Abstract: A corrosion resistant gas cylinder and gas delivery system includes an electroless nickel-phosphorous layer overlying the inner surface of a steel alloy cylinder. The nickel-phosphorous layer has a thickness of at least about 20 micrometers and a porosity of no greater than about 0.1%. The electroless nickel-phosphorous layer has a phosphorous content of at least about 10% by weight and a surface roughness of no greater than about 5 micrometers. Prior to introducing liquefied gas into the gas cylinder, a cleaning process is carried out using a two-step baking process to clean the surface of the nickel-phosphorus layer. The nickel-phosphorous layer substantially reduces the contamination of liquefied corrosive gasses stored in the gas cylinder by metal from the steel wall surface underlying the nickel-phosphorous layer.

Abstract: A method for operating a boiler using oxygen-enriched oxidants includes introducing oxygen-enriched air, or oxygen and air, in which the oxygen concentration ranges from about 21% to about 100% by volume. Fuel and oxygen-enriched air are introduced into the combustion space within the steam-generating boiler. The fuel and oxygen-enriched air is combusted to generate thermal energy. At least a portion of the flue gases are collected and at least a portion are recirculated through the boiler. In the steam-generating boiler, the oxygen-enriched oxidant is introduced at one or more locations within the radiation zone and the convection zone of the boiler. Additionally, flue gas is collected and recirculated into one or more locations within the radiation zone and/or the convection zone of the boiler.

Abstract: The present invention provides an amorphous alloy containing at least one element of Fe, Co, and Ni as a main component, at least one element of Zr, Nb, Ta, Hf, Mo, Ti and V, and B, wherein the temperature width &Dgr;Tx of a supercooled liquid region expressed by the equation &Dgr;Tx=Tx−Tg (wherein Tx indicates the crystallization temperature, and Tg indicates the glass transition temperature) is 20° C. or more. The amorphous alloy has excellent soft magnetic properties and high hardness, and can suitably be used for a transformer, a magnetic head, a tool, etc.

Abstract: A method for isolating tissue repair promoting substances from human or animal blood, which method comprises collecting the human or animal blood from a single human or animal individual in a first container of a container system comprising at least first and second interconnected containers; centrifuging the container system containing said blood so as to separate the blood in various fractions including a plasma fraction; transferring at least part of the plasma fraction to said second container of the container system; subjecting the plasma fraction in said second container to a low temperature so as to obtain a precipitate comprising tissue repair promoting substances; concentrating said precipitate in said second container so as to obtain a first fraction comprising a major part of the non-precipitated material, and a second fraction comprising at least the major part of the precipitate and a minor part of the non-precipitated material; and separating said second fraction comprising the tissue repair pro

Abstract: A heat exchanger useful for preheating oxidizing gases in a combustion process includes a shell having an inlet and an outlet for the ingress and egress of a first heat exchange fluid, such as a flue gas or preheated air. A first tube manifold couples an inlet end-cap to the first end of the shell. The inlet end-cap has an inlet for receiving a second heat exchange fluid, such as an oxidizing gas. In one embodiment, a second manifold couples an outlet end-cap to the second end of the shell. The second manifold includes an outlet tube therein extending from the second manifold through an outlet opening in the outlet end-cap. A tube bundle is disposed within the shell for transporting the oxidizing gas through the heat exchanger and is coupled to the first and second tube manifolds. The outlet tube collects oxidizing gas flowing through the tube bundle for discharge to a combustion system.

Abstract: A corrosion resistant gas cylinder and gas delivery system includes an electroless nickel-phosphorous layer overlying the inner surface of a steel alloy cylinder. The nickel-phosphorous layer has a thickness of at least about 20 micrometers and a porosity of no greater than about 0.1%. The electroless nickel-phosphorous layer has a phosphorous content of at least about 10% by weight and a surface roughness of no greater than about 5 micrometers. Prior to introducing liquefied gas into the gas cylinder, a cleaning process is carried out using a two-step baking process to clean the surface of the nickel-phosphorus layer. The nickel-phosphorous layer substantially reduces the contamination of liquefied corrosive gasses stored in the gas cylinder by metal from the steel wall surface underlying the nickel-phosphorous layer.

Abstract: A field emission device (400) includes a plastically-deformable, ceramic, stamped substrate (200) made from a plastically deformable ceramic, which in the preferred embodiment includes a calendered tape. The plastically-deformable, ceramic, stamped substrate (200) includes first and second opposed surfaces (202, 204) and defines apertures (206) in which are formed extraction electrodes (410). The field emission device (400) further includes an electron-emissive layer (418) being formed on the first opposed surface (202). Cathodes (420) are disposed on the electron-emissive layer (418) and cross the extraction electrodes (410) at an angle of 90.degree.. A method for fabricating said field emission device (400) includes stamping a layer (100) of the softened calendered tape with a die (300) to define the apertures (206) and grooves (208, 212, 214).

Abstract: A field emission device (400) includes a substrate (414), a cathode (415) disposed on substrate (414), a dielectric layer (418) disposed on cathode (415) and defining an emitter well (421) and further defining a focusing well (448), an electron emitter (420) disposed within emitter well (421) and connected to cathode (415), a gate electrode (422) disposed on dielectric layer (418), and a focusing structure (450) disposed within focusing well (448) and connected to cathode (415) for focusing an electron beam (430) emitted by electron emitter (420). A method for fabricating field emission device (400) includes directing a second collimated vapor beam (461) toward focusing well (448) subsequent to forming an encapsulating layer (478) over emitter well (421), thereby forming focusing structure (450).

Abstract: An electron emitter (121, 221, 321, 421) includes an electron emitter structure (118) having a passivation layer (120, 220, 320, 420) formed thereon. The passivation layer (120, 220, 320, 420) is made from an oxide selected from a group consisting of the oxides of Ba, Ca, Sr, In, Sc, Ti, Ir, Co, Sr, Y, Zr, Ru, Pd, Sn, Lu, Hf, Re, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Th, and combinations thereof. In the preferred embodiment, the electron emitter structure (118) is made from molybdenum, and the passivation layer (120, 220, 320, 420) is made from an emission-enhancing oxide having a work function that is less than the work function of the molybdenum.

Abstract: An electron-emissive film (170, 730) is made from graphite and has a surface defining a plurality of emissive clusters (100), which are uniformly distributed over the surface. Each of the emissive clusters (100) has dendrites (110) extending radially from a central point (120). Each of the dendrites (110) has a ridge (130), which has a radius of curvature of less than 10 nm. The graphene sheets (160) that form the dendrites (110) have a (002) lattice spacing within a range of 0.342-0.350 nanometers.

Abstract: A flat panel display (12) includes a backplate (14) and a faceplate (16) attached to the backplate (14) defining a vacuum enclosure (18) therebetween. A spacer (46, 62, 64, 78, 80, 90) is positioned between the backplate (14) and the faceplate (16). The spacer geometry is anti-symmetrical and non-integral with respect to an array of electron emitters (30, 48, 76) on a cathode plate (22) overlying the backplate (14). The spacers have a curved surface (52, 78, 82) that is characterized by a radius r, or by a length d.sub.3 of a unit shape having bend angles .alpha. and .beta., whereas the electron emitter arrays are characterized by orthogonally arranged rows (32) and columns (34). The anti-symmetrical and non-integral relationship between the spacers (46, 62, 64, 78, 80, 90) and the electron emitters reduces the number of electron emitters and pixels (49, 77, 86) that are occluded by the spacers.

Abstract: A method for providing a gray scale in a field emission display (50) includes the step of providing a first driving pulse (214) having a pulse width equal to a pulse width separation (115) between the graphs (100, 200) of total charge response versus pulse width of a driving pulse for the non-ideal field emission display and the corresponding ideal field emission display. The pulse width separation (115) is the horizontal distance between the two graphs (100, 200) at a region wherein the two graphs (100, 200) are generally parallel. The pulse width, t.sub.n, of an nth driving pulse corresponding to an nth gray scale level is given by t.sub.n =t.sub.1 +[n-1]*[(t.sub.N -t.sub.1)/(N-1)], wherein t.sub.1 is the pulse width of the first driving pulse (214), N is the total number of gray scale levels, and t.sub.N is the pulse width of the Nth driving pulse.

Abstract: An electronic control module (40) includes a base plate (12) bent about first and second major bend axis (27, 28). The base plate includes first and second grooves (29, 30) formed at an upper surface (15a) coextensive with the first and second major bend axis (27, 28). A flexible film (18) is asymmetrically bonded by adhesive films (31, 32) about the first and second major bend axis (27, 28). The asymmetrical bonding of the flexible film (18) about the major bend axis (27, 28) causes non-bonded loop portions (35) of the flexible film (18) to assume a serpentine pattern and deflect away from the major bend axis (27, 28) when the base plate (12) is bent about the major bend axis (27, 28). The bonding arrangement of the flexible film (18) to the base plate (12) permits an electrical connector (36) to be attached to the backside of the electronic control module (40).

Abstract: A calorimetric hydrocarbon gas sensor (10) includes an electrochemical oxygen pump (18), a sensing element (12), and a multi-layered substrate (26) separating the sensing element (12) from the electrochemical oxygen pump (18). The multi-layered substrate (26) includes a plurality of overlying insulating layers, in which at least one intermediate layer (60) supports a first primary heater (58), and in which another intermediate layer (52) supports a temperature compensation heaters (50a, 50b). The primary heater (58) functions to maintain the calorimetric hydrocarbon gas sensor (10) at a constant, elevated temperature, while the active compensation heater (50a) functions to maintain substantially equal temperatures as determined by the thermometers (46a, 46b) located on an intermediate layer (48) overlying the compensation heaters (50a, 50b).

Abstract: A method for fabricating an integrated field emission device (90) includes the steps of: (1) providing a substrate (52), (2) forming a conductive layer (54) on the substrate (52), (3) depositing a dielectric layer (56) on the conductive layer (54), (4) forming an emission well (62) in the dielectric layer (56), (5) forming an emissive film (72) over the dielectric layer (56) so that the emissive film (72) extends partially into the emission well (62) to define an emissive edge (94) within the emission well (62), and (6) selectively etching the dielectric layer (56) proximate to the emissive edge (94) so that electrons emitted by the emissive edge (94) are received by the conductive layer (54).

Abstract: A field emission display (400) includes a cathode plate (410), an anode plate (430), and a mechanical support/getter assembly (300) being disposed between the cathode plate (410) and the anode plate (430). The mechanical support/getter assembly (300) includes a unitary spacer-frame assembly (310) made from a photosensitive glass. A method for fabricating the mechanical support/getter assembly (300) includes the steps of: selectively exposing inter-spacer regions (110) and a getter frame region (120) of a layer (100) of the photosensitive glass to UV radiation, heating the layer (100) to crystallize the UV-exposed regions, and removing the crystallized inter-spacer regions (110) and partially removing the crystallized getter frame regions by contacting the layer (100) with an acid, thereby forming spacer ribs (314) and a getter land (322). The method further includes providing a getter frame (320) on the spacer land (322).

Abstract: A gridded spacer assembly (130, 230) for a field emission display (100, 200) includes a plurality of spacers (135, 235), a focusing grid (132, 232) having a plurality of spacer apertures (133) in which the spacers (135, 235) are disposed and to which the spacers (135, 235) are affixed adjacent their lower end, a stabilization grid (138, 238) having a plurality of spacer apertures (137) in registration with the spacer apertures (133) of the focusing grid (132, 232), the spacers (135, 235) being disposed therein and affixed thereto adjacent their upper end, the focusing grid (132, 232) and the stabilization grid (138, 238) having a plurality of focusing apertures (139) for collimating and focusing a beam of electrons (150).

Abstract: A method for fabricating an array (300) of edge electron emitters (530) includes the steps of: forming first and second grooves (310, 320) in first and second opposing planar surfaces (101, 102), respectively, of a supporting substrate (110) to form an array of openings (330) therethrough; forming a dielectric layer (122) on the first planar surface (101) and an emission structure (120) on the dielectric layer (122); forming a plurality of cathodes (132) on the emission structure (120); forming gates (515) on a portion of the surfaces defining the first grooves (310); forming a masking film (710) on the cathodes (132)/emission structure (120); removing an outer, radial portion (726) of the masking film (710); etching the emission structure (120), the retracted masking film (710) forming a mask, thereby providing a predetermined configuration of the edge electron emitters (530) with respect to the gates (515) and cathodes (132).

Abstract: A charge dissipation field emission device (200, 300, 400) includes a supporting substrate (210, 310, 410), a cathode (215, 315, 415) formed thereon, a dielectric layer (240, 340, 440) formed on the cathode (215, 315, 415) and having emitter wells (260, 360, 460) and a charge dissipation well (252, 352, 452, 453) exposing a charge-collecting surface (248, 348, 448, 449), for bleeding off gaseous positive charge generated during the operation of the charge dissipation field emission device (200, 300, 400), an electron emitter (270, 370, 470) formed in each of the emitter wells (260, 360, 460), and an anode (280, 380, 480) spaced from the dielectric layer (240, 340, 440) for collecting electrons emitted by the electron emitters (270, 370, 470).

Abstract: The catalyst control method of the invention continuously estimates a level of oxygen stored by a catalyst within a catalytic converter. The estimated oxygen stored by the catalyst is compared to a predetermined threshold and positive or negative deviations in the oxygen amount from the threshold is determined. When a positive deviation from the threshold amount is detected, the air/fuel ratio flowing into an engine (16) is decreased. Correspondingly, when a negative deviation is detected, the air/fuel ratio flowing into the engine (16) is increased. The amount of oxygen stored by the catalyst is determined by analyzing signals from a first gas sensor (28) positioned upstream from a catalytic converter (34) and a second gas sensor (30) positioned downstream from the catalytic converter (34). An engine control unit (10) integrates an expression for the mass flow rate of excess oxygen into the catalytic converter (34).