Abstract: A method for detecting a proxy Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) agent in a network including at least a first machine with an IP address in a range of a first subnet, and at least one embedded controller with an IP address in a range of a second subnet. A router is also provided, wherein the second subnet is not contactable through the router provided its proxy ARP is disabled. The first machine and second machine each have static routes for inter-subnet communications. A test IP address is identified by the first machine. A test Media Access Control (MAC) address corresponding to the test IP address is then obtained. The test MAC address is compared to a range of MAC addresses for the embedded controller. An alarm is generated at the first machine if the test MAC address is outside the range of MAC addresses that can prompt actions to remove the proxy ARP condition.

Abstract: A multi-generation distributed control system includes a first generation (FG) DCS connected to a local control network (LCN) including FG client nodes. A second generation (SG) DCS connected to a non-LCN data highway includes a server node connected between the LCN and the non-LCN data highway and SG client nodes. The server node includes a LCN processor (LCNP) board. LCNP emulator software including a server LCNP emulator software component is at the server node and a client LCNP emulator software component at the SG client nodes. The server LCNP emulator software component translates between LCN data and data highway protocol data and adds one of a plurality of LCN address slots to communications received from the LCN for delivery to the SG DCS that each correspond to a SG client node. Each client LCNP emulator software component provides one of the LCN address slots at its SG client node.

Abstract: A solid rocket motor includes a combustion chamber bounded by an outer casing, a propellant grain within the combustion chamber, and an igniter within the outer casing for igniting the propellant grain. A nozzle is coupled to the combustion chamber for releasing hot gasses evolved from burning the propellant grain to provide thrust for propelling the solid rocket motor. The propellant grain is a self-extinguishing propellant grain that includes at least one fuel, at least one oxidizing agent, at least one binder, and at least one surfactant that imparts the self-extinguishing property. The propellant grain provides a burning rate as a function of pressure that includes a negative pressure dependence portion, wherein the burning rate in the negative pressure dependence portion decreases with increasing pressure until a cutoff pressure is reached which results in extinguishment of the propellant grain.

Abstract: A system controller for position controlling a photovoltaic (PV) panel in a PV system including a power sensor sensing output power (P), and a motor for positioning the PV panel. The system controller includes a computing device having memory that provides motor control signals and implements an iterative adaptive control (IAC) algorithm stored in the memory for adjusting an angle of the PV panel. The IAC algorithm includes an iterative relation that relates P at current time k (P(k)), its elevation angle at k (?s (k)), P after a next step (P(k+1)) and its elevation angle at k+1 (?s (k+1)). The IAC algorithm generates a perturbed power value P(k+1) to provide a power perturbation to P(k), and calculates a position angle ?S (k+1) of the PV panel using the perturbed power value. The motor control signals from the computing device cause the motor to position the PV panel to achieve ?S (k+1).

Abstract: A process for the preparation of composite thermite particles, and thermite particles and consolidated objects formed from a plurality of pressed composite particles. The process includes providing one or more metal oxides and one or more complementary metals capable of reducing the metal oxide, and milling the metal oxide and the metal at a temperature below ?50° C., such as cryomilling, to form a convoluted lamellar structure. The average layer thickness is generally between 10 nm and 1 ?m. The molar proportions of the metal oxide and metal are generally within 30% of being stoichiometric for a thermite reaction.

Abstract: A set of light generating devices provide simultaneously emission of a first modulated light beam and at least a second modulated light beam. The set of light generating devices are positioned so that their respective light beams are incident on the scanning mirror at different elevation angles. A photodetector detects reflected light from the target. A simulation controller is coupled to receive data obtained from the reflected light to generate a scan control signal based on the receive data and a projectile trajectory path for the projectile to the target. The scan control signal sequentially scans the elevation angle of the scanning mirror so that the respective light beams simultaneously scan different sectors of the simulated trajectory path to obtain a simulation that represents the projectile trajectory path.

Abstract: A method for depositing sol-gel derived coatings on substrates to form coated substrates includes the steps of providing a first solution including at least one sol precursor and at least one solvent. A water comprising solution is added to the first solution to form a sol-gel. The sol-gel is deposited on a substrate. The sol-gel layer on the substrate is dried/cured at a temperature ?100° C. for at least 10 minutes to form a solid layer, wherein the solid layer has a thickness from 50 nm to 110 nm. The depositing and curing steps are repeated at least once until combined thickness of the solid layers forms a coating of a predetermined thickness. The resulting solid layers are low water content layers that can be evidenced by transmission measurements. The coated substrate can be an IR transmissive substrate having a recrystallization temperature <130° C.

Abstract: A heat exchanger includes at least one hot fluid flow channel comprising a first plurality of open cell porous elements having first gaps therebetween for flowing a hot fluid in a flow direction and at least one cold fluid flow channel comprising a second plurality of open cell porous elements having second gaps therebetween for flowing a cold fluid in a countercurrent flow direction relative to the flow direction. The thermal conductivity of the porous elements is at least 10 W/m·K. A separation member is interposed between the hot and cold flow channels for isolating flow paths associated these flow channels. The first and second plurality of porous elements at least partially overlap one another to form a plurality of heat transfer pairs which transfer heat from respective ones of the first porous elements to respective ones of the second porous elements through the separation member.

Abstract: A method of scavenging oil from an oil-water mixture includes providing a plurality of functionalized fly ash particles having functionalized surfaces including reactive groups or reactive materials having hydrophobic groups covalently bound to the reactive groups or reactive materials. The oil-water mixture is contacted with the plurality of functionalized fly ash particles. The plurality of functionalized fly ash particles absorb oil from the oil-water mixture to form oil-laden fly ash particles. The oil-laden fly ash particles can be fed into a combustion process to generate heat from oil absorbed thereon, or absorbed oil from the oil-laden fly ash particles can be separated using a desorption process, and the oil recovered after separating.

Abstract: A packaged fused-fiber device includes a fused-fiber device having at least one input fiber and at least one output fiber, and a fused portion between the input fiber and output fiber. A concave shaped substrate has an inside surface and an outside surface, wherein a minimum distance from the inside surface to the outside surface that is generally set by the substrate thickness is substantially constant throughout the substrate. An affixment material secures the first and second ends of the fused portion to the inside surface of the substrate. A thermally conductive housing is in thermal contact with the outside surface of the substrate. In one embodiment the substrate has an L-shaped cross section and the housing is a hollow housing that has a rectangular cross section.

Abstract: An inverse micelle-based method for forming nanoparticles on supports includes dissolving a polymeric material in a solvent to provide a micelle solution. A nanoparticle source is dissolved in the micelle solution. A plurality of micelles having a nanoparticle in their core and an outer polymeric coating layer are formed in the micelle solution. The micelles are applied to a support. The polymeric coating layer is then removed from the micelles to expose the nanoparticles. A supported catalyst includes a nanocrystalline powder, thin film, or single crystal support. Metal nanoparticles having a median size from 0.5 nm to 25 nm, a size distribution having a standard deviation ?0.1 of their median size are on or embedded in the support. The plurality of metal nanoparticles are dispersed and in a periodic arrangement. The metal nanoparticles maintain their periodic arrangement and size distribution following heat treatments of at least 1,000° C.

Abstract: A metastable intermolecular composite (MIC) and methods for forming the same includes a first material and a second material having an interfacial region therebetween. The first and second material are capable of an exothermic chemical reaction with one another to form at least one product and are in sufficiently close physical proximity to one another so that upon initiation the exothermic reaction develops into a self initiating reaction. At least one of said first and second materials include a metal that is reactive with water vapor at room temperature. The interfacial region averages <2 nm thick, such as <1 nm thick. In one embodiment, the first material is Al and the second material is CuOx.

Abstract: A method for communicating data between a first and second control system (FCS and SCS). FCS (202) controls a first process (FP) having first security data (FSD) in a first data security format (FDSF). The method involves modifying the FSD (214) from being in the FDSF into modified security data (MSD) in a modified security format (MSDF) compatible with SCS (226). Subsequent to the modifying, a request is received from an SCS user. The request includes a user type, process parameter (PP) associated with the FP, and request for information regarding the PP or a request to change a PP value. The method also involves referencing the user type and PP to the MSD. The method further involves blocking or allowing the request based on results of the referencing. If results indicate that the request is allowed, then an access level can be impersonated for changing the PP value in FCS.

Abstract: A method (700) for providing master time control (MTC) services to historian applications (HAs). Each HA (4142, . . . , 414N) is configured to display content (560, 562) having a time of focus and a local lime control (LTC) user interface (532) when in an LTC mode. The method involves changing a time control mode (TCM) of a first and second HA from the LTC mode to an MTC mode. The method also involves synchronizing times of focus for the first and second HAs to an MTC time of focus. This synchronization is performed in response to the TCM changes. The method further involves displaying first and second content. Each content includes time-stamped historical data (210) obtained during a period of elapsed time defined by the time of focus for said respective first or second HA.

Abstract: A method for online condition-based monitoring (CBM) of a tank farm including a plurality of storage tanks includes providing a tank model including a diagnostic and/or predictive tank model based on calculated tank metrics that is derived from historical data including tank operation data. The calculated tank metrics include tank operational metrics based on the tank operational data for the storage tanks and tank condition metrics based on tank inspection or maintenance data for the storage tanks. The tank model provides relationships between the tank condition metrics and the tank operational metrics. Results are generated using the tank model including at least one failure indicia for at least a first of the storage tanks using the calculated tank metrics and current measured data for the first tank as inputs to the tank model. The failure indicia is processed for scheduling at least one maintenance task for the first tank.

Abstract: A laser lead designator for guiding a laser guided weapon (LGW) to strike a moving target includes a laser source for providing a laser beam and a controller coupled to receive a position and a velocity of the moving target. The controller provides a control signal for pointing the laser beam a specified lead distance ahead of the position of the moving target to position a laser spot on a ground location ahead of the moving target. The lead distance compensates for an impact shortfall value that is a function of at least one shortfall parameter including a speed of the moving target so that the LGW shortfalls the laser spot on the moving target. The laser designator is separate from the LGW.

Abstract: An apparatus for passively measuring vehicle speed includes at least one video camera for acquiring images of a roadway upon which at least one moving vehicle travels upon, each of the images comprising a plurality of pixels. A computer processes pixel data associated with the plurality of pixels, including using an adaptive background subtraction model to perform background subtraction on the pixel data to identify a plurality of foreground pixels, extracting a plurality of blobs from the foreground pixels, and rectifying the blobs to form a plurality of rectified blobs using a homography matrix. The homography matrix is obtained by comparing at least one known distance in the roadway with distances between the pixels. Using a planar homography transform, the moving vehicle is identified from the plurality of rectified blobs, wherein the respective ones of the plurality of rectified blobs include vehicle data associated with the moving vehicle.

Abstract: An apparatus for shock isolating an electronics package includes an outer member including an internal threaded portion and a transition member including an external threaded portion and a hollow inner portion that defines a cavity configured for receiving the electronics package. A layer of mechanically compliant shock isolation material is positioned between the inner thread portion of the outer member and the external thread portion of the transition member. The compliant shock isolation material encloses a front end and sidewalls of the transition member and is absent from its aft end to allow access to one end of the electronics package (e.g. to a connector). The internal threaded portion of the outer member and the external threaded portion of the transition member are compliantly engaged via a gap provided by the layer of compliant shock isolation material. In one embodiment the electronics package is a fuze assembly.

Abstract: A heat pipe includes a sealed thermally conductive casing having a length that has a first end for coupling to a heat source to be cooled and a second end for coupling to a heat sink opposite the first end. The casing has an inside surface that defines a thermal control volume above. The thermal control volume includes (i) a plurality of hydrophilic particles or clusters of hydrophilic particles in a size range from nano size to micron size attached as a hydrophilic film to the inside surface or to a wick on the inside surface, wherein the plurality of hydrophilic particles occupy only a portion of an area of the inside surface or an internal pore space of the wick or a surface area of the wick, (ii) a vapor cavity above the hydrophilic film or the wick, and (iii) a heat transfer working fluid contained as a liquid on the hydrophilic film or the wick, and as a vapor in the vapor cavity.

Abstract: A system (10) and method (200) for managing components in a control system can include a plurality of devices (150) operably coupled to a processing system (125) for controlling a process run by the processing system. A server (100) is in communication with the plurality of devices. A client (20) is in communication with the server (100), wherein the client (20) or an instance between the client and the server, such as controller (15), is operable to identify at least one relevant item associated with the plurality of devices (150). The at least one relevant item is one of a plurality of items to be added to a group, an inactive one of the plurality of items of the group being activated or one of the plurality of items of the group wherein the group is being activated.