Abstract: An improved boiler apparatus having multiple resistive heating elements are provided with fixed resistances that can be rewired to allow dual voltage capability and at the same time, reduced watt density. For 120V operation, the large diameter 9-ohm coil is used alone to provide the lowest possible watt density. For 240V operation, all three heating coils are wired in series, creating a low watt density but high wattage heater.

Abstract: A system and method of geofenced control of a vehicle, includes determining a geographic region within which a vehicle is operating; retrieving a geo-profile corresponding to the determined geographic region within which the vehicle is operating; and applying the retrieved geo-profile to the vehicle to alter the driving dynamics of the vehicle to conform to driving characteristics of the determined geographic region within which the vehicle is operating.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a passenger cabin and a truck bed located rearward of the passenger cabin. The vehicle includes a truck bed cover that is sized to cover the truck bed and is movably attached to one or more walls of the truck bed to allow the truck bed cover to be moved between open and closed positions. The truck bed cover includes a latching device that engages a striker in the closed position. A sensing device is mounted in the truck bed that is configured to provide an indication of an open condition of the truck bed cover to a vehicle locking and security ECU. The locking and security ECU configured to provide an indication using an OEM security system of the vehicle when the open condition is detected.

Abstract: This invention relates to magnetocaloric materials comprising alloys useful for magnetic refrigeration applications. In some embodiments, the disclosed alloys may be Cerium, Neodymium, and/or Gadolinium based compositions that are fairly inexpensive, and in some cases exhibit only 2nd order magnetic phase transitions near their curie temperature, thus there are limited thermal and structural hysteresis losses. This makes these compositions attractive candidates for use in magnetic refrigeration applications. Surprisingly, the performance of the disclosed materials is similar or better to many of the known expensive rare-earth based magnetocaloric materials.

Abstract: A method for collecting data relating to characteristics of a wellbore by generating tube waves within the wellbore using an electro-hydraulic discharge (EHD) source includes generating tube waves that propagate within a fluid column of a wellbore using an EHD source, where the fluid column is defined by a casing string within the wellbore. The method also includes allowing at least a portion of the generated tube waves to interact with acoustic impedance boundaries that act as reflectors within the wellbore, creating reflected tube waves that propagate within the fluid column. The method further includes recording data corresponding to the generated tube waves and the reflected tube waves using a receiver, where the recorded data relate to characteristics of the reflectors within the wellbore.

Abstract: An artificial muscle including a housing having an electrode region and an expandable fluid region, the housing defining an upper housing portion and a lower housing portion, a strain sensor integrated into at least one of the upper housing portion and the lower housing portion of the housing, a dielectric fluid housed within the housing, and an electrode pair positioned in the electrode region of the housing. The electrode pair includes a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein the electrode pair is configured to actuate between a non-actuated state and an actuated state such that actuation from the non-actuated state to the actuated state directs the dielectric fluid into the expandable fluid region, expanding the expandable fluid region to deform the strain sensor.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods are provided for an air filter precleaner for an open air filter box. The air filter precleaner includes a filter medium between a base and a grating that are fastened over an opening into an interior of the air filter box. The filter medium comprises a sheet of filter material having a shape and a size suitable for being supported between the base and the grating. The base is a rigid member that supports the filter medium in a sheet configuration, such that the airstream passes through the filter medium before entering the air filter box. The grating is a rigid member comprising a screen portion surrounded by a frame that is configured to be fastened onto the air filter box. The screen portion comprises a shaped lattice that allows the airstream to pass through the filter medium before entering the air filter box.

Abstract: A cooler device includes a cold plate and a manifold with fluid wicking structure. The cold plate includes an array of bonding posts and an array of fluid channels. Each bonding post of the array of bonding posts has a first height and is in contact with the manifold with fluid wicking structure. Each fluid channel of the array of fluid channels has a second height that is less than the first height. The array of fluid channels include a MIO secondary wick structure. The array of bonding posts is orthogonal to the array of fluid channels. The manifold with fluid wicking structure includes a plurality of spacer elements and a plurality of mesh layers. Each one of the plurality of spacer elements alternate with each one of the plurality of mesh layers in a stacked arrangement.

Abstract: A method to form a three-dimensional photonic crystal template with a gradient structure involves irradiating a photoresist composition of a thickness of at least 15 ?m from at least four laser beams to yield a periodic patterned with a percolating matrix of mass in constructive volumes of a cured photoresist composition and destructive volumes of voids free of condensed matter where the proportion of constructive volume displays a gradient from the irradiated surface to the substrate after development. For a given light intensity, photoinitiator concentration in the photoresist composition, and a given thickness, by irradiating for a relatively short period, a three-dimensional photonic crystal template displaying a gradient having greater constructive volume proximal the air interface forms and a relatively long irradiation period results in a gradient having greater constructive volume proximal the substrate.

Abstract: An artificial muscle stack that includes a plurality of artificial muscle layers. Each artificial muscle layer includes one or more artificial muscles having a housing with an electrode region and an expandable fluid region, a dielectric fluid housed within the housing, and an electrode pair having a first and second electrode positioned in the electrode region. The first and second electrodes each include two or more tab portions and two or more bridge portions. The two or more bridge portions interconnects adjacent tab portions. At least one of the first and second electrode includes a central opening positioned between the tab portions and encircling the expandable fluid region. The plurality of artificial muscle layers are arranged such that the expandable fluid region of the artificial muscles of each artificial muscle layer overlaps at least one tab portion of one or more artificial muscles of an adjacent artificial muscle layer.

Abstract: A lens device for inspecting an object having at least one end surface and at least one lateral surface, substantially orthogonal to the end surface, is provided. The lens device includes a front optical group, a rear optical group acting as prime lens for collecting beams originating from the front optical group, a stop inserted in the rear optical group, and a sensor plane collecting beams projected by the rear optical group. The front optical group includes only refractive lenses and is formed by at least one front lens configured to receive beams both from the at least one end surface of the object, perpendicular to the optical axis, and from the at least one lateral surface of the object, substantially parallel to the optical axis, and by one or more converging lenses arranged behind the front lens and suitable to focus the beams received towards the rear optical group.

Abstract: An automatic tourniquet apparatus comprises a tourniquet cuff, a pressure transducer, a user interface, a patient hazard shield and a pressure regulator. The pressure transducer produces a cuff pressure signal. The user interface produces a reference pressure signal. The patient hazard shield is responsive to the cuff pressure signal and the reference pressure signal, and operable during a regulation time period to produce a patient hazard signal if, in one implementation, a current level of pressure in the tourniquet cuff is greater than the reference level of pressure by at least a predetermined overpressure limit. The pressure regulator is responsive to the patient hazard signal, and has a pressurizing element for increasing pressure in the cuff and a depressurizing element for decreasing pressure in the cuff. The pressurizing element is configured to be non-responsive if the patient hazard signal is produced.

Abstract: The present application discloses a VICTS antenna based on an RGW structure, comprising an RGW feeding layer and a radiation layer arranged in sequence, wherein the RGW feeding layer comprises an RGW power splitter and a dielectric substrate for slow wave design, and the RGW power splitter is arranged under the dielectric substrate, wherein a power splitting network cover plate is arranged between the RGW feeding layer and the radiation layer, wherein the RGW power splitter comprises a feeding network and a waveguide feeding port, through which signals are input into the feeding network; the radiation layer is composed of a plurality of CTS arrays. During signal transmission, the signals are input into the feeding network through the waveguide port, and then the signals are fed into each CTS array by the feeding network; the radiation layer is configured to rotate.

Abstract: A plasticating screw is proposed, with a screw channel, which runs spirally around a screw core, is laterally delimited by a flight (1), (2) and has flow elements (3), (4) that are distributed over its longitudinal direction, extend transversely over the screw channel and comprise a deep section (5) and a compression section (6), rising radially in the longitudinal direction. In order to design a plasticating screw of the type mentioned at the beginning in such a way that its length is reduced and good melting characteristics can be achieved even with little energy input, it is proposed that the compression section (6) forms at least one run-up surface (7), which is inclined towards the flight (1), (2) and is adjoined in the longitudinal direction by a plateau (8) for forming the flow.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing and controlling solar panel arrays are provided. The solar panel array may include one or more articulating joints that may provide variability in the arrangement of solar panels, which may allow the solar panel array to be distributed over varying types of underlying surfaces. The articulating joints may allow orientations of solar panels to be different relative to one another. The articulating joints may convey rotational force across the joints, so that a rotational force used to drive a first solar panel may also be conveyed across the joint and used to drive a second solar panel. The controls system may include row-specific semi-autonomous, or autonomous, controllers as well as controllers to interface with multiple rows. The controllers may include sensors to measure system power generation and basic operations aspects of the solar field to directly measure, or infer, module shading within the solar field.

Abstract: A plastic scintillator includes a polymer matrix, an aliphatic additive present in the polymer matrix in an effective amount to impart fog resistance to the plastic scintillator, and at least one fluorescent dye in the polymer matrix, the dye being effective to provide scintillation upon exposure to radiation. The effective amount of the aliphatic additive is in a range of greater than 0 weight percent up to 5 weight percent relative to the total weight of the plastic scintillator. Moreover, the aliphatic additive has a structure comprising up to 300 repeat units.

Abstract: Several innovative technologies, including pressure-drop minimization, advanced refractory high entropy alloys, and advanced manufacturing can provide a compact heat exchanger that extends the state-of-the-art heat-exchanger operating range. The compact heat exchanger can reduce pressure drop losses by 100 to 500%, while retaining most of the heat transfer. The compact heat exchanger can be fabricated from refractory high entropy alloys that have favorable corrosion, thermal fatigue, and creep properties at high temperatures and pressures. Therefore, the compact heat exchanger using high entropy alloys can operate at >800° C. and 80 bars.

Abstract: A BOG reliquefaction system includes: a compressor; a heat exchanger cooling the BOG compressed by the compressor through heat exchange using BOG not compressed by the compressor; a pressure reducer disposed downstream of the heat exchanger and reducing a pressure of fluid cooled by the heat exchanger; and a combination of a first temperature sensor disposed upstream of a cold fluid channel of the heat exchanger and a fourth temperature sensor disposed downstream of a hot fluid channel of the heat exchanger, combination of a second temperature sensor disposed downstream of the cold fluid channel of the heat exchanger and a third temperature sensor disposed upstream of the hot fluid channel of the heat exchanger, or combination of a first pressure sensor disposed upstream of the hot fluid channel of the heat exchanger and a second pressure sensor disposed downstream of the hot fluid channel of the heat exchanger.