Abstract: The invention relates to a system of fastening sheet material cladding onto substrates with hammer driven fasteners. The fasteners are cylindrical and have a first diameter at a tip end which is larger than a second diameter at a head end. When the fastener is driven through sheet material a hole is produced which is larger in diameter than the portion of the fastener adjacent the head. The sheet material is free to move laterally relative to the fastener because of the oversized hole that is produced by the oversized tip of the fastener. Additionally, deformation or dimpling is avoided because the small-diameter portion of the fastener does not produce axial frictional forces on the sheet material as it passes through the sheet material.

Abstract: Removal of Light, non-Aqueous Phase Liquids (LNAPLs) from contaminated soils is expedited by injecting gas into extraction wells. The extraction wells are operated with a vacuum assist which produces a mounding of groundwater around the well. Gas is injected into the groundwater within the extraction well in the form of micro-bubbles. The bubbles rise through the LNAPL and volatilize it. The volatilized LNAPL is drawn to the surface and groundwater is left in the well.

Abstract: A single-stage earth-to-orbit launch vehicle employs a combination of rocket engines and turbojet engines to propel a device into orbit. The vehicle is driven through a unique set of operating conditions of the engines to conserve oxidizer and optimize acceleration. Cooling effects of fuel used by both types of engines is employed to maintain operating temperature of the turbojet engines within limits of lightweight materials. The rocket engines are used during initial acceleration and then permitted to remain deeply throttled or idle until the vehicle reaches a speed of about Mach 6. The rocket engine, with most of its oxidizer intact, is then used to accelerate the vehicle into orbit.

Abstract: A turbojet engine has a capability for propelling an air-borne vehicle over an extremely wide range of operating speeds. A vehicle can be propelled from take-off conditions through speeds in excess of Mach 5. The engine is equipped with a cooling fluid injection system which cools intake air at high operating speeds. Cooling of intake air permits continued turbojet engine operation at speeds which produce stagnation air inlet temperature in excess of those which critical compressor components can tolerate. The inlet air entering the compressor is pre-cooled with injected fluid so that its temperature is reduced below the critical operating temperature limits of the critical compressor components.

Abstract: A method of treating industrial gases to remove contaminants is disclosed. Ions are generated in stream of injectable gas. These ions are propelled through the contaminated gas as it flows through a collection unit. An electric field is applied to the contaminated gas. The field causes the ions to move through the contaminated gases, producing electrical charges on the contaminants. The electrically charged contaminants are then collected at one side of the electric field. The injectable gas is selected to produce ions which will produce reactions with particular contaminants. The process is thus capable of removing particular contaminants. The process does not depend on diffusion as a transport mechanism and is therefore suitable for removing contaminants which exist in very low concentrations.

Abstract: Effluents from a waste treatment operation are incinerated and oxidized by passing the gases through an inductively coupled plasmas arc torch. The effluents are transformed into plasma within the torch. At extremely high plasma temperatures, the effluents quickly oxidize. The process results in high temperature oxidation of the gases without addition of any mass flow for introduction of energy.

Abstract: A method of treating industrial gases to remove contaminants is disclosed. Ions are generated in stream of injectable gas. These ions are propelled through the contaminated gas as it flows through a collection unit. An electric field is applied to the contaminated gas. The field causes the ions to move through the contaminated gases, producing electrical charges on the contaminants. The electrically charged contaminants are then collected at one side of the electric field.The injectable gas is selected to produce ions which will produce reactions with particular contaminants. The process is thus capable of removing particular contaminants. The process does not depend on diffusion as a transport mechanism and is therefore suitable for removing contaminants which exist in very low concentrations.

Abstract: A plasma arc waste treatment furnace is equipped with a plasma arc torch having an electrode formed from a conductive refractory material. The refractory electrode can be operated at very high temperatures and does not need to be water-cooled. This eliminates a need for de-ionized water used in prior art furnaces. Arc erosion takes place very slowly and this results in long operating intervals of the furnace between shutdowns needed for electrode replacement. The electrode can be successfully operated as a cathode and this mode of operation improves melting efficiency.

Abstract: A centrifugal plasma arc furnace is used to vitrify contaminated soils and other waste materials. An assessment of the characteristics of the waste is performed prior to introducing the waste into the furnace. Based on the assessment, a predetermined amount of iron is added to each batch of waste. The waste is melted in an oxidizing atmosphere into a slag. The added iron is oxidized into Fe.sub.3 O.sub.4. Time of exposure to oxygen is controlled so that the iron does not oxidize into Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3. Slag in the furnace remains relatively non-viscous and consequently it pours out of the furnace readily. Cooled and solidified slag produced by the furnace is very resistant to groundwater leaching. The slag can be safely buried in the earth without fear of contaminating groundwater.

Abstract: Weldolets or threadolet type fittings are welded onto pipe while being clamped in position with a clamp assembly that includes a threaded bolt, a wing nut, a positioning star with tapered arms which can slide along the axis of the bolt, and a tapered swivel anchor that is pivotally connected to an end of the bolt. In operation, the fitting is positioned at a hole in the pipe. The swivel anchor and bolt are inserted through the fitting into the pipe. The positioning star is engaged with a free end of the fitting and then the wing nut is tightened to produce a forced engagement between the positioning star and the fitting. This positions the fitting into concentric alignment with the hole and orthogonal alignment with the pipe.

Abstract: A centrifugal plasma arc furnace is used to vitrify contaminated soils and other waste materials. An assessment of the characteristics of the waste is performed prior to introducing the waste into the furnace. Based on the assessment, a predetermined amount of iron is added to each batch of waste. The waste is melted in an oxidizing atmosphere into a slag. The added iron is oxidized into Fe.sub.3 O.sub.4. Time of exposure to oxygen is controlled so that the iron does not oxidize into Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3. Slag in the furnace remains relatively non-viscous and consequently it pours out of the furnace readily. Cooled and solidified slag produced by the furnace is very resistant to groundwater leaching. The slag can be safely buried in the earth without fear of contaminating groundwater.

Abstract: A metal spray apparatus is provided with a supersonic nozzle. Molten metal is injected into a gas stream flowing through the nozzle under pressure. By varying the pressure of the injected metal, the droplet can be made in various selected sizes with each selected size having a high degree of size uniformity. A unique one piece graphite heater provides easily controlled uniformity of temperature in the nozzle and an attached tundish which holds the pressurized molten metal. A unique U-shaped gas heater provides extremely hot inlet gas temperatures to the nozzle. A particularly useful application of the spray apparatus is coating of threads of a fastener with a shape memory alloy. This permits a fastener to be easily inserted and removed but provides for a secure locking of the fastener in high temperature environments.

Abstract: An in situ waste treatment system for contaminated soil employs a high temperature energy probe which is lowered into a borehole casing that has been inserted into the contaminated soil. The energy probe is activated and then melts surrounding region of the contaminated soil. The probe is raised and continues to melt a cylindrical column of soil that surrounds the borehole casing. Oxygen is introduced into the molten material so that organic and metallic components thereof are oxidized. In basaltic soils superheating and nucleation materials are introduced to enhance formation of a crystalline structure in the contaminated soil as it solidifies. Increased crystallinity makes the resultant solidified basaltic materials more resistant to leaching by ground water. Other types of contaminated soils are treated with waste modifiers to produce optimum leach resistance of the resultant resolidified soil.

Abstract: A threaded fastener with a shape memory alloy (SMA) coatings on its threads is disclosed. The fastener has special usefulness in high temperature applications where high reliability is important. The SMA coated fastener is threaded into or onto a mating threaded part at room temperature to produce a fastened object. The SMA coating is distorted during the assembly. At elevated temperatures the coating tries to recover its original shape and thereby exerts locking forces on the threads. When the fastened object is returned to room temperature the locking forces dissipate. Consequently the threaded fasteners can be readily disassembled at room temperature but remains securely fastened at high temperatures.A spray technique is disclosed as a particularly useful method of coating of threads of a fastener with a shape memory alloy.

Abstract: An electrically heated metal spray apparatus is provided with a supersonic nozzle. Molten metal is injected into a gas stream flowing through the nozzle under pressure. By varying the pressure of the injected metal, the droplet can be made in various selected sizes with each selected size having a high degree of size uniformity. A unique one piece graphite heater provides easily controlled uniformity of temperature in the nozzle and an attached tundish which holds the pressurized molten metal. A unique U-shaped gas heater provides extremely hot inlet gas temperatures to the nozzle. A particularly useful application of the spray apparatus is coating of threads of a fastener with a shape memory alloy. This permits a fastener to be easily inserted and removed but provides for a secure locking of the fastener in high temperature environments.