General Electric Company

General Elec. Co.

Minyoung Lee

Lawrence E Szala

Anil Raj Duggal

Charles E Thomas

Robert C DeVries

Steven Robert Hayashi

Milivoj Konstantin Brun

James F Bedard

Lionel M Levinson

William R Reed, Jr

Roy E Tuft

Louis E Hibbs, Jr

Robert C De Vries

Marcus P Borom

Samson Hettiarachchi

Alan I Taub

David Winfield Woodruff

Lawson P Harris

William S Yerazunis

Norman Arnold Turnquist

Christopher Edward Wolfe

Bharat S Bagepalli

Marshall Gordon Jones

Douglas Glenn Wildes

John Norton Park

Svante Prochazka

Robert Harold Cromer

Robert A Thompson

Young Jin Kim

Siegfried Aftergut

Peter G Frischmann

Ranga Komanduri

William Newell Schultz

Bahram Keramati

Radhakrishnan Ranjan

Anthony A Renshaw

Harold Jay Patchen

Young-Jin Kim

Donald Kenneth Ferguson

Donald G Flom

Joseph W Erkes

Herman L Finkbeiner

Laurence E Szala

Robert J Douglas

The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a composite array structure that comprises a plurality of elements of an electrically conductive composite material interconnected by at least one region of an electrically insulating material. The method comprises forming regions of the electrically insulating material around regions of the electrically conductive material such that at least a surface of the regions of the electrically insulating material is below a surface of the regions of the electrically conductive material.

Method of manufacturing composite array structure

A ceramic sensor is disclosed that includes a ceramic tube having a closed end and an open end, and a metal sleeve having open first and second ends. The ceramic tube is formed of stabilized zirconia. The metal sleeve extends about the open end of the ceramic tube and is sealingly joined thereto at a contact region by a brazeless bond resulting from hot isostatic pressing. A mixture of metal and metal oxide powders is provided within the ceramic tube adjacent the closed end, and a conducting wire extends from the mixture of metal and metal oxide powders to the second end of the metal sleeve.

Ceramic corrosion potential sensor and method for its manufacture

A current limiter device comprises at least two electrodes; an interlocked-array electrically conductive composite material disposed between the electrodes; interfaces disposed between the electrodes; an inhomogeneous distribution of resistance at the interfaces whereby, during a high current event, adiabatic resistive heating at the interfaces causes rapid thermal expansion and vaporization and physical separation at the interfaces; and means for exerting compressive pressure on the electrically conducting composite material. The interlocked-array electrically conductive composite material comprises an interlocked-array of spaced apart discrete regions of at least one insulating flexible material and at least one electrically conductive composite material. A method for forming the interlocked-array electrically conductive composite material structure is also set forth by the invention.

Current limiter device with an electrically conductive composite material and method of manufacturing

A high voltage, current limiting device is connected in series with a high voltage power source and a protected load to interrupt current for an over-current condition [Typically 50 kA]. The current limiting device includes a current sensor/isolator and a switch connected in series. A current limiter, which may include a fuse or polymer current limiting material, is connected in parallel to the current sensor/isolator. The current sensor/isolator includes a pair of electrically insulated supports secured to a plurality of support rods to maintain the insulated supports at a predetermined fixed spacing to support an expulsion fuse. The expulsion fuse link includes a pair of copper conductors of adequate current carrying capability that are attached to ends of a main weak link fuse. A pair of coil springs hold the weak link fuse under tension to repel the conductors apart when the weak link fuse melts open during an over-current condition. An electrically insulating flapper pivotally connected at one end of a support rod provides a barrier between the source side and the load side of the current sensor/isolator when the main weak fuse melts open. One embodiment of the current limiter may include a high voltage polymer current limiting (PCL) device having a conductor-filled polymer composite material disposed between a pair of electrodes. The electrodes are forced inwardly by a pair of opposing springs to compress the composite material. The composite material, electrodes and springs are surrounded by pure silica, e.g., sand, within an enclosure.

High voltage current limiting device

An exemplary current limiting device comprises first and second electrodes; a composite material between the first and second electrodes, the composite material comprising: (a) a binder, and (b) an electrically conductive filler; a thin layer which provides an inhomogeneous distribution of resistance to the device; a web which reinforces the composite material; and a pressurizer for pressing the electrodes against the composite material; wherein the web is disposed in a volume of the composite material which does not include the thin layer. The current limiting device is simple and reusable, and can be tailored to a plurality of applications, including high voltage/current distribution systems, to protect sensitive components from high fault currents. The device has a robust structure which allows it to repeatedly withstand the high mechanical and thermal stresses which typically accompany switching events in high voltage/current circuits. The robust structure improves the lifetime of the device and provides impact resistance to the device. The device operates without relying on the PTCR effect to limit current.

Current limiting device having a web structure

A current limiting device utilizes an electrically conductive composite material and an inhomogeneous distribution of resistance structure. The current limiting device has a conducting filler and at least two electrodes, where at least one of the electrodes comprises a grooved electrode structure. The grooved electrode structure maintains contact between the electrodes and the composite material, even with consumption of the composite material and production of residue during a high current condition.

Current limiting device with grooved electrode structure

A brush seal which, among other applications, may be used for sealing a steam leakage gap between the shrouded free end of steam-turbine buckets (blades) of a steam-turbine rotor and a circumferentially surrounding steam-turbine stator. In a first embodiment, the brush seal includes first and second bristle packets having, respectively, first and second bristles, wherein the second bristles are more abrasive than the first bristles. In a second embodiment, the brush seal includes a bristle packet having bristles which are more abrasive proximate their free ends than not proximate their free ends.

Brush seal for use on rough rotating surfaces

A current limiting device has an electrically conductive composite material, an inhomogeneous distribution of resistance structure comprises a conducting filler, and at least two electrodes. At least one of the electrodes is a flexible electrode to maintain contact between the electrode and the composite material, regardless of the consumption of the composite material during a high current condition.

Current limiting device with at least one flexible electrode

An electrochemical corrosion potential sensor is fabricated by initially joining an electrical conductor to a sensor tip. An electrical cable is joined to the tip conductor. Ceramic powder is fused under heat around the tip conductor to form an integral annular electrically insulating band therearound to insulate the tip from the cable. The band may be formed by plasma spraying, or it may be molded and sintered to seal it to the tip and conductor without brazing. In a preferred embodiment, the band is formed of yttria-stabilized-zirconia or magnesia-stabilized-zirconia.

Brazeless electrochemical corrosion potential sensor

A current limiting system for a circuit limits current flow through the system. The current limiting system comprises at least one main switch comprising first and second main switch contacts and a contactor connecting the first and second main switch contacts; at least one current limiting device and at least one solid-state switch, which are mechanically unconnected to the main switch, and the at least one current limiting device and least one solid-state switch are arranged in series on a series side of the circuit; the at least one main switch is on a main switch side of the circuit arranged in parallel with the series side; a control that senses a predetermined condition of the circuit, and operably connected with the at least one solid state switch to open and it. Under normal operating conditions, most current flows through the at least one main switch side. When the predetermined condition causes the main switch to open, and the resistance increases in a main switch side. Thus, current flows to the series side of the circuit side. The current limiting device then switches its state from a low resistance to a high resistance state to limit the current passing through the current limiting system, where the control has sensed a predetermined condition and signals the solid-state switch to open, thereby interrupting current flow through of the current limiting system.

Current limiting system and method

An AC contactor having a high recovery voltage strength includes a contact assembly and a high recovery voltage gas system coupled to the contact assembly. The contact assembly includes two contact pads per electrical phase, with one of the contact pads being attached to a positioning device that selectively disposes the contact pad between a closed circuit position and an open circuit position. The high recovery voltage gas system includes a thermal gas evolving medium for introducing a high recovery voltage strength gas into the gap between the contact pads, which gas has a high glow discharge cathode voltage fall value, as determined for silver-based contacts, of not less than about 300 volts, and typically greater than about 500 volts. The high recovery voltage strength gas typically comprises carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, water vapor, or the like. The thermal gas evolving medium typically is as a Group IA carbonate (e.g., sodium bicarbonate), and is disposed in the contact assembly.

Low voltage AC contactor including high recovery voltage gas system

An improved x-ray system/tube comprising an enclosure having oil contained therein, an oil pump, for circulating oil within the system, at least one cooling structure operatively connected to the enclosure and the oil pump, for cooling the oil, an x-ray tube, operatively positioned inside the enclosure for generating and directing x-rays toward a target, the x-ray tube comprising: a glass envelope, a cathode, operatively positioned in the glass envelope, an anode assembly including a rotor and a stator, operatively positioned relative to the rotor, a target, operatively positioned relative to the cathode and operatively connected to the anode assembly, for directing x-rays out of the system, and bearing structure having opposing surfaces and lubricant means having debris therein, operatively connected to the anode assembly, for enabling the target to rotate at a high rate and at a low resistance, the bearing structure including means for capturing the debris such that bearing performance is maintained at or near the level of a bearing structure having no debris therein. The debris capturing means can be grooved, operatively positioned in the bearing structure, for preventing debris from moving to the interface point between the bearing surfaces. This can be accomplished by positioning various grooves in various types of bearing and by forming ridges in the grooves already in the bearing for capturing the debris.

Bearings for x-ray tubes

An improved high performance x-ray tube having a rotating graphite anode therein and method of preparation thereof. The surface of a graphite anode body is oxidized in air for removing the surface damage caused during the machining of the anode body. The anode body is provided with a diffusion barrier layer of rhenium contiguously disposed on the substantially damage free surface of the anode body. An anode target layer is then deposited on top of the barrier layer.

Focal track structures for X-ray anodes and method of preparation thereof

An improved high performance x-ray tube rotating having a graphite anode therein and method of preparation thereof. A graphite anode body is provided with a microcracked contiguously disposed diffusion barrier layer of rhenium on the surface of the anode body. An anode target layer is then deposited on top of the barrier layer.

Adherent focal track structures for X-ray target anodes having diffusion

A method and apparatus for parting a deck of amorphous alloy ribbons in one operation is disclosed. Force is applied to a deck of ribbons to place it under tension. A localized zone in the deck is compressed and rapidly heated to the softening temperature of the amorphous alloy. The deck separates along a seam within the zone due to the tensile force and localized rapid heating. A high quality edge is produced where the separated ribbon edges are free of burrs, meltbeads or substantial cracking and chipping.

Method and apparatus for parting a deck of amorphous alloy ribbons

Growing community of inventors

Schenectady, NY, United States of America

Minyoung Lee