Alstom

About: Alstom is a company organization based out in Saint-Ouen, France. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Turbine & Combustor. The organization has 8343 authors who have published 9133 publications receiving 97477 citations. The organization is also known as: Alsthom & GEC-Alstom.

The CMS experiment at the CERN LHC

Abstract: The Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) detector is described. The detector operates at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. It was conceived to study proton-proton (and lead-lead) collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 14 TeV (5.5 TeV nucleon-nucleon) and at luminosities up to 10(34)cm(-2)s(-1) (10(27)cm(-2)s(-1)). At the core of the CMS detector sits a high-magnetic-field and large-bore superconducting solenoid surrounding an all-silicon pixel and strip tracker, a lead-tungstate scintillating-crystals electromagnetic calorimeter, and a brass-scintillator sampling hadron calorimeter. The iron yoke of the flux-return is instrumented with four stations of muon detectors covering most of the 4 pi solid angle. Forward sampling calorimeters extend the pseudo-rapidity coverage to high values (vertical bar eta vertical bar <= 5) assuring very good hermeticity. The overall dimensions of the CMS detector are a length of 21.6 m, a diameter of 14.6 m and a total weight of 12500 t.

Multicell converters: basic concepts and industry applications

Abstract: Multicell power converters were introduced ten years ago. This paper summarizes the main results obtained through the research done on these converters over this period: topology and derivation of multicell choppers and voltage-source inverters; harmonics cancellation; open-loop modulation techniques; self-balancing understanding; and optimization. During this same period, industrial products using this technique have been developed and the corresponding know-how has contributed to the field in various ways, such as modular design, low inductance busbars, specific drivers, etc.

U.S. program on materials technology for ultra-supercritical coal power plants

Abstract: The efficiency of conventional fossil power plants is a strong function of the steam temperature and pressure. Research to increase both has been pursued worldwide, since the energy crisis in the 1970s. The need to reduce CO2 emissions has recently provided an additional incentive to increase efficiency. More recently, interest has been evinced in advanced combustion technologies utilizing oxygen instead of air for combustion. The main enabling technology in achieving the above goals is the development of stronger high temperature materials. Extensive research-and-development programs have resulted in numerous high-strength alloys for heavy section piping and for tubing needed to build boilers. The study reported on here is aimed at identifying, evaluating, and qualifying the materials needed for the construction of the critical components of coal-fired boilers that are capable of operating with steam at temperatures of 760 °C (1400 °F) and pressures of 35 MPa (5000 psi). The economic viability of such a plant has been explored. Candidate alloys applicable to various ranges of temperatures have been identified. Stress rupture tests have been completed on the base metal and on welds to a number of alloys. Steamside oxidation tests in an autoclave at 650 °C (1200 °F) and 800 °C (1475 °F) have been completed. Fireside corrosion tests have been conducted under conditions simulating those of waterwalls and superheater/reheater tubes. The weldability and fabricability of the alloys have been investigated. The capabilities of various overlay coatings and diffusion coatings have been examined. This article provides a status report on the progress achieved to date on this project.

The Alternate Arm Converter: A New Hybrid Multilevel Converter With DC-Fault Blocking Capability

Abstract: This paper explains the working principles, supported by simulation results, of a new converter topology intended for HVDC applications, called the alternate arm converter (AAC). It is a hybrid between the modular multilevel converter, because of the presence of H-bridge cells, and the two-level converter, in the form of director switches in each arm. This converter is able to generate a multilevel ac voltage and since its stacks of cells consist of H-bridge cells instead of half-bridge cells, they are able to generate higher ac voltage than the dc terminal voltage. This allows the AAC to operate at an optimal point, called the “sweet spot,” where the ac and dc energy flows equal. The director switches in the AAC are responsible for alternating the conduction period of each arm, leading to a significant reduction in the number of cells in the stacks. Furthermore, the AAC can keep control of the current in the phase reactor even in case of a dc-side fault and support the ac grid, through a STATCOM mode. Simulation results and loss calculations are presented in this paper in order to support the claimed features of the AAC.