Abstract: A vibration damped elevator system is provided that includes a damper or dampers attached to the elevator cable. The damping coefficients of the damper or dampers are chosen to provide optimum dissipation of the vibratory energy in the elevator cable. A method of determining the optimum placement of the damper or dampers and their respective damping coefficients is also provided.

Abstract: A method of stimulating chemical reactions within a fluid media uses a gas plasma ejected from a gas-buffered microhollow cathode discharge apparatus into the fluid media. The apparatus has an electrically-conductive housing with an electrode positioned therein such as to create air channels between the electrode and the housing. The electrode is electrically insulated from the housing except at a location near the plasma outlet. A DC voltage is applied across the electrode and housing to accelerate the plasma and eject it into the fluid media. In another aspect, the housing includes a cup portion and a conduit portion that are electrically isolated from each other. When a DC voltage is applied across the electrode and the conduit, the plasma is ejected and filamentous discharges occur between the cup and the conduit. Such multicavity coupled plasma discharges provide voltage amplification and DC pulses with rates in the nanosecond regime.

Abstract: A method of stimulating chemical reactions within a liquid uses a gas plasma ejected from a gas-buffered plasma injection device to create a plasma-liquid interface. The injection device has an electrically-conductive housing with an inlet, an outlet and an electrode embedded in the housing interior so as to create flow paths through the electrode and between the electrode and housing, in the method, the outlet is submersed in a liquid and a gas plasma is supplied at the inlet. A direct-current voltage applied across the electrode and housing accelerates the plasma and ejects it through the outlet into the liquid.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting structural damage is provided that utilizes a general order perturbation methodology involving multiple perturbation parameters. The perturbation methodology is used iteratively in conjunction with an optimization method to identify the stiffness parameters of structures using natural frequencies and/or mode shape information. The stiffness parameters are then used to determine the location and extent of damage in a structure. A novel stochastic model is developed to model the random impact series produced manually or to generate a random impact series in a random impact device. The random impact series method or the random impact device can be used to excite a structure and generate vibration information used to obtain the stiffness parameters of the structure. The method or the device can also just be used for modal testing purposes. The random impact device is a high energy, random, and high signal-to-noise ratio system.

Abstract: A vibration damped elevator system is provided that includes a damper or dampers attached to the elevator cable. The damping coefficients of the damper or dampers are chosen to provide optimum dissipation of the vibratory energy in the elevator cable. A method of determining the optimum placement of the damper or dampers and their respective damping coefficients is also provided.

Abstract: An optical module box made of aluminum that has a reworkable glass-sealed fiber feedthru is disclosed. A fiber is inserted through a glass seal and a C-seal for hermetically sealing an opening in the optical module box. In a first embodiment, a module box employing a single-fiber fiber feedthru is described. In a second embodiment, a module box employing a 2-fiber feedthru is described. In a third embodiment, a module box employing a ribbon fiber feedthru is described. A module box having an opening with a single-fiber feedthru, comprising a C-seal; a glass sealed feedthru having a front tube and a back tube, the back tube of the glass sealed feedthru extending through the C-seal; and a fiber passing through the glass sealed feedthru and the C-seal, thereby hermetically sealed into the opening of the module box.

Abstract: An optical module box made of aluminum that has a reworkable glass-sealed fiber feedthru is disclosed. A fiber is inserted through a glass seal and a C-seal for hermetically sealing an opening in the optical module box. In a first embodiment, a module box employing a single-fiber fiber feedthru is described. In a second embodiment, a module box employing a 2-fiber feedthru is described. In a third embodiment, a module box employing a ribbon fiber feedthru is described. A module box having an opening with a single-fiber feedthru, comprising a C-seal; a glass sealed feedthru having a front tube and a back tube, the back tube of the glass sealed feedthru extending through the. C-seal; and a fiber passing through the glass sealed feedthru and the C-seal, thereby hermetically sealed into the opening of the module box.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting structural damage is provided that utilizes a general order perturbation methodology involving multiple perturbation parameters. The perturbation methodology is used iteratively in conjunction with an optimization method to identify the stiffness parameters of structures using natural frequencies and/or mode shape information. The stiffness parameters are then used to determine the location and extent of damage in a structure. A novel stochastic model is developed to model the random impact series produced manually or to generate a random impact series in a random impact device. The random impact series method or the random impact device can be used to excite a structure and generate vibration information used to obtain the stiffness parameters of the structure. The method or the device can also just be used for modal testing purposes. The random impact device is a high energy, random, and high signal-to-noise ratio system.