Abstract: An improved stiffener reinforced assembly and method. There is a skin member and a stiffener member including a web portion, a flange portion, and a radius region interconnecting the web portion and the flange portion. The flange portion resides on the skin member. A plurality of reinforcing pins are disposed through the radius region of the stiffener member and into the skin member to secure the stiffener member to the skin member.

Abstract: A false target deployment system including an inflatable and collapsible decoy packaged in a munition for deploying the decoy in its collapsed state from an actual target at risk due to a potential threat. The decoy is rapidly inflated during deployment and the decoy includes coatings and/or other devices for emulating the infrared, radar and/or laser reflectivity characteristics of the actual target thereby providing a false target for the threat.

Abstract: An improved stiffener reinforced assembly and method. There is a skin member and a stiffener member including a web portion, a flange portion, and a radius region interconnecting the web portion and the flange portion. The flange portion resides on the skin member. A plurality of reinforcing pins are disposed through the radius region of the stiffener member and into the skin member to secure the stiffener member to the skin member.

Abstract: A ballistically deployed restraining net system including a projectile, a net packaged in the projectile, a net deployment device for unfurling the net in flight, and a fuze for triggering the net deployment device upon the occurrence of a preestablished criteria such as the impact of the projectile with an object, the expiration of a preestablished time period after launch or upon the projectile reaching a predetermined distance to an object.

Abstract: A non-invasive flow analysis system and method wherein a sensor, such as an acoustic sensor, is coupled to a conduit for transmitting a signal which varies depending on the characteristics of the flow in the conduit. The signal is amplified and there is a filter, responsive to the sensor signal, and tuned to pass a narrow band of frequencies proximate the resonant frequency of the sensor. A demodulator generates an amplitude envelope of the filtered signal and a number of flow indicator quantities are calculated based on variations in amplitude of the amplitude envelope. A neural network, or its equivalent, is then used to determine the flow rate of the flow in the conduit based on the flow indicator quantities.

Abstract: A reinforced foam core sandwich structure including opposing face sheets, a foam core therebetween, and tow members encapsulated within the foam core and extending between the opposing face sheets to form a combined foam/tow member core wherein the compressive strength or shear strength of the combined foam/tow member core is greater than the compressive strength or shear strength, respectively, of the foam core alone or the tow members alone forming a support structure within the foam core between the face sheets.

Abstract: A translaminar reinforcement system for Z-direction reinforcement of a fiber matrix structure in which a plurality of reinforcing elements are disposed in a body of compactible material to extend in at least one direction and orientated at at least one acute angle and driven into a fiber matrix structure when the body is compacted by a compressive force.

Abstract: A method of and system for analyzing a two-phase flow in a conduit in which acoustic energy is transmitted through a conduit and into the flow therein; return echoes are detected, one or more flow indicator quantities are computed from the return echoes; and the mass flow rate and/or the flow quality is determined from the computed flow indicator quantities.

Abstract: A system for sealing the nozzle of a steam generator including a collapsible nozzle dam and an installation pivot arm. The collapsible nozzle dam includes a base portion receivable through a manway in the steam generator for retaining an inflatable seal in place within the nozzle, a post extending from the base portion, a plurality of foot assemblies positioned radially about the post for engaging a nozzle ring around the nozzle of the steam generator, a truss structure for supporting the foot assemblies with respect to said base portion including compression legs interconnecting the foot assemblies with the base portion and tension legs interconnecting the foot assemblies with the post. The foot assemblies fold about the post for insertion thereof through the manway to unfold once inside the steam generator for engaging the nozzle ring and positioning the base portion within the nozzle.

Abstract: A method of joining composite parts including disposing reinforcing elements through the thickness of two composite adherends to be joined, at least a number of the reinforcing elements extending from the joint surface of each adherend; assembling the adherends so the joint surface of one faces the joint surface of the other defining a joint region therebetween, wherein the extending reinforcing elements are interstitially disposed in the joint region; and disposing an adherent within the joint region about the interstitially disposed reinforcing elements and the joint surface for providing an improved and reinforced joint.

Abstract: A reinforced foam core sandwich structure including opposing face sheets, a foam core therebetween, and tow members encapsulated within the foam core and extending between the opposing face sheets forming a support structure within the foam core between the face sheets.

Abstract: A method of and system for analyzing a two-phase flow in a conduit in which acoustic energy is transmitted through a conduit and into the flow therein; return echoes are detected, one or more flow indicator quantities are computed from the return echoes; and the mass flow rate and/or the flow quality is determined from the computed flow indicator quantities.

Abstract: Moling apparatus for forming a generally horizontal underground passage in soil for a utility conduit or the like includes tool head structure with a base portion and a nose portion mounted on the base portion such that an interface region is formed between nose portion and base portion surfaces. The base portion is movable along that interface relative to the nose portion between a first position in which nose portion surfaces are symmetrical with respect to the tool axis so that the tool will tend to move along a straight line path and a second position in which nose portion surfaces are in asymmetrical position with respect to the tool axis so that the tool will tend to move along a curved path. The apparatus includes structure for creating positive pressure during system operation in the interface region between the base portion and nose portion such that relative movement of the nose and base portions between the first and second positions is not significantly impaired.

Abstract: A method of and system for inserting reinforcing pins in a composite structure in which a number of reinforcing pins are inserted in a compressible material; the compressible material/pin combination is assembled on the composite structure; ultrasonic energy is applied to the pins; and pressure is applied simultaneously with the application of ultrasonic energy to compress the compressible material and insert the pins into the composite structure to join two laminates or reinforce a single composite structure.

Abstract: A radiation transmission optical fiber having a core and cladding for spectroscopic monitoring includes a transmission portion and a sensor portion; the transmission portion has a continuous core portion and a continuous cladding over the core portion; the sensor portion has the cladding removed from one side of the fiber and the core portion exposed from the same side leaving the continuous cladding intact over the opposite side of the core portion of the sensor.

Abstract: A transverse flow, self-heating electrically conductive sorption system for separating species of different adsorption characteristics in a fluid includes a containment vessel, an electrically conductive permeable sorbent bed having a multiplicity of adsorption sites in said vessel; a porting structure for supplying contaminated fluid in a first direction at one surface of the bed and for receiving the contaminated fluid at another surface of the bed; and a pair of spaced electrodes for applying current through the bed in a second direction transverse to the first direction to self-heat the electrically conductive sorbent bed.

Abstract: An upper bundle steam generator cleaning system including a cleaning head deployment and support device receivable through a hand hole of the steam generator and including retractable cylinders which raise the cleaning head up through the flow slots to position a cleaning head about a flow slot of the upper tube bundles; and a cleaning head mounted with the support device for directing fluid about the tubes of the upper bundles of the steam generator for directing fluid about the tubes of the upper bundles of the steam generator thereby cleaning the generator from the top down flushing deposits downward during the cleaning process.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of preparing thermotropic and lyotropic liquid crystalline polymer film-based and tubular components having a controlled CTE and components produced by such methods. The methods of the present invention include treating a melt or dope of liquid crystalline polymer with simultaneous biaxial shearing forces and with an electric or magnetic field normal to each of the biaxial shearing forces.

Abstract: An electrically conductive sorption and in situ regeneration system and method for separating species of different adsorption characteristics in a fluid includes flowing a contaminated fluid through an electrically conductive sorbent bed having a multiplicity of adsorption sites, and providing an electric current through the sorbent bed to heat the bed to increase the adsorption sites available for adsorption by the bed of the more strongly adsorbed specie by inhibiting adsorption by the bed of the less strongly adsorbed specie which might occupy adsorption sites in the bed.

Abstract: This invention relates in general to a method for the formation of films having a controlled molecular orientation prepared from rod-like extended chain aromatic-heterocyclic ordered polymers, and containing a binder in the micro-infrastructure. Such films have high tensile strength, modulus, and environmental resistance characteristics.