Abstract: One or more aspects of the present disclosure include coating the inside of an overmoded, smooth wall metallic waveguide with a thin dielectric layer. Coating the inside of a waveguide with a dielectric layer, as described in more detail herein, may result in similar boundary conditions to corrugated waveguides and may achieve extremely low transmission loss (e.g., propagating the HE11 mode). Such dielectric lined waveguides are an efficient (e.g., cost-effective) alternative to corrugated waveguides (e.g., for broadband microwave transmission, particularly at frequencies above 300 GHz). The systems and techniques described herein may improve hybrid electric mode purity (e.g., HE11 mode purity of approximately 98%). Dielectric lined waveguides described herein may have applications in many fields demanding low attenuation millimeter and terahertz transmission (e.g.

Abstract: A coherent aperture array system is used for steering an optical source beam. The system has spaced apart, steerable emitters each able to be mechanically aimed at a remote target location to steer portions of the source beam toward the target location. Each steerable emitter has a subaperture controllable independently of a remaining reflective surface of its associated steerable emitter, to receive and reflect a subportion of the source beam portion. The subportion forms a sense beam which is reflected toward a phase imaging system. A separate reference beam is created from the portion of the source beam travelling toward each steerable emitter. Each sense beam and each reference beam are thus associated uniquely with one of the steerable emitters. A phase imaging system uses the reference beams and the sense beams to determine phase differences between the portions of the source beam being transmitted from each steerable emitter.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing potted electronic assemblies are described. Embodiments of the method and system may provide a potting compound having a first coefficient of thermal expansion different from a second coefficient of thermal expansion for a circuit board, provide a fiber reinforcement having a third coefficient of thermal expansion selected so that when the potting compound is combined with the fiber reinforcement the combined coefficient of thermal expansion is closer to the second coefficient of thermal expansion than the first coefficient of thermal expansion is to the second coefficient of thermal expansion, and apply the fiber reinforcement and the potting compound to the circuit board.

Abstract: Systems, structures, devices, and fabrication processes for ceramic matrix composites suitable for use in a nuclear reactor environment and other applications requiring materials that can withstand high temperatures and/or highly corrosive environments are disclosed. In one aspect, a ceramic composite structure is provided. The structure comprises a chamber including an external shell and a hollow space inside the external shell. The external shell includes an inner composite layer including a first composite structure, a middle composite layer placed outside of the inner composite layer, the middle composite layer including a second composite structure that is different from the first composite structure, and an outer monolithic layer that has a spatially uniform material property and placed outside of the middle composite layer.

Abstract: A battery system may include multiple battery cells grouped into modules. Each battery module may have a diffuser plate to direct the hot gases and molten material that are ejected during cell failure. The gas and material may be directed away from the nearest neighboring cells in the event of a single cell thermal runaway. Residual thermal energy is wicked away, absorbed or contained to keep heat away from the neighboring cells. These and other features may manage the blast energy and residual thermal energy of a single cell failure event. This may prevent a cascading failure of the larger battery system, thereby mitigating the risk of injury to personnel and property.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes autonomous flight safety systems (AFSSs) that incorporate an autonomous flight termination unit (AFTU) enabling AFSS monitoring for various termination conditions that are used to activate a flight termination system (e.g., in the event a termination condition is detected). Such termination conditions include boundary limit detection (e.g., whether a vehicle position is outside or projected outside a planned flight envelope), as well as body instability detection (e.g., whether a pitch rate and yaw rate exceed some threshold indicative of vehicle instability). For instance, an AFTU may incorporate a three-axis gyroscope sensor and may implement instability detection processing based on information obtained via the sensor.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques and methods for producing silicon carbide and ceramic matrix composites from hydrocarbons. In one aspect, a method includes preforming a shape using silicon carbide fibers placed into a chamber, evacuating the chamber causing a silicon and polymer slurry to enter the chamber, and pressurizing the chamber causing the silicon and polymer slurry to permeate the silicon carbide fibers. The method includes heating the chamber to cause pyrolysis of the polymer and a hydrocarbon passed into the chamber into carbon and hydrogen gas. The carbon from the pyrolyzed polymer and hydrocarbon provide a coating of carbon on the silicon in the silicon and polymer slurry. The method includes heating the chamber to a higher temperature causing the silicon to melt and react with the carbon to form silicon carbide. The formed silicon carbide and the silicon carbide fibers form the ceramic matrix composite.

Abstract: A battery system may include multiple battery cells grouped into modules. Each battery module may have a diffuser plate to direct the hot gases and molten material that are ejected during cell failure. The gas and material may be directed away from the nearest neighboring cells in the event of a single cell thermal runaway. Residual thermal energy is wicked away, absorbed or contained to keep heat away from the neighboring cells. These and other features may manage the blast energy and residual thermal energy of a single cell failure event. This may prevent a cascading failure of the larger battery system, thereby mitigating the risk of injury to personnel and property.

Abstract: The range of energy transmissions or bursts (e.g., the range of high power microwave (HPM) directed energy weapons) may be increased using multiple sources (e.g., multiple HPM sources). For instance, according to techniques described herein, the individual sources may be fired at precise times such that the electromagnetic pulses are efficiently generated by each source and accurately add waveform peaks on the target. One or more aspects of the described techniques achieve sub-nanosecond timing accuracy by placing an HPM source, ultra-stable clock, and a laser pulse detector on each HPM weapon platform. For instance, the array may be triggered by firing a laser pulse at the target from one platform. By timing the firing of each HPM source based upon when the reflected laser pulse arrives at each platform as measured by the clock, the HPM pulses may arrive on target more accurately (e.g., more simultaneously).

Abstract: This patent document relates to systems, structures, devices, and fabrication processes for ceramic matrix composites suitable for use in a nuclear reactor environment and other applications requiring materials that can withstand high temperatures and/or highly corrosive environments. In one exemplary aspect, a method of joining and sealing ceramic structures is disclosed. The method comprises forming a joint of a ceramic structure and an end plug using a sealing material, wherein the end plug has a hole that goes through a top surface and a bottom surface of the end plug; filling the ceramic structure with a desired gas composition through the hole; heating a material into a molten form using a heat source; and directing the material into the hole, wherein the material solidifies to seal the end plug.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatuses, systems, methods, and devices for generating hydrogen pyrolysis of hydrocarbons (methane, diesel, JP8, etc.) in a reactor. The reactor includes multiple channels in parallel. A hydrocarbon flows in a channel and decomposes into hydrogen and carbon. Hydrogen gas flows out and some of the carbon will deposit on the channel wall. Once carbon deposition reaches a predetermined level, the hydrocarbon flow stops, and air or oxygen is caused to flow into the channels to oxidize carbon into carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide and supply heat to neighboring channels. Simultaneously, the hydrocarbon will flow into neighboring channels causing decomposition into hydrogen and carbon in the neighboring channels. When the carbon coating in the neighboring channels reaches a predetermined level, the gas flow is switched again to air or oxygen. In this way, each channel alternates between decomposing the hydrocarbon and oxidizing the deposited carbon.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatuses, systems, methods, and devices for generating high-pressure gas such as hydrogen and oxygen. In one aspect, an apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a reactor which includes a pressure vessel containing a metal compound configured to react with a liquid to generate the high-pressure gas when the liquid is available in the vessel. The reactor includes an outlet configured to pass the generated high-pressure gas out of the vessel. The apparatus also includes a receiver configured to store the generated high-pressure gas generated in the vessel and passed to a receiver via the outlet or passed directly to fuel cell or vehicle tank.

Abstract: A rotor for a rotating electric machine is described. Embodiments of the apparatus may include a rotor core comprising a plurality of slots, the rotor core comprising a circumference, a first winding comprising a first termination end exiting the rotor core at a first of the plurality of slots, a second winding comprising a second termination end exiting the rotor core at a second of the plurality of slots, wherein the second of the plurality of slots is 120 degrees around the circumference of the rotor core relative to the first of the plurality of slots, and a third winding comprising a third termination end exiting the rotor core at a third of the plurality of slots, wherein the third of the plurality of slots is 240 degrees around the circumference of the rotor core relative to the first of the plurality of slots.

Abstract: A battery system may include multiple battery cells grouped into modules. Each battery module may have a diffuser plate to direct the hot gases and molten material that are ejected during cell failure. The gas and material may be directed away from the nearest neighboring cells in the event of a single cell thermal runaway. Residual thermal energy is wicked away, absorbed or contained to keep heat away from the neighboring cells. These and other features may manage the blast energy and residual thermal energy of a single cell failure event. This may prevent a cascading failure of the larger battery system, thereby mitigating the risk of injury to personnel and property.

Abstract: A method and system for manufacturing potted electronic assemblies are described. Embodiments of the method and system may provide a potting compound having a first coefficient of thermal expansion different from a second coefficient of thermal expansion for a circuit board, provide a fiber reinforcement having a third coefficient of thermal expansion selected so that when the potting compound is combined with the fiber reinforcement the combined coefficient of thermal expansion is closer to the second coefficient of thermal expansion than the first coefficient of thermal expansion is to the second coefficient of thermal expansion, and apply the fiber reinforcement and the potting compound to the circuit board.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for a satellite control system that exhibits improved stability and increased efficiency by implementing a non-linear dynamic inversion inner-loop control algorithm coupled with an eigen vector outer-loop control algorithm. Thus, the attitude determination and control system (ADACS) may operate using commands to rotate directly about an eigen vector. Additionally, the outer-loop control system includes a feed-forward control element to enhance pointing accuracy when tracking moving targets.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for winding electrical coils (electromagnets) is described. A self-propelled and self-referencing winding vehicle uses features on a winding bobbin to guide the direction and/or orientation of the vehicle, while laying electrical conductor material (e.g., high-temperature superconducting (HTS) tapes) as it traverses the bobbin. The vehicle may wind electrical coils with complex shapes. In some embodiments, the self-propelled, self-referencing (SPSR) vehicle may perform other magnet fabrication and assembly procedures.

Abstract: Point clouds of objects are compared and matched using logical arrays based on the point clouds. The point clouds are azimuth aligned and translation aligned. The point clouds are converted into logical arrays for ease of processing. Then the logical arrays are compared (e.g. using the AND function and counting matches between the two logical arrays). The comparison is done at various quantization levels to determine which quantization level is likely to give the best object comparison result. Then the object comparison is made. More than two objects may be compared and the best match found.

Abstract: Exemplary pellets can be used for magnetic fusion devices for mitigating plasma disruption. In some embodiments, the pellets may be cryogenically cooled that may cause a rise in the electrical conductivity of the pellets. A high conductivity of the pellet can screen out the plasma's magnetic field from the interior of the pellet. The screening out of the plasma's magnetic field can slow the ablation rate of the pellet which may allow for deeper pellet penetration and a better suited spatial profile of deposited material for proper mitigation of the plasma disruption. In some other embodiments, the pellets may not be cryogenically cooled.

Abstract: A method of making large ultrathin free-standing polymer films without use of a sacrificial layer includes the steps of providing a substrate, applying a polyelectrolyte material to said substrate, applying a polymer material onto said substrate and onto said polyelectrolyte material, and directly delaminating said polymer material from said substrate and said polyelectrolyte to produce the ultrathin free-standing polymer film.