Abstract: An improved thermopile infrared sensor is provided wherein thermoelectric elements are formed on a single crystalline silicon substrate containing a cavity therein. The thermopile infrared sensor contains a first dielectric film covering the cavity, a plurality of n-type polycrystalline silicon layers formed on the first dielectric film, extending radially from the vicinity of a chip center, and metal film layers formed in contact with the n-type polycrystalline silicon layers, wherein hot junctions are formed at the chip central side and cold junctions are formed at the chip peripheral side of the n-type polycrystalline silicon layers, respectively, by contacting the n-type polycrystalline silicon layer and the metal film layer, and at least one series of thermoelectric elements is formed on the first dielectric film by connecting alternately and successively, by the metal film layer, the hot junction and cold junction of the neighboring n-type polycrystalline silicon layer.
Abstract: An electrically regeneratable battery of electrochemical cells for capacitive deionization (including electrochemical purification) and regeneration of electrodes is operated at alternate polarities during consecutive cycles. By polarizing the cells, ions are removed from the electrolyte and are held in the electric double layers formed at the carbon aerogel surfaces of the electrodes. As the electrodes of each cell of the battery are saturated with the removed ions, the battery is regenerated electrically at a reversed polarity from that during the deionization step of the cycle, thus significantly minimizing secondary wastes.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 21, 1999
Date of Patent:
February 12, 2002
Assignee:
The Regents of the University of California
Abstract: Apparatus and method in which an electric field and a magnetic field intersect in a flow path of an electrolytic fluid, producing a flow of ions and charged particles perpendicular to both the magnetic field and the electric field. Electrolytic fluid so treated is collected for use or further processing.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 24, 2000
Date of Patent:
February 12, 2002
Inventors:
Pablo Diaz-Rivera Gonzalez, Gustavo A. Solis Cortes
Abstract: The invention provides a solid-state cooler that provides counter-current electricity flow through a device that includes Peltier junctions interconnecting the opposing flow of current through the device. The combination of counter-current flow with the Thompson,Peltier, and Seebeck thermoelectric effects provides an apparatus having the advantages of high energy efficiency, very small size and the ability to reach very low temperatures (near liquid nitrogen temperatures) with minimal energy input. The cooling apparatus is suitable for use in variety of applications, including superconductive devices such a superconductive Quantum Interference Devices (SQUID's) used in medical imaging to increase the sensitivity and resolution of NMR techniques. It is also provides a useful tool for cryosurgery apllications without the risks associated with the use and storage of liquid nitrogen. In addition, the device can be operated in the reverse to generate current from small gradients of temperature.
Abstract: Disclosed is an Ni-plated layer of biaxial texture, which is formed by electroplating. In the Ni-plated layer,peaks measured on a &thgr;-rocking curve have a FWHM of 7° or less in terms of the misorientation on the c-axis; and peaks measured on &phgr;-scan have a FWHM of 21° or less in terms of the misorientation on the plane formed by the a-axis and the b-axis. Also, a process of electroplating a Ni layer are disclosed. The process comprises forming a Ni-plated layer of biaxial texture under a magnetic field by electroplating and subjecting the Ni-plated layer to thermal treatment to develop the biaxial texture. This electroplating process is expected to give a significant contribution to the development of the electroplating technology and to replace the vacuum deposition used for the preparation of thin film magnetic materials or thin film piezoelectric materials.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 16, 2000
Date of Patent:
February 12, 2002
Assignee:
Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials
Inventors:
Kyu Hwan Lee, Hyung-Sik Chung, Sang Ro Lee, Doyon Chang, Yongsoo Jeong, Jaimoo Yoo, Jae-Woong Ko, Hai-Doo Kim
Abstract: A support made of an aluminum plate for a planographic printing plate is electrochemically roughened in an acidic aqueous solution in an electrolytic apparatus with plural cathodes and anodes arranged alternately on one side of the plate by applying a DC voltage. A soft starting zone which comprises at least one electrode connected to an electric power supply, which is separate from a main electric source, is provided. A current density of 0.01 to 100 A/dm2, which is lower than the current density used in any subsequent main roughening, is provided in the soft starting zone.
Abstract: A method for generating highly concentrated ozone gas by adsorbing ozone gas generated by an ozonizer with an absorbent within an adsorption column and then separating highly concentrated ozone gas from the adsorption column. Three adsorption columns are arranged in parallel. Each of the adsorption columns is controlled to repeat four steps of an ozone gas adsorbing step, a stabilizing and pressurizing step, an ozone gas desorbing step and a cooling down step. Each of the ozone gas adsorbing step and the ozone gas desorbing step has operation time set twice the operation time of each of the stabilizing and pressurizing step and the cooling down step. An ozone gas concentrating unit comprises three adsorption columns which are set to operate one after another by ⅓ cycle lag. Highly concentrated ozone gas separated at the desorbing step of each adsorption column is once stored in an ozone gas storage vessel.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 19, 1999
Date of Patent:
February 5, 2002
Assignee:
Iwatani Sangyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Iwatani International
Corporation)
Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a method for producing a photocatalytic material which consists of a titanium oxide, exhibits a higher photocatalytic activity and has excellent appearances. The above object is attained by the provision of a method for preparing a photo catalytic material by oxidizing the surface of a substrate consisting of titanium or a titanium alloy, the method comprising a step of anodizing the substrate in an electrolyte containing an organic acid and/or a salt of the organic acid and a step of further oxidizing the anodized substrate in an atmosphere.
Abstract: A porous solid polymer electrolyte-catalyst composite electrode according to the present invention contains: a solid polymer electrolyte; a catalyst particles; an electron-conductive material which is supported on a proton-conductive area in the solid polymer electrolyte.
Abstract: A method for the general and localized sanitizing of air and similar gas mixtures, to be applied in aeraulic climate-control systems of buildings and in the preparation and preservation of perishables, the method including a continuous and constant or intermittent negative ionization of the air of an environment, so as to have a bactericidal and microbicidal action on the air without producing ozone and to have a neutralizing action on toxic gaseous compounds such as benzene, NOx and the like or an action which converts the toxic compounds into non-toxic compounds.
Abstract: An electrodeionization apparatus includes an anode; a cathode; cation-exchange membranes and anion-exchange membranes alternately arranged between the anode and the cathode; desalting compartments and concentrating compartments arranged alternately to be located between the cation-exchange membrane and the anion-exchange membrane; and partition members situated in the respective desalting compartments to form cells therein. The partition member has inclined portions inclined obliquely relative to a longitudinal direction of the desalting compartment to define the cells laterally and vertically. Thus, one cell faces obliquely at least one of the cells adjacent thereto to allow water to flow obliquely between the one cell and the at least one of the cells. An ion exchanger is filled in the respective cells. The ion exchanger do not pass through the partition member.
Abstract: A process of producing an iron plating on a metal surface of a part is provided. The process includes the steps of forming and maintaining an electrolytic plating bath to comprise: 200-500 Gm/L ferrous sulfate; 20-70 Gm/L ferrous fluoborate; 10-35 Gm/L ammonium chloride; and an effective amount of wetting agent in an aqueous solution; maintaining the pH of the bath in the range of 1.5 to 4.2; maintaining the temperature of the bath in the range of 100° F. to 160° F.; and maintaining the current density in the bath in the range of 2 to 60 amps/sq.ft. At least the metal surface of the part to be plated is contacted with the electrolytic plating bath. According to a further aspect of the invention, during electroplating, the pH, the temperature, and/or the current density are changed within their specified ranges to control the microstructure of the electrodeposited iron.
Abstract: Method of treating a base material for obtaining one or more specific properties, excluding ionomeric properties by diffusing a specific substance into the base material. The base material can be a synthetic or natural polymer, a ceramic material, an oil or grease-like substance, a gel, a paste, a glass substance, a liquid, a coating, a composition of materials, comprising a multi-layer system of substances, a fractal composition of substances, or a composite. The base material is contacted with an electrically conductive medium, and the specific substance is diffused in the base material under the influence of an electric field being applied across the whole of base material, electrically conductive medium and specific substance.
Abstract: A class of thermoelectric compounds based on the skutterudite structure with heavy filling atoms in the empty octants and substituting transition metals and main-group atoms. High Seebeck coefficients and low thermal conductivities are achieved in combination with large electrical conductivities in these filled skutterudites for large ZT values. Substituting and filling methods are disclosed to synthesize skutterudite compositions with desired thermoelectric properties. A melting and/or sintering process in combination with powder metallurgy techniques is used to fabricate these new materials.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 6, 2000
Date of Patent:
January 29, 2002
Assignees:
General Motors Corporation, California Institute of Technology
Inventors:
Jean-Pierre Fleurial, Alex Borshchevsky, Thierry Caillat, Donald T. Morelli, Gregory P. Meisner
Abstract: A lift and rotate assembly for use in a workpiece processing station. The lift and rotate assembly includes a body having a slim profile and pins located on opposite sides for mounting the assembly onto a tool frame. The lift and rotating assembly further includes a rotating mechanism coupling a processing head to the body, and for rotating the process head with respect to the body. The rotating mechanism includes a motor, wherein the motor is located within the processing head and the shaft of the motor is coupled to and rotationally fixed with respect to the body. The lift and rotate assembly further includes a lift mechanism for lifting the process head with respect to the body. A cable assembly within the lift and rotate assembly includes a common cable loop for feeding additional length of cable along both the lift direction and the rotational direction of movement.
Abstract: An electrolyte bath for plating tin or tin alloy onto metal substrates using a high speed plating process is described. The electrolyte bath contains a stannous alkyl sulfonate and an alkyl sulfonic acid. The bath also contains an organic compound that is the reaction product of polyalkylene glycol and phenolphthalein or derivatives of phenolphthalein.
Abstract: A new method for design and scale-up of photocatalytic and thermocatalytic processes is disclosed. The method is based on optimizing photoprocess energetics by decoupling of the process energy efficiency from the DRE for target contaminants. The technique is applicable to photo-thermocatalytic reactor design and scale-up. At low irradiance levels, the method is based on the implementation of low pressure drop biopolymeric and synthetic polymeric support for titanium dioxide and other band-gap media. At high irradiance levels, the method utilizes multifunctional metal oxide aerogels and other media within a novel rotating fluidized particle bed reactor.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 10, 1999
Date of Patent:
January 29, 2002
Assignee:
University of Central Florida
Inventors:
Ali Tabatabaie-Raissi, Nazim Z. Muradov, Eric Martin
Abstract: A cleaning apparatus for a radiation source assembly in a fluid treatment system is described. The cleaning system comprises: a cleaning sleeve comprising a cleaning ring for engagement with a portion of the exterior of the radiation source assembly; a slidable member magnetically coupled to the cleaning sleeve, the slidable member being disposed on and slidable with respect to a rodless cylinder; and motive means to translate the slidable member along the rodless cylinder whereby the cleaning sleeve is translated over the exterior of the radiation source assembly. A radiation source module comprising the cleaning apparatus is also disclosed. The radiation source module is particularly useful for ultraviolet radiation of wastewater while having the advantages of in situ cleaning of the radiation source as when it becomes fouled.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 3, 1998
Date of Patent:
January 29, 2002
Assignee:
Trojan Technologies, Inc.
Inventors:
Richard Pearcey, Nicholas Helmut Hesse, Christopher Jeffery Sheculski
Abstract: An integrated compressor disk and compressor blade (BLISK) having a specified shape is prepared by an electrochemical machining process having a cathode defined by a set of cathode shape parameters. A trial BLISK is prepared using a cathode defined by a set of trial shape parameters, and a set of deviations of the trial shape from the specified shape at a plurality of surface grid points on a surface of the trial article is measured. A set of revised cathode shape parameters is determined using at least one reshaping routine specific to the BLISK. A reshaped article is prepared using the electrochemical machining process and a reshaped cathode defined by the revised cathode shape parameters.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 17, 2000
Date of Patent:
January 22, 2002
Assignee:
General Electrical Company
Inventors:
Larisa Alexandra Elman, Steven Michael Burgess, Zhuo-Ru Ding
Abstract: Raw lead to be refined is leached in a leach apparatus with a leach solution containing fluoro compounds. During the leaching step, lead is dissolved, with ferric fluro compounds being reduced to ferrous fluro compounds. The leaching solution resulting from the leaching step is sent to the cathodic compartment of a diaphragm cell in which lead is deposited on a cathode, in compact, highly pure form. The solution that is depleted of lead is sent to the anodic compartment in which a suitable anode oxidizes the ferrous fluro compound to ferric fluro compounds that can be recycled to the leaching step.