Abstract: The different advantageous embodiments provide an apparatus and method comprising a substrate configured to increase an intensity of light at a desired wavelength. The substrate has a front side, a back side, and an outer edge. The substrate is configured to reflect the light received on the front side of the substrate. The substrate comprises ceramic. The substrate comprises a plurality of sections. The method and apparatus also comprise a material configured to attenuate the light passing between the plurality of sections. The material surrounds an edge of each section of the plurality of sections. The apparatus and method also comprise a cooling system configured to allow liquid nitrogen to be transmitted through the cooling system and receive heat generated in the substrate from the back side of the substrate.

Abstract: The different advantageous embodiments provide an apparatus and method comprising a substrate configured to increase an intensity of light at a desired wavelength. The substrate has a front side, a back side, and an outer edge. The substrate is configured to reflect the light received on the front side of the substrate. The substrate comprises ceramic. The substrate comprises a plurality of sections. The method and apparatus also comprise a material configured to attenuate the light passing between the plurality of sections. The material surrounds an edge of each section of the plurality of sections. The apparatus and method also comprise a cooling system configured to allow liquid nitrogen to be transmitted through the cooling system and receive heat generated in the substrate from the back side of the substrate.

Abstract: The different advantageous embodiments provide an apparatus and method comprising a substrate configured to increase an intensity of light at a desired wavelength. The substrate has a front side, a back side, and an outer edge. The substrate is configured to reflect the light received on the front side of the substrate. The substrate comprises ceramic. The substrate comprises a plurality of sections. The method and apparatus also comprise a material configured to attenuate the light passing between the plurality of sections. The material surrounds an edge of each section of the plurality of sections. The apparatus and method also comprise a cooling system configured to allow liquid nitrogen to be transmitted through the cooling system and receive heat generated in the substrate from the back side of the substrate.

Abstract: The different advantageous embodiments provide an apparatus and method comprising a substrate configured to increase an intensity of light at a desired wavelength. The substrate has a front side, a back side, and an outer edge. The substrate is configured to reflect the light received on the front side of the substrate. The substrate comprises ceramic. The substrate comprises a plurality of sections. The method and apparatus also comprise a material configured to attenuate the light passing between the plurality of sections. The material surrounds an edge of each section of the plurality of sections. The apparatus and method also comprise a cooling system configured to allow liquid nitrogen to be transmitted through the cooling system and receive heat generated in the substrate from the back side of the substrate.

Abstract: An artificial firelog according to the present invention may comprise as constituents a combustible cellulosic or fiber material, a non-absorbent combustible oil- and/or fat-retaining material, and a combustible binder/fuel or wax in appropriate proportions. A combustible binding agent may be also be added as an additional constituent material to allow a further reduction of the combustible wax component. Certain naturally occurring agricultural by products and synthetic filter materials contain oils and/or fats that provide increased BTU value beyond the cellulosic or mineral components of the material. When these oil- and/or fat-retaining materials added to a blend of firelog material, the non-absorbent properties and additional BTU content of these alternative raw materials allow the amount of higher BTU wax material to be reduced without a dramatic reduction in fuel content in the finished mixture.

Abstract: An artificial firelog of the invention includes as constituents (a) a combustible cellulosic material and (b) a combustible non-petroleum wax, wherein the relative proportions of the constituents are, by weight, from about 30% to about 70% of (a) and from about 30% to about 70% of (b) for 100 parts of (a) and (b). In one form of the invention, the combustible non-petroleum wax constituent may include one or more combustible materials derived from plant oils, vegetable oils, animal oils, fats, rosin, pitch, waxy materials and combinations thereof. In another form of the invention, the combustible non-petroleum wax constituent may include a formulated blend of individual non-petroleum wax components. In yet another form of the invention a combustible binding agent can be added to the blend of materials resulting in reduction of the portion of the more costly combustible wax component.

Abstract: A cooling system may comprise an array of plates, an array of channels, a conduit system, and a phase change material. The array of channels may have a number of a first type of channels alternating with a number of a second type of channels. The conduit system may be capable of circulating coolant through the number of the first type of channels. The phase change material may be located within the number of the second type of channels.

Abstract: A cooling system may comprise an array of plates, an array of channels, a conduit system, and a phase change material. The array of channels may have a number of a first type of channels alternating with a number of a second type of channels. The conduit system may be capable of circulating coolant through the number of the first type of channels. The phase change material may be located within the number of the second type of channels.

Abstract: An artificial firelog of the invention includes as constituents (a) a combustible cellulosic material and (b) a combustible non-petroleum wax, wherein the relative proportions of the constituents are, by weight, from about 30% to about 70% of (a) and from about 30% to about 70% of (b) for 100 parts of (a) and (b). In one form of the invention, the combustible non-petroleum wax constituent may include one or more combustible materials derived from plant oils, vegetable oils, animal oils, fats, rosin, pitch, waxy materials and combinations thereof. In another form of the invention, the combustible non-petroleum wax constituent may include a formulated blend of individual non-petroleum wax components. In yet another form of the invention a combustible binding agent can be added to the blend of materials resulting in reduction of the portion of the more costly combustible wax component.

Abstract: An artificial firelog according to the present invention may comprise as constituents a combustible cellulosic or fiber material, a non-absorbent combustible oil- and/or fat-retaining material, and a combustible binder/fuel or wax in appropriate proportions. A combustible binding agent may be also be added as an additional constituent material to allow a further reduction of the combustible wax component. Certain naturally occurring agricultural by products and synthetic filter materials contain oils and/or fats that provide increased BTU value beyond the cellulosic or mineral components of the material. When these oil- and/or fat-retaining materials added to a blend of firelog material, the non-absorbent properties and additional BTU content of these alternative raw materials allow the amount of higher BTU wax material to be reduced without a dramatic reduction in fuel content in the finished mixture.

Abstract: A solid generator laser provides device simplicity and fuel regeneration without relying upon highly-corrosive or unstable fuels. The laser system includes a fuel supply system that provides a solid fuel to a laser. The laser processes the fuel products to produce at least a solid waste product and a gaseous waste product. A fuels regeneration system receives the solid and gaseous wastes at a reagent production system to replenish the fuel products in the fuel supply system. Rather than relying upon corrosive fuels such as BHP, then, the laser suitably processes solid peroxide (e.g. Na2O2) and a halide (e.g. hydrogen or deuterium halide) to form a salt, water and singlet delta oxygen that may be used to induce a lasing effect. The processes and structures described herein may be used, for example, with chemical oxygen iodine lasers and the like.

Abstract: A phase-change heat exchanger is provided for thermally conditioning a fluid. The phase-change heat exchanger includes, but is not limited to, conduits configured to convey the fluid through the phase-change heat exchanger and a foam structure in thermal contact with at least one of the conduits. The foam structure has ligaments interconnected to form a three-dimensional reticulated structure of open cells. A phase-change material is contained within the open cells and the phase-change material is configured to receive thermal energy of the fluid from the ligaments of the foam structure.

Abstract: An electrolytic cell for producing chlorine and basic hydrogen peroxide suitably includes an anode partition and a cathode partition separated by a membrane. The cathode partition is divided into a catholyte compartment and a gas plenum by a gas diffusion cathode. The anode partition electrolyzes alkali chloride received from the laser to produce free chlorine and alkali ions. The catholyte partition reduces oxygen received from the gas plenum through the cathode, and produces alkaline peroxide from the oxidized components combined with alkali ions received through the membrane from the anode partition. The cell is particularly useful in a fuel regeneration system (FRS) for a chemical oxygen iodine laser (COIL).

Abstract: A phase-change heat exchanger is provided for thermally conditioning a fluid. The phase-change heat exchanger includes, but is not limited to, conduits configured to convey the fluid through the phase-change heat exchanger and a foam structure in thermal contact with at least one of the conduits. The foam structure has ligaments interconnected to form a three-dimensional reticulated structure of open cells. A phase-change material is contained within the open cells and the phase-change material is configured to receive thermal energy of the fluid from the ligaments of the foam structure.

Abstract: An electrolytic cell for producing chlorine and basic hydrogen peroxide suitably includes an anode partition and a cathode partition separated by a membrane. The cathode partition is divided into a catholyte compartment and a gas plenum by a gas diffusion cathode. The anode partition electrolyzes alkali chloride received from the laser to produce free chlorine and alkali ions. The catholyte partition reduces oxygen received from the gas plenum through the cathode, and produces alkaline peroxide from the oxidized components combined with alkali ions received through the membrane from the anode partition. The cell is particularly useful in a fuel regeneration system (FRS) for a chemical oxygen iodine laser (COIL).

Abstract: A method of utilizing lithium hypochlorite and hydrogen peroxide to generate singlet delta oxygen, which is used as fuel for a COIL device. The invention also comprises a method of regenerating lithium hypochlorite from the side products of singlet delta oxygen production. Singlet delta oxygen is produced by reacting LiOCl with H2O2 to form LiCl, H2O, and O2(1&Dgr;). The singlet delta oxygen is used to power a COIL apparatus, and the remaining aqueous LiOCl/LiCl solution is considered a byproduct stream. The reactant hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is preferably supplied as a vapor and the reactant LiOCl is supplied as a LiOCl-rich LiOCl/LiCl aqueous solution. Water is removed from the LiCl-rich LiOCl/LiCl aqueous byproduct stream and the LiCl in the byproduct stream is regenerated under basic conditions into LiOCl and water. The water that is removed from the byproduct stream is converted into hydrogen peroxide through a catalytic, electrochemical, or chemical process.

Abstract: A sealed exhaust chemical oxygen-iodine laser (SECOIL) employing a sealed exhaust system (SES) is described. The SES is capable of selectively condensing and cryosorbing various chemical species contained in the laser-exhaust gas. Additionally, a condensable diluent is employed. The SES is configured so that the diluent and other condensables can be removed in a first stage with a high temperature condensing bed, while the oxygen can then be removed in a second stage in a low temperature sorbing bed. The result is a reduction in the weight, volume, and power consumption of the SECOIL system, especially the SES component thereof.

Abstract: A sealed exhaust chemical oxygen-iodine laser system is described, wherein the sealed exhaust system includes an adsorption bed for adsorbing sorbable material contained in the laser exhaust gas, and a temperature control assembly for controlling the temperature of the incoming laser exhaust gas and the adsorbent media of the adsorption bed.

Abstract: A wavelength selective laser system and associated method are provided that produce laser beams having wavelengths that are only slightly different, but that permit a composite return signal to be selectively processed in accordance with the wavelengths of the signals that comprise the composite return signal. The wavelength selective laser system includes first and second lasers for producing respective laser beams. Each of the first and second lasers define a nominal gain spectrum. However, the wavelength selective laser system also includes a magnetic field generator disposed about the second laser for altering the gain spectrum of the second laser such that the wavelengths of the laser beams produced by the first and second lasers differ by at least one part per million. As such, the first laser will emit signals having a first wavelength and the second laser will emit signals having a second wavelength.

Abstract: A low cost and an environmentally-friendly synthetic firelog is made by mixing specially processed waxed-cardboard or other wax coated papers of varying proportions with a binder/fuel. The binder/fuel consists of a petroleum wax or a mixture of waxes, the nature and extent of which is suitably modified by in situ admixture with the paraffin wax already present in the waxed-cardboard. Sawdust or other wood fillers may also be added. Upon thorough incorporation of the materials, the resulting mixture is extruded, molded, compressed, or otherwise formed, such that the resulting mass is sufficiently solid to hold its shape at normal room temperature.