Abstract: A molten salt central receiver arrangement for transferring heat from panels to a molten salt that flows through the panels. A control device allows to change the condition of at least one of the panel arrangements of the molten salt central receiver arrangement depending on at least an operating parameter of at least one panel and/or depending on an environment signal that characterizes the actual or forecast available heat for the heat transfer to the molten salt. In normal operation passes, each having one or more panels, are connected in series such that molten salt flows in a serpentine or alternating way upward and downward through subsequent passes. In a parallel flow condition, molten salt may flow upward through all of the panels in parallel. In a drain condition, the molten salt is forced out of one or more panels and replaced by compressed air.

Abstract: A molten salt central receiver arrangement for transferring heat from panels to a molten salt that flows through the panels. A control device allows to change the condition of at least one of the panel arrangements of the molten salt central receiver arrangement depending on at least an operating parameter of at least one panel and/or depending on an environment signal that characterizes the actual or forecast available heat for the heat transfer to the molten salt. In normal operation passes, each having one or more panels, are connected in series such that molten salt flows in a serpentine or alternating way upward and downward through subsequent passes. In a parallel flow condition, molten salt may flow upward through all of the panels in parallel. In a drain condition, the molten salt is forced out of one or more panels and replaced by compressed air.

Abstract: A system for measuring a flow rate of a fluid through a plurality of tubes sharing a common flow orifice, the system includes an ultrasonic transducer having a plurality of sensors in communication with a plurality of tubes sharing a common flow orifice. The system includes an electronic module coupled to the ultrasonic transducer, the electronic module connecting selected sensors to a flow rate analyzer for determining a flow rate of fluid through the plurality of tubes on which the sensors are in communication with.

Abstract: A system for measuring a flow rate of a fluid through a plurality of tubes sharing a common flow orifice, the system includes an ultrasonic transducer having a plurality of sensors in communication with a plurality of tubes sharing a common flow orifice. The system includes an electronic module coupled to the ultrasonic transducer, the electronic module connecting selected sensors to a flow rate analyzer for determining a flow rate of fluid through the plurality of tubes on which the sensors are in communication with.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) operative for purposes of detecting the presence of a coal rope within a coal delivery pipe (200) is provided. The apparatus (100) includes a rod (105) that is operative to flex when struck by a coal rope that is present inside the coal delivery pipe (200), a strain gauge (115) that is operative to produce an electrical signal based upon the amount of flexing that the rod (105) is subjected to when struck by a coal rope that is present in the coal delivery pipe (200), and a processor that is operative to determine based upon the electrical signal that is received thereby from the strain gauge (115) at least one of either the location of the coal rope within the coal delivery pipe (200) or the density of the coal rope within the coal delivery pipe (200).

Abstract: A device for optimizing a modeled fluidized bed combustion power plant (10) includes a model (112) of a fluidized bed combustion system and an optimizer (114). The model (112) of the fluidized bed combustion system provides at least one simulated output parameter of the fluidized bed combustion power plant (10) in response to a user selected parameter of the fluidized bed combustion power plant (10). The optimizer (114) provides at least one optimized simulated output parameter of the fluidized bed combustion power plant (10) in response to at least one user selected optimization setting (126) and the at least one simulated output parameter.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) operative for purposes of detecting the presence of a coal rope within a coal delivery pipe (200) is provided. The apparatus (100) includes a rod (105) that is operative to flex when struck by a coal rope that is present inside the coal delivery pipe (200), a strain gauge (115) that is operative to produce an electrical signal based upon the amount of flexing that the rod (105) is subjected to when struck by a coal rope that is present in the coal delivery pipe (200), and a processor that is operative to determine based upon the electrical signal that is received thereby from the strain gauge (115) at least one of either the location of the coal rope within the coal delivery pipe (200) or the density of the coal rope within the coal delivery pipe (200).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for aligning the axis of a mirror of a carbon in ash sensor. The method first executes a series of steps that causes a stepper motor connected to an axis of the mirror to move the mirror through a first coarse alignment procedure and then executes a second series of steps that that moves the mirror through a second fine alignment procedure.

Abstract: An apparatus 100 for providing information concerning a condition of a vessel such as a steam drum 12 which segregates steam and liquid from one another includes a liquid contact assembly 102, a signal generator element 130, and a housing 112 and a conduit 114 for enclosing the signal generator element 130 in a substantially leak proof manner within the vessel space. The liquid contact assembly 102 is disposable at a first vessel location in the steam drum 12 and has a vibration component 108 operable to vibrate at natural frequencies which vary as a function of a predetermined characteristic of the liquid at the first vessel location and a support component 110 for supporting the water contact assembly 102 in contact with the liquid at the first vessel location. The signal generator element 130 generates a signal indicative of a natural frequency of the vibration component 108.

Abstract: An apparatus 100 for providing information concerning a condition of a vessel such as a steam drum 12 which segregates steam and liquid from one another includes a liquid contact assembly 102, a signal generator element 130, and a housing 112 and a conduit 114 for enclosing the signal generator element 130 in a substantially leak proof manner within the vessel space. The liquid contact assembly 102 is disposable at a first vessel location in the steam drum 12 and has a vibration component 108 operable to vibrate at natural frequencies which vary as a function of a predetermined characteristic of the liquid at the first vessel location and a support component 110 for supporting the water contact assembly 102 in contact with the liquid at the first vessel location. The signal generator element 130 generates a signal indicative of a natural frequency of the vibration component 108.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for calculating the volume fraction of carbon in the fly ash using a carbon in fly ash sensor that has a resonant cavity. The method first determines the volume fraction of ash in the fly ash. The method then determines the real and imaginary components of the dielectric constant of a mixture of pure carbon and pure fly ash, and the transmission factor of a signal from the oscillator in the sensor transmitted through the cavity due to absorption by material in the cavity. The method then determines the volume fraction of carbon in the fly ash by using the volume fraction of ash, the real and imaginary components of the pure mixture dielectric constant, the absorption transmission factor and the length of the cavity, the speed of light and the frequency of the oscillator.

Abstract: A system including a resonant cavity for measuring in-situ and in real time the Carbon content of the fly ash produced from the combustion process occurring within a pulverized coal-fired steam generator. The resonant cavity basically includes an intelligence section, a transmitting section, a cavity section and a receiving section. When the system including the resonant cavity is so employed the measurements gained therefrom may be utilized either by an operator or as input to a boiler control system or both in order that corrective action may be implemented when such is required.