Abstract: An hydroponic container apparatus for growing plants therein comprises a block of dehydrated coir fibres placed in a container (10). The container (10) has drain holes (14) located in its base (11) and has an open top (13) from sides (12), the open top of the container being adapted to be folded and sealed such that the container (10) acts as packaging for the block of dehydrated coir fibres, and the sides (12) of the container are folded and secured over the top of the block. When the container (10) is ready for use it is unsealed and unfolded such that the dehydrated block of coir fibres is able to be re-hydrated and readied for use as a hydroponic medium whilst still in the container (10).

Abstract: A steam turbine including a plurality of rows of rotating blades interspersed with a plurality of rows of stationary blades incorporates a water barrier extending substantially across a suction side of each blade of at least one of the rows of stationary blades. Each of the water barriers is positioned relatively near a radially outer end of a respective blade and approximately parallel to an end wall of the steam turbine. Moisture which accumulates on the radially outer end of the stationary blades is trapped between the end of the blade and the water barrier. Any water which attempts to flow over the top of the barrier is picked up by the steam flow and broken into small droplets while being rapidly accelerated. Water held behind the barrier and which flows off the trailing edge of the stationary blade only impacts a limited extent of the following rotating blade row.

Abstract: A method for optimizing thermodynamic performance of a steam turbine by matching a last stage blade flow area to condenser pressure by adjusting blade angular orientation to set gaging to an optimum value. The method is also used to correct incidence by setting blade angular orientation upstream of the last blade row.

Abstract: A segmented turbine vane nozzle assembly for a steam turbine has an inner ring and a plurality of vanes with each vane having a base end and a profile tip and a profile tip trailing edge extension portion and each vane base end being attached to the inner ring and extending radially therefrom. An annular outer ring has a plurality of arcuate grooves of predetermined depth therein. The outer ring is mounted concentrically with the inner ring. Each vane profile tip trailing edge extension portion extends into one outer ring arcuate groove. Each of the vane profile tips leading edge portion is attached to the outer ring so that a vane assembly is formed without welding the profile tip trailing edge of the vanes. This reduces flow leakage and the formation of erosion caused by the formation and release of large droplets. A method of making a segmented turbine vane nozzle assembly is also disclosed.

Abstract: A low pressure double flow stream turbine is connected to a condenser and partition plates are disposed within the condenser and turbine to flow to two separate chambers and cooling water flows in series through tubes in the separate chambers producing different back pressures, the last row of rotating blades which discharge into the lower pressure chamber are longer than the last row of blades which discharge into the higher pressure chamber resulting in an improvement in the heat rate of the turbine.