Abstract: A method of reducing the emission of nitrogen oxides (NOx) during system startup of a power generating system may include igniting a combustion turbine thereby generating exhaust, supplying the exhaust to a catalyst bed comprising a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst, injecting an initial pulse of ammonia into the exhaust during a storage period such that the NOx reacts with the ammonia and is stored in the catalyst bed as ammonium nitrate (AN) during the storage period; and injecting a scheduled amount of ammonia into the exhaust during a transition period such that the stored AN is decomposed as temperatures increase and NOx is converted via standard and fast SCR reactions during the transition period.

Abstract: Compounds described herein are inhibitors of retinoic acid inducible P450 (CYP26) enzymes, and are useful for treating diseases that are responsive to retinoids. Certain compounds have retinoid activity, are resistant to CYP26-mediated catabolism, and are used for treating diseases that are responsive to retinoids.

Abstract: A digging apparatus (10, 300) is disclosed. The digging apparatus (10,300) includes a handle assembly (14, 14a, 314), a motor (32), a main switch (22, 322) electrically connected with the motor (32). The main switch (22,322) is movable between a first position in which operation of the motor (32) is allowed and a second position in which operation of the motor (32) is prevented, and a drilling bit (88, 88a, 388) is driven by the motor (32).

Abstract: A nozzle assembly includes a fluidic oscillator 100 operating on a pressurized fluid to generate an oscillating spray of fluid droplets, and the oscillator aims fluid jets from first, second and third power nozzles 114A, 114B, 114C into an interaction chamber 118 and toward an upwardly projecting island protuberance 126 defining first, second and third island wall segments. The outermost jets 114A, 114B are aimed at an obtuse angle of 100 to 140 degrees along axes which intersect beyond the island at a Jet intersection point, J1. The upstream end of interaction chamber 118 is defined by first and second laterally offset concave wall surfaces 142, 152 which define left side and right side vortex generating areas so that fluid jet steering vortices may be alternately formed and then displaced distally and shed to steer the fluid jet laterally within interaction chamber 118.

Abstract: A nozzle and spray dispenser for generating a uniform substantially flat fan spray pattern when spraying high viscosity fluids (i.e., oils, lotions, cleaning liquids, shear-thinning liquids and gels and similar Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids having viscosities of 10-100 cP) is configured with an exit orifice 134 defining multiple lip segments 150A, 150B, 150C. Cup-shaped nozzle member 100 has a cylindrical side wall 102 surrounding a central longitudinal axis and has a circular closed end wall with at least one exit aperture passing through the end wall 112. At least one enhanced exit orifice structure is formed in an inner surface of the end wall, and includes two to five lip segments of selected width defining edges at the orifice 134, where each edge segment is defined at the distal edge of a separate and distinct interior wall segment 160A, 160B, 160C which has a selected wall convergence angle ?.

Abstract: A very compact nozzle assembly 100, 200, 300 and spray head for an automotive washer nozzle is configured for inclusion into an automotive trim component. The compact nozzle assembly and spray head generate a very effective cleaning spray at a selected spray fan angle, yaw angle and roll angle and, in an exemplary embodiment, the spray fan is dual shear shaped, producing an even distribution, which may be varied from 30° to 120°. Spray head may be as small as 5 mm in diameter and be aimed to provide a spray with various spray aim, yaw and roll angles. The design accounts for better mold ability and versatility of application.

Abstract: An implantable pulse generator (IPG) that generates spinal cord stimulation signals for a human body has a programmable signal generator that can generate the signals based on stored signal parameters without any intervention from a processor that controls the overall operation of the IPG. While the signal generator is generating the signals the processor can be in a standby mode to substantially save battery power.

Abstract: A method and system for identifying books located on a bookshelf. Photographs of the bookshelf are captured and processed to identify individual books. Processing involves segmenting the photograph into individual book spines and extracting and analyzing features of the book spines. Analysis may include database matching and/or optical character recognition. Book spines for which a match is not found are human labeled, and the label information is added to the database. User feedback is also used to update the database.

Abstract: A method for heating a blast furnace stove includes combusting a fuel with a lower heating value (LHV) of 9 MJ/Nm3 or less in a combustion zone which is arranged in a combustion chamber in the stove, and causing the combustion gases to flow through and thereby heat refractory material in the stove. The fuel is combusted with an oxidant including at least 85% oxygen, and combustion gases are recirculated into the combustion zone for diluting the mixture of fuel and oxidant therein sufficiently for the combustion to be flameless.

Abstract: A very compact nozzle assembly 100, 200, 300 and spray head for an automotive washer nozzle is configured for inclusion into an automotive trim component. The compact nozzle assembly and spray head generate a very effective cleaning spray at a selected spray fan angle, yaw angle and roll angle and, in an exemplary embodiment, the spray fan is dual shear shaped, producing an even distribution, which may be varied from 30° to 120°. Spray head may be as small as 5 mm in diameter and be aimed to provide a spray with various spray aim, yaw and roll angles. The design accounts for better mold ability and versatility of application.

Abstract: A nozzle and spray dispenser for generating a uniform substantially flat fan spray pattern when spraying high viscosity fluids (i.e., oils, lotions, cleaning liquids, shear-thinning liquids and gels and similar Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids having viscosities of 10-100 cP) is configured with an exit orifice 134 defining multiple lip segments 150A, 150B, 150C. Cup-shaped nozzle member 100 has a cylindrical side wall 102 surrounding a central longitudinal axis and has a circular closed end wall with at least one exit aperture passing through the end wall 112. At least one enhanced exit orifice structure is formed in an inner surface of the end wall, and includes two to five lip segments of selected width defining edges at the orifice 134, where each edge segment is defined at the distal edge of a separate and distinct interior wall segment 160A, 160B, 160C which has a selected wall convergence angle ?.

Abstract: A nozzle assembly includes a fluidic oscillator 100 operating on a pressurized fluid to generate an oscillating spray of fluid droplets, and the oscillator aims fluid jets from first, second and third power nozzles 114A, 114B, 114C into an interaction chamber 118 and toward an upwardly projecting island protuberance 126 defining first, second and third island wall segments. The outermost jets 114A, 114B are aimed at an obtuse angle of 100 to 140 degrees along axes which intersect beyond the island at a Jet intersection point, J1. The upstream end of interaction chamber 118 is defined by first and second laterally offset concave wall surfaces 142, 152 which define left side and right side vortex generating areas so that fluid jet steering vortices may be alternately formed and then displaced distally and shed to steer the fluid jet laterally within interaction chamber 118.

Abstract: An implantable pulse generator (IPG) that generates spinal cord stimulation signals for a human body has a programmable signal generator that can generate the signals based on stored signal parameters without any intervention from a processor that controls the overall operation of the IPG. While the signal generator is generating the signals the processor can be in a standby mode to substantially save battery power.

Abstract: A method for heating a blast furnace stove includes combining flue gas recycling and oxy-fuel combustion for concentrating CO2 for facilitating carbon capture and reducing CO2 emissions from a plant operatively associated with the stove. Top gas from a blast furnace associated with the stove may be the fuel for the stove.

Abstract: A method for heating a blast furnace stove having a combustion chamber with a combustion zone therein, includes causing combustion gases to flow through and be exhausted from refractory material in the stove for heating said material, supplying and adding an oxidant comprising an oxygen content of at least 85% into the combustion chamber for recirculating the combustion gases including said oxidant into the combustion zone, wherein the recirculating the combustion gases is from a location inside the combustion chamber, but outside an area of the combustion chamber occupied by the combustion zone, and the supplying the oxidant to the combustion zone is at high velocity through at least one lance, thereby entraining the combustion gases into the combustion zone, diluting a mixture of the fuel and the oxidant with the recirculated combustion gases, and flamelessly combusting said mixture in the combination zone.

Abstract: A method and system for identifying books located on a bookshelf. Photographs of the bookshelf are captured and processed to identify individual books. Processing involves segmenting the photograph into individual book spines and extracting and analyzing features of the book spines. Analysis may include database matching and/or optical character recognition. Book spines for which a match is not found are human labeled, and the label information is added to the database. User feedback is also used to update the database.

Abstract: Lightweight and flexible personal protective padding systems for the protection of joints, bones and muscles, where one embodiment includes a hard outer shell structure as shielding, a gas filled compartment or bladder to stabilize the system and absorb and disperse impact energy and/or a web structure suspended across opposed peripheral edges of the outer shell and between the shell and user's body to absorb energy and to provide ventilation. Hybrid structures include both the bladder and web structure.

Abstract: Lightweight and flexible personal protective padding systems for the protection of joints, bones and muscles, where one embodiment includes a hard outer shell structure as shielding, a gas filled compartment or bladder to stabilize the system and absorb and disperse impact energy and/or a web structure suspended across opposed peripheral edges of the outer shell and between the shell and user's body to absorb energy and to provide ventilation. Hybrid structures include both the bladder and web structure.

Abstract: A method is provided for user speech performance evaluation with respect to a reference performance for which a phoneme mark-up is available. The method includes capturing input speech from the user and formatting it as frames. For a respective frame of the input speech, the method generates probability values for a plurality of phonemes, generates a probability value for a phoneme class based upon the generated probability values for a plurality of phonemes belonging to that phoneme class. For a plurality of frames of the input speech, the method further includes averaging the phoneme class probability values corresponding to the plurality of frames of the input speech. The method also includes calculating a user speech performance score based upon the average.

Abstract: A method for heating a blast furnace stove includes combusting a fuel with a lower heating value (LHV) of 9 MJ/Nm3 or less in a combustion zone which is arranged in a combustion chamber in the stove, and causing the combustion gases to flow through and thereby heat refractory material in the stove. The fuel is combusted with an oxidant including at least 85% oxygen, and combustion gases are recirculated into the combustion zone for diluting the mixture of fuel and oxidant therein sufficiently for the combustion to be flameless.