Westinghouse Electric

About: Westinghouse Electric is a company organization based out in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Brake & Signal. The organization has 27959 authors who have published 38036 publications receiving 523387 citations.

System for operating solid oxide fuel cell generator on diesel fuel

Abstract: A system is provided for operating a solid oxide fuel cell generator on diesel fuel. The system includes a hydrodesulfurizer which reduces the sulfur content of commercial and military grade diesel fuel to an acceptable level. Hydrogen which has been previously separated from the process stream is mixed with diesel fuel at low pressure. The diesel/hydrogen mixture is then pressurized and introduced into the hydrodesulfurizer. The hydrodesulfurizer comprises a metal oxide such as ZnO which reacts with hydrogen sulfide in the presence of a metal catalyst to form a metal sulfide and water. After desulfurization, the diesel fuel is reformed and delivered to a hydrogen separator which removes most of the hydrogen from the reformed fuel prior to introduction into a solid oxide fuel cell generator. The separated hydrogen is then selectively delivered to the diesel/hydrogen mixer or to a hydrogen storage unit. The hydrogen storage unit preferably comprises a metal hydride which stores hydrogen in solid form at low pressure. Hydrogen may be discharged from the metal hydride to the diesel/hydrogen mixture at low pressure upon demand, particularly during start-up and shut-down of the system.

Wide spectrum antireflective coating for fused silica and other glasses.

Abstract: A method of forming a laser damage resistant wide-spectrum antireflective coating on fused silica and other glasses has been developed. The single-layer graded-index coating is deposited from a specific polymer solution which is converted to a porous SiO2 film. The size of the pores in the film is first reduced by heat treatment to prevent eventual UV scattering. Refractive-index gradation is achieved by grading this non-scattering porosity using a mild etching agent to a depth which is sufficient to smooth the density transition from air to the substrate glass. The resultant coating provides antireflectivity over the entire transmission range of silica extending to wavelengths as short as 250 nm. Laser damage thresholds as high as 9 J/cm2 at 350 nm have been demonstrated for this coating on fused silica substrates, which makes it particularly suitable for the optics of high-power lasers.

Expert advice display processing system

Abstract: The present invention provides expert advice produced by an expert system 16 as a graphic display that indicates to the user a range 64 in which an actual value 62 of a parameter should be kept for safe or efficient operation of the process being monitored. The operator adjusts control points to keep the actual value indicator 62 within the range 64. As the process being monitored moves toward an out-of-normal state, an alarm management system 18 reinforces the graphic advice with general and then more detailed alarm messages that are displayed in priority order in goal and process message slots 114-122. Recommendations, in the form of an action script, for particular actions, based on expert system action indications, are also presented as the system state becomes more unacceptable. The invention also displays an historical perspective of the process parameters being monitored and, through a prediction module 20, provides a prediction of the future state of the process and process parameters.

Geometry effects and the J-integral approach to elastic-plastic fatigue crack growth

Abstract: Fatigue crack growth rate data are obtained for center cracked specimens of A533B steel subjected to elastic-plastic cyclic loading. Cyclic J-integral values estimated from load versus deflection hysteresis loops are correlated with these growth rate data. The relationship obtained is in agreement with previous elastic-plastic data on compact specimens and also with linear elastic data on large size compact specimens. These experimental data suggest that the fracture mechanics approach to fatigue crack growth may be extended by the use of the J-integral concept, so that large scale plasticity effects are included.