Abstract: A method of predicting emissions that may include the steps of: determining a first capacity for emissions during a sliding window of time; determining a used capacity for emissions during the sliding window of time; and determining an available capacity for emissions by calculating the differential between the first capacity and the used capacity. The emission violation may be an opacity emission violation. The first capacity may be the average opacity level available to a fossil fuel fired power plant over the sliding window of time before the opacity emission violation occurs.

Abstract: A method for monitoring a condition of a piston rod of a reciprocating compressor is provided. The piston rod having a length defined between a piston end and a crosshead end. The method includes positioning a first probe with respect to the piston rod along a x-axis and positioning a second probe with respect to the piston rod along a y-axis coplanar with and substantially perpendicular to the x-axis. A current ringing vibration amplitude greater than ten times a maximum of a one-hour average and a noise floor at a ringing frequency is detected, and a bent rod condition is diagnosed.

Abstract: A sinusoidal modulated signal and noise are applied to a system consisting of two oscillators of the so-called General Type, which can be, but are not limited to, the Van der Pol type, Rotator type, Tracking Force type, Linear type, or any other type of oscillator. The two oscillators in the system can also be of different types. The General Type oscillators are tuned for specific frequencies of the incoming sinusoidal modulated signal. The process of adjusting of oscillators to an incoming signal is known as Dynamic Synchronization. During the transitional period, because the noise is random, the noise pushes the frequencies of the General Type oscillators in opposite directions over time and thus self-eliminates its impact on such oscillators. The resulting signal is much less noisy, i.e., rectified, so that the sinusoidal modulated signal can be further evaluated by, for example, extracting and further analyzing its spectral peaks.

Abstract: A method of predicting emissions that may include the steps of: determining a first capacity for emissions during a sliding window of time; determining a used capacity for emissions during the sliding window of time; and determining an available capacity for emissions by calculating the differential between the first capacity and the used capacity. The emission violation may be an opacity emission violation. The first capacity may be the average opacity level available to a fossil fuel fired power plant over the sliding window of time before the opacity emission violation occurs.

Abstract: A method of detecting a signal (S) of interest contained within a waveform (F) comprised of a plurality of signals within a frequency spectrum, as well as random noise. After first detecting the waveform, a determination is made as to whether the duration (Td) of the waveform is sufficient for subsequent processing. If the duration is not sufficient, the waveform is concatenated with itself to produce a waveform of sufficient duration. The concatenated waveform is then processed and the results supplied as an input to an oscillator (24) operating at a nominal output frequency. The oscillator cancels the effects of noise in the waveform and the frequency of the oscillator shifts to a different frequency which is a function of the signal of interest. The shift in output frequency of the oscillator is detected and analyzed to obtain the signal of interest. The oscillator can be either a general purpose oscillator or a Van der Pol oscillator.

Abstract: Three aspects are disclosed of an airstream control system for a hovercraft that includes a platform and a lift gas chamber beneath the platform. Firstly, the system includes an impeller for receiving air at an inlet and discharging pressurized air at an outlet as an airstream. The impeller is positioned above an orifice of the lift gas chamber. The impeller is supported along a first axis transverse to the airstream and about which the impeller is rotatable by a first axis frame that is rotatable about a pair of first axis supports fixed to the platform. The impeller is further supported along a second axis transverse to the airstream and about which the impeller is rotatable by a second axis frame that is attached to the first axis frame and that comprises a first arm supporting a first point of the impeller and extending upstream of the impeller.

Abstract: Three aspects are disclosed of an airstream control system for a hovercraft that includes a platform and a lift gas chamber beneath the platform. Firstly, the system includes an impeller for receiving air at an inlet and discharging pressurized air at an outlet as an airstream. The impeller is positioned above an orifice of the lift gas chamber. The impeller is supported along a first axis transverse to the airstream and about which the impeller is rotatable by a first axis frame that is rotatable about a pair of first axis supports fixed to the platform. The impeller is further supported along a second axis transverse to the airstream and about which the impeller is rotatable by a second axis frame that is attached to the first axis frame and that comprises a first arm supporting a first point of the impeller and extending upstream of the impeller.

Abstract: A fluid flow control system for a bearing supporting rotating equipment, method and apparatus is disclosed in which a rotating shaft is suspended in a fluid. Shaft precession is monitored to provide a compensatory feed back loop to maintain proper shaft registry in the face of loads.

Abstract: A bearing for supporting rotating equipment, a fluid handling system associated therewith, a control system therefore, method and apparatus is disclosed in which a rotating shaft is suspended in a fluid. Shaft precession is monitored to provide a compensatory feed back loop to maintain proper shaft registry in the face of loads.

Abstract: A hydraulic deceleration control for a hydraulic motor includes a pilot operated control valve for controlling fluid flow through a pair of motor lines connected to the opposite sides of the hydraulic motor. A valve device is disposed to communicate a source of pressurized fluid to a fluid energy storage device when the control valve is in its open position and to release the pressurized fluid contained in the storage device when the control valve is moved from the open position to its closed position. A throttle orifice releases the fluid from the storage device at a controlled flow rate. A pilot operated diverter valve is disposed in series with an orifice disposed between the motor lines to control fluid flow through the orifice and has a spring disposed at a first end resiliently biasing the diverter valve to its closed position.

Abstract: A linear motor control system and method to increase apparent motor stiffness by providing linear motor resistance to perturbations caused by external forces exerted on a slide mass and a base mass. Primary and secondary sensors detect the accelerations of the slide mass and the base mass relative to ground and generate acceleration signals corresponding thereto. A position detector senses the position of the slide mass relative to the base mass and generates a position signal corresponding thereto. A signal processor processes the first and second acceleration signals and the position signal to determine deviations in the position, velocity and acceleration of the slide mass relative to the base mass from selected values caused by the external forces, and to generate a motor control signal to provide linear motor resistance against such deviations.

Abstract: Continuous, noncentrifugal, unit gravity, sedimentation apparatus for separating blood into an erythrocyte-enriched plasma fraction and a leukocyte/platelet-enriched plasma fraction.

Abstract: Continuous, noncentrifugal, unit gravity, sedimentation process and apparatus for carrying out the process, for separating blood into an erythrocyte-enriched plasma fraction and a leukocyte/platelet-enriched plasma fraction.

Abstract: A pattern tracer and method of tracing in which the movement of a racing element along a pattern is controlled in accordance with an effective forward offset which is selectively less than the actual forward offset to optimize the tracing for speeds less than the maximum tracer speed. The effective forward offset is established by providing control angles which are based on the pattern angles as detected in accordance with a selected criterion depending upon the type of pattern curve detected. The control angles are either calculated from the detected pattern angles or are selected from previously stored pattern angles. A kerf setting for lateral offset of the tracing element from the pattern is partially defined by the actual forward offset, so that changes in the effective forward offset do not cause any corresponding changes to the lateral offset or require changes to the kerf setting.

Abstract: A long, thin annular belt-like channel is designed for use in sedimentation field flow fractionation. This channel, which may be the rotor of a centrifuge, is designed to maintain its thickness dimension constant by forming the radially inner wall with a radial thickness that is about balanced by the centrifugal pressure of fluid in the flow channel.

Abstract: A long, thin annular belt-like channel is designed for use in sedimentation field flow fractionation. This channel, which may be contained in the rotor of a centrifuge, has a generally rectangular cross-section. It has an inlet positioned to introduce particulates (includes particles and/or macromolecules) approximately at the radial distance from the outer wall that is the equilibrium distance resulting from the average force field exerted on each particulate by the centrifugal force field and by the opposing normal diffusion forces due to Brownian motion. An outlet for the channel is similarly located. A modified design tapers the inlet and outlet.

Abstract: A long, thin annular belt-like channel is designed for use in sedimentation field flow fractionation. This channel, which is the rotor of a centrifuge, is designed to maintain its thickness dimension constant and yet facilitate its manufacture and cleaning by forming the rotor of a double mating ring in which the inner ring is split. This permits the inner ring to conform to the outer load carrying ring.

Abstract: A lock assembly (10) selectively moves and/or maintains a transmission shift control (11) at a neutral position for preventing inadvertent shifting of the transmission. A lever (13) of the transmission shift control (11) is movable in an arcuate pathway between forward and reverse drive positions and through a neutral position intermediate the forward and reverse drive positions. A crank (23) has first and second lever engaging portions (28,29) on a member (27) which is rotatable between a first position at which the lever (13) is free to move between the first and second positions and a second position at which the lever engaging portions (28,29) engage and maintain the lever (13) at the neutral position.

Abstract: Multiple embodiments of a hydraulic control circuit for a double-acting hydraulic motor to provide fluid at a relatively high pressure for operating the motor in a selected direction and otherwise providing operating fluid to the motor at a relatively low pressure, the control circuit including a dual pressure relief valve which is operatively responsive to the motor or an implement positioned by the motor to provide the two operating pressures. An additional dual pressure relief valve regulates the flow of exhaust fluid from one side of the motor to allow controlled response of the motor to external forces. The hydraulic control circuit of the present invention is preferably contemplated for operating a push-pull coupling to permit selective tandem operation of two vehicles.