Abstract: An adjustable vane system is provided for use in a turbomachine, including a plurality of movable vanes that may be positioned to change the cross-sectional area of an exhaust flow passage and minimize the pressure of steam adjacent the exit after the last row of rotating turbine blades. Each of the vanes preferably includes an overlapping portion for overlapping a surface of an adjacent vane to minimize leakage of steam along the longitudinal extent of the vane. The exhaust flow passage is defined by inner and outer diffuser members where either of the inner or outer diffuser members may be formed of the movable vanes.

Abstract: An adjustable vane system is provided for use in a turbomachine, including a plurality of movable vanes that may be positioned to change the cross-sectional area of an exhaust flow passage and minimize the pressure of steam adjacent the exit after the last row of rotating turbine blades. Each of the vanes preferably includes an overlapping portion for overlapping a surface of an adjacent vane to minimize leakage of steam along the longitudinal extent of the vane. The exhaust flow passage is defined by inner and outer diffuser members where either of the inner or outer diffuser members may be formed of the movable vanes.

Abstract: An ultrasonic cleaning apparatus and method is provided for a venturi flow nozzle which is mounted in a pipe having fluid flowing therethrough. The apparatus includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers mounted in openings provided upstream of the venturi flow nozzle inlet. The transducers transmit ultrasonic waves directly into and thereby excite the fluid flowing through the venturi flow nozzle and create cavitation which cleans the nozzle. Additional transducers are preferably provided in the throat area of the venturi flow nozzle. In alternative embodiments, the transducers are mounted in high and low pressure taps associated with the venturi flow nozzle such that the transducers directly transmit ultrasonic waves into fluid flowing into the high and low pressure taps. The transducers may be mounted flush with the interior of the pipe or venturi flow nozzle, or the transducers may be mounted at a position spaced therefrom in the high and low pressure tap piping.

Abstract: A system is disclosed including a data center computer for data collection and process control of a complex processing plant. The data center computer collects raw sensor data. The raw data is sent, by a conventional communicator routine, to a remote expert system for sensor diagnosis of faulty sensors. The diagnostic results, which include a calculation control value, are returned to the data center computer where the results are used to control sensor processing routines used to either control the plant based on the collected raw sensor data or to further process the sensor data. The further processed sensor data can then be used for high level system diagnoses.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for continually monitoring the operating state of a set of governor valves (42,60) in a steam supply system for the first stage of a high pressure turbine during operation of the turbine, the system including a source including a throttle valve (40) for supplying steam at a defined pressure to the governor valves (42,60) and a plurality of nozzles (44) each connected to deliver steam from a respective governor valve (42,60) to a respective turbine inlet region, by the steps of: monitoring (52) the pressure at the outlet of each governor valve (42,60); monitoring (50,54) the pressure at the inlet to the throttle valve(s) (40) and at the turbine first stage; and comparing (56) the monitored outlet pressure of each governor valve (42,60) with the monitored pressure at the throttle valve inlet and at the turbine first stage in order to provide an indication of the operating state of each governor valve (42,60) and to detect and alert power plant operators of valve malfunctions or inefficien