Abstract: The invention relates to a method of recovering Pt or Ag or Pt and Ag from a sulfate solution on an electrode. In particular, the invention concerns a method for recovering Pt or Ag or Pt and Ag from base metal bearing process solution, particularly from a hydrometallurgical sacrificial metal bearing solution containing Zn and/or Ni. In general, the method of the present invention can be used for recovery of precious metals, which are dissolvable in sulfuric acid, from sulfate media based solutions. In addition to Pt and Ag, especially Pd should be mentioned. Deposited precious metal(s) can be recovered from the electrode or the deposition containing electrode can be used as such.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cold-crystallizing material having high latent heat, and a method of using the present material for heat storing. The material of the invention comprises of a phase change material and an additive which is preferably a hydrophilic polymer matrix. Preferably, sugar alcohols, such as erythritol or D-mannitol, are used as the phase change material. The polymer of the invention is preferably cross-linked and ionic, i.e. a polyelectrolyte. PCM stores a high amount of heat energy while melting and releases the stored thermal energy by cold-crystallization. Compared to previously studied cold-crystallizing materials, the latent heat of the cold-crystallizing material of the invention is considerably higher, and cold-crystallization is more repeatable in successive melting-crystallization cycles. The material can be used for heat storing. Heat energy can be released from the material by a heat pulse on demand. The method is particularly suitable for long-term heat storing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for depositing an organic-inorganic perovskite, the method comprising the step of depositing a perovskite precursor solution comprising one or more organic cation, wherein said precursor solution preferably deposited by inkjet printing. The method is particularly useful in the manufacture of perovskite solar cells. For depositing the perovskite, a perovskite precursor solution or ink is preferably used, which comprises an organic cation carrying an anchoring group, such as 5-ammonium valeric acid. Surprisingly, the presence of the latter compound renders the precursor solutions stable and suitable for inkjet printing.

Abstract: According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of separating cellulose and polyester from a material comprising a blend of cellulose and polyester, said method comprising the steps of mixing the material comprising a blend of cellulose and polyester with a first portion of superbase-based ionic liquid to dissolve a first portion of cellulose and form a first cellulose solution and a first residue comprising polyester, removing the first residue comprising polyester from the first cellulose solution, and directing the first cellulose solution to one or more further processing steps.

Abstract: “A method for manufacturing a building element with a wooden frame, the method comprising forming the frame of the element of wooden panels, filling the space inside the frame with insulation material, coating the wooden panels) which define the outer surfaces of the frame of the building element to be substantially air-tight, filling the space inside the frame with expanded perlite, and applying vacuum in the space inside the building element by a vacuum pump connected to the element. The invention also relates to such a building element with a wooden frame, as well as a building element system consisting of a plurality of such building elements with a wooden frame.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rotatable, plungeable and free path travelable non-consumable tool (5) for production of a channel (2) and a weld joint (1). The tool (5) comprises a shoulder and a probe, the shoulder having a surface facing the material(s) of components (3) to be processed. The shoulder and the probe are arranged to have a simultaneous and synchronized action in the materials of at least two components (3) to be processed. The shoulder facing the at least two components (3) to be processed has a system of scrolls shaped to have an inward action and an outward action on the at least two components (3) to be processed. The probe has a cylindrical or conical surface having a top zone, provided with a profile having a push-up action on the components (3) to be processed in a direction towards the shoulder. The top zone ends at or in the vicinity of a bottom zone provided with a profile having a push-down action on the components (3) to be processed in a direction towards the tip.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and tools for manufacturing of seamless tubular shapes, especially tubes and canisters. In the method of the invention the tubular shape is extracted from the flash continuously produced during the plunging of a consumable rod against a rigid anvil. The tools of the invention include a consumable rod; a non-consumable or consumable rigid anvil; first means for rotating the consumable rod and the non-consumable or consumable rigid anvil relatively with respect of each other; second means for plunging the consumable rod and the non-consumable or consumable rigid anvil relatively against each other; open die condition configuration for continuous production of flash during said plunging.

Abstract: A field-enhancing device includes at least one metal layer or a metal grating consisting of metal stripes or a dielectric grating. Usually the device is constructed on some substrate. The adhesive layer is advantageous when the next layer is metallic but is not needed with dielectric layers. The next layers to be constructed form a mirror structure that can also be omitted for simple field-enhancing device constructs. The mirror structure can be either a metal mirror structure or a distributed Bragg reflector structure (DBR). The next layer is the thin metal layer. This layer can be covered with a 1-D metal grating consisting of metal stripes or with a dielectric grating having similar geometry. The structure can also be fabricated without metals when dielectric grating is used as the field-enhancing part. Finally, a protective layer can be added on top of the structure.

Abstract: A hydraulic valve includes an on/off seat-type main valve with two ports having a displaceable poppet for opening and closing the main flow channel; an on/off seat-type pilot valve with three ports, with a magnetomotive force producing coil, a magnetic circuit, and an anchor movable with the magnetomotive force produced by the coil; and a frame with required channels and spaces for the poppet and for the anchor. Closing the inlet channel displaces the poppet and opens the main flow channel. Opening the inlet channel forces the poppet to close the main channel. The anchor includes a frame with a first sealing element for closing the low-pressure outlet channel of the pilot valve and with a second sealing element for securing the closing of the high-pressure inlet channel of the pilot valve. The sealing surface of the second sealing element is movable in relation to the frame of the anchor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of removing and/or recovering metals from a dilute metal containing solution. In particular, the invention concerns a method for recovering copper from a dilute copper-iron bearing mining water, particularly from a copper-iron bearing mining wastewater.

Abstract: A method and device for non-invasive monitoring of the temperature of the retina and the retinal pigment epithelium inside the eye, particularly during heating of the bottom of the eye, wherein alternating probing short-duration pulses of light, one at wavelength close to the absorption maximum of the photoreceptor cell type and the other at wavelength in the near-infrared region, are directed at the retinal tissue at appropriate time intervals. Photoreceptor cell electrical signals, photoresponses, are recorded using electroretinography (ERG) and the changes in retinal temperature are determined from changes in photoresponse kinetics and changes in photoreceptor sensitivity to the stimuli. The method is especially applicable at temperatures up to 45° C. for humans and for other animals.

Abstract: A force sensing probe (100) for sensing snap-in and/or pull-off force of a liquid droplet (111) brought into and/or separated from contact with a hydrophobic sample surface (151), respectively, comprises: a sensing tip (101); a sensor element (102) connected to the sensing tip, capable of sensing sub-micronewton forces acting on the sensing tip in a measurement direction; and a droplet holding plate (104) having a first main surface (105) and a hydrophilic second main surface (106) connected via a peripheral edge surface (107), and being attached via the first main surface to the sensing tip (101) perpendicularly relative to the measurement direction for receiving and holding a liquid droplet (111) as attached to the second main surface; the droplet holding plate comprising an electrically conductive surface layer (115), the first and the second main surfaces and the peripheral edge surface being defined by the surface layer.

Abstract: A plunger pressure accumulator includes a shell; and a plunger which is adapted to move relative to the shell into an interior space of the shell. The interior space is divided into at least two subspaces, a first subspace of which is suppliable with hydraulic fluid of an external system and a second subspace which is provided with a pressurized gas. Between the plunger and the shell is arranged a slide element upon which the plunger is supported to move to a distance apart from an internal surface of the first subspace and from an internal surface of the second subspace. The plunger pressure accumulator is provided with at least one regenerator which is stationary relative to the shell or the plunger.

Abstract: A charging device is disclosed for charging an accumulator of a vehicle from a source of electrical energy, the charging device being configured to be integrated into the vehicle. The charging device includes at least two power units connectable to available phases of the source of electrical energy, the power units having at least partly same kind of power electronics of switched-mode technology to operate the power units, and structure for cooling the power electronics.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rotatable, plungeable and free path travelable non-consumable tool (5) for production of a channel (2) and a weld joint (1). The tool (5) comprises a shoulder and a probe, the shoulder having a surface facing the material(s) of components (3) to be processed. The shoulder and the probe are arranged to have a simultaneous and synchronized action in the materials of at least two components (3) to be processed. The shoulder facing the at least two components (3) to be processed has a system of scrolls shaped to have an inward action and an outward action on the at least two components (3) to be processed. The probe has a cylindrical or conical surface having a top zone, provided with a profile having a push-up action on the components (3) to be processed in a direction towards the shoulder. The top zone ends at or in the vicinity of a bottom zone provided with a profile having a push-down action on the components (3) to be processed in a direction towards the tip.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a biofuel from a vegetable-based biomaterial by performing the manufacture in an integrated manner, in such a way that the biomaterial is made finer and dried with the aid of heat brought from a heat-releasing process, when the drying is finally performed after the finer making stage, optionally in such a way that drying is started already in connection with finer making. The invention also relates to a biofuel manufactured in this manner and the use of the fuel in question.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a cellulose-based shaped article. The method comprises subjecting a solution of lignocellulosic material, dissolved in a distillable ionic liquid, to a spinning method, wherein the ionic liquid is a diazabicyclononene (DBN)-based ionic liquid. DBN-based ionic liquids have good dissolution power, high thermal and chemical stability, lack runaway reactions and exhibit low energy consumption, due to low spinning temperatures. The shaped cellulose articles can be used as textile fibers, high-end non-woven fibers, technical fibers, films for packaging, and barriers films in batteries, as membranes and as carbon-fiber precursors.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and tools for manufacturing of seamless tubular shapes, especially tubes and canisters. In the method of the invention the tubular shape is extracted from the flash (1) continuously produced during the plunging of a consumable rod (2) against a rigid anvil (3). The tools of the invention include a consumable rod (2); a non-consumable or consumable rigid anvil (3); first means for rotating the consumable rod (2) and the non-consumable or consumable rigid anvil (3) relatively with respect of each other; second means for plunging the consumable rod (2) and the non-consumable or consumable rigid anvil (3) relatively against each other; open die condition configuration for continuous production of flash (1) during said plunging.

Abstract: A controlling of a lighting network based on traffic monitoring comprises steps of determining plurality of coverage areas of set of luminaires, where each luminaire comprises at least one light source. Information related to a presence of users in said coverage areas is received. This may relate both outdoor or indoor areas and activity. A status of at least certain luminaire is then changed to a reserve status, when a last detected user exits the coverage area. Each coverage area or luminaire is providing with an expected value for the time of when the next user is expected to arrive in the coverage area of said luminaire, A set of luminaires [R] of said luminaires with the reserve status to be controlled, such as dimmed, is then defined and information related to demand response requests [D1, . . . , Dn] of an electric power grid is received.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to aqueous all-copper redox flow batteries. This battery comprises at least one first and second half-cell compartments including the first and second aqueous electrolyte solutions comprising a copper compound and supporting electrolytes and a first and second electrodes. The battery further comprises external storage tanks for the electrolytes residing outside of the half-cell compartments, and means for circulating the electrolytes to and from the half-cells. There is a separator between the first and the second half-cell, and the half-cells of this battery are configured to conduct oxidation and reduction reactions for charging and discharging the battery.