Abstract: This invention relates to a fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell stack, external circuit electrical leads coupled to the fuel cell electrodes, and a thermal enclosure assembly enclosing the stack. The stack includes a plurality of inner tubular solid oxide fuel cells, the inside of the inner fuel cells being fluidly couplable to a first reactant source, and a porous support matrix embedding the inner fuel cells and being fluidly couplable to a second reactant source such that a second reactant is flowable through the matrix and to the outer surface of the embedded fuel cells. The stack may also include an outer tubular solid oxide fuel cell surrounding the matrix and the inner fuel cells such that the second reactant is flowable through the matrix and to an inside surface of the outer fuel cell and wherein the outer surface of the outer fuel cell is fluidly couplable to a first reactant source.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for determining stone cells within a sample of wood pulp or paper. According to the instant invention a portion of the sample is irradiated with light at a predetermined wavelength or within a predetermined range of wavelengths. The incident light causes those areas of the sample that are occupied by stone cells to fluoresce strongly relative to the background matrix of wood pulp or paper. The strongly fluorescing stone cells are registered digitally using a detector, or are observed visually by an operator viewing the sample through an ocular device. The absolute number of stone cells per unit area or a stone cell size-distribution-plot is obtained using one of automated or manual image analysis.

Abstract: A method of producing boards or panels from cereal straw includes the steps of treating and mechanically refining the straw with steam under elevated pressure which may be in excess of 8 bar (800 kPa). The resulting fiber may then be pressed in to boards or panels without added binder or mixed with a urea formaldehyde or melamine urea formaldehyde binder.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for pulp bleaching. The method comprises the steps of providing a pulp sample for bleaching, the pulp sample stemming from a pulp producing process, providing a bleaching liquor comprising water and an organic component as solvent components constituting a bleaching medium, dissolved within are at least a bleaching agent, and a basic agent; and subjecting the pulp sample to the bleaching liquor for a predefined amount of time at predefined bleaching conditions. A preferred bleaching agent is hydrogen peroxide. The organic component amounts to at least 5% in weight of the bleaching medium.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of manufacturing a metal-supported tubular micro-solid oxide fuel cell, and a fuel cell made from such method. The method comprises the steps of coating a wooden substrate member with a conductive substrate layer, coating the substrate layer with an inner electrode layer, coating the inner electrode layer with an electrolyte layer, drying and sintering the coated substrate member such that the substrate member combusts, coating the electrolyte layer with an outer electrode layer, and then drying and sintering the layers.

Abstract: A method for predicting the secondary porosity system (SPS) porosity, and thereby permeability, of a coal bed involves determining an initial condition in the coal bed, including an initial SPS pressure and an initial sorbed gas composition, determining a pressure strain effect due to increasing the SPS pressure to a value greater than the initial SPS pressure, and determining a sorption strain effect due to changes in the sorbed gas composition resulting from decreasing the methane content and increasing the content of a stronger adsorbing fluid (SAG) relative to the initial sorbed gas composition. Preferably, the method uses data from test injections of water and/or a weaker adsorbing fluid (WAG) and a SAG. The data is used in the inventors' model to compute a SPS porosity and an absolute permeability at a reference SPS pressure and a reference sorbed gas composition. Preferably, the reference pressure is atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of producing a hollow inorganic membrane that is particularly suitable for solid oxide fuel cell applications, as well as producing hollow inorganic composite laminated membranes having at least one such hollow inorganic membrane. The method comprises electrodepositing an inorganic material that includes at least some electrically conductive metal and some ionically conductive ceramic onto an electrically conductive combustible core, drying the core bearing the deposited inorganic material, then, sintering the core bearing the deposited inorganic material such that the core combusts, thereby producing a hollow inorganic membrane. The method may further comprises electrophoretically depositing a ceramic composition onto the hollow inorganic membrane, to produce an assembly of hollow inorganic composite laminated membranes.

Abstract: This invention relates to the enhancement of chemical reactions by applying a high frequency electric field to a material. The frequency and amplitude of the electric field are selected in accordance with the properties of the reacting components in the bulk of chemical reactor. In general, the high frequency range is determined by the dielectric properties of reactant(s), that is, at any given temperature, when, for example, the specific conductivity starts to grow from its low frequency value. Typically, frequencies in the range of 100 kHz to 200 MHz or greater are suitable for the enhancement of the reactions. An electric field of any shape having Fourier components that when applied to a chemical process exhibits growth in the real part of conductivity relative to the low frequency value is of particular importance.

Abstract: A strain of Burkholderi andropogonis for controlling the growth of a weed belonging to the order Caryophyllales is provided. Also provided is a method for suppressing weed growth, comprising applying a strain of Burkholderia andropogonis to a weed belonging to the order Caryophyllales. Also provided is a biocontrol composition for controlling the growth of a weed belonging to the order Caryophyllales, the composition comprising a strain of Burkholderia andropogonis, and a suitable medium.

Abstract: This invention relates to a novel microfluidic device and methods of using this device to conduct in vitro studies on the reaction and effects of various compounds on cells. More particularly, it relates to a method for using stop flow in a microfluidic system to study the effect of compounds on individual cells.

Abstract: This invention relates to the enhancement of chemical reactions by applying a high frequency electric field to a material. The frequency and amplitude of the electric field are selected in accordance with the properties of the reacting components in the bulk of chemical reactor. In general, the high frequency range is determined by the dielectric properties of reactant(s), that is, at any given temperature, when, for example, the specific conductivity starts to grow from its low frequency value. Typically, frequencies in the range of 100 kHz to 200 MHz or greater are suitable for the enhancement of the reactions. An electric field of any shape having Fourier components that when applied to a chemical process exhibits growth in the real part of conductivity relative to the low frequency value is of particular importance.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for injecting a fluid into a borehole. The method includes the step of injecting an injection fluid into a primary injection zone in a borehole at an injection fluid pressure. The primary injection zone is bounded by a proximal injection zone interface and a distal injection zone interface. The proximal injection zone interface and the distal injection zone interface are maintained at pressures which are substantially balanced with the injection fluid pressure. The apparatus includes a body adapted for passage through a borehole, at least four radially extendable and retractable zone interface elements spaced longitudinally along the body which when extended define at least three zones along the body, a zone interface element actuator for selectively extending and retracting the zone interface elements, and a fluid delivery system for delivering a fluid to each zone.

Abstract: A networked polymer/clay alloy is produced from a monomer/clay mixture comprising a monomer, a cross-linking agent and clay particles. An initiator means is used to initiate polymerization of the monomer/clay mixture. The clay is chemically integrated with the polymer such that, on exposure to water, the networked polymer/clay alloy swells with substantially no clay separating from the alloy.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of ratios, products and non-linear functions of adsorption, emission or scattering of light as variables in standard regression and chemometric techniques to predict a characteristic or property of a solid or liquid. The use of one or more non-linear functions within a relationship between measured spectral properties and characteristic properties of solutions and solids provides an improved means to determine a property when the intensities represent or relate to components that are colinear or interelated due to restraints associated with composition, chemical processes, or molecular structure. The invention relates to the use of ratios of Raman peak intensities to predict the properties of a solution or a solid such as pulp that is processed with the solution. The intensity of the Raman shifted light is used to create Raman peak intensity ratios. These Raman intensities are related to the concentration of species dissolved in the liquid.

Abstract: A reinforced networked polymer/clay alloy composite is produced by contacting a monomer/clay mixture with a reinforcing agent. The monomer/clay mixture comprises a monomer, a cross-linking agent and clay particles. An initiator means is used to initiate polymerization of the monomer/clay mixture, while the cross-linking agent concurrently acts to network oligomeric and polymeric species formed during polymerization to produce a networked polymer/clay alloy in the presence of the reinforcing agent. The networked polymer/clay alloy is intimately integrated with the reinforcing agent such that, on exposure to water, the networked polymer/clay alloy swells with substantially no clay separating from the composite.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a biocontrol agent Plectosporium tabacinum and methods for the biocontrol of weeds using the biocontrol agent. Preferably the weeds are cleavers (Galium aparine L and Galium spurium L.), and the biocontrol agent is Plectosporium tabacinum CL98-103 (ATCC deposit PTA-3463). The biocontrol agent is effective against herbicide-resistant and herbicide-susceptible cleavers, and it may be used in conjunction with other herbicides.

Abstract: A reinforced networked polymer/clay alloy composite is produced by contacting a monomer/clay mixture with a reinforcing agent. The monomer/clay mixture comprises a monomer, a cross-linking agent and clay particles. An initiator means is used to initiate polymerization of the monomer/clay mixture, while the cross-linking agent concurrently acts to network oligomeric and polymeric species formed during polymerization to produce a networked polymer/clay alloy in the presence of the reinforcing agent. The networked polymer/clay alloy is intimately integrated with the reinforcing agent such that, on exposure to water, the networked polymer/clay alloy swells with substantially no clay separating from the composite.

Abstract: A method of forming a structural member from hemp hurd and the structural member produced which is substantially free of hemp bats fibers is made by providing hemp stalks which have been decorticated and hurd material is divided into hurd strands which are then mixed with a binder and then pressed into a structural member. The hemp hurd strands can be mixed with wood strands to form wood/hurd structural members.

Abstract: A spectrometer or multiple wavelength absorbance detection method and apparatus providing improved accuracy for an array of measurements at different wavelengths. The spectrometer utilizes a multiple wavelength illumination system with an array of independent detectors with different pathlength cells, where each cell is illuminated with predominately monochromatic light after separation by a light dispersing element. Each sample cell has an optical pathlength, optics and photodetection device that are optimized for its particular wavelength to accurately measure absorbance through an expected substance.

Abstract: A networked polymer/clay alloy is produced from a monomer/clay mixture comprising a monomer, a cross-linking agent and clay particles. An initiator means is used to initiate polymerization of the monomer/clay mixture. The clay is chemically integrated with the polymer such that, on exposure to water, the networked polymer/clay alloy swells with substantially no clay separating from the alloy.