Abstract: Disclosed herein are an apparatus and method fluid flow measurements which include a pressure transducer and a flexible tube. The pressure transducer is tuned to measure flow speeds having a Reynolds number less than 100 and include an inlet. The flexible tube has a first end fluidly coupled to the inlet and a second end positioned adjacent to and in fluid communication with a plurality of fluid outlets of a microchannel flow structure. Each of the plurality of fluid outlets has a cross section defining an outlet area. The second end has a cross section defining a flexible tube area that is larger than the outlet area.

Abstract: A tunable optical metamaterial system includes a tunable optical metamaterial, an actuator module to selectively activate the tunable optical metamaterial, and a control system to selectively control the actuator module. The tunable optical metamaterial includes a substrate defined by one or more fluid-filled pockets formed by one or more electroactive polymer (EAP) layers defining a reservoir containing a fluid that is induced to a change in volumetric configuration or 3D orientation when electrically activated. The optically active array of resonators are populated on an electroactive surface of the one or more fluid-filled pockets and are optically responsive to the change in volumetric configuration of the one or more fluid-filled pockets. The control module is to selectively control, via the actuator module, the optical properties of the tunable optical metamaterial by causing the electrical activation of the fluid-filled pockets.

Abstract: A bipolar plate for a fuel cell, a fuel cell, and a method of designing a bipolar plate for a fuel cell having a hybrid flow field structure that includes a plurality of parallel feed flow channels fluidically connected to an inlet bipolar plate region, a plurality of parallel exit flow channels fluidically connected to an outlet bipolar plate region, and an interwoven pattern formed by a plurality of simplified periodic array flow field structure generated based on flow patterns generated by homogenized anisotropic porous media optimization. The flow field structure enhances fuel cell performance by facilitating lower pressure drop via minimized fluid flow resistance, and removal of accumulated water in the oxygen channel and the gas diffusion layer (GDL) under the ribs of the bipolar plate.

Abstract: One or more methods of designing an FC bipolar plate that enhance the operational performance of FC. A first image analysis is conducted of image data of a fluid flow field structure having one or more dehomogenized microstructures to identify channels having a fluid flow blockage at a channel wall dead-end. The channel wall dead-end of each identified channel is selectively removed in a manner that fluidically connects each identified channel to an adjacent channel. Then, a second image analysis of the image data is conducted in response to selectively removing the channel wall dead-ends to measure a length of each channel wall. Channels walls having a length greater than a threshold channel wall length value are selectively cut, thereby providing reduced fluid flow resistance throughout the FC.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus, methods, and computer program products to enhance the operation of a light system. A light apparatus includes an optical member to project light, one or more elastically deformable position adjustment members, and one or more light sources. The elastically deformable position adjustment members are operable to adjust a mounting position of the optical member, and include one or more photochromatic regions to facilitate movement of the one or more elastically deformable position adjustment members from a contracted state to an expanded state in response to exposure to UV light. The one or more light sources operable to selectively emit illuminating UV light in a direction that contacts the one or more photochromatic regions to thereby adjust a mounting position of the optical member and change a direction of light emitted by the lighting apparatus.

Abstract: A bipolar plate for a fuel cell, a fuel cell, and a method of designing a bipolar plate for a fuel cell having a flow field structure that includes a plurality of Representative Elementary Volumes (REVs) generated based on flow patterns generated by homogenized anisotropic porous media optimization. The flow field structure enhances fuel cell performance by facilitating lower pressure drop via minimized fluid flow resistance, and removal of accumulated water in the oxygen channel and the gas diffusion layer (GDL) under the ribs of the bipolar plate.

Abstract: One or more methods of designing microchannel fluid flow networks in a fuel cell bipolar plate includes executing one or more programs on one or more computing devices having one or more processors to optimize the spatially varying orientations of homogenized anisotropic porous media by iteratively executing a gradient-based algorithm that incorporates objective functions of reaction uniformity and flow resistance, and then generate, in response to the homogenized anisotropic porous media optimization, one or more microchannel fluid flow networks by dehomogenizing the optimized anisotropic porous media.

Abstract: A fuel cell that includes one or more fuel cell bipolar plates having a bipolar plate body with an inlet region, an outlet region, a reaction region arranged between and fluidically connected to the inlet region and the outlet region, and one or more microchannel fluid flow networks extending from the inlet region to the outlet region. The microchannel fluid flow networks include a plurality of primary flow microchannels having one or more secondary flow microchannels branching therefrom to facilitate reaction uniformity and fluid flow resistance through the fuel cell.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting an anomaly in a power semiconductor device are disclosed. A system includes a server computing device and one or more local components communicatively coupled to the server computing device. Each local component includes sensors positioned adjacent to the power semiconductor device for sensing properties thereof. Each local component receives data corresponding to one or more sensed properties of the power semiconductor device from the sensors and transmits the data to the server computing device. The server computing device utilizes the data, via a machine learning algorithm, to generate a set of eigenvalues and associated eigenvectors and select a selected set of eigenvalues and associated eigenvectors. Each local component conducts a statistical analysis of the selected set of eigenvalues and associated eigenvectors to determine that the data is indicative of the anomaly.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate a multi-mode heat transfer system. The heat transfer system includes an emitter device. The emitter device includes an inner core, a composite material pattern, and a surface coating pattern. The inner core is surrounded by an outer core having a thickness and an outer surface. The composite material pattern extends through at least a portion of the outer surface and at least a portion of the thickness of the outer core and is thermally coupled to the inner core. The surface coating pattern is on the outer surface and is changeable between a low emissivity state and a high emissivity state based on a surface temperature of the emitter device. In the low emissivity state, the emitter device transmits an omni-directional radiation and, in the high emissivity state, the emitter device transmits a focused radiation via the composite material pattern.

Abstract: A tunable optical metamaterial system includes a tunable optical metamaterial, an actuator module to selectively activate the tunable optical metamaterial, and a control system to selectively control the actuator module. The tunable optical metamaterial includes a substrate defined by one or more fluid-filled pockets formed by one or more electroactive polymer (EAP) layers defining a reservoir containing a fluid that is induced to a change in volumetric configuration or 3D orientation when electrically activated. The optically active array of resonators are populated on an electroactive surface of the one or more fluid-filled pockets and are optically responsive to the change in volumetric configuration of the one or more fluid-filled pockets. The control module is to selectively control, via the actuator module, the optical properties of the tunable optical metamaterial by causing the electrical activation of the fluid-filled pockets.

Abstract: A vehicle sanitizer system includes a sanitizer emitter member, selectively moveable between a stowed position in a compartment of a vehicle cabin and a deployed position out of the compartment; a sensor module to detect an interior of a vehicle cabin as sensor data; and a vehicle sanitizer module, that includes one or more processors to execute a set of instructions that cause the vehicle sanitizer module to: conduct, in response to the detection, an analysis of the sensor data; identify, in response to the analysis, one or more target interior surfaces in the vehicle cabin to be sanitized; and cause, via the sanitizer emitter member and in response to the identification, generation of water vapor content into the vehicle cabin, one or more sanitizer streams directed at the identified one or more target interior surfaces.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein describe manifold microchannel heat sinks having a gridded microchannel assembly with free-form fin geometries for cooling heat-generating devices in the electronics modules. In an embodiment, a manifold microchannel heat sink includes a target surface and a gridded microchannel assembly comprising a plurality of microchannel cells. Each microchannel cell is surrounded by thermally-conductive sidewalls and includes a fluid inlet, a microchannel structure fluidly coupled to the fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The microchannel structure extends from the target surface and defines a microchannel extending in a normal direction with respect to the target surface. The microchannel structure includes a base plate disposed on the target surface and a three-dimensional fin structure disposed on the base plate. The three-dimensional fin structure has a shape optimized for thermal performance and fluid performance.

Abstract: A multi-layer cooling structure comprising a first substrate layer comprising an array of cooling channels, a second substrate layer comprising a nozzle structure that includes one or more nozzles, an outlet, and an outlet manifold, a third substrate layer comprising an inlet manifold and an inlet, and one or more TSVs disposed through the first substrate layer, second substrate layer, and third substrate layer. At least one of the one or more TSVs is metallized. The first substrate layer and the second substrate layer are directly bonded, and the second substrate layer and the third substrate layer are directly bonded.

Abstract: An emotion-aware smart refrigerator is provided which may include various sensors and presentation mechanisms to identify a user's interest in item(s) contained within the emotion-aware smart refrigerator via an evoked physiological response, such as a visual evoked potential (VEP). The user's level of interest may also be gauged by the emotion-aware smart refrigerator. With consideration given to the user's VEP as well as the user's level of interest, and other considerations such as the user's diet, desired health goals, dietary restrictions, etc., the emotion-aware smart refrigerator may present suggested items and item amounts to the user.

Abstract: A fuel cell may include a first fuel cell bipolar plate defining an air layer, a second fuel cell bipolar plate defining a hydrogen layer, and a coolant layer defined by the air layer and the hydrogen layer. The coolant layer includes a plurality of coolant microchannels that facilitate flow of a coolant. A permeable support layer is arranged between the air layer and the hydrogen layer to define a gap therebetween to prevent flow blockage of the coolant microchannels while facilitating coolant flow therethrough.

Abstract: A fuel cell that includes an air fuel cell bipolar plate and a hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate respectively having a Turing-pattern microstructure configuration. The spatial arrangement of the air fuel cell bipolar plate and the hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate is such that the air layer of the air fuel cell bipolar plate and the hydrogen layer of the hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate are opposed to each other to define a microstructure configuration for a coolant layer.

Abstract: One or more methods of obtaining an optimal design of a fuel cell having fluid flow networks. In one or more methods, air, hydrogen, and coolant flow networks are simultaneously designed using porous media optimization and Turing pattern dehomogenization.

Abstract: A method of designing a fuel cell includes executing one or more programs on one or more computing devices having one or more processors to predict a location of one or more liquid regions and one or more vapor regions in microchannels at an air layer of a plate of the fuel cell. Based on the prediction, fluid flow networks for the air layer, a hydrogen layer, and a coolant layer of the fuel cell are simultaneously optimized via homogenized flow optimization. In response to the results of the homogenized flow optimization, one or more multi-scale Turing-patterned microstructures are generated for the air layer and the hydrogen layer. One or more multi-scale Turing-patterned microstructures are generated for the coolant layer by stacking the air layer and the hydrogen layer.

Abstract: A fuel cell may include a first fuel cell bipolar plate defining an air layer, a second fuel cell bipolar plate defining a hydrogen layer, and a coolant layer defined by the air layer and the hydrogen layer. A permeable support infill structure, composed of sintered thermally conductive powder particles, is arranged at the cooling layer to prevent flow blockage at the coolant layer, define a thermally conductive path between the air layer and the hydrogen layer, and facilitate coolant flow through the permeable support infill structure.