Abstract: System and method for controlled atmosphere stunning of chickens or turkeys in a batch mode is provided. The disclosed method includes the steps of: loading one or more batches of chickens or turkeys in a stunning chamber and sealably enclosing the stunning chamber to isolate the atmosphere therein. Carbon dioxide is then introduced to the isolated atmosphere in a series of three, four, five or more phases to humanely stun and eventually kill the poultry. The carbon dioxide containing atmosphere is subsequently forcibly exhausted from the stunning chamber and the ranks of cages or modules containing the stunned poultry are advanced to a subsequent processing station such as a tipper or dumping station.

Abstract: System and method for controlled atmosphere stunning of chickens in a batch mode is provided. The disclosed method includes the steps of: loading one or more batches of chickens in a stunning chamber and sealably enclosing the stunning chamber to isolate the atmosphere therein. Carbon dioxide is then introduced to the isolated atmosphere in a series of three, four or five phases to humanely stun the chickens. The carbon dioxide containing atmosphere is subsequently forcibly exhausted from the stunning chamber and the ranks of cages or modules containing the stunned chickens are advanced to the tipper or dumping station.

Abstract: A freeze-dryer and method of controlling the same is provided. The disclosed freeze-dryer includes a chamber adapted to hold material or product to be freeze-dried; one or more depressurization orifices; a gas pressurization circuit having a source of gas to pressurize the chamber to a prescribed pressure; a depressurization circuit coupled to the chamber via the one or more orifices and having a depressurizing control valve; and a control unit adapted to pressurize the chamber with the source of gas and actuate the depressurizing control valve to depressurize the chamber upon command. The ratio of total depressurization orifice area to the chamber volume is preferably between about 6×10?2 and about 4×10?4 m2/m3.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling a mammalian cell culture process are provided. Such control of the cell culture process involves control of the level of dissolved carbon dioxide in the cell culture media and the resulting ability to prevent increases in the osmolality level is achieved by enhanced stripping of carbon dioxide with little or no damage to the mammalian cells. The disclosed methods and systems of dissolved carbon dioxide stripping include enhanced surface gas exchange mechanisms within the bioreactor vessel through the use of an upward flow impeller combined with vertical baffles to convert swirling motions of the liquid into a largely vertical flow.

Abstract: This invention relates to dense, vertically cracked thermal barrier coatings made from high purity yttria or ytterbia stabilized zirconia powders. The high purity yttria or ytterbia stabilized zirconia powder consisting essentially of less than about 0.01 weight percent silicon dioxide (silica), less than about 0.002 weight percent aluminum oxide (alumina), less than about 0.005 weight percent calcium oxide, less than about 0.005 weight percent ferric oxide, less than about 0 to about 0.002 weight percent magnesium oxide, less than about 0 to about 0.005 weight percent titanium dioxide, from about 1.5 to about 2 weight percent hafnium oxide (hafnia), from about 6 to about 25 weight percent yttrium oxide (yttria), less than 0.1 weight percent other impurity oxides, and the balance zirconium oxide (zirconia) and the balance zirconium oxide (zirconia).

Abstract: Methods for controlling the level of dissolved carbon dioxide and limiting osmolality in a mammalian cell culture process to enhance cell growth, viability and density, and increase biologic product concentration and yield are provided. Such control of the level of dissolved carbon dioxide and pH as well as the resulting ability to limit osmolality in a mammalian cell culture process is achieved by adopting alternative pH control strategies and CO2 stripping techniques during a mammalian cell culture process. Such pH control techniques and carbon dioxide stripping occur without foam and with little or no damage to the mammalian cells.

Abstract: A method of supplying a portable medical gas system is provided. The disclosed method includes preparing a portable medical gas system, the portable medical gas system including a cylinder adapted to be filled with medical gas and a gas dispensing valve. The portable medical gas system is place in a specialized container having a configuration adapted to hold the portable medical gas system only when the cylinder of portable medical gas system is unused state or empty state. The portable medical gas system is delivered to the customer, and returned as an empty cylinder via commercial carrier. Upon receipt of the empty or spent portable medical gas system, another portable medical gas system filled with medical gas is sent to the customer. In one embodiment, the portable medical gas system includes a single-use flow control valve which ensures the cylinder is empty after its initial use.

Abstract: A system and method for ultrasonic examination of a threaded test object, and more particularly, the mounting threads of a compressed gas tube while the tube is affixed to a tube trailer is provided. The disclosed ultrasonic test instrument includes a probe having one or more transducers for transmission and reception of ultrasound pulses, a contoured wear plate, and a shoe of highly attentuative material having a thread-like exterior surface adapted to mate with the threaded surface of the test object. The shoe further includes a narrow window in the thread-like exterior surface such that the shoe absorbs most of the ultrasonic pulses transmitted from the piezoelectric crystal except for the ultrasonic transmissions passing through the narrow window to the test object.

Abstract: This invention relates to erosion resistant coatings comprising at least 2 sublayer systems in which each sublayer system is separated from another by an interlayer, wherein (i) each sublayer system is the same or different and comprises at least 4 layers, (ii) said layers comprise alternating layers of a nitride-containing compound of stoichiometric composition and a nitride-containing compound of nonstoichiometric composition, (iii) each sublayer system has a thickness of greater than about 0.4 microns, and (iv) each interlayer is the same or different and comprises a metal-containing compound. This invention also relates to a method for producing the coatings and to articles, e.g., gas turbine compressor rotor blade and stator vanes, coated with the coatings.

Abstract: This invention relates to articles coated with a thermally sprayed coating of a high purity yttria or ytterbia stabilized zirconia powder, said high purity yttria or ytterbia stabilized zirconia powder comprising from about 0 to about 0.15 weight percent impurity oxides, from about 0 to about 2 weight percent hafnium oxide (hafnia), from about 6 to about 25 weight percent yttrium oxide (yttria) or from about 10 to about 36 weight percent ytterbium oxide (ytterbia), and the balance zirconium oxide (zirconia). The articles include, for example, blades, vanes and seal surfaces of gas turbine engines coated with a thermal barrier coating.

Abstract: This invention relates to ceramic powders comprising a zirconia-based component, e.g., yttria-stabilized zirconia, and an (alumina+silica)-based component, e.g., mullite. The ceramic powders are useful for forming thermal shock resistant coatings having the same composition, through deposition by thermal spray devices. This invention also relates to thermal barrier coating systems suitable for protecting components exposed to high temperature environments, such as the thermal environment of a gas turbine engine. This invention further relates to forming free-standing solid ceramic articles.

Abstract: A cryogenic refrigeration system includes a cryogenic heat exchanger system adapted for vaporizing a liquid cryogen and using the gaseous cryogen to cool heat transfer fluid and a heat transfer cooling circuit that cools the lyophilization chamber as well as the condenser. The disclosed heat transfer cooling circuit includes a primary recirculation loop adapted for cooling the lyophilization chamber with the heat transfer fluid, a secondary recirculation loop adapted for cooling a condenser with the heat transfer fluid, and one or more valves operatively coupling the cryogenic heat exchanger system, the primary recirculation loop, and the secondary recirculation loop.

Abstract: A method of supplying a portable medical gas system is provided. The disclosed method includes preparing a portable medical gas system, the portable medical gas system including a cylinder adapted to be filled with medical gas and a gas dispensing valve. The portable medical gas system is place in a specialized container having a configuration adapted to hold the portable medical gas system only when the cylinder of portable medical gas system is unused state or empty state. The portable medical gas system is delivered to the customer, and returned as an empty cylinder via commercial carrier. Upon receipt of the empty or spent portable medical gas system, another portable medical gas system filled with medical gas is sent to the customer. In one embodiment, the portable medical gas system includes a single-use flow control valve which ensures the cylinder is empty after its initial use.

Abstract: This invention relates to low thermal expansion bondcoats for thermal barrier coatings. The bondcoats comprise: (i) an inner layer comprising an inner layer alloy of MCrAlM?, and (ii) an outer layer comprising an outer layer alloy of MCrAlM?, wherein M is an element selected from nickel, cobalt, iron and mixtures thereof, and M? is an element selected from yttrium, zirconium, hafnium, ytterbium and mixtures thereof. The inner layer alloy is thermally sprayed from a powder having a mean particle size of 50 percentile point in distribution of from about 5 microns to about 50 microns. The outer layer alloy is thermally sprayed from a powder having a mean particle size of 50 percentile point in distribution of from about 30 microns to about 100 microns. The bondcoat has a thermal expansion of about 6.5 millimeters per meter or less between a temperature of from about 25° C. to about 525° C.

Abstract: This invention relates to erosion resistant coatings comprising at least 2 sublayer systems in which each sublayer system is separated from another by an interlayer, wherein (i) each sublayer system is the same or different and comprises at least 4 layers, (ii) said layers comprise alternating layers of a nitride-containing compound of stoichiometric composition and a nitride-containing compound of nonstoichiometric composition, (iii) each sublayer system has a thickness of greater than about 0.4 microns, and (iv) each interlayer is the same or different and comprises a metal-containing compound. This invention also relates to a method for producing the coatings and to articles, e.g., gas turbine compressor rotor blade and stator vanes, coated with the coatings.

Abstract: This invention relates to coatings for a metal or non-metal substrate comprising (a) a thermal sprayed bondcoat layer applied to the substrate, and (b) a thermal sprayed ceramic layer applied to said bondcoat layer; wherein said coating has a helium leak rate of less than 6×10?6 standard cubic centimeters per second. The thermal sprayed bondcoat layer comprises (i) a thermal sprayed inner layer alloy, and (ii) a thermal sprayed outer layer alloy. The inner layer alloy is thermally sprayed from a powder having a mean particle size of 50 percentile point in distribution of from about 5 microns to about 50 microns. The outer layer alloy is thermally sprayed from a powder having a mean particle size of 50 percentile point in distribution of from about 30 microns to about 100 microns. The coatings are useful for extending the service life under severe conditions, such as those associated with metallurgical vessels' lances, nozzles and tuyeres.

Abstract: This invention relates to coatings for a metal or non-metal substrate comprising (i) a thermal sprayed bondcoat layer applied to the substrate, and (ii) a thermal sprayed ceramic layer applied to the bondcoat layer; wherein said coating has a helium leak rate of less than 6×10?6 standard cubic centimeters per second. The thermal sprayed bondcoat layer comprises an alloy of MCrAlM? wherein M is an element selected from nickel, cobalt, iron and mixtures thereof, and M? is an element selected from yttrium, zirconium, hafnium, ytterbium and mixtures thereof. The alloy is thermally sprayed from a powder having a mean particle size of 50 percentile point in distribution of from about 5 microns to about 100 microns. The coatings are useful for extending the service life under severe conditions, such as those associated with metallurgical vessels' lances, nozzles and tuyeres.

Abstract: This invention relates to a fixture for use in a physical vapor deposition coating operation which comprises a support structure 14 comprising a circular base member 10, a circular top member 11 opposite the circular base member 10, and a plurality of structural members 12 joining said top member 11 to said base member 10; a plurality of panel members 13 aligned in a vertical direction around the outer periphery of said support structure 14 forming a cylinder-like structure; said panel members 13 including a plurality of apertures for holding workpieces 19 and 35 to which a coating is to be applied; and said apertures positioned on said panel members 13 so that said workpieces 19 and 35 are aligned in a staggered vertical direction. This invention also relates to a method for simultaneously coating a plurality of workpieces 19 and 35, such as gas turbine compressor blades and vanes, with erosion resistant coatings using the fixture of this invention.