Abstract: A method of rapidly and efficiently treating ligno-cellulosic material for removal of lignin and other non-carbohydrates as well as non-cellulosic carbohydrates from cellulosic matter. Such material is first impregnated with a liquor which is a reaction product obtained by mixing triethyleneglycol with an arylsulfonic or other organic acid. The impregnated material is then rapidly heated by microwaving or application of rf energy to a temperature between about 119 degrees Centigrade to 130 degrees Centigrade and maintained at that temperature for only two to five minutes to reduce the effects of hydrolysis. Thereafter, conventional filtration and washing techniques are applied to achieve a residue material suitable for further use as a wood pulp or for further hydrolysis for the production of organic chemicals.

Abstract: A multiple repetitive resonant railgun power supply provides energy for repetitively propelling projectiles from a pair of parallel rails. A plurality of serially connected paired parallel rails are powered by similar power supplies. Each supply comprises an energy storage capacitor, a storage inductor to form a resonant circuit with the energy storage capacitor and a magnetic switch to transfer energy between the resonant circuit and the pair of parallel rails for the propelling of projectiles. The multiple serial operation permits relatively small energy components to deliver overall relatively large amounts of energy to the projectiles being propelled.

Abstract: A repetitive resonant railgun power supply provides energy for repetitively propelling projectiles from a pair of parallel rails. The supply comprises an energy storage capacitor, a storage inductor to form a resonant circuit with the energy storage capacitor and a magnetic switch to transfer energy between the resonant circuit and the pair of parallel rails for the propelling of projectiles.

Abstract: A small battery operated nuclear spectrum simulator having a noise source nerates pulses with a Gaussian distribution of amplitudes. A switched dc bias circuit cooperating therewith generates several nominal amplitudes of such pulses and a spectral distribution of pulses that closely simulates the spectrum produced by a radiation source such as Americium 241.

Abstract: A gated strip proportional detector includes a gas tight chamber which encloses a solid ground plane, a wire anode plane, a wire gating plane, and a multiconductor cathode plane. The anode plane amplifies the amount of charge deposited in the chamber by a factor of up to 10.sup.6. The gating plane allows only charge within a narrow strip to reach the cathode. The cathode plane collects the charge allowed to pass through the gating plane on a set of conductors perpendicular to the open-gated region. By scanning the open-gated region across the chamber and reading out the charge collected on the cathode conductors after a suitable integration time for each location of the gate, a two-dimensional image of the intensity of the ionizing radiation incident on the detector can be made.

Abstract: A high-power reversing-counterpulse repetitive-pulse inductive storage and transfer circuit includes an opening switch, a main energy storage coil, a counterpulse capacitor and a small inductor. After counterpulsing the opening switch off, the counterpulse capacitor is recharged by the main energy storage coil before the load pulse is initiated. This gives the counterpulse capacitor sufficient energy for the next counterpulse operation, although the polarity of the capacitor's voltage must be reversed before that can occur. By using a current-zero switch as the counterpulse start switch, the capacitor is disconnected from the circuit (with a full charge) when the load pulse is initiated, preventing the capacitor from depleting its energy store by discharging through the load.

Abstract: A superconducting magnetic energy storage coil connected in parallel between converters of two or more ac power systems provides load leveling and stability improvement to any or all of the ac systems. Control is provided to direct the charging and independently the discharging of the superconducting coil to at least a selected one of the ac power systems.

Abstract: A hand-powered alternator for generating an alternating voltage provides same through a rectifier to a high capacity capacitor which stores the resultant dc voltage and drives a voltage regulator to provide a constant low voltage output for a portable radiation detection instrument. The instrument includes a Geiger-Muller detector tube whose output is fed to a pulse detector and then through an event counter and LCD driver circuit to an LCD bar graph for visual display. An audio driver and an audio output is also provided. All circuitry used is low power so that the capacitor can be readily charged to a sufficient level to provide power for at least 30 minutes. A low voltage indicator is provided on the LCD display to indicate the need for manual recharging.

Abstract: In an electromagnetic launcher such as a railgun for propelling a projectile at high velocity, a counterpulse energy recovery circuit is employed to transfer stored inductive energy from a source inductor to the railgun inductance to propel the projectile down the railgun. Switching circuitry and an energy transfer capacitor are used to switch the energy back to the source inductor in readiness for a repetitive projectile propelling cycle.

Abstract: A hand-holdable, battery-operated, microprocessor-based spectrometer gun includes a low-power matrix display and sufficient memory to permit both real-time observation and extended analysis of detected radiation pulses. Universality of the incorporated signal processing circuitry permits operation with various detectors having differing pulse detection and sensitivity parameters.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a battery operated neutron spectrometer/dosimeter utilizing a microprocessor, a built-in tissue equivalent LET neutron detector, and a 128-channel pulse height analyzer with integral liquid crystal display. The apparatus calculates doses and dose rates from neutrons incident on the detector and displays a spectrum of rad or rem as a function of keV per micron of equivalent tissue and also calculates and displays accumulated dose in millirads and millirem as well as neutron dose rates in millirads per hour and millirem per hour.

Abstract: A method for producing a ceramic-glass-metal seal by microwaving mixes a slurry of glass sealing material and coupling agent and applies same to ceramic and metal workpieces. The slurry and workpieces are then insulated and microwaved at a power, time and frequency sufficient to cause a liquid phase reaction in the slurry. The reaction of the glass sealing material forms a chemically different seal than that which would be formed by conventional heating because it is formed by diffusion rather than by wetting of the reactants.

Abstract: A method for producing a ceramic-glass-ceramic seal by microwaving, mixes a slurry of glass sealing material and coupling agent and applies same to ceramic workpieces. The slurry and workpieces are placed together, insulated and then microwaved at a power, time and frequency sufficient to cause a liquid phase reaction in the slurry. The reaction of the glass sealing material forms a chemically different seal than that which would be formed by conventional heating because it is formed by a diffusion rather than by wetting of the reactants.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved apparatus for collecting, absorbing, transferring, and storing solar heat energy, economically and passively, without pumps or electric power. The apparatus comprises a solar collector with a flat finned heat pipe absorber and an attached integral insulated storage tank with a double wall heat exchanger. The absorber, made of one or more slightly tilted gravity assisted heat pipes with flat absorber fins, absorbs and transfers solar heat by evaporation, vapor transport, and condensation to the slightly elevated heat storage tank. The one or more heat pipes turn on when the sun is shining and turn off automatically when the sun is not shining.

Abstract: Prefires in a high-power, high-frequency, multi-stage pulse generator are detected by a system having an EMI shielded pulse timing transmitter associated with and tailored to each stage of the pulse generator. Each pulse timing transmitter upon detection of a pulse triggers a laser diode to send an optical signal through a high frequency fiber optic cable to a pulse timing receiver which converts the optical signal to an electrical pulse. The electrical pulses from all pulse timing receivers are fed through an OR circuit to start a time interval measuring device and each electrical pulse is used to stop an individual channel in the measuring device thereby recording the firing sequence of the multi-stage pulse generator.

Abstract: A thyristor bridge interposes an ac source and a load. A series connected DC source and superconducting coil within the bridge biases the thyristors thereof so as to permit bidirectional ac current flow therethrough under normal operating conditions. Upon a fault condition a control circuit triggers the thyristors so as to reduce ac current flow therethrough to zero in less than two cycles and to open the bridge thereafter. Upon a temporary overload condition the control circuit triggers the thyristors so as to limit ac current flow therethrough to an acceptable level.

Abstract: A photoconducting device fabricated from Fe-doped, semi-insulating InP crystals exhibits an exponential decay transient with decay time inversely related to Fe concentration. Photoconductive gain as high as 5 is demonstrated in photoconducting devices with AuGe and AuSn contacts. Response times from 150 to 1000 picoseconds can be achieved.

Abstract: A linear accelerator system includes a plurality of post-coupled drift-tubes wherein each post coupler is bistably positionable to either of two positions which result in different field distributions. With binary control over a plurality of post couplers, a significant accumlative effect in the resulting field distribution is achieved yielding a variable-energy drift-tube linear accelerator.

Abstract: A radiation imaging device which has application in x-ray imaging. The device can be utilized in CAT scanners and other devices which require high sensitivity and low x-ray fluxes. The device utilizes cumulative multiplication of charge carriers on the anode plane and the collection of positive ion charges to image the radiation intensity on the cathode plane. Parallel and orthogonal cathode wire arrays are disclosed as well as a two-dimensional grid pattern for collecting the positive ions on the cathode.