Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc.

Fuel Tech, Inc.

Siemens Industry, Inc.

Scott M Mayhew

Daniel Zuzuly

Scott Wakefield

John M Boyle

Gregg Jonsson

William H Sun

Paul G Carmignani

Ronald A Lau

David M Kieffer

Glenn Orin Ray

Disclosed are methods and compact apparatus for controlled, on-demand ammonia generation from urea. The process gasifies an aqueous urea solution in a chamber utilizing hot gas while controlling the flows of aqueous urea solution and hot gas to achieve complete gasification of the aqueous urea solution and form a gas mixture comprising ammonia, isocyanic acid, carbon dioxide and water vapor, which is passed through a catalyst bed containing particulate transition metal oxide to convert substantially all of the isocyanic acid to ammonia. A catalyst support and the catalyst bed are aligned with the gasification chamber at the lower end of said chamber to provide a degree of back pressure on the gases in the gasification chamber to isolate the gasification chamber from turbulent exit effects caused by equipment downstream of the thermal reactor. A sample of the product stream is treated to remove water and ammonia, and analyze for carbon dioxide content to control the process. The apparatus to perform the process includes flow managing equipment and catalyst supports that facilitate continuous operation with accurate control.

Controlled, compact, on-demand ammonia gas generation process and apparatus

Disclosed are methods and apparatus for providing an ammonia feed for a low-temperature process. The process includes two defined stages, gasification and hydrolysis. In a first stage thermal reactor, an aqueous urea solution is fed to a gasification chamber and heated gases are controlled in response to demand from a low temperature process requiring ammonia. The heated gases and aqueous urea are introduced into the gasification chamber upstream to fully gasify the solution of aqueous urea to a first stage gas stream comprising ammonia and isocyanic acid. The first stage gas stream is withdrawn and maintained hot enough to prevent solids formation. All amounts of urea feed, water and heated gases fed into the first stage thermal reactor are monitored and adjusted as necessary to achieve efficient hydrolysis in the second stage hydrolysis reactor. The second stage gas stream is withdrawn from the second stage reactor responsive to demand from a low temperature process requiring ammonia.

Ammonia gas generation from urea for low temperature process requirements

Disclosed are methods and apparatus for treating and analyzing a gas stream to determine the ammonia concentration. A gas stream is continuously monitored to determine the ammonia concentration by extracting gas samples from one or more locations and sending it to a tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy instrument for analysis. By proper placement of sampling probes within a duct, depending on the particular flow patterns that have been determined by suitable modeling, e.g., computational fluid dynamics or cold flow modeling, the valves can be operated manually or by a controller to take samples at predetermined locations within the duct. This will enable taking samples from particular locations, samples representative of the entire cross section, or samples that are an average of a particular cross section. It will be possible by judicious placement of the probes and operation of the valves to map the concentrations of ammonia at a plurality of load settings and will permit continuous control.

Extractive continuous ammonia monitoring system

A motor controller system comprises solid state switches for connection between a single phase to three phase static converter and motor terminals for controlling application of three phase power to the motor. Sensors sense power from the static converter. A control is connected to the sensors and the solid state switches for controlling operation of the solid state switches to run the motor. The controller includes a three phase detection scheme for preventing operation of the solid state switches in the absence of desired three phase power from the static converter. A motor start scheme disables the three phase detection scheme for a select time after a motor run signal.

System and method for operating a soft starter in conjunction with a single to three phase static converter

An externally configurable soft starter system comprises a motor controller including solid state switches for controlling application of power to a motor. A control circuit controls operation of the solid state switches. The control circuit comprises a programmed processor for commanding operation of the solid state switches and a memory connected to the programmed processor storing parameters relating to operation of the solid state switches. An interface circuit is operatively connected to the programmed processor. An external device includes a memory for storing parameters relating to operation of the solid state switches and an interface for communication with the motor controller. A configuration program is operatively implemented in the programmed processor and the external configuration device for transferring a configuration database file between the controller memory and the external device memory. The configuration database file comprises a plurality of the stored parameters relating to operation of the solid state switches.

System and method for configuring a soft starter

A motor controller system comprises solid state switches for connection between an AC line and motor terminals for controlling application of AC power to the motor. A sensor senses AC line voltage. A control circuit controls operation of the solid state switches. The control circuit ramps switch current during a start mode and selectively holds switch current during the start mode if sensed voltage drops below a threshold amount.

System and method for automatic current limit control

A motor controller system includes solid state switches for connection between an AC line and motor terminals for controlling application of AC power to a motor. Voltage sensors sense voltage across each of the solid state switches and AC line voltage. A control circuit controls operation of the solid state switches. The control circuit compares the sensed voltages across each of the solid state switches with the AC line voltage in a non-run mode to determine if there is a shorted solid state switch.

System and method for confirming a detection of low voltage and shorted SCRs

A motor control system for detecting motor run condition comprises power switches for connection to an AC line for controlling application of AC power to the motor. An input receives a motor start command. A controller is connected to the input and controls operation of the switches responsive to a motor start command. The controller includes a counter and a timer and is operable to disable the power switches if number of starts during a select interval exceeds a first threshold and to disable the power switches if motor run time after a motor start command exceeds a second threshold.

System and method for detecting motor run condition

A soft starter system for monitoring and diagnosing electrical power system characteristics includes a motor controller including solid state switches for controlling application of power to a motor. A control circuit controls operation of the solid state switches. The control circuit includes a programmed processor for commanding operation of the solid state switches and for measuring electrical power system characteristics relating to operation of the solid state switches. A memory is connected to the programmed processor storing parameters of the measured electrical power system characteristics. An external monitoring and diagnostic device includes a memory for storing parameters of the measured electrical power system characteristics and an interface for communication with the motor controller. A monitoring and diagnostic program is operatively implemented in the external monitoring and diagnostic device for transferring parameters of the measured electrical power system characteristics from the control circuit to the external monitoring and diagnostic device to monitor electrical power system characteristics in real time.

System and method for providing electrical system monitoring and diagnosis

A motor starter system comprises solid state switches for connection between an AC line and motor terminals for controlling application of AC power to the motor. A voltage sensor senses AC line voltage and the motor terminal voltage. Current sensors sense motor current. A control circuit controls operation of the solid state switches. The control circuit limits switch current during a start mode and detects a stall condition responsive to sensed AC line voltage and motor terminal voltage and selectively boosts motor current during the start mode if a stall condition is detected.

System and method for stall detection of a motor

A motor starter system comprises solid state switches for connection to an AC line for controlling application of AC power to the motor. A fault contactor has contacts. A motor wiring circuit operatively connects the solid state switches and fault contactor contacts with motor winding terminals. A voltage sensor senses AC line voltage and motor terminal voltage. A control circuit controls operation of the solid state switches and the fault contactor, including de-energizing the fault contactor in an off mode where AC line power is not supplied to the motor winding terminals. The control circuit detects AC line voltage and motor terminal voltage in the off mode and detect an error condition responsive to sensed AC line voltage being substantially different from motor terminal voltage in the off mode.

System and method for fault contactor detection

A motor controller comprises a plurality of solid state switches each for connection between an AC line and a motor winding terminal for controlling application of AC power to the motor. A plurality of voltage sensors, each associated with one of the solid state switches, sense voltage for an associated motor winding. A control circuit controls operation of the solid state switches. The control circuit adjusts firing to one of the solid state switches if the sensed voltage for the associated winding varies from a threshold voltage by a select amount.

System and method for individual phase motor over voltage protection

A remotely configurable motor controller system comprises a motor controller and a remote configuration device. The motor controller includes solid state switches for connection between an AC line and motor terminals for controlling application of AC power to the motor and a control circuit for controlling operation of the solid state switches. The control circuit comprises a programmed processor for commanding operation of the solid state switches and a memory connected to the programmed processor storing configuration information relating to operation of the solid state switches. A wireless communication interface is operatively connected to the programmed processor. The remote configuration device includes a remote user interface for selecting parameters for the stored configuration information and a wireless communication interface for wireless communication with the motor controller so that the user interface is operable to configure the motor controller by updating the stored configuration information using the selected parameters.

System and method for configuring a motor controller with an external device

A motor controller system comprises solid state switches for connection between an AC line and motor terminals for controlling application of AC power to the motor. A user input elements selects a current imbalance parameter. Current sensors sense current in each winding of the motor. A control circuit controls operation of the solid state switches. The control circuit compares the sensed currents with the selected imbalance parameter to determine if a fault condition exists.

System and method for monitoring current and providing motor protection

A configurable motor controller includes solid state switches for connection between an AC line and motor terminals for controlling application of AC power to the motor. A control circuit controls operation of the solid state switches. The control circuit comprises a programmed processor for commanding operation of the solid state switches. A memory is connected to the programmed processor storing configuration information relating to operation of the solid state switches. A user configuration device selects the values for the stored configuration information. The configuration information comprises adjustable values within a range. The configuration device is adapted to select any adjustable value within the range.

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North Aurora, IL, United States of America

Scott M Mayhew