Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus is provided which comprises a charged particle source for producing a primary beam of charged particles, aperture means for collimating said primary beam of charged particles, wherein said aperture means is adapted to switch between a collimation of said primary beam resulting in a width appropriate for serial imaging of a sample as well as a collimation of said primary beam to a width appropriate for parallel imaging of said sample, a condenser lens for condensing said primary beam of charged particles, scanning means for deflecting said primary beam of charged particles, an objective lens for focusing said condensed primary beam, a sectorized detector for detecting a secondary charged particles. Also, several different operation modes of the beam apparatus are described allowing for serial imaging as well as parallel imaging.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is an electron microscope that includes: (a) a main vacuum chamber housing a stage therein and connected to a vacuum pump; (b) a load lock for loading a specimen into said main vacuum chamber; (c) a minicolumn non-translatably positioned inside said main chamber; and (d) a vacuum pump situated inside the main vacuum chamber and external to and connected to the minicolumn.

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus is provided which comprises a charged particle source for producing a primary beam of charged particles, aperture means for collimating said primary beam of charged particles, wherein said aperture means is adapted to switch between a collimation of said primary beam to a width appropriate for serial imaging of a sample as well as a collimation of said primary beam to a width appropriate for parallel imaging of said sample, a condenser lens for condensing said primary beam of charged particles, scanning means for deflecting said primary beam of charged particles, an objective lens for focusing said condensed primary beam, a sectorized detector for detecting a secondary charged particles. Also, several different operation modes of the beam apparatus are described allowing for serial imaging as well as parallel imaging.

Abstract: The invention describes a method and an apparatus for operating a burner of a heat engine, in particular of a gas turbine installation, having a burner inlet, to which a mixture of a fuel and an oxygen-enriched carrier gas is fed for combustion within a combustion chamber which adjoins the burner inlet in the direction of flow. The invention is distinguished by the following method steps: providing a first oxygen-enriched carrier gas stream, known as the first oxidizer mixture, with which the fuel is admixed to form a first fuel/oxidizer mixture, and providing a second oxygen-enriched carrier gas stream, known as the second oxidizer mixture, catalyzing the first fuel/oxidizer mixture to form a catalyzed first fuel/oxidizer mixture, in which the fuel is at least partially oxidized, mixing the catalyzed first fuel/oxidizer mixture with the second oxidizer mixture to form a second fuel/oxidizer mixture, and igniting and burning the second fuel/oxidizer mixture.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus (6) for carrying out the method, the method being used for combustion of a fuel-oxidator mixture in a combustion chamber (7) of a turbogroup, in particular of a power plant. A total oxidator flow (12) is divided into a main oxidator flow (14) and a secondary oxidator flow (15). The main oxidator flow (14) is lean mixed with a main fuel flow (21) in a premix burner (8), and the mixture (23) is fully oxidized in the combustion chamber (7). The secondary oxidator flow (15) is divided into a pilot oxidator flow (17) and a heat-exchanging oxidator flow (18). The pilot oxidator flow (17) is rich mixed with a pilot fuel flow (22), and the mixture (17, 22) is partially oxidized in a catalyst (24), with hydrogen being formed.

Abstract: A premix burner includes a swirler (7) for a combustion air stream and a device for injection of fuel into the combustion air stream. The swirler (7) includes one or more inlet openings for combustion air of the combustion air stream entering the burner. The device for injection of fuel into the combustion air stream includes one or more first fuel lines (8) with first fuel injection openings (4). The opening diameter and/or the injection angle of the injection openings varies with respect to the axial and/or radial direction. Alternatively or in addition, some of the first fuel injection openings (4) may be arranged in one or more first groups of closely grouped fuel injection openings (4) so that each of the first groups forms one fuel jet with a large cross section. An improved mixing of the fuel with the combustion air is achieved with the burner in particular in cases in which the fuel is injected at the end of the burner facing the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A catalyzer has a plurality of plane sheets arranged superposed and spaced apart from each other in a stack, between which a plurality of straight channels extend parallel in the flow direction and are delimited by the plane sheets. The plane sheets are coated in such a way that a catalytic coating is present in all channels; that the catalytic coating is limited to predetermined sections of the channels; and that inside the channels, uncoated sections in each case are positioned opposite to sections with the catalytic coatings. The uncoated sections absorb the heat radiation emitted by the catalytic coatings during operation, thereby improving cooling and preventing homogeneous ignition.

Abstract: A method of operating a gas turbine power plant and gas turbine power plant are disclosed wherein hydrogen for the combusting process is produced by feeding natural gas mixed with steam through a membrane/partial oxidation reactor and converting the natural gas at least to H2 and CO. Thereby oxygen is transferred from the compressed air through the membrane of the membrane/partial oxidation reactor and the oxygen is used for the partial oxidation process of the natural gas. The process is followed by converting the syngas in a CO shift reactor and a CO shift reactor to a CO2 removal equipment to mainly hydrogen.

Abstract: The invention provides a focussing electron beam device with a single or an array of field emitter beam sources to generate electron beams with field emitter beam sources, at least one anode capable of accelerating the electrons of the electron beams towards a specimen, focussing components capable of focussing the electron beams onto the specimen and a control circuit that a) senses for deviations of the actual current values of the electron beams from desired current values; b) controls first voltages V1 to adjust the actual current values of the electron beams to the desired current values and c) controls second voltages V2 to adjust the actual focus positions of the electron beams to the desired focus positions. The voltage control circuit adjusts the actual current values of the electron beams to the desired current values and makes it possible to adjust the current values of an array of electron beams to a single value.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved column for a charged particle beam device. The column comprises an aperture plate having multiple apertures to produce multiple beams of charged particles and a deflector to influence the beams of charged particles so that each beam appears to come from a different source. Furthermore, an objective lens is used in order to focus the charged-particle beams onto the specimen. Due to the deflector, multiple images of the source are created on the surface of the specimen whereby all the images can be used for parallel data acquisition. Accordingly, the speed of data acquisition is increased. With regard to the focusing properties of the objective lens, the beams of charged particles can basically be treated as independent particle beams which do not negatively affect each other. Accordingly, each beam basically provides the same resolution as the beam of a conventional charged particle beam device.

Abstract: A premix burner includes a swirler (7) for a combustion air stream and a device for injection of fuel into the combustion air stream. The swirler (7) includes one or more inlet openings for combustion air of the combustion air stream entering the burner. The device for injection of fuel into the combustion air stream includes one or more first fuel lines (8) with first fuel injection openings (4). The opening diameter and/or the injection angle of the injection openings varies with respect to the axial and/or radial direction. Alternatively or in addition, some of the first fuel injection openings (4) may be arranged in one or more first groups of closely grouped fuel injection openings (4) so that each of the first groups forms one fuel jet with a large cross section. An improved mixing of the fuel with the combustion air is achieved with the burner in particular in cases in which the fuel is injected at the end of the burner facing the combustion chamber.

Abstract: In a method for the operation of a power plant with a closed or quasi-closed cycle, the power plant substantially comprises at least one compressor unit (1) or a pump, at least one combustion chamber (2), at least one turbine (3) and at least one heat sink (4). In the combustion chamber (2), a fuel mass flow (14) reacts with at least one oxygen flow (12), the excess combustion products which are formed as a result (CO2, H2O) are removed from the cycle at a suitable location (5, 6), and the oxygen stream (12) fed to the combustion chamber is obtained by means of an air fractionation installation (11). Means (9) for coarse fractionation of the supplied air (8) are connected upstream of the air fractionation installation (11) in order to supply oxygen-enriched air (10) to the air fractionation installation (11).

Abstract: A catalytically operating burner with a catalyzer structure (4), useful in particular for a gas turbine system, has a heat-resistant carrier material (10) that forms the walls of several adjoining channels (13). The channels (13) pervade the catalyzer structure (4) in longitudinal direction and permit that a gaseous reaction mixture flows through the catalyzer structure (4). The walls are coated at least in part with a catalyst. In order to improve the catalytic conversion within the catalyzer structure (4), communicating openings (14) are constructed in the walls between an inlet end and an outlet end of the catalyzer structure (4). Adjoining channels (13) are able to communicate with each other through the communicating openings (14).

Abstract: Method for generating steam, in particular ultrapure steam, and steam generator The invention relates to a method and a steam generator for generating steam, in particular ultrapure steam, by reacting a stoichiometric mixture comprising a fuel, in particular hydrogen, and an oxidizing agent, in particular oxygen, and injecting water into the hot reaction gases, which is distinguished by a high purity of the steam generated. The object of providing a method for generating an ultrahigh purity steam is achieved, according to the invention, by two-stage combustion, in that the reaction mixture which is generated in a first combustion and evaporation stage is subjected to catalytic afterburning. A steam generator is distinguished by the fact that a catalytic afterburning chamber (3) with a through-flow body (16) is arranged downstream of the combustion and evaporation chamber (2).

Abstract: The invention provides electron multiple beam devices (1) for probing or structuring a non-transparent specimen (20) with primary electron beams (14) with an array of electron beam sources (3) to generate multiple primary electron beams (14), an electron sensor (12) with electron sensor segments (12a) to detect electrons of the primary electron beams (14) and at least one anode (7) to direct the primary electron beams (14) towards the electron sensor (12). The electron sensor (12) serves to inspect the primary electron beams (14), calibrate the positions of the primary electron beams (14) and possibly adjust final focus length (13) and currents of the primary electron beams before or after a probing or structuring the upper surface (20a) of a non-transparent specimens (20). Further, methods to inspect primary electron beams (14), to adjust final focus lengths (13) and to calibrate the multiple electron beam device (1) are provided.

Abstract: The invention provides an electron beam device 1 comprising at least one field emission cathode 3 and at least one extracting electrode 5, whereby the field emission cathode 5 comprises a p-type semiconductor region 7 connected to an emitter tip 9 made of a semiconductor material, an n-type semiconductor region 11 forming a pn-diode junction 13 with the p-type semiconductor region 7 a first electric contact 15 on the p-type semiconductor region 7 and a second electric contact 17 on the n-type semiconductor region 11. The p-type semiconductor region 7 prevents the flux of free electrons to the emitter unless electrons are injected into the p-type semiconductor region 7 by the pn-diode junction 13. This way, the field emission cathode 3 can generate an electron beam where the electron beam current is controlled by the forward biasing second voltage V2 across the pn-diode junction. Such electron beam current has an improved current value stability.

Abstract: A gas turbine plant with a compressor, a combustion chamber, a turbine and at least one heat sink is operated with a working medium in the form of a carbon dioxide/water mixture. A hydrocarbon reacts as fuel with oxygen in the combustion chamber, and the excess carbon dioxide and water thereby occurring is tapped from the circuit. The compressor and the turbine have in each case a rotor with moving blades and a casing with flow ducts and with guide blade cascades. In the compressor and/or the turbine, matching to the expansion behavior of the working medium, which is different from that of air, is brought about by modifications of the flow ducts, of the moving blades and/or of the guide blade cascades.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is an electron microscope that includes: (a) a main vacuum chamber housing a stage therein and connected to a vacuum pump; (b) a load lock for loading a specimen into said main vacuum chamber; (c) a minicolumn non-translatably positioned inside said main chamber; and (d) a vacuum pump situated inside the main vacuum chamber and external to and connected to the minicolumn.

Abstract: In a method for the operation of a power plant with a closed or quasi-closed cycle, the power plant substantially comprises at least one compressor unit (1) or a pump, at least one combustion chamber (2), at least one turbine (3) and at least one heat sink (4). In the combustion chamber (2), a fuel mass flow (14) reacts with at least one oxygen flow (12), the excess combustion products which are formed as a result (CO2, H20) are removed from the cycle at a suitable location (5, 6), and the oxygen stream (12) fed to the combustion chamber is obtained by means of an air fractionation installation (11). Means (9) for coarse fractionation of the supplied air (8) are connected upstream of the air fractionation installation (11) in order to supply oxygen-enriched air (10) to the air fractionation installation (11).

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus is provided which comprises a charged particle source for producing a primary beam of charged particles, aperture means for collimating said primary beam of charged particles, wherein said aperture means is adapted to switch between a collimation of said primary beam to a width appropriate for serial imaging of a sample as well as a collimation of said primary beam to a width appropriate for parallel imaging of said sample, a condenser lens for condensing said primary beam of charged particles, scanning means for deflecting said primary beam of charged particles, an objective lens for focusing said condensed primary beam, a sectorized detector for detecting a secondary charged particles. Also, several different operation modes of the beam apparatus are described allowing for serial imaging as well as parallel imaging.