Abstract: In at least one embodiment a system including at least one switch, at least one transformer, a first active bridge and at least one controller. The at least one switch receives a first direct current (DC) input signal from a first DC charging station. The at least one transformer includes a primary side and a secondary side. The secondary side of the at least one transformer is connected to the at least one switch and transfers the first DC input signal. The first active bridge is positioned on the secondary side, the first active bridge generates a DC output signal that supplies one or more vehicle loads. The DC output signal is greater than the first DC input signal and the at least one controller programmed to activate the at least one switch in response to receiving the first DC input signal.

Abstract: A voltage balancing circuit includes a direct-current-to-direct-current (DC-to-DC) voltage converter interconnecting a first battery having a first voltage and a second battery having a second voltage, wherein the DC-to-DC converter transfers electrical power from the first battery to the second battery when the first voltage is greater than the second voltage, and transfers electrical power from the second battery to the first battery when the first voltage is less than the second voltage, and wherein the transfer of electrical power from the first battery to the second battery or from the second battery to the first battery balances the electrical power difference between the first battery and the second battery.

Abstract: A voltage converter includes a converter stage having a direct current to direct current (DC-to-DC) voltage converter, wherein the converter stage receives a first DC voltage and outputs a second DC voltage different than the first DC voltage. The voltage converter also includes a boost pre-stage having a boosting circuit and a capacitor, wherein the boost pre-stage receives a DC voltage from a battery and outputs a boosted DC voltage to the converter stage as the first voltage, wherein the boosted DC voltage is greater than the DC voltage from the battery. The boosted DC voltage of the boost pre-stage output to the converter stage provides fault resistant operation of the converter stage in the event of one or more fluctuations in an operating range of the DC voltage from the battery.

Abstract: A jet engine for propelling aircraft, capable of providing thrust from rest to high speeds is provided. The engine has an axial compressor (16) or several axial compressors located on the same plane and is driven by a gas generator. At the outlet of the turbine there is a gasification chamber (23) into which more fuel is injected. Combustion of the gases from the gasification chamber is performed in two combustion chambers (18) with a rectangular cross-section, separated by a central body (10). The exhaust of the gases is performed in nozzles, each with a square convergent/divergent cross-section (19) and (21). The cross-section of the throats (26) can be adjusted by means of two mobile elements (20). The final section of the central body (10) forms a wedge-shape (27), enabling the continued expansion of the exhaust gases.

Abstract: A vehicle trim assembly includes a trim panel, which defines a retaining member that includes a connector and an engagement plate. The engagement plate has a width greater than a width of the connector. The engagement plate includes a locking arm. A first attachment feature is engageable with the retaining member in a first use condition. A second attachment feature is engageable with the retaining member in a second use condition. The first and second attachment features each include a base having a proximal support and a distal support, a clip coupled to the distal support and configured to engage a vehicle body, and guide features coupled to the proximal support. The guide features are configured to receive the engagement plate of the retaining member. A protrusion is coupled to the proximal support. The locking arm is configured to engage the protrusion to lock the base on the retaining member.

Abstract: A jet engine for propelling aircraft, capable of providing thrust from rest to high speeds is provided. The engine has an axial compressor (16) or several axial compressors located on the same plane and is driven by a gas generator. At the outlet of the turbine there is a gasification chamber (23) into which more fuel is injected. Combustion of the gases from the gasification chamber is performed in two combustion chambers (18) with a rectangular cross-section, separated by a central body (10). The exhaust of the gases is performed in nozzles, each with a square convergent/divergent cross-section (19) and (21). The cross-section of the throats (26) can be adjusted by means of two mobile elements (20). The final section of the central body (10) forms a wedge-shape (27), enabling the continued expansion of the exhaust gases.

Abstract: A cooktop appliance or griddle assembly may include a cooking platter, a spring-loaded platform, and a sensor body. The cooking platter may define a top surface and a bottom surface. The spring-loaded platform may be mounted below the cooking platter. The sensor body may be attached to the spring-loaded platform in biased conductive engagement with bottom surface.

Abstract: A cooktop appliance or griddle assembly may include a cooking platter, a spring-loaded platform, and a sensor body. The cooking platter may define a top surface and a bottom surface. The spring-loaded platform may be mounted below the cooking platter. The sensor body may be attached to the spring-loaded platform in biased conductive engagement with bottom surface.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the medical industry. In particular, it is related to a polyvinyl chloride polymer (PVC) functionalized for medical use, which is flexible and compatible with blood. Specifically, this invention is related to a biomolecule-functionalized PVC and its production method, in order to produce a flexible and blood-compatible polymer for medical use.

Abstract: Compounds and compositions are used as corrosion inhibitors for pipelines for crude oil containing water with high salt concentrations. The inhibitors are ionic liquids, imidazoles, benzotriazoles, and mixtures thereof. The composition includes two or more members of the inhibitors with a solvent. The inhibitors reduce corrosion of metallic surfaces of the pipelines containing crude oil having 0.2 and 40 wt % water, 10,000 to 70,000 ppm salt, and 9 to 600 ppm hydrogen sulfide. A synergic effect is provided by two or more different inhibitors. This synergy is derived from interactions with the metallic surface, among themselves or with the corrosive medium depending on the chain length, to inhibit the corrosion with decrease of the formulation dose. The composition can be a ternary formulation of the three families or two components of one family and a third component of a different family.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide for efficient methods and processes for preparing ionic amino acid esters from a specific synthesis route. The disclosed embodiments consist of a single reaction step: reacting a natural or synthetic unprotected amino acid with an aliphatic, branched or aromatic fatty alcohol of even or odd number of carbon atoms from 6 to 20 with or without unsaturation(s), in stoichiometric amounts, in the presence of an organic acid (HX) like carboxylate, mesylate, tosylate or sulfonate, employed as catalyst and under conventional heating (CC) of 1 to 3 hours at a temperature in the range of approximately 60 to 150° C. and pressure the range of approximately 0 to approximately 250 psi; the product obtained is cooled and recrystallized from ethanol.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for removing fluoridated compounds from any organic medium, for example from alkylation (“alkylated”) gasoline, which can be applied at the exit of the alkylation process or inside the distillation column of the alkylation process. The process uses extractant chemical agents based on ionic liquids, of general formula C+A?, where C+ represents an organic or inorganic cation, specifically imidazolium, pyridinium, or ammonium salts, while the anion A? represents the halide-type derivatives, iron (III) salts, aluminum (III) salts, acetate, benzoate-acetates, benzoates, hexafluorophosphate, tetra-chloroborate, triflates, bis-triflates and trifluoroacetates. These ionic liquids act as extractant agents to remove fluoridated compounds from the hydrocarbon streams that are produced in the process of alkylation of isubutane with butenes, through a liquid-liquid extraction process, with a reduction of more than 80% in the content of contaminants like organofluoridated hydrocarbons.

Abstract: The present invention describes a process to prepare catalyst systems based on metal salts, supported on natural polymers and co-catalyzed by organic bases, for the catalytic transformation of carbon dioxide to organic carbonates through cycloaddition reactions to epoxides. The advantages of the presented system can be summarized on the use of raw materials of low cost for the preparation of the catalyst system, minimal environmental risk due to the low toxicity of the materials used, in some cases biodegradable such as the natural polymers, as well as high catalytic efficiency, reaching selectivities up to 100% and in some cases quantitative yields.

Abstract: A motor vehicle lighting device includes structural elements with a housing, at least one light module accommodated inside the housing, and at least one light source cooperating with an optical surface. The light module is provided with a heat sink, a generator of an air flow, and a single air duct suitable for cooperating with the generator of the air flow such as to direct the generated air flow towards the heat sink of the at least one light module. The air duct is formed by an open part added in the housing, and at least one closing structural element suitable for closing all or part of the added part.

Abstract: A miniature Hall current plasma source apparatus having magnetic shielding of the walls from ionized plasma, an integrated discharge channel and gas distributor, an instant-start hollow cathode mounted to the plasma source, and an externally mounted keeper, is described. The apparatus offers advantages over existing other Hall current plasma sources having similar power levels, including: lower mass, longer lifetime, lower part count including fewer power supplies, and the ability to be continuously adjustable to lower average power levels using pulsed operation and adjustment of the pulse duty cycle. The Hall current plasma source can provide propulsion for small spacecraft that either do not have sufficient power to accommodate a propulsion system or do not have available volume to incorporate the larger propulsion systems currently available. The present low-power Hall current plasma source can be used to provide energetic ions to assist the deposition of thin films in plasma processing applications.

Abstract: Systems and methods for dispensing radioactive liquids using a liquid dispensing apparatus are described. The apparatus includes a support arm rotatable about a rotation axis, an actuator operatively connected to the support arm and configured to at least one of rotate the support arm about the rotation axis and displace the support arm in a direction parallel to the rotation axis, and a pipette assembly mounted to the support arm. The pipette assembly includes a pipette tip defining an opening through which liquids are aspirated and dispensed, a piston, and a stepper motor operatively connected to the piston to control linear displacement of the piston.

Abstract: Compounds and compositions are used as corrosion inhibitors for pipelines for crude oil containing water with high salt concentrations. The inhibitors are ionic liquids, imidazoles, benzotriazoles, and mixtures thereof. The composition includes two or more members of the inhibitors with a solvent. The inhibitors reduce corrosion of metallic surfaces of the pipelines containing crude oil having 0.2 and 40 wt % water, 10,000 to 70,000 ppm salt, and 9 to 600 ppm hydrogen sulfide. A synergic effect is provided by two or more different inhibitors. This synergy is derived from interactions with the metallic surface, among themselves or with the corrosive medium depending on the chain length, to inhibit the corrosion with decrease of the formulation dose. The composition can be a ternary formulation of the three families or two components of one family and a third component of a different family.

Abstract: A miniature Hall current plasma source apparatus having magnetic shielding of the walls from ionized plasma, an integrated discharge channel and gas distributor, an instant-start hollow cathode mounted to the plasma source, and an externally mounted keeper, is described. The apparatus offers advantages over existing other Hall current plasma sources having similar power levels, including: lower mass, longer lifetime, lower part count including fewer power supplies, and the ability to be continuously adjustable to lower average power levels using pulsed operation and adjustment of the pulse duty cycle. The Hall current plasma source can provide propulsion for small spacecraft that either do not have sufficient power to accommodate a propulsion system or do not have available volume to incorporate the larger propulsion systems currently available. The present low-power Hall current plasma source can be used to provide energetic ions to assist the deposition of thin films in plasma processing applications.

Abstract: Compounds and compositions are used as corrosion inhibitors for pipelines for crude oil containing water with high salt concentrations. The inhibitors are ionic liquids, imidazoles, benzotriazoles, and mixtures thereof. The composition includes two or more members of the inhibitors with a solvent. The inhibitors reduce corrosion of metallic surfaces of the pipelines containing crude oil having 0.2 and 40 wt % water, 10,000 to 70,000 ppm salt, and 9 to 600 ppm hydrogen sulfide. A synergic effect is provided by two or more different inhibitors. This synergy is derived from interactions with the metallic surface, among themselves or with the corrosive medium depending on the chain length, to inhibit the corrosion with decrease of the formulation dose. The composition can be a ternary formulation of the three families or two components of one family and a third component of a different family.

Abstract: Systems and methods for dispensing radioactive liquids using a liquid dispensing apparatus are described. The apparatus includes a support arm rotatable about a rotation axis, an actuator operatively connected to the support arm and configured to at least one of rotate the support arm about the rotation axis and displace the support arm in a direction parallel to the rotation axis, and a pipette assembly mounted to the support arm. The pipette assembly includes a pipette tip defining an opening through which liquids are aspirated and dispensed, a piston, and a stepper motor operatively connected to the piston to control linear displacement of the piston.