Abstract: A method for manufacturing an article for use in a high-temperature environment, and an article for use in such an environment, are presented. The method comprises providing a substrate; selecting a desired vertical crack density for a protective coating to be deposited on the substrate; providing a powder, wherein the powder has a size range selected to provide a coating having the desired vertical crack density; and applying a thermal-sprayed coating to the substrate, the coating having the desired vertical crack density, wherein the powder is used as a raw material for the coating.

Abstract: A fuel cell assembly comprises at least one fuel cell. The fuel cell comprises an anode and a cathode held in a spaced apart relationship by at least one spacer element comprising an electrically insulating material. A proximal end of the spacer element is in contact with the cathode, and a distal end is in contact with the anode. An electrolyte is disposed between, and in contact with the anode and the cathode. The electrolyte comprises a molten salt having a hydride ion conductance number greater than about 0.95 at a fuel cell operating temperature. A fuel gas inlet, adjacent to the cathode, is provided for delivering a fuel gas to the electrolyte. An oxidizing gas inlet, adjacent to the anode, is provided for delivering an oxidizing gas to the electrolyte. An exhaust port is in fluid communication with the anode.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for detecting a hot rail car surface comprises: an infrared sensor for acquiring an infrared signal from a rail car surface of a rail car and transducing the infrared signal into an electrical signal; a rank filter for filtering the electrical signal to produce a filtered array; a first peak detector for detecting a maximum filtered value of the filtered array; and a first comparator for comparing the maximum filtered value to a detection threshold to produce a filtered alarm signal.