Abstract: An electronic ballast system with emergency lighting features is presented. Especially, the electronic ballast system is relative to a single-stage converter configuration. The electronic ballast system serves as a regular ballast, a regular/emergency ballast, a battery charger or discharger and a power failure detector, fulfilling emergency lighting features. The single-stage converter used in the ballast is an integration of a bi-directional flyback converter and two half-bridge series-resonant parallel-loaded inverters. Unlike conventional approaches, the rectified and filtered input voltage is directly added to a set of battery voltages in the proposed system, so as to reduce the fabrication cost by simplifying the circuit configuration and the number of active switching elements.

Abstract: An improved ion exchange process for manufacturing and concentrating hydroxylamine from an aqueous solution comprising hydroxylammonium ion and counter anions is disclosed. The process involves the use of an aqueous hydroxylamine wash step which assists in controlling the processing temperature and leads to a more concentrated, purified aqueous hydroxylamine solution.

Abstract: A carbon dioxide and water adsorbent comprises a carbonized and activated precursor material having first functional sites that adsorb carbon dioxide and second functional sites that adsorb water independently of the first functional sites. The adsorbent is characterized by a total pore volume of between about 1.50 to 2.50 cm3/g, a median pore diameter between about 0.5 to 1.2 nm, and a BET surface area between about 2000 to 2500 m2/g.

Abstract: An oxygen storage adsorbent at cryogenic temperatures that will remove carbon dioxide and water comprises a carbonized precursor material having functional sites that adsorb and store oxygen and that evolve oxygen upon adsorbing carbon dioxide and water. The adsorbent is characterized by a total pore volume of between about 0.5 to 0.6 cm3/g, a median pore diameter between about 0.42 to 0.46 nm, and a BET surface area between about 1000 to 1200 m2/g.

Abstract: A compact single-stage electronic ballast circuit for emergency lighting applications, integrating the functions of a flyback charger, a flyback discharger and a half-bridge series resonant parallel loaded electronic ballast into a single-stage electronic ballast. The present invention only employs two active switches so as to achieve an electronic ballast for emergency lighting applications when the electricity is out. Furthermore, the present invention reduces the fabrication cost by simplifying the circuit configuration and reducing the number of employed active switching elements.

Abstract: A robust, relatively simple air quality control system that can control the air quality in buildings during both the heating and cooling seasons. In one illustrative embodiment, a first air stream is directed through an air treatment module and back into the inside space. A desiccant in the air treatment module adsorbs water, volatile organic compounds and/or particulate material from the first air stream. A second air stream is then directed through the air treatment module to a location outside of the inside space. The second air stream is preferably heated relative to the first air stream so that at least a portion of the adsorbed water, volatile organic compounds and/or particulate material are desorbed from the desiccant into the second air stream. The second air stream carries the desorbed water, volatile organic compounds and/or particulate material to a location outside the inside space.

Abstract: A compact single-stage electronic ballast circuit for emergency lighting applications, integrating the functions of a flyback charger, a flyback discharger and a half-bridge series resonant parallel loaded electronic ballast into a single-stage electronic ballast. The present invention only employs two active switches so as to achieve an electronic ballast for emergency lighting applications when the electricity is out. Furthermore, the present invention reduces the fabrication cost by simplifying the circuit configuration and reducing the number of employed active switching elements.

Abstract: A gas adsorbent system includes a molded gas adsorbent within a housing. The molded gas adsorbent is disposed in the housing so that shifting is prevented without adhering the gas adsorbent to the housing, for example, by completely filling the housing. The gas adsorbent may include activated zeolite 13X. The gas adsorbent may be formed from a polymer solution such as polysulfone, and contain an organic binder.

Abstract: A method of making a gas adsorbent comprises dissolving a polymer in one or more first solvents to form a polymer solution; mixing an inorganic adsorbent with the polymer solution to form a precursor; molding the precursor; and leaching the first solvents from the precursor with a second solvent.

Abstract: A robust, relatively simple air quality control system that can control the air quality in buildings during both the heating and cooling seasons. In one illustrative embodiment, a first air stream is directed through an air treatment module and back into the inside space. A desiccant in the air treatment module adsorbs water, volatile organic compounds and/or particulate material from the first air stream. A second air stream is then directed through the air treatment module to a location outside of the inside space. The second air stream is preferably heated relative to the first air stream so that at least a portion of the adsorbed water, volatile organic compounds and/or particulate material are desorbed from the desiccant into the second air stream. The second air stream carries the desorbed water, volatile organic compounds and/or particulate material to a location outside the inside space.

Abstract: A gas adsorbent is made by dissolving a polymer in one or more first solvents to form a polymer solution; mixing an inorganic adsorbent with the polymer solution to form a precursor; molding the precursor; and leaching the first solvents from the precursor with a second solvent.

Abstract: A robust, relatively simple air quality control system that can control the air quality in buildings during both the heating and cooling seasons. In one illustrative embodiment, a first air stream is directed through an air treatment module and back into the inside space. A desiccant in the air treatment module adsorbs water, volatile organic compounds and/or particulate material from the first air stream. A second air stream is then directed through the air treatment module to a location outside of the inside space. The second air stream is preferably heated relative to the first air stream so that at least a portion of the adsorbed water, volatile organic compounds and/or particulate material are desorbed from the desiccant into the second air stream. The second air stream carries the desorbed water, volatile organic compounds and/or particulate material to a location outside the inside space.

Abstract: A robust, relatively simple air quality control system that can control the air quality in buildings during both the heating and cooling seasons. In one illustrative embodiment, a first air stream is directed through an air treatment module and back into the inside space. A desiccant in the air treatment module adsorbs water, volatile organic compounds and/or particulate material from the first air stream. A second air stream is then directed through the air treatment module to a location outside of the inside space. The second air stream is preferably heated relative to the first air stream so that at least a portion of the adsorbed water, volatile organic compounds and/or particulate material are desorbed from the desiccant into the second air stream. The second air stream carries the desorbed water, volatile organic compounds and/or particulate material to a location outside the inside space.

Abstract: A carbon dioxide and water adsorbent comprises a carbonized and activated precursor material having first functional sites that adsorb carbon dioxide and second functional sites that adsorb water independently of the first functional sites. The adsorbent is characterized by a total pore volume of between about 1.50 to 2.50 cm3/g, a median pore diameter between about 0.5 to 1.2 nm, and a BET surface area between about 2000 to 2500 m2/g.

Abstract: A carbon dioxide adsorbent comprises a carbonized, shaped precursor material, with such material being characterized by a total micropore volume of at least about 0.525 cm3/g and a median pore diameter of at least about 0.439 nm, whereby the material has a carbon dioxide capacity of at least about 28.6% g/g at a carbon dioxide partial pressure of about 6 mm Hg and a temperature of about 196° K. Also provided is a method of making a carbon dioxide adsorbent, which includes the steps of polymerizing a monomer to produce a precursor material; shaping the precursor material to produce a shaped precursor material; and carbonizing the shaped precursor material to produce the adsorbent, whereby the adsorbent is characterized by a carbon dioxide capacity of at least about 28.6% g/g at a carbon dioxide partial pressure of about 6 mm Hg and a temperature of about 196° K.

Abstract: An oxygen storage adsorbent at cryogenic temperatures that will remove carbon dioxide and water comprises a carbonized precursor material having functional sites that adsorb and store oxygen and that evolve oxygen upon adsorbing carbon dioxide and water. The adsorbent is characterized by a total pore volume of between about 0.5 to 0.6 cm3/g, a median pore diameter between about 0.42 to 0.46 nm, and a BET surface area between about 1000 to 1200 m2/g.

Abstract: The invention provides stabilized hydroxylamine solutions. In particular, stabilized hydroxylamine solutions and processes for their preparation are provided in which the stabilizing compound is cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid, hydrochloride salts of thiamine, or mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A halogen lamp control circuit assembly in which a light intensity regulating remote controller is used to provide a light intensity control signal to a microprocessor of a master unit for controlling an electronic transformer, causing it to provide an alternative current/12 V output for controlling the operation and light intensity of a halogen lamp and simultaneously driving a first slave unit, the first slave unit being driven to produce an alternative current/12 V output for controlling the operation and light intensity of a respective halogen lamp and simultaneously driving a second slave unit when received an alternative current/12 V output from the master unit, the second slave unit and posterior slave units being operated one after another in the same manner.

Abstract: An improved ion exchange process for purifying and/or concentrating hydroxylamine from an aqueous solution comprising hydroxylammonium ion and counter anions wherein ion exchange process conditions including effluent pH, effluent conductivity, and ion exchange bed height can be monitored and used to identify when to switch from an ion exchange step feed to a water wash feed, and to switch from a desorbent step to a water rinse step.

Abstract: HF can be recovered from aqueous streams, particularly those which are dilute and have a concentration of HF lower than the azeotrope between HF and water. Such aqueous streams are contacted with carbon molecular sieves, preferably those having an average pore size of about 3.5 Angstroms, which adsorb both HF and water. When regenerated by heating, more dilute aqueous streams are desorbed at lower temperatures, followed by desorption of HF which is free of water, making possible a separation of HF and water and avoiding formation of the azeotrope.