Abstract: In one embodiment, an ice management system is provided for removing an amount of oil from a surface of a body of water. The ice management system includes an ice frame having an ice fence coupled with an ice cage, an oil skimmer device disposed within the ice frame, and an ice deflection assembly coupled with the ice frame. The ice deflection assembly includes an auger coupled with a motor. The auger includes a drum and a deflection mechanism, and the motor is configured to rotate the auger. The deflection mechanism includes a spiral flight or a series of tabs arranged in a corkscrew pattern about the drum. The ice fence includes a plurality of curved vanes. The curved vanes have a bent rectangular plate shape.

Abstract: One embodiment is directed to a method of testing a polycrystalline laminate formed on a substrate surface of a substrate which is mounted to a sample holder. The substrate surface includes a substrate length edge having a substrate length and a substrate width edge having a substrate width. The polycrystalline laminate has a notch extending beyond the substrate width edge of the substrate surface. The method comprises at least one of: for tensile cleavage testing, applying a tensile load on the notch of the polycrystalline laminate in a direction generally perpendicular to the substrate surface and away from the substrate surface; and for shear sliding testing, applying a shear load on the end of the polycrystalline laminate in a length direction generally parallel to the substrate length edge of the substrate surface. A notch edge formation piece and a notch end formation piece may be used to form the laminate.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an ice management system is provided for removing an amount of oil from a surface of a body of water. The ice management system includes an ice frame having an ice fence coupled with an ice cage, an oil skimmer device disposed within the ice frame, and an ice deflection assembly coupled with the ice frame. The ice deflection assembly includes an auger coupled with a motor. The auger includes a drum and a deflection mechanism, and the motor is configured to rotate the auger. The deflection mechanism includes a spiral flight or a series of tabs arranged in a corkscrew pattern about the drum. The ice fence includes a plurality of curved vanes. The curved vanes have a bent rectangular plate shape.

Abstract: In one embodiment employing a vertical draw apparatus, a method of crystallization growth on a substrate surface of a substrate having a substrate material includes: mounting the substrate to a sample holder with the substrate surface facing a liquid surface of a reservoir disposed in a chamber that provides an ambient temperature; seeding the substrate surface with seed droplets; lowering the substrate surface to the liquid surface of the reservoir; independently controlling a temperature of the substrate and a temperature of the reservoir to produce a temperature difference between the substrate and the reservoir over a period of time for crystallization growth; and retracting the substrate surface from the liquid surface of the reservoir at a draw rate. The draw rate and the temperature difference are selected to grow polycrystalline laminate on the substrate surface. Consistent polycrystalline columnar microstructures are formed with appropriate seeding of the substrate surface.

Abstract: One embodiment is directed to a method of testing a polycrystalline laminate formed on a substrate surface of a substrate which is mounted to a sample holder. The substrate surface includes a substrate length edge having a substrate length and a substrate width edge having a substrate width. The polycrystalline laminate has a notch extending beyond the substrate width edge of the substrate surface. The method comprises at least one of: for tensile cleavage testing, applying a tensile load on the notch of the polycrystalline laminate in a direction generally perpendicular to the substrate surface and away from the substrate surface; and for shear sliding testing, applying a shear load on the end of the polycrystalline laminate in a length direction generally parallel to the substrate length edge of the substrate surface. A notch edge formation piece and a notch end formation piece may be used to form the laminate.

Abstract: In one embodiment employing a vertical draw apparatus, a method of crystallization growth on a substrate surface of a substrate having a substrate material includes: mounting the substrate to a sample holder with the substrate surface facing a liquid surface of a reservoir disposed in a chamber that provides an ambient temperature; seeding the substrate surface with seed droplets; lowering the substrate surface to the liquid surface of the reservoir; independently controlling a temperature of the substrate and a temperature of the reservoir to produce a temperature difference between the substrate and the reservoir over a period of time for crystallization growth; and retracting the substrate surface from the liquid surface of the reservoir at a draw rate. The draw rate and the temperature difference are selected to grow polycrystalline laminate on the substrate surface. Consistent polycrystalline columnar microstructures are formed with appropriate seeding of the substrate surface.