Abstract: A carrier for an automobile with integrated active ducting, and a method of making a louver therefor. The carrier includes at least one aperture, and at least one louver rotatably mounted in the aperture. Also attached to the carrier is an actuator, and the actuator is connected to the louver. The actuator is operable for moving the louver between an open position and a closed position such that when the louver is in the open position, air flow passes through the aperture.

Abstract: A controller is provided for a gas valve including a movable valve element, a main diaphragm chamber having a main diaphragm therein coupled to the valve element to displace the valve element relative to a valve opening, and a servo-regulator diaphragm for regulating flow of gas that acts against the main diaphragm, to adjust the valve element and vary the flow rate. A stepper motor is configured to move in a stepwise manner to displace the servo-regulator diaphragm to adjust the valve element and gas flow rate. The controller for the stepper motor includes a microprocessor that receives an input signal indicating an operating capacity level, and determines the steps the stepper motor must move to displace the servo-regulator diaphragm to establish a flow rate corresponding to the operating capacity level. The microprocessor generates a signal to move the stepper motor the number of steps to adjust the gas valve.

Abstract: A motor/damper assembly installable on the top end of a fuel-fired water heater includes a support plate structure upon which a flue collar with a pivotally supported flue damper, a drive motor, and a drive shaft interconnecting the motor damper are mounted. The assembly is installed by placing the collar over the upper end of the water heater flue, securing the support plate structure to the top end of the water heater, and positioning a top cover housing on the support plate structure. Using the assembly provides improved support rigidity and alignment for the motor and shaft relative to the damper, improved repeatable precise manufacturing placement of the motor and shaft, improved construction aesthetics, with the cover also protecting the shaft from shipping and handling damages.

Abstract: A surface mounted heater assembly for an aerospace component having a support layer, an electrically resistive heater foil element supported by the support layer, a coating covering the heater element; and an adhesive to secure said support layer to the component is provided. The coating has two layers that are visually distinct to permit identification of potential exposure of the heater foil element. A surface mounted heater having a multiple layer assembly having a support layer; a heater element and a transition layer to couple the support layer to the aerospace component is provided.

Abstract: A fail safe module for an active grille having two or more vanes movable between an open position and a closed position. In the event of failure of an electrically driven actuator, a fail safe module connected between a driven vane of the two or more vanes and the electrically driven actuator moves the vanes to a fail-safe position. The fail safe module has a locked and unlocked position. When the fail safe module is in the locked position the fail safe module, the electrically driven actuator and the two or more vanes move together in response to the power provided by the electrically driven actuator. When the fail safe module is in the unlocked position, the fail safe module disengages the two or more vanes from the electrically driven actuator and moves the two or more vanes to the fail-safe position.

Abstract: Apparatus for generating steam, the apparatus including a source of liquid water, an injector in flow communication with the source of water for injecting liquid water from the source of water at a pressure of at least about 10,000 psia, and an impact chamber having a contact surface onto which the injected water is contacted. upon impact of the injected water with the contact surface of the impact chamber, the injected water undergoes a virtually instantaneous phase transition from the liquid state to a gaseous state following the contact of the water with the contact surface, thereby generating steam.

Abstract: Systems and methods for a pyrolytic oven for processing waste include multiple zones associated with multiple independently-controlled heating sources. The pyrolytic oven may have multiple sensors also associated with each zone. The pyrolytic oven may also include a fuel management system which adjusts a power level of each heating source for each zone independently based on a reading of the corresponding sensor.

Abstract: Apparatus for use with multi-zonal heating sources are provided. In some embodiments, a substrate support may have a pocket disposed in a surface of the substrate support and a lip disposed about the pocket to receive an edge of a substrate and to support the substrate over the pocket such that a gap is defined between a pocket surface and a backside surface of the substrate when the substrate is disposed on the lip; a plurality of features to operate in combination with a plurality of heating zones provided by a multi-zonal heating source to provide a desired temperature profile on a frontside surface of a substrate when the substrate is disposed on the lip, and wherein the plurality of features are alternatingly disposed above and below a baseline surface profile of the pocket surface in a radial direction from a central axis of the substrate support.

Abstract: A ventilation controlling apparatus for feeding windshield defrost outlets and side window demist outlets in motor vehicles with one or more air passages and respective doors for each outlet. The apparatus supports a mode in which the demist door opens up to a predefined angle without the defrost door opening, too, with the predefined angle depending on the design of a cam attached to the demist door and a pin engaged with that cam and attached to the defrost door.

Abstract: A vent cover for covering an opening in a building structure to vent its interior is provided. The vent cover includes a hollow cover member with an open bottom for positioning over and covering the opening in the building and a front end with an opening. A grill is removably secured in the opening in the front end of the cover member. The grill has a plurality of partitions. Each of the partitions is defined by intersecting members, which have a tapered cross section for accelerating the flow of air through the grill. The grill also has a splash guard and an overhang structure optimal for preventing rain, snow and water from entering the grill and the opening in the building structure. The cover member may be aerodynamically shaped for use atop vehicles such as trailers and RVs.

Abstract: The invention relates to a dental furnace wherein a firing chamber is heated up in a first heating-up period at a first heating-up rate of more than 501 K/min, in particular more than 1001 K/min, which heats the furnace to at least 10001 C, in particular to 1100-12501 C. The first heating-up period is followed by an intermediate heating period, which is at least five minutes long, in particular at least ten minutes long, the gradient or heating-up rate of which is adapted to the material to be sintered in the dental furnace (10), and wherein this is followed by an end heating-up period (44) during which heating up is effected at a heating-up rate of more than 301 K/min, in particular approximately 501 K/min, and wherein during this the furnace temperature is held for at least five minutes, in particular for at least 25 minutes, above the temperature toward the end of the first heating-up period, and wherein forced cooling of the furnace (10) is performed after this.

Abstract: A hot water supply apparatus using a heat medium provides a heat medium circulation path that circulates the heat medium, a heat medium pump that pumps the heat medium into the heat medium circulation path, a heat source that generates heat heating the heat medium, a heat medium heat exchanger that exchanges heat generated by the heat source for the heat medium, a hot water supply heat exchanger that exchanges heat of the heat medium circulating in the heat medium circulation path for clean water, and a control unit that sets the heat medium in the heat medium circulation path in a predetermined temperature and controls the rotating speed of the heat medium pump and the combustion amount of the heat source according to a heat requirement.

Abstract: A ventilation system for ventilating a passenger compartment of an aircraft is disclosed herein. The ventilation system includes, but is not limited to, a nozzle that is adapted to be mounted proximate an interior of the aircraft and that is configured to direct a stream of air into the passenger compartment. The ventilation system further includes a valve that is spaced apart from the nozzle and positioned upstream of the nozzle, the valve configured to control a flow of air to the nozzle. The ventilation system still further includes a conduit that fluidly couples the valve to the nozzle. The conduit is configured to convey the flow of air from the valve to the nozzle.

Abstract: An air conditioning register includes a downstream fin, primary upstream fins, a secondary upstream fin, and an operation knob slidably attached onto the downstream fin. The operation knob sandwiches a shaft of the secondary upstream fin. The air conditioning register has a link mechanism that includes arms and a coupling rod. The arms extend from pivots of the primary and secondary upstream fins in a direction orthogonal to the pivots, and have a pin at the tip of the arms. The coupling rod couples the respective pins. The distance between the pivot and the pin in the arm of the secondary upstream fin is longer than the distance between the pivot and the pin in the arm of each primary upstream fin. The coupling rod includes coupling portions, each of which couples the pins of an adjacent pair of the arms. Adjacent coupling portions are pivotally coupled.

Abstract: A steam generator has a heat exchange chamber with an upstream end and a downstream end. The steam generator further has a burner that injects primary reactants, including fuel and combustion air, into the chamber at the upstream end. A first branch of a once-through water line is located within the chamber downstream of the burner. A second branch of the once-through water line is connected in parallel with the first branch, and is located within the chamber downstream of the first branch. A fuel injector is arranged to inject staged fuel into the chamber at a staged location downstream of the first branch of the once-through water line.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and equipment for the continuous sintering of mineral material in a sintering furnace (S). In the method, a material bed (2) is formed on a conveyor base (1), the material bed (2) is conveyed by the conveyor base (1) through the process zones (I-VII) of the sintering furnace that have different temperatures, the zones including at least one drying zone (I), at least one cooling zone (VII), and at least one other process zone (II, III, IV, V, VI) between the said drying zone and cooling zone, and gas is conducted through the conveyor base and the material bed (2), when the material bed travels through the process zones (I-VII), and gas is circulated in a circulation gas duct (3) from the last cooling zone (VII) to the drying zone (I). Part of the gas flow that is conducted to the drying zone (I) in the circulation gas duct (3) is removed as an exhaust gas flow (B) by the exhaust gas blower (5) of an exhaust gas duct (4).

Abstract: In a demand control ventilation (DCV) system, ID codes of tags worn by occupants are detected in each room by a tag detector and wirelessly communicated to a zonal occupancy compiler. The zonal occupancy count arrived at by the compiler is transmitted to a DCV microprocessor, which interfaces with the ventilation controller of the building's HVAC system and sets the zonal ventilation rate based on the occupancy count and applicable ASHRAE standards.

Abstract: A graphite crucible has a cylindrical body with an upper opening for receiving a sample for analysis and a disk-shaped pedestal base. The pedestal base includes a bottom surface with a centrally formed circular indentation. An inwardly projecting concave arcuate annular indentation extends between the body and pedestal base with a smoothly curved radius of curvature. The upper and lower walls of the arcuate indentation diverge outwardly at an angle of from about 56° to about 60°.

Abstract: Provided is air return grille assembly that is to be positioned over the open end of an air return duct. The air return grille assembly comprises a concealing arrangement joined to an air return grille such that it is spaced apart from the rear face of the air return grille. The concealing arrangement obstructs from view, through air flow openings in the air return grille, an air return duct when the air return grille is positioned over the open end of said duct.

Abstract: Biosafety units, methods of making, and sealing the same are disclosed herein. The units comprise at least one controlled air, sealable, sterilizable cleanroom; and a mechanical system room adjacent to the cleanroom comprising: at least two air handling units in a support room adjacent the cleanroom that provide redundant air to the cleanroom with at least Class 100,000 air purity, the air handling units connected to a one or more supply ducts to the cleanroom, and an exhaust duct in communication with the cleanroom and the air handling unit exhaust, wherein a pressure gradient is formed between the cleanroom and the exterior of the structure; and at least two power supplies that provide redundant power to electrical outlets in the cleanroom, wherein the at least two power supplies are connectable to one or more external power sources and the structure is pre-validatable or validated for pharmaceutical manufacturing.