultrasonic wave along the workpiece toward the edge and to receive a reflected wave. The velocity of the wave in the material is used in conjunction with the round trip time-of-flight (TOF) of the transmitted and reflected wave, to calculate the location of the edge. This is done by placing the transducer or transducers at known locations on the workpiece. A surface wave or 90 degree shear wave can be utilized and no contact is needed between the transducer and the surface of the workpiece. Rough and/or dirty surfaces and hostile environments can be accommodated while practicing the invention.

Abstract: An improved main shaft for a coal pulverizer having a selected portion of the main shaft nitride treated and a dry film lubricant applied to the yoke end.

Abstract: A method of detecting damage in a ferromagnetic workpiece such as a boiler tube positions a pair of EMAT coils adjacent to the workpiece at a non-zero angle with respect to one another. A spike pulse is applied to one of the EMAT coils for generating a horizontally polarized shear wave in the workpiece which is capable of being reflected by a flaw, and the amplitude of a reflected wave from any flaw is received at the other EMAT coil and analyzed and compared to a predetermined percent of an amplitude of a calibration standard flaw to establish the presence of the flaw.

Abstract: An EMAT arrangement utilizes separate transmitter and receiver EMATs which may each be connected to a tuning capacitor by a stripline cable. An electrostatic shield may also be provided between the coils and the coils can be offset from each other by 1/2 the pitch distance of sections in the coil. This reduces the duration of main bang, thus making it possible for the EMAT arrangement to detect structures which are very close to the coils.

Abstract: A fiber optic acoustic emission (FOAE) sensor particularly suitable for vibration sensing in a hostile environment has a pair of optical fibers each having an end face. In one embodiment, a hollow tube or core having opposite open ends receives the end faces of the optical fibers. Means are provided for fixing the optical fibers in the hollow core with the end faces facing each other and spaced by a distance from each other in the core. A signal processing unit is connected to the optical fibers for supplying light to, and for receiving light from, the optical fibers and for measuring variations in optical phase which result in changes in the light intensity due to vibrations of the hollow core. The hollow core is fixed in a resonant cylinder, and the resonant cylinder is fixed in a housing to complete the sensor.

Abstract: A method for non-destructively testing closely-spaced objects, such as header tube stubs for a furnace or boiler using electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMATs) having meander coil sensors. The small size of the sensor combined with the need to move the sensor only a small fraction of the circumference of a tube to scan the entire circumference of the tube under test permits easy and accurate testing of an entire tube, even when the tube is one of a closely-spaced bundle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for filtering oxidizable particles from hot synthesis gas or syngas uses a pair of candle filters each having an inlet side for receiving the hot unfiltered syngas to be filtered, and an outlet side for discharging hot filtered syngas. One housing contains both filters or a separate housing is provided for each filter. Each housing has an inlet for receiving hot unfiltered syngas and for supplying the hot unfiltered syngas to each of the filter inlet sides. Each housing also has an outlet for discharging hot filtered syngas from each of the filter outlet sides. Air is supplied to each housing for supplying combustion air alternately to each of the candle filters for burning oxidizable particles trapped on each respective filter to clean each filter while the other filter is filtering the hot unfiltered syngas. One or more switching valves are connected to the combustion air supplies for alternating the supply of combustion air between the candle filters.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispersing the relative flows of a separated two phase flow using a nozzle positioned immediately downstream from a bend in a pipe. The inlet of the nozzle is adjacent an external wall of the pipe and the outlet of the nozzle is substantially on a longitudinal axis of the pipe. The dense phase is collected and transported through the nozzle back into the center of the pipe for uniform mixing and dispersion.

Abstract: A deformable and replaceable energy absorbing structure mounted between the furnace floor tubes and floor tube support truss to absorb impact from falling slag and prevent tube damage. A beam, such as an I-beam extends from the supporting structure and is adapted to hold a deformable structure. A tie bar attached to the floor tube panel extends across the panel and rests upon the deformable structure. This arrangement is provided at as many contact points between the floor tube panel and support structure as necessary to support the dead weight of the tubes while still providing suitable energy absorption characteristics.