Abstract: Apparatuses, systems and method for utilizing multi-zoned combustion chambers (and/or multiple combustion chambers) for achieving compression ignition (and/or spark-assisted or fuel-assisted compression ignition) in an internal combustion engine are provided. In addition, improved apparatuses, systems and methods for achieving and/or controlling compression ignition (and/or spark-assisted or fuel-assisted compression ignition) in a “Siamese cylinder” internal combustion engine are provided.

Abstract: A batch process of remediation of soil and sediment contaminated with toxic metals includes the steps of treating contaminated soil and sediment with a solution containing aminopolycarboxylic chelating agent, rinsing the soil/sediment solid phase to remove residues of mobilized toxic metals, treating the used process waters to recycle chelating agent and clean process solutions and placing the remediated soil/sediment on a permeable horizontal reactive barrier to prevent emission of contaminants. In the batch process, toxic metals are removed from process solutions by alkaline adsorption of polysaccharide adsorbents. By applying alkaline adsorption the efficiency of toxic metal removal from process solutions and alkaline and acidic recycling of chelating agent is significantly improved.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for purifying and preparing vanadium pentoxide powder. Industrial grade vanadium pentoxide is converted to vanadium oxytrichloride by low temperature fluidizing chlorination, wherein chlorinating gas is preheated via heat exchange between fluidizing gas and chlorination flue gas, and an appropriate amount of air is added to enable a part of carbon powder to combust so as to achieve a balanced heat supply during the chlorination, thereby increasing the efficiency of chlorination and ensuring good selectivity in low temperature chlorination. The vanadium oxytrichloride is purified by rectification, and then subjected to fluidized gas phase ammonification, thereby obtaining ammonium metavanadate, and further obtaining a high-purity vanadium pentoxide powder product through fluidized calcination.

Abstract: Described are methods for pretreating lignocellulosic biomass that comprise thermally conditioning the biomass by flow processing an aqueous slurry of the biomass through an outer passage(s) of one or more heat exchange devices while circulating a heat exchange fluid through an inner passage(s) of the heat exchange device(s). Also described are methods for producing fermentation products, especially ethanol, from the pretreated biomass.

Abstract: A capacitive occupancy or proximity detector includes a heating circuit, an impedance measurement circuit connected to the heating element, and a diagnostic circuit configured for determining integrity of the heater element. The heating circuit includes a heating element, a heating current source and a common mode choke having a first and a second winding, the heating element being connectable to the heating current source via the first and second windings. The diagnostic circuit includes at least one controllable switching element coupled across the second winding, circuitry for injecting a DC current into a series connection formed by the first winding the heating element and a parallel connection of the second winding and the at least one controllable switching element, and at least one detection circuit for detecting a voltage variation across the second winding.

Abstract: Device, system, and method are described directed to seal assemblies with support to reduce seal extrusion under high to very high pressure changes due to repeated piston reciprocating movement. In some examples, concave features are incorporated on the inner and outer edges of support and backup ring elements to support and hug the preceding element and constrain extrusion, as well as utilizing multiple contact points on certain elements in order to reduce friction against the dynamic surface. The seal assemblies described herein can also incorporate bearing surfaces to reduce damage to seal ID due to off-axis floating rod, such as incorporating one or more multi-point contacts to reduce friction.

Abstract: An air-drag reduction mechanism for a vehicle is provided. The mechanism includes a shell structured to be deployable in a direction away from a vehicle, the shell including a plurality of telescoping shell segments. The shell segments are structured to form a shell having a shape which tapers or narrows in a direction away from the vehicle. The air-drag reduction mechanism may be incorporated into an air-drag reduction system including an actuation mechanism operatively coupled to the telescoping shell and operable to deploy the shell.

Abstract: The present invention, in part, relates to methods and apparatuses for on-chip amplification and/or detection of various targets, including biological targets and any amplifiable targets. In some examples, the microculture apparatus includes a single-use, normally-closed fluidic valve that is initially maintained in the closed position by a valve element bonded to an adhesive coating. The valve is opened using a magnetic force. The valve element includes a magnetic material or metal. Such apparatuses and methods are useful for in-field or real-time detection of targets, especially in limited resource settings.

Abstract: A clutch unit of a bicycle derailleur includes a main body, a cover for the main body, a positioning assembly, and a pressure-applying assembly. Both assemblies are received in a space between the main body and the cover. The main body has a top side with a receiving groove and is pivotally connected with a rotating shaft, which extends out of a bottom portion of the receiving groove. The positioning assembly includes a ratchet, a pawl, and an elastic member. The ratchet is pivotally connected in the receiving groove, can rotate with the rotating shaft, and has ratchet teeth annularly arranged at an equal spacing. The pawl is adjacent to and can move toward and away from the ratchet, has a meshing tooth for meshing with the corresponding ratchet tooth, and is elastically biased toward the ratchet by the elastic member. The pressure-applying assembly applies resistance to the ratchet.

Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing magnetic particles, in which an oxidation treatment, a reduction treatment, and a nitriding treatment are performed in that order on raw material particles with a core-shell structure in which a silicon oxide layer is formed on the surfaces of iron microparticles, thereby nitriding the iron microparticles while maintaining the core-shell structure. Due to this configuration, granular magnetic particles with a core-shell structure in which a silicon oxide layer is formed on the surfaces of iron nitride microparticles can be obtained.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for automatically turning off the high beam headlights of a vehicle. In one embodiment, the system may include an electronic control unit for adjusting the operation of the high beam headlights. The electronic control unit may detect whether the headlights are operating in a high beam mode. Additionally, the electronic control unit may receive data regarding at least one of an environmental condition, a road condition, and a driving condition from one or more cameras, sensors, and information systems associated with a vehicle. The headlights may then be switched to the low beam mode when it is determined that the likelihood of at least one of the environmental condition, the road condition, and the driving condition meets or exceeds a threshold condition.

Abstract: In a method of laying out abnormally-shaped grid decks, the abnormally-shaped grid decks refer to grid decks having a cut-out at the corner thereof. It is usually a problem when laying out abnormally-shaped grid decks because they will be off-balance when they are laid on the columns. Support frames are used to support the abnormally-shaped grid decks and keep them balanced and stable on the columns. However, the support frames may obstruct the working route used in construction. The method adopted in the present invention adds temporary beams to maintain the abnormally-shaped grid decks by balancing them on the columns before they are fixed and secured thereon, and thereafter the temporary beams will be removed. This method can prevent using support frames which may obstruct the working route under construction.

Abstract: A microcontroller uses a combination of several synchronized PWM outputs to generate a low distortion sine wave by summing the PWM outputs and filtering the summed signal. The sine wave is used as a guard voltage. The unknown impedance is measured by impinging the guard voltage on the sense electrode by a transistor connected in common base configuration and then transferring the sense current through the common base connected transistor to a transimpedance amplifier made out of a second transistor connected in common emitter configuration. The output voltage at the collector of the second transistor is measured by an ADC input of the microcontroller. The microcontroller translates the ADC output values into the unknown impedance to be measured by doing a software demodulation of the ADC output values. A reference impedance can be connected in parallel to the unknown impeder to eliminate gain errors of the signal sensing circuit.

Abstract: Electrodes employing as active material iridium nanoparticles synthesized by a novel route are provided. The nanoparticle synthesis is facile and reproducible, and provides iridium nanoparticles of very small dimension and high purity for a wide range of metals. The electrodes utilizing these nanoparticles have excellent efficiency catalyzing the electrolytic production of oxygen from water.

Abstract: An apparatus and a system is provided that may be utilized to determine oil migration and oil displacement from a pre-oiled air filter. The present invention may also be utilized to determine if oil is displaced from the air filter onto a portion of the apparatus for visualization to a user. The present invention utilizes a demonstration apparatus having a system for forcing air through the oil subjected air filter thereby attempting to force displacement of the oil from the air filter. The apparatus utilizes a blowing means whereby the oil infused air filter is subject to higher than normal air flow and whereby the apparatus has a deflection portion whereby if oil is displaced from the air filter, it is deflected onto the deflection portion where it would be physically viewable to an observer present in the vicinity of the apparatus.

Abstract: The device for the local repair or strengthening of an elongate body exhibiting a change in its integrity, by winding one or more layers of tape around the elongate body, comprises two half rings, each having two ends configured to come into contact with one another, means for moving the two half rings relative to one another until they surround the elongate body, without touching, and means for translating the two half rings relative to one another along an axis perpendicular to the axis of the elongate body until the ends of the half rings are in contact to form a ring surrounding the elongate body. In the embodiments, the device includes, on at least one of the half rings, at least one centering pin corresponding, in the other half ring, to an opening with a shape complementary to the shape of the centering pin.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle floor. The vehicle floor includes a rigid floor structure and a floor covering for the floor structure. The floor covering includes carpeting with a corrugated section where the carpeting has a nominal surface contour corresponding to the shape of the floor structure, and is repeatedly doubled over itself in a corrugation direction to define a series of adjacent ridges and valleys along the corrugation direction.

Abstract: A wireless tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) emulation device for a vehicle and a method of activating the device. The device has a memory, a microcontroller, a radio frequency transmitter, a trigger, an actuator and a power supply. The memory is adapted to have stored thereon a software module. The microcontroller is powered by a power supply, such as a battery, and is connected to the memory. The microcontroller is adapted to control a TPMS transmission signal indicative of an acceptable tire pressure signal, according to the software module. The radio frequency transmitter is connected to the microcontroller and is adapted to transmit the transmission signal. The trigger is connected to the microcontroller and is adapted to activate a TPMS sensor pairing of the emulation device for at least one tire of the vehicle. The actuator is connected to the microcontroller and is adapted to activate the emulation device.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to surgical systems comprising an end-effector assembly and arm assembly. The end-effector assembly may include a first instrument assembly having a first instrument and first instrument driven portion configurable to be driven to move the first instrument relative to a first axis. The arm assembly may include first and second arm assembly bodies, first arm assembly joint portion for joining the first and second arm assembly bodies, first instrument drive assembly, and first arm assembly drive assembly. The first instrument drive assembly may include a first integrated motor and first instrument drive portion controllable by the first integrated motor to drive the first instrument driven portion. The first arm assembly drive assembly may include a second integrated motor and first arm assembly drive portion controllable by the second integrated motor to drive the first arm assembly body to move relative to the second arm assembly body.

Abstract: An archery bow is provided including an axle assembly that compresses bearing and other components between limb portions to clamp those components against one another, with zero gaps therebetween, yet enable a cam to freely rotate relative to the axle. The bow can include bearings having an inner portion, and an outer portion non-rotatably joined with a cam. A fastener is operable in a compression mode to exert a compression force, such as an axial clamping force, against the bearing inner portion so it is non-rotatable relative to the axle, while the outer portion remains uncompressed and rotatable relative to the axle. The assembly can include a compression spacer clamped under the compression force between inner portions of bearings. These constructions can enhance the consistency of cam rotation and promote a smooth draw of the bow. Related methods are also provided.