Abstract: A stiffened composite is provided exhibiting multi-directional reinforcement with continuous long fibers. The composite has a substrate and serpentine stiffeners adhered thereto. The stiffeners merge toward, join with and diverge from adjacent stiffeners to provide a stiffener matrix on the substrate. The serpentine stiffener permit the matrix to exhibit multi-directional reinforcement with the continuous long fibers within the serpentine ribs. The composite structures are useful as aircraft bypass ducts, and as other composite products.

Abstract: A linear compressor includes a casing, and a cylinder member suspended by springs from the casing. The cylinder member forms a compression chamber in which a piston is reciprocated by a linear motor. The motor includes a first stator situated inside of the piston, and a second stator situated opposite the first stator outside of the piston. The cylinder member comprises spaced apart first and second cylinder blocks with the second stator clamped therebetween. The first cylinder block contains the compression chamber, and the second cylinder block carries a hollow guide extending into the piston, with the first stator mounted on an outer surface of the guide. The piston includes an axial shaft reciprocally guided within the hollow guide. The piston carries a first magnet. A coil disposed between the first and second stators generates a magnetic field passing across the magnet to cause the piston to reciprocate.

Abstract: A compact getter pump, compatible with size limitations of portable apparatus is described. In one embodiment a getter device and a heating apparatus capable of heating getter elements to a desired temperature, are contained within a thermally insulating housing comprised of a plurality of nested thermally insulating shields with an open end. The open end of at least one of the shields is covered with a particle trap. In another embodiment, each of the nested thermally insulating shields is of a substantially cylindrical shape and is substantially coaxially disposed along an axis defined by the heating apparatus. In one embodiment a plurality of getter elements and a heating apparatus are enclosed by three nested evenly spaced cylindrical metal shields that have open ends and are coaxially disposed along an axis defined by the getter elements and the heating apparatus.

Abstract: The invention provides a pump comprising at least one piston (26, 28) movable in a reciprocating manner within a chamber (12), sealing means (32a, 32b) located between the piston (26, 28) and the interior wall of the chamber (12), and venting means (36) for venting a portion of the chamber (12) bounded by the interior wall, the piston (26, 28) and the sealing means (32a, 32b), wherein the venting means (36) incorporates pressure regulating means (40) such that the pressure to which the said portion of the chamber (12) is vented can be regulated. This reduces the pressure differences across the or each sealing means and thus reduces deterioration and damage.

Abstract: The flow, use, interaction and separation of lubricant and gas flowing through the suction pressure portion of a low-side refrigeration scroll compressor is managed by the use of a drive motor mounting sleeve and a multi-ported frame. The mounting sleeve and frame provide for the direction of oil to surfaces within the low side of the compressor shell which require lubrication as well as the conduct of suction gas to the scroll compression mechanism in a manner which cools the compressor drive motor yet which maintains the respective flows of oil and suction gas sufficiently separate to ensure that excessive amounts of oil are not conducted out of the compressor in the gas which is compressed thereby. Lubrication is enhanced by the use of a vent passage which opens into a relatively lower pressure region within the suction pressure portion of the compressor shell.

Abstract: A high efficiency economical coal fired combined cycle power generation system and process is described. The system utilizes a circulating fluid bed ("CFB") coal devolatilizer which is fluidized with recycled coal volatiles. The devolatilizer is heated indirectly with hot bed material from a conventional CFB boiler burning the devolatilized coal (char). The CFB boiler is fluidized by gas turbine exhaust gas. The ratio of high efficiency/low capital cost Brayton cycle (gas turbine) power output to lower efficiency, higher capital cost Rankine cycle (steam turbine) power output is maximized by concurrently and/or successively preheating the gas turbine compressor discharge with; (1) gas turbine exhaust (recuperator), (2) hot coal volatiles exiting the devolatilizer, (3) coal char CFB boiler hot bed material (with either an external or internal heat exchanger), and (4) CFB boiler flue gas. The process and method described produces a thermally cracked, clean product gas with a high Btu content (.about.

Abstract: A high pressure gas compressor in one embodiment having an internal two staged compression with a compression chamber formed in part by a positive displacement, stepped piston and cylinder configuration, providing a first stage compression by an enlarged diameter segment of the piston and a second stage compression provided by a smaller diameter segment of the piston, and in another embodiment having an internal, single stage compression with a high compression ratio.

Abstract: A liquid-ring compressor having a rotor mounted in a compressor housing. The rotor is mounted eccentrically relative to the center axis of the compressor housing. At least one control disk is arranged on one of the end faces of the rotor. The control disk is provided with a suction slot and a pressure slot for the feed and discharge of the medium to be compressed, respectively. The control disk also has an encircling distribution groove in the area covered radially by the hub of the rotor. Operating liquid is introduced into a feed opening, which leads to the distribution groove, to seal an axial gap between the control disk and the rotor hub. A blocking element projects radially into the distribution groove and is provided on the side of the feed opening that has the greater pressure differential between the pressure of the operating liquid entering the feed opening and the pressure in the rotor cells. The blocking element improves the sealing of the axial gap.

Abstract: An electromechanical transducer drives a resonator plate, which develops oscillating pressure in a contacting liquid. A high-speed check valve rectifies the pressure oscillations, causing pumping. On the driver side of the valve, the high inertial flow impedance in a narrow passageway confines oscillating pressure while admitting non-oscillating fluid flow. On the valve side opposite the driver, a volumetric compliance element decouples the inertia of the fluid passageway to permit fast acceleration and deceleration of fluid pulsing through the valve. A high-speed passive check valve consists of a thin-section o-ring covering a circular slot, with circumferential tension setting the forward bias pressure. Pump frequencies above one kilohertz and microliter stroke volumes are practical. Electrical impedance measurements on the pump indicate fluid volume in the pump.

Abstract: A plurality of plungers situated radially in a pump body, are sequentially actuated inwardly by a rotatably driven, eccentrically mounted actuating ring. A central valve housing is coaxially received within the body and includes a fuel inlet chamber and a fuel discharge chamber, which are closely axially aligned. The pump body closely engages the valve housing such that radially extending bores in the body and a portion of the valve housing between the inlet and discharge chambers, together define the pumping chambers. All pumping chambers are connected via short passages in the valve housing, to the common inlet chamber and the common outlet chamber. This configuration, by which all fuel passages and associated valves subject to the pumping pressure are within the central valve housing, not only minimizes the dead volume, but keeps all fuel flows confined within a radius that is smaller than the actuator ring sliding radius, i.e.

Abstract: An automated control system for an engine-powered pump system. The pump system includes an engine with a battery and a pump. A control unit includes: a display, engine sensors, pump sensors, fluid level sensors, engine controllers, pump controllers, strobe light status display, and a battery recharge system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a thrust reverser for a turbojet engine having at least one thrust reverser door pivotally attached to a cowling so as to pivot about a first pivot axis between a forward thrust position, wherein the thrust reverser door closes a thrust reverse opening in the cowling, and a reverse thrust position in which the thrust reverse opening is opened. The thrust reverser door moves from the forward thrust position to the reverse thrust position about its pivot axis in a first pivot direction. The invention also includes a thrust reverser panel pivotally attached to the cowling so as to pivot about a second pivot axis between a forward thrust position and a reverse thrust position. In pivoting from the forward thrust position to the reverse thrust position, the thrust reverser panel pivots in a second direction about its axis, the pivoting direction of the thrust reverser panel being opposite to the pivoting direction of the thrust reverser door.

Abstract: Cooling of engine walls with fuel, wherein the walls have a structure which has an inner wall, to which hot gas is admitted during the operation, a colder outer wall, as well as a plurality of webs which connect the walls and divide the hollow space present there into a plurality of cooling ducts.The fuel is introduced in the cold state into the wall structure, is delivered through the cooling ducts while absorbing heat via the inner wall, and is subsequently used to generate thrust.A hot fluid flow taken from the engine is admitted during the operation from the outside to the "cold" outer wall of the wall structure, through which fuel flows, and this "cold" outer wall thermally expands as a result, or its thermal contraction is reduced.

Abstract: An optical liquid level sensor for distinguishing between the presence of oil and vapor within a compressor crankcase. The sensor has a light transmitting window positioned to interface the crankcase interior and a planar side facing the crankcase exterior. A light source and a light sensor are both positioned adjacent the exterior face of the window. The sensor has a first condition when the prismatic face is immersed in oil and a second condition when the prismatic face is immersed in vapor. An electronic circuit having a dual MOSFET switch for alternating current is mounted adjacent the light source and sensor. The circuit provides power to the source and monitors the sensor. When the sensor is in the first condition, the circuit closes the switch. When the sensor detects the second condition, the circuit starts a timer and continuously tests the condition of the sensor. If the first condition is detected, the timer resets to its initial value.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to create a simple and compact fuel feed for a gas turbine having an annular combustion chamber. In addition, the operational reliability of the gas turbine is to be improved.According to the invention, this is achieved when only one central main-gas feed line (15) and one central pilot-gas feed line (16) are connected to the annular combustion chamber (1). A main-gas ring line (13) and a pilot-gas ring line (14) are formed in the interior of the gas-turbine casing (5) or a burner hood (3) known per se. These ring lines (13, 14) are connected upstream to the main-gas feed line (15) and the pilot-gas feed line (16) respectively and downstream to the annular combustion chamber (1). (FIG.

Abstract: A system is provided for cooling especially the backplate of a flame tube of a combustion chamber for gas turbine engines, of the type having at least one burner arranged on the backplate and having a fuel nozzle and at least one swirler arranged coaxially with the fuel nozzle for the supply of combustion air. The backplate is cooled with compressed air diverted from a compressor and ducted to a head end of the combustion chamber. The backplate forms at least one cooling air duct to carry the compressed air supplied for backplate cooling, and the cooling air duct communicates at its outlet end at the burner with the flame tube such that the compressed air issuing from the cooling air duct enters into combustion in the primary zone. At its outlet end the cooling air duct can communicate with the air inlets of at least one swirler.

Abstract: A low-cost rocket or thruster has a low-cost propellant injector, in which fluid fuel and oxidizer are injected into a combustion chamber. The walls of the combustion chamber are protected from the high temperatures of the combustion by a grain of solid propellant, the surface of which tends to melt andor vaporize in the presence of combustion temperatures, and thereby protects the walls of the chamber. The low-cost propellant injector may not mix the fluid fuel and oxidizer effectively, so that pockets of noncombusted gas may occur within the chamber. The ratio of fluid fuel and oxidizer is selected to be slightly oxidizer-rich, so that any pockets of unburned gas tend to be oxygen-rich. When the pockets come into contact with the solid fuel, the excess oxygen combusts with the gaseous solid fuel, and when the mixture is near stoichiometric, the fluid fuel combusts.

Abstract: A bubble generator includes a body with an inlet passage and outlet passages. Pumping means which comprises a pair of bellows, a plurality of first check plates, a plurality of second check plates, a pair of permanent magnets and a pair of electromagnets are disposed between the inlet passage and the outlet passages for pressurizing the air that flows through the inlet passage into the bellows and discharges it through the outlet passages. Noise-reducing means which comprises a first pipe having the same inner diameter as that of the outlet passage, a second pipe disposed concentrically with and in the first pipe, and a plurality of ribs supporting the second pipe at the first pipe are disposed in the middle of the outlet passages, for reducing noises caused by the pressurized air which is periodically pressurized by the pumping means and discharged into the outlet passages, by dispersing the pressurized air inside the outlet passages.

Abstract: A calibration apparatus and method for calibrating a hydraulic control valve connected to an electronic controller. The electronic controller selects control signals and reads corresponding hydraulic pressure outputs of the hydraulic control valve and selectively records values corresponding to control signals that produce desired calibration pressures.

Abstract: An in-tank type fuel pump prevents electrical connection from terminals corroding by discharging foreign substances such as water, degraded fuel and the like entering its electrical connector unit. A terminal protrudes outwardly from a pump case inside a cylindrical terminal housing formed integrally with a pump cover of the fuel pump. A hole which is different from a terminal inserting hole is formed at a bottom portion of the terminal housing to permit fluid to flow therethrough and to connect the pump housing with the terminal housing. Therefore, since liquid having a large specific gravity such as water, degraded fuel and the like in the electrical connector unit is discharged to the outside of the electric connecter by the fluid injected to an internal portion of the terminal housing, the terminal of the electric connecter unit can be prevented effectively from corroding.