Abstract: A method for flaw detection in solder joints, especially on printed circuit (PC) boards, by means of the application of sonic and ultrasonic energy, with or without an electrical current therewith, upstream of the solder joint and comparison of these acoustic and electrical inputs to their respective modulated outputs downstream of the joint.

Abstract: A method for producing flake particles by projecting a continuing stream of molten material upon the surface of a rotating generally circular, heat extracting drum, having a serrated edge with each serration comprising a radial surface and an angularly disposed connecting surface from the base of one radial surface to the peripheral extremity of the adjacent radial surface; and rotating the heat extracting drum at a speed relative to the size and shape of the serrations and relative to the rate of molten material projection to form a discrete flake particle on each angularly disposed surface; followed by removing each particle from the surface after each particle is at least partially solidified; and cooling the particles in a surrounding atmosphere.

Abstract: Heat pump apparatus employing a continuous loop passageway containing a plurality of freely-movable, unrestrained bodies. The bodies are accelerated around the passageway in one direction by adiabatic expansion of a fluid between the bodies in an expander region of the passageway. The expanded, cooler fluid is discharged from the passageway via one or more vent-intake ports in the passageway beyond the expander region. Warmer fluid enters the passageway via said ports and is compressed between the propelled bodies in a compression region of the passageway, thereby raising its temperature from a first temperature (e.g., the temperature of the outdoor atmosphere or an industrial waste heat stream) to a second temperature higher than the first. The compressed, warmer fluid is thereafter passed through a heat exchanger to extract heat.

Abstract: In a method of melting glass in burner-heated glass melting tanks wherein preheated pellets comprised of quartz, sand, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, lime, and magnesium oxide ae injected by a pressurized gaseous medium into a glass melt contained in the tanks, the improvement comprising injecting the pellets in a manner adapted to form a veil-like formation above the melt extending over substantially the entire melt surface and over substantially all of the burner flames.

Abstract: Suppression of calcium sulfate scale in wet lime and limestone flue gas desulfurization (FGD) scrubbers and mist eliminators is accomplished by scrubbing in the presence of an oxidation inhibitor comprising gaseous nitric oxide (NO).

Abstract: Apparatus receiving step voltage inputs provides an output voltage that moves as a linear ramp from step to step. Each new input causes an amplifying circuit to connect a predetermined potential to an integrator, starting a new ramp. A comparator circuit receives voltages proportional respectively to the input and the ramp output, and when they become equal it stops the ramp. An inverter is automatically connected into the amplifying circuit when needed to change the polarity of the potential to the integrator, and thus to reverse the direction of the ramp. Manual and automatic adjusting and switching means control the operating sequences and parameters.

Abstract: Apparatus for depositing layers of materials onto substrates by magnetically enhanced cathodic sputtering; typically comprising an enclosure having atmospheric sealing means between the atmosphere inside and the atmosphere outside the enclosure, vacuum pump means connected to the enclosure to reduce the pressure inside relative to the atmospheric pressure outside the enclosure, a cathode within the enclosure comprising a substantially planar frame formed about a parallel interior plane, a plurality of magnets supported within the frame and positioned with the neutral axis of each magnet substantially in the interior plane, and at least one target plate supported on the frame on opposite sides of the interior plane, insulation means between the frame and the enclosure, means for connecting an electrical potential difference between the frame and the enclosure, and means in and supported by the enclosure for supporting and conveying the substrates on opposite sides of, and parallel to, the target plates from a

Abstract: A system for measuring the respective volume rates of flow of two components of a composite flow comprises at least two positive displacement pumps such as Moyno pumps connected by a function chamber and having a common drive. The cells of the first pump and the cells of the second pump have predetermined but different volumes of respective cells which travel from the inlet to the outlet of the pump. A sensor is provided for detecting the pressure in the junction chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for measuring strain in a solid object, wherein the apparatus is arranged to use the deflection of a light guiding structure as a strain responsive element for determining the amount of applied stress to be measured. The apparatus typically comprises a curved light guiding structure including a medium of given refractive index surrounded by a medium of lower refractive index than that of the medium of given refractive index; means for injecting light into the structure and means for analyzing the change in the propagation characteristics of the light emerging from the structure; and, means for attaching and maintaining the light guiding structure to the solid object in such a way that stresses acting upon the object are translated into changes of the curved form of the structure, creating changes in the propagation of the injected light whereby the strain in the object can be determined.

Abstract: A method of operating a fluidized bed system in a single vessel, typically as a combustor system for power or steam generation burning high-sulfur coal or as a gasifier for high-sulfur coal, which comprises forming an entrained fluidized bed in a first space region containing a first solid bed particle component, such as sand or hematite ore containing over 90% Fe.sub.2 O.sub.

Abstract: A method for producing metal flake of small length-to-width ratio or small length-to-thickness ratio directly from a pool or like source of molten metal or molten inorganic compound, or from an unconfined drop of molten metal or an unconfined drop of molten inorganic compound having a surface tension and viscosity similar to that of molten metal, consisting of forming such products by the application of a rotating, generally circular serrated edge, heat-extracting disk-like member to the surface of the pool of molten material so as to form the material into discrete flake particles by extracting the flake particles from the supply of molten material; and controlling the final shape of the product by the physical shape of the member, the temperature and material composition of the melt, as well as the velocity of the member in contact with the melt.

Abstract: The invention comprises methods and apparatus for forming filamentary material directly from a pendant drop of molten material, and provides for a significant improvement in the quench rate. A typical method of making filamentary material according to the invention, comprises the steps of: (a) heating a solid material, typically, a metal or metal alloy, so as to form a pendant molten drop of the material which is at a temperature within 25 percent of its equilibrium melting point in .degree.K, said molten material having a surface tension of 10 to 2500 dynes/cm. and a viscosity of 0.001 to 1.

Abstract: In order to reduce energy losses by convection and/or thermal radiation from the radiation-absorbing surface of a photothermal energy converter for the utilization of solar energy, the said surface is provided with a multiplicity of projecting fibres sufficiently close to one another to suppress convection, each fibre consisting of a material which is permeable to the incident luminous radiation to be absorbed and at least partly opaque to infrared thermal radiation which may be reemitted from the said surface whereby energy losses by radiation are reduced.The fibres can be, for example, glass or plastic fibres and can be integral with or implanted in the said surface. Preferably, the fibres have diameters in the range 25 to 500 micrometers, a height of the order of 5 cm, and an average distance between fibres in the range 100 to 5000 micrometers.

Abstract: The ratio of fuel to oxidant in a gas mixture to main burners in a furnace, wherein the fuel is of variable composition, is controlled to a predetermined level by burning a portion of the fuel in a control burner, adjusting the oxidant to obtain a ratio of fuel to oxidant near the stoichiometric ratio in the control burner and supplying the main burners with independent preset multiples of the fuel and oxidant flow in the control burner such that the predetermined ratio of fuel to oxidant is achieved.The stoichiometric ratio is determined by automatic searching for the peak value of a burning or burned fuel property which has a maximum value as a function of the fuel/oxidant ratio at or near the stoichiometric ratio. For example, the temperature of the burned fuel is a property which may be used to find the stoichiometric ratio.

Abstract: Heat pump apparatus employing a continuous loop passageway containing a plurality of freely movable, unrestrained bodies. The bodies are accelerated around the passageway in one direction by isentropic expansion of a fluid between the bodies in an expander region of the passageway. The expanded, cooler fluid is discharged from the passageway via one or more vent-intake ports in the passageway beyond the expander region. Warmer fluid enters the passageway via said ports and is compressed between the propelled bodies in a compression region of the passageway, thereby raising its temperature from a first temperature (e.g., the temperature of the outdoor atmosphere or an industrial waste heat stream) to a second temperature higher than the first. The compressed, warmer fluid is thereafter passed through a heat exchanger to extract heat.

Abstract: Apparatus for depositing layers of materials onto substrates by magnetically enhanced cathodic sputtering; typically comprising an enclosure having atmospheric sealing means between the atmosphere inside and the atmosphere outside the enclosure, vacuum pump means connected to the enclosure to reduce the pressure inside relative to the atmospheric pressure outside the enclosure, a cathode within the enclosure comprising a frame of substantially symmetric shape about a centrally disposed centerplane, a plurality of magnets supported in the frame and positioned with the neutral axis of each magnet substantially in the centerplane, and at least one target plate supported on the frame on each side of the centerplane, insulation means between the frame and the enclosure, means for connecting an electrical potential difference between the frame and the enclosure, and means in and supported by the enclosure for supporting and conveying the substrates on opposite sides of, and parallel to, the target plates from a pos

Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating objects having a density greater than a selected density value from objects having a density less than said selected density value.

Abstract: A gaseous (C.sub.1 to C.sub.4) hydrocarbon mixture having a high methane content (at least 80 percent by volume on a carbon dioxide-free basis) is obtained by passing a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide at a volume ratio of about 47:53 to 60:40 at a temperature between about 350.degree. to about 450.degree. C. and a pressure of about 200 p.s.i.g. to about 10,000 p.s.i.g. at a volumetric space velocity of about 500 to about 6000 in contact with a sulfur resistant catalyst comprising an interspersed mixture of cobalt oxide, aluminum oxide and zinc oxide. The catalyst comprises about 1 to about 15 weight percent of cobalt oxide, about 15 to about 60 weight percent of aluminum oxide and about 35 to about 70 weight percent of zinc oxide.

Abstract: Acid and base catalyst substances are employed in the photochemical process for collection and retrieval of solar energy wherein a lower energy level isomer (e.g. trans-isomer) of a photochemical isomerizable compound is exposed to solar energy of a wavelength providing a higher energy level isomer (e.g. cis-isomer) of this isomerizable compound and this higher energy level isomer subsequently is transformed to its lower energy level isomer with exothermic release of thermal energy for useful purposes. In this process the transforming or conversion of the higher energy level isomer to its lower energy level isomer is facilitated by the presence of and/or contacting with the acid or base catalyst substance.

Abstract: The invention relates to a photovoltaic cell for converting solar energy into electrical power and which has, in sandwich construction, two different polycrystalline, semiconductor layers in intimate contact and disposed on a metal or metal-coated substrate, the cell being provided with a light-transmissive or grating-shaped electrode on the side toward the light. The cell layers comprise the semiconducting selenides of cadmium and tin.