Abstract: A gas sensor having an axis including a detecting element; a metal shell; an outer cylinder; and a plug member, as defined herein, and the gas sensor includes a first protective member that covers an air vent of the plug member so as to protect the filter member, the protective member having a ventilation portion having an opening smaller than an opening of the air vent and at least partially overlapping the air vent in the axial direction, and at least one of the outer cylinder and the plug member is provided with a locking portion that limits rotation of the protective member around the axis.

Abstract: A measuring instrument to capture a physical/chemical measured value, including a sensor unit, which is linked via a contactless interface to a transmitter unit, for passing on to a central analysis unit, wherein the sensor unit includes an at least partly internal sensor element which vibrates against a sensor housing because of operation, and which is linked, contactlessly and inside the sensor unit, for sensor signal transmission, via a first transmission/reception unit, to a complementary second transmission/reception unit, which is arranged at a fixed location relative to the sensor housing, and which is also linked, contactlessly and outside the sensor unit, to a third transmission/reception unit of the transmitter unit.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a device for ultrasonic inspection of a weld seam of a longitudinally welded pipe for longitudinal defects with an inspection unit, which is relatively displaceable on a pipe surface on at least one side of the weld seam. The device also has two inspection heads in a tandem and spatially-variable arrangement, such that they can be positioned relative to the pipe surface to correspond to an intended acoustic irradiation angle independent of the diameter of the pipe. According to the invention, one inspection head acts as a transmitter and the other inspection head acts as a receiver. The device also has a pick-up connected to each of the two inspection heads, a coupling means connection connected to each pick-up, and a replaceable connecting element connected each pick-up via the coupling means connection.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device for measuring fluid dispense volumes including one or more wells adapted to receive a fluid; a tube having an internal passageway fluidly coupled to the one or more wells, wherein fluid in the wells passes into the internal passageway via capillary action to form a fluid column having a meniscus spaced from the wells; and a scale coupled to the tube, the scale calibrated to provide an indication of the volume of the fluid based upon the location of the meniscus in the fluid passageway.

Abstract: An apparatus for constructing a target core to enable testing at simulated wellbore conditions. The apparatus includes a support core having a target core receiving region. A flexible jacket is operable to receive the support core and apply a confining stress to the support core. A quantity of unconsolidated sand is disposed within the target core receiving region of the support core. The support core is operable to transmit at least a portion of the confining stress to the unconsolidated sand, thereby forming the target core. The apparatus simulates downhole conditions such that flow tests may be performed on the target core before and after perforating the target core.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for measuring the level of liquid in a container by means of an ultrasonic converter, comprising an ultrasonic converter which is disposed at a distance from the base such that it radiates towards the surface of the liquid and also towards a lower reflector. The ultrasonic converter is, preferably, integrated into a housing which has a large upper opening and a small lower opening. A cavity is arranged in the base of the device below the lower opening.

Abstract: The average strength or Young's modulus of the constituent particles of a sample is determined from the measured speed of sound propagated from a source through the sample to a receiver. Other sample data, such as the porosity, Poisson's ratio and the pressure applied to the sample, are also used in the determination. However, no data pertaining to individual particle sizes is required. The method provides a non-destructive test for the average strengths of materials such as iron ore pellets, alumina powder, silica flour, and coal dust.

Abstract: The water level sensing unit includes a sensing member having a sensor, the sensing member being installed at a side of the steam container, and a pivoting member having an extension adapted to pivotally rotate about a side thereof having a fixed position on the basis of the level of water. The sensor is adapted to sense positional variation of the extension, to thereby sense variation of the level of water in the steam container.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improved method for a ground vibration test (so-called “ground vibration test”) on an airplane. In the method according to the invention, the airplane is jacked up essentially undamped (“rigidly”) in conventional holding points with lifting devices. For purposes of the ground vibration test, the airplane is then excited to vibrate in a known manner using a plurality of vibration exciters, and the vibrations are acquired with a plurality of measuring transducers, in particular accelerometers. A dynamic vibration model of the airplane theoretically calculated beforehand can here be adjusted. The boundary conditions are removed during or after the ground vibration test, meaning the influence of the lifting device is “mathematically canceled out”, so that the determined measured values reflect the so-called “free-free” state of the airplane, as if the airplane had actually been in free flight during the ground vibration tests.

Abstract: An application for a liquid sampling device includes an elongated shaft with a handle at a first end of the elongated shaft and a sample container removably affixed to a distal end. A trigger is pivotally affixed to the handle and a flapper is pivotally affixed to the elongated shaft. The flapper is urged towards an opening in the sample bottle, thereby covering the opening in the sample container in a default position and the trigger is linked to the flapper, wherein operation of the trigger results in opening of the flapper.

Abstract: A sensor device includes: a detected part D having a movable element 5 and a fixed element 3 contacting each other in which a contact area of the both elements changes corresponding to an external load; a contact area detection sensor 2, provided to the fixed element 3, for detecting the contact area of the detected part D; and processing means for calculating the external load from an sensor output by using the correlation between the external load and the contact area.

Abstract: A gravity gradiometer is described which comprises a pair of sensor bars arranged in housings. Transducers are arranged adjacent the bars for measuring movement of the bars in response to the gravity gradient tensor. At least one of the transducers has a sensing coil and a capacitor plate having a concentric arrangement with the sensing coil for providing one plate of a capacitor used in a balancing circuit for measuring the balance of the sensor mass.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring and determining fuel vapor recovery performance is disclosed. The dispensing of liquid fuel into a tank by a conventional gas pump nozzle naturally displaces a mixture of air and fuel ullage vapor in the tank. These displaced vapors may be recovered at the dispensing point nozzle by a vapor recovery system. A properly functioning vapor recovery system recovers approximately one unit volume of vapor for every unit volume of dispensed liquid fuel. The ratio of recovered vapor to dispensed fuel is termed the A/L ratio, which should ideally be approximately equal to one (1). The A/L ratio, and thus the proper functioning of the vapor recovery system, may be determined by measuring liquid fuel flow and return vapor flow (using a vapor flow sensor) on a nozzle-by-nozzle basis. The disclosed methods and apparatus provide for the determination of A/L ratios for individual nozzles using a reduced number of vapor flow sensors.

Abstract: Air leaks in a vacuum bag are detected using a leak detection film covering the inside face of the bag. The film includes a gas permeable binder carrying oxygen sensitive material that changes in physical appearance at the location of an air leak. The film may be adhered to the inside face of the bag or may form a separate membrane that is placed over a layup being molded in the bag. The film may be illuminated with light having a wavelength selected to cause the film to luminesce.

Abstract: A device and method for the detection of the interaction between two or more objects is disclosed. The device utilizes electrical impedance spectra measured from a piezoelectric element attached to one such object. Comparison of such spectra along a range of traverse allows precise estimates of distance to be made. One useful application is the topographical mapping of a surface.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for testing the performance of a sealant for solid oxide fuel cell packs. The apparatus includes an oven including a base, a platform provided on the base and a frame connected to the platform. An elevator is used to raise and lower the oven. A pressuring and testing chamber is provided on the platform. The pressuring and testing chamber includes a first body and a second body connected to the first body. A carrier is provided between the first and second bodies. The carrier includes a first plate and a second plate so that the sealant can be provided between the first and second plates. A pusher includes an end connected to the frame and another end for pushing the second plate. A pusher-driving unit is connected to the frame for raising and lowering the pusher.

Abstract: An ultrasonic railroad rail inspection system, apparatus and method for in situ rail inspection including a wheel assembly containing a fluid-filled tire and an ultrasonic transducer mounted within the wheel assembly. The transducer is supported in the tire such that the ultrasonic beam generated by the transducer has a beam axis that intersects a head of a railroad rail at a position offset from the longitudinal median plane of the rail to the side of the head penetrated by the ultrasonic beam. The ultrasonic beam is reflected by flaws in the rail in the form of echoes. The echoes return to the transducer identifying the location of flaws.

Abstract: A gas-sensing semiconductor device 1? is fabricated on a silicon substrate 2? having a thin silicon dioxide insulating layer 3? in which a resistive heater 6 made of doped single crystal silicon formed simultaneously with source and drain regions of CMOS circuitry is embedded. The device 1? includes a sensing area provided with a gas-sensitive layer 9? separated from the heater 6? by an insulating layer 4?. As one of the final fabrication steps, the substrate 2? is back-etched so as to form a thin membrane in the sensing area. The heater 6? has a generally circular-shaped structure surrounding a heat spreading plate 16?, and consists of two sets 20?, 21? of meandering resistors having arcuate portions nested within one another and interconnected in labyrinthine form.

Abstract: The invention relates to the extraction of a frozen hydrated sample for TEM (Transmission Electron Microscope) inspection, such as a vitrified biological sample, from a substrate and the attaching of said sample to a manipulator. Such a hydrated sample should be held at a cryogenic temperature to avoid ice formation. By melting or sublimating a part of the sample material outside the area to be studied in the TEM and freezing the material to the manipulator (10), a bond is formed between sample (1) and manipulator. This makes it possible to transport the sample from the substrate to e.g. a TEM grid. In a preferred embodiment a part (2) of the manipulator (10) is held at a cryogenic temperature, and the melting or sublimation is caused by heating the tip (3) of the manipulator by electric heating of the tip and then cooling the tip of the manipulator to a cryogenic temperature, thereby freezing the sample (1) to the manipulator.

Abstract: The disclosed apparatus includes a condensing chamber (CC) that maintains a volume of a condensate obtained from vapor emitting from a vessel, for example a reactor pressure vessel (RPV). The condensing chamber is connected to a reference leg (RL), a variable leg (VL) and a vapor or steam leg (SL). RL connection provides a flow path for the CRD drive water system backfill to flow into the CC and overflow into the VL. The excess backfill and/or condensate will be returned to the vessel, typically at a point below the liquid level within the vessel. Non-condensable gases will thereby be returned from the CC to the RPV in a substantially continuous manner, thereby tending to prevent the introduction of non-condensable gas enriched liquid from the CC into the RL and improving the tolerance and reliability of the level measurements and/or reducing thermal stresses on the various CC connections.