Abstract: A system for the monitoring and/or controlling emission levels of nitrogen oxide and a reductant from a stream of combustion exhaust, wherein the internal combustion engine includes a SCR unit disposed in the stream of combustion exhaust between an upstream conduit and a downstream conduit, the SCR unit having a catalyst that is configured to catalytically reduce nitrogen oxides contained in the combustion exhaust to elemental nitrogen in the presence of a reductant and oxygen, and wherein the internal combustion engine further includes a reductant injector; the system comprising: a laser absorption spectroscopy unit that is disposed in the downstream conduit and configured to measure the concentration level of at least nitrogen oxide and the reductant in the exhaust; and a control unit.

Abstract: A system for the monitoring and/or controlling emission levels of nitrogen oxide and a reductant from a stream of combustion exhaust, wherein the internal combustion engine includes a SCR unit disposed in the stream of combustion exhaust between an upstream conduit and a downstream conduit, the SCR unit having a catalyst that is configured to catalytically reduce nitrogen oxides contained in the combustion exhaust to elemental nitrogen in the presence of a reductant and oxygen, and wherein the internal combustion engine further includes a reductant injector; the system comprising: a laser absorption spectroscopy unit that is disposed in the downstream conduit and configured to measure the concentration level of at least nitrogen oxide and the reductant in the exhaust; and a control unit.

Abstract: A method of operating a turbine, the method including the steps of: 1) gathering measured creep data for a blade while the turbine operates at different operating temperatures, the measured creep data comprising at least a measured creep rate for the blade (wherein the different operating temperatures include at least a first operating temperature and a second operating temperature); and 2) given the measured creep data for the blade while the turbine operated at the first operating temperature and the measured creep data for the blade while the turbine operated at the second operating temperature, determining whether operating the turbine at the first operating temperature or the second operating temperature is more economically efficient.

Abstract: A system for monitoring a condition of an article comprises a controller; at least one sensor for detecting a characteristic of the article; a signal processor for processing signals from the at least one sensor; a feature extractor that can extract at least one of a range of article conditions from the output from the signal processor and that can evaluate at least one of a range of article conditions, the feature extractor providing feature extractor output to the controller; an operation detector receiving data of detected features of the elements being monitored, the operation detector providing output to the controller; a central system storing historical data about the condition of an article, the off-line processor providing output to the controller. Wherein the controller analyzes the output from the feature extractor, the operation detector, and the central system can provide a system output of the condition of the article.

Abstract: A method of operating a turbine, the method including the steps of: 1) gathering measured creep data for a blade while the turbine operates at different operating temperatures, the measured creep data comprising at least a measured creep rate for the blade (wherein the different operating temperatures include at least a first operating temperature and a second operating temperature); and 2) given the measured creep data for the blade while the turbine operated at the first operating temperature and the measured creep data for the blade while the turbine operated at the second operating temperature, determining whether operating the turbine at the first operating temperature or the second operating temperature is more economically efficient.

Abstract: A tip shrouded turbine blade that may include a target pad disposed on an outer radial surface of the tip shroud, the target pad including a raised surface that protrudes radially outward from the outer face of the tip shroud. The target pad may be substantially cylindrical in shape such that an outer radial face of the target pad is substantially circular in shape. The size of the surface area of the outer radial face of the target pad may be configured to be substantially the same size as an area of measurement for a conventional proximity sensor.