Abstract: In an electric power generating element, either positive or negative electrode includes a composition containing an organic compound as a main agent and the positive electrode has an electrically conductive substance so that relatively low-temperature thermal energy is efficiently converted to electric energy. Polyethylene glycol is employed as the organic compound and graphite or a graphite composition is employed as the conductive substance. Salt providing ionic conductivity may be added to the organic compound or polyethylene glycol, and the negative electrode may be formed of a metal having an ionization tendency as large as or larger than copper or a composition of the metal.

Abstract: A P-type thermoelectric material consists essentially of iron disilicide, metallic manganese and metallic aluminium dissolved in or alloyed with the iron disilicide, and silicon oxide and/or aluminum oxide present in the iron disilicide. The manganese is contained in an amount of from 1.67 to 4.1 atomic % with respect to a sum of atoms of iron and silicon constituting the iron disilicide, the metallic manganese and the metallic aluminum taken as 100 atomic %, and the metallic aluminum contained in an amount of from 1.33 to 3.33 atomic % with respect thereto, and a sum of the metallic manganese and the metallic aluminum in an amount of from 4.0 to 5.34 atomic % with respect thereto. The P-type thermoelectric material having such a composition produces a thermoelectromotive force equal to or greater than those of the conventional P-type thermoelectric materials comprised of iron disilicide, and it exhibits a mean resistivity equal to or smaller than that of the N-type thermoelectric material.

Abstract: An elongated protective device for an immersion pyrometer. The device comprises a self-supporting inner sheath made of a ceramic material having virtually no open pores and a protective, crack-free outer ceramic casing at least partially surrounding the inner sheath. The inner ceramic sheath has an interior cavity extending from an open end of the sheath internally to a closed end for receiving a thermocouple element. The thermocouple element is then positioned within the cavity with the hot junction of the thermocouple element contacting the closed end of the ceramic sheath. The device provides good corrosion, shock and oxidation resistance for pyrometers when immersed into molten metals and by-products at high temperatures.

Abstract: A high temperature resistant and corrosion resistant thermoelement for a thermocouple formed of a silicon base layer, a conductive thin film of a silicide of a transition metal such as titanium or molybdenum which is stable at temperatures in the range from 800.degree. C. to at least 1000.degree. C., preferably to at least about 1500.degree. C., and an oxygen diffusion limiting silica overlayer, and a method of forming such a thermoelement by depositing a conductive transition metal silicide film over a silicon base layer and heat treating the film in an oxidizing gas atmosphere having a partial pressure of oxidizing gas sufficient to oxidize silicon atoms from the transition metal silicide to form a continuous SiO.sub.2 overlayer, but insufficient to oxidize transition metal atoms from the transition metal silicide, in which silicon atoms from the transition metal silicide layer which are oxidized to form the SiO.sub.2 overlayer are replaced by silicon atoms from the silicon base layer.

Abstract: A thermoelectric material is provided whose temperature decreases upon passing an electric current therethrough. The material is a mixture of poly-3-octylthiophene and ferric chloride in a respective molar ratio of approximately 2:1.

Abstract: A reversible thermoelectric converter includes first and second quantum well diodes and an electrical connection between the first and second quantum well diodes without a thermal barrier between them. Each quantum well diode includes first and second electrodes wherein electrons are quantized in discrete energy levels and a dielectric layer providing a potential barrier between the first and second electrodes. When electrons in the first quantum well diode have a higher temperature than the electrons in the second quantum well diode, electric voltage fluctuations resulting from transitions of the electrons between the energy levels in the first quantum well diode are coupled from the first quantum well diode to the second quantum well diode. The reversible thermoelectric converter can be operated for power conversion of thermal energy to electric energy, as a heat pump or a refrigerator, or as an amplifier.

Abstract: An intermetallic thermal sensor comprised of a hermetically sealed housing containing alternating layers of electronegative and active metals or their alloys in intimate contact. The layers may be wafer or washer-shaped. If washer-shaped, the holes in the wafers are aligned with each other to create a well within the housing and any extension thereof. A tubular-shaped liner extends into the well and may contain an energetic composition such as BKNO.sub.3. In one embodiment a thermite charge in the sensor can be ignited for venting applications. The active metal and electronegative metal and their alloys are selected so that when the melting point of one or both metals, alloys, or metal and alloy pairs has reached its or their melting point in response to external heat within a design range of the sensor, a vigorous exothermic reaction occurs to initiate a gas-producing reaction in the well or to ignite the thermite for operation of a cook-off mitigation system.

Abstract: A coaxial thermoelement having a thermocouple wire coaxially disposed in a tubular metal sheath. A ceramic powder electrically is disposed in the tubular metal sheath to insulate the thermocouple wire from the tubular metal sheath. A thermocouple is formed by fusing the thermocouple wire to its metal sheath in each of two coaxial thermoelements and joining the fused ends of the two coaxial thermoelement to form a thermocouple junction.

Abstract: A Peltier effect device which detects in particular a condensation risk, includes a substrate and semiconducting bands disposed on the upper face of the substrate. The junctions connecting said bands which make up a series circuit are formed by semiconducting bands of N-type and P-type. Junctions of the same type, i.e., N-P type are situated on the central zone of the upper face of the substrate and defines a detection zone of the device. Semiconducting bands of one type are placed on one side of the upper face of the substrate and bands of the other type are placed on the other side of the upper face of the substrate. The substrate also includes at the peripheral zone of each band, except for a frontmost N-type band and a rearmost P-type band, a plated hole extending through the substrate to a lower face of the substrate and to a plating of the lower face such that a plated hole situated at an end of the P-type band is connected to a plated hole situated at an end of a next N-type band.

Abstract: A method and system for monitoring an industrial process and a sensor. The method and system include generating a first and second signal characteristic of an industrial process variable. One of the signals can be an artificial signal generated by an auto regressive moving average technique. After obtaining two signals associated with one physical variable, a difference function is obtained by determining the arithmetic difference between the two pairs of signals over time. A frequency domain transformation is made of the difference function to obtain Fourier modes describing a composite function. A residual function is obtained by subtracting the composite function from the difference function and the residual function (free of nonwhite noise) is analyzed by a statistical probability ratio test.

Abstract: A temperature measuring device for measuring the temperature of an abrasive particulate material of the type found, for example, in rotary calcining kilns and the like. The device comprises a temperature sensor producing an indication of a temperature to which the sensor is exposed, circuitry or the like for connecting the temperature sensor to remote equipment for converting the indication to a recognisable form and a protective element shielding the temperature sensor from damage by the abrasive particulate material. The protective element comprises a layer of ceramic material having a matrix of alumina reinforced with 5 to 50% by volume (based on the total volume of the ceramic material) of particles of silicon carbide having an average size, at least in two dimensions, within the range of about 5 to 60 microns. The protective element provides good abrasion, heat-shock and mechanical resistance while exhibiting sufficient thermal conductivity to avoid undue inaccuracies in the temperature measurements.

Abstract: A heater mechanism incorporating a thermoelectric converter for use with a self-powered, solid, liquid or gaseous fueled, heater. During operation of the heater mechanism the thermoelectric converter supplies sufficient electrical power to (a) sustain the heater in operation, (b) maintain the starter battery at full charge, and (c) provide auxiliary power to remove and transport heat to desired locations away from the heater. The converter is a highly compact design (high power output per unit volume of space) and lends itself to high volume (mass production) and automated assembly techniques to produce it inexpensively. The thermoelectric converter is made of fewer components than prior art devices. A number of components in the thermoelectric stack serve dual or even multi-functions. The thermoelectric stack components are bonded or mounted together in such a manner as to permit handling as a unit.

Abstract: A ceramic composite may be densified, strengthened and toughened by the present transient plastic phase processing method. The ceramic composite comprises a transient plastic phase and a reactant phase. The transient plastic phase includes a metallic component and may also include a non-metallic component. The transient plastic phase has a yield strength which is a function of the stoichiometric concentration of the metallic component therein. In the present method, heat and pressure are applied to the ceramic composite to plastically deform the transient plastic phase of the composite and densify the composite. The densified composite is heated to react the transient plastic phase and the reactant phase in the solid state at a reaction temperature lower than the melting temperature of either of the transient plastic phase or the reactant phase.

Abstract: The present invention is an improvement in a process for producing a blend of bitumen and a block copolymer of a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon and a conjugated diene comprising mixing from 88 to 99.5 weight percent of bitumen with 0.5 to 12 weight percent copolymer at 135.degree. to 250.degree. C., agitating the mixture for at least 30 minutes, adding 0.01 to 2 weight percent sulfur and maintaining the mixture under agitation for at least 30 minutes. The improvement comprises utilizing high shear mixing at a shear rate of at least 10,000 second.sup.-1 to provide said agitation.

Abstract: This invention relates to a compound of formula I ##STR1## or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, in which R.sup.2 is a radical of the formula ##STR2## in which R.sup.a and R.sup.b are independently hydrogen or C.sub.1-6 alkyl, said C.sub.1-6 alkyl being optionally substituted with hydroxy, phosphono, phosphonooxy, carboxy or di(C.sub.1-6 alkyl) amino; or NR.sup.a R.sup.b together represents a radical of the formula ##STR3## in which y is one to three, and R.sup.a is as defined above; R.sup.p and R.sup.r are independently same or different C.sub.1-6 alkyl;R.sup.1 is hydrogen or a radical Z of the formula ##STR4## in which Q is --(CH.sub.2).sub.f --, optionally substituted with one to six same or different C.sub.1-6 alkyl or C.sub.3-6 cycloalkyl, or a carbon atom of said --(CH.sub.2).sub.f -- radical may also be a part of C.sub.3-6 cycloalkylidene;R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are independently hydrogen or C.sub.1-6 alkyl, or R.sup.3 and R.sup.

Abstract: An apparatus for the elimination of mist from off-gas during vitrification f nuclear waste, where baffles are installed on a slant toward the flow of the off-gasses eliminating the need to expand the cross-sectional area of the duct size.

Abstract: This invention relates to a novel microfiber, to a nonwoven web comprising said microfiber, and to a method of preparing said web. The meltblown microfibers have a diameter of less than 150 micrometers. The microfibers are prepared by meltblowing a liquid crystal polymer such as a wholly aromatic polyester amide of p, p' biphenol, p-hydroxybenzoic acid and terephthalic acid or a wholly aromatic polyester amide of 2-hydroxynaphthoic acid, p-aminophenol and terephthalic acid.

Abstract: A steel cord has a core strand and an outer strand. The core strand includes three wire filaments located in a core portion and each having a same diameter, and nine wires located to enclose the three wires, twisted together with the three wire filaments, and each having a diameter smaller than that of each of the three wires. The outer strand has wires located to enclose the nine wires of the core strand, twisted in a direction reverse to the twisting direction of the core strand, and having a clearance between them.

Abstract: An image-forming process for silver halide photographic material is disclosed, in which the photosensitive material have at least one silver halide emulsion layer on a support and contains a hydrzaine compound in the emulsion layer or other constitutional layers. The image-forming process comprises developing the photographic material containing the hydrozine compound of formula (I) with the developing agent of formula (II).

Abstract: A silver halide photographic material is disclosed, which comprises a transparent support having thereon a dye layer, a hydrophobic polymer layer and at least one light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer, wherein the dye layer containing one or more specified dyes dispersed in the form of fine solid particles is provided between the light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer and the support, the hydrophilic colloid coating weight of the dye layer is 0.5 g/m.sup.2 or less, and a hydrophobic polymer layer is provided between the dye layer and the support.