Abstract: A molten salt fission reactor. The reactor includes a reactor core, which includes a plurality of fuel tubes. Each fuel tube contains a fuel salt and a gas interface. The fuel salt is a molten salt of one or more fissile isotopes. The gas interface is a surface of the fuel salt in contact with a gas space during operation of the reactor. The reactor also includes a fuel salt cooling system, which is configured to cool the fuel salt. The cooling system includes a heat exchanger and a coolant tank. The coolant tank contains a coolant liquid in which the fuel tubes are at least partially immersed. The heat exchanger is for extracting heat from the coolant liquid.

Abstract: A lightning strike protection material for an aircraft includes an electrically-conductive grid with grid-forming members and nodes where grid-forming members overlap or intersect. A plurality of the grid-forming members and/or nodes include an outward-facing surface, and at least a portion of the outward-facing surface is concave.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling infrared radiation (IR) sources of a sauna including tuning IR wavelength-ranges and radiated power-levels of IR sources, and directing IR to locations on a user's body. In one illustrative embodiment, a sauna may be provided having adjustable IR emitters to emit IR at any wavelength resulting in a desirable radiation treatment for the sauna user. In another illustrative embodiment, a method is provided for tuning IR emitters in a sauna.

Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed for a method. The method includes parsing a distributed database query into component queries corresponding to distributed nodes. The method also includes matching component queries to central cache to determine whether the component queries can be satisfied. This matching generates matched and unmatched component queries. The method further includes transforming the matched component query to a cache query and local delta query for a first node. Additionally, the method includes executing the cache query to generate a cache result. Also, the method includes providing the local delta query for the first node to generate a local delta. Further, the method includes providing the unmatched component query for a second node to generate a remote result. The method also includes generating a global delta based on the local delta. The method additionally includes generating a result by combining the cache result, local delta, and remote result.

Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed for a method. The method includes receiving a plurality of local deltas for a query execution against a corresponding plurality of data sources hosted by a corresponding plurality of distributed nodes of a dynamic distributed network. The method also includes generating a combined delta by combining the local deltas. Additionally, the method includes generating a determined delta result by performing additional processing on the combined delta. Further, the method includes providing the determined delta for one of the distributed nodes.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling infrared radiation (IR) sources of a sauna including tuning IR wavelength-ranges and radiated power-levels of IR sources, and directing IR to locations on a user's body. In one illustrative embodiment, a sauna may be provided having adjustable IR emitters to emit IR at any wavelength resulting in a desirable radiation treatment for the sauna user. In another illustrative embodiment, a method is provided for tuning IR emitters in a sauna.

Abstract: A frayed cable scaling tool is made by fraying the end of a cable so that it forms a wire brush. A collar or other way of keeping the cable from unraveling too much is necessary. When powered by a pneumatic saw power tool, the scaling tool is very effective at removing scale, rust, carbon, or other debris. The flexibility of the cable allows the frayed end of the cable to move vigorously in a random motion, which is effective for scrubbing. For some applications, it is preferred to enclose the cable and/or the collar in a guide tube.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pipe coupling comprising: a tubular casing, having a longitudinal gap between a first free end and a second free end, for fitting around a pipe; and a tensioning system for tightening the casing around the outer surface of the pipe, the system comprising: at least one fastener having a first end and a second end, for tightening the casing around the pipe; a first member, coupled to the first free end of the casing, configured to engage with the first end of the or each fastener; and a second member, slidably coupled to the second free end of the casing, configured to engage with the second end of the or each fastener, the second member being longitudinally slidable from a first position, in which the or each fastener is free to move radially out of engagement with said second member, to a second position in which the or each fastener is in retained engagement with said second member.

Abstract: Spent nuclear fuel is added to an electro-reduction cell, wherein the electro-reduction cell includes a halide salt electrolyte, and anode, and a cathode including an alloy of uranium and a first metal forming a low melting point alloy with uranium, the first metal being one or more of: iron; chromium; nickel; manganese; and cobalt. The spent nuclear fuel is electrochemically reduced at a potential sufficient to reduce plutonium and lanthanides in the spent nuclear fuel, to form a molten alloy of the first metal, uranium and higher actinides present in the spent nuclear fuel. The alloy is extracted from the electro-reduction cell while uranium oxide is present in the electro-reduction cell. The spent nuclear fuel includes uranium oxide and at least 1 mol of lanthanides per tonne of uranium in the spent nuclear fuel, and the electro-reduction cell is operated at a temperature above the melting point of the alloy.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of improved ammunition production, more specifically to an improved pressed metal head component suitable for a polymer tube cartridge The invention relates to a method of drawing and forming a metal head unit for use with a polymer case to form a polymer cartridge for use in a rifled barrel, comprising the steps of i) providing a metal cup drawing it through one or more dies to provide a case tube, wherein the case tube has a closed head end with a first outer diameter and an elongate open end, ii) trimming the elongate open end to form a metal coupling protrusion, said metal coupling protrusion with a second outer diameter, wherein the first diameter and second diameter are the same, iii) forming, a primer cavity into the closed head end, iv) forming internal and external features in the closed head end, v) forming by a heading process, an enlarged head rim on the closed head end, such that said enlarged head rim has a third diameter which is larger than the second diame

Abstract: A method of calibrating a choke system includes connecting to the positioner an electronic controller which is programmed to output a control signal representing the desired position of the plug, connecting to the electronic controller a flowmeter which is configured to provide a flow signal representing the rate of flow of fluid from the pump to the inlet and a pressure sensor which is configured to provide a pressure signal representing the fluid pressure at the inlet, connecting the inlet to a reservoir of fluid via a pump which is operable to pump fluid from the reservoir into the inlet at varying flow rates, and using gain scheduling to determine optimum values of proportional gain and integral gain required for control of the choke using a proportional differential and integral controller at a plurality of different rates of flow of fluid along the central flow passage.

Abstract: The disclosed invention provides system and method for providing electronic collaborations between a plurality of user devices connected through networks. The user devices include one or more collaborator devices and one or more anonymous contributor devices. The system includes instructions for contribution processor and instructions for digital workspace processor. The contribution processor is coupled through the networks to the one or more anonymous contributor devices including contribution applications, and the digital workspace processor is coupled through the networks to the one or more collaborator devices including digital workspace applications. The system and method allows anonymous devices geographically located anywhere, in real-time, to simultaneously contribute data for the purpose of using the contributed data in one or more unique digital workspaces.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product includes receiving and parsing an SQL query, identifying at least one common sub expression, or sub-query, or combination thereof, used multiple times within the SQL query, constructing for the at least one common sub expression, or sub-query, or combination thereof, a query execution plan that maintains as part of an initial result set a bit vector for a fact table, storing a result bit vector and an indicator that tracks a last valid tuple processed to produce the result bit vector when a TEMP operation is indicated in the query execution plan, reassessing a TEMP result in other portions of the query execution plan, priming a list of tuples using the TEMP result, and retrieving respective columns for further processing in the query execution plan.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling infrared radiation (IR) sources of a sauna including tuning IR wavelength-ranges and radiated power-levels of IR sources, and directing IR to locations on a user's body. In one illustrative embodiment, a sauna may be provided having adjustable IR emitters to emit IR at any wavelength resulting in a desirable radiation treatment for the sauna user. In another illustrative embodiment, a method is provided for tuning IR emitters in a sauna.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is method of performing speech recognition using audio and visual information, where the visual information provides data related to a person's face. Image preprocessing identifies regions of interest, which is then combined with the audio data before being processed by a speech recognition engine.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product includes receiving and parsing an SQL query, identifying at least one common sub expression, or sub-query, or combination thereof, used multiple times within the SQL query, constructing for the at least one common sub expression, or sub-query, or combination thereof, a query execution plan that maintains as part of an initial result set a bit vector for a fact table, storing a result bit vector and an indicator that tracks a last valid tuple processed to produce the result bit vector when a TEMP operation is indicated in the query execution plan, reassessing a TEMP result in other portions of the query execution plan, priming a list of tuples using the TEMP result, and retrieving respective columns for further processing in the query execution plan.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of improved ammunition production, more specifically to an improved pressed metal head component suitable for a polymer tube cartridge The invention relates to a method of drawing and forming a metal head unit for use with a polymer case to form a polymer cartridge for use in a rifled barrel, comprising the steps of i) providing a metal cup drawing it through one or more dies to provide a case tube, wherein the case tube has a closed head end with a first outer diameter and an elongate open end, ii) trimming the elongate open end to form a metal coupling protrusion, said metal coupling protrusion with a second outer diameter, wherein the first diameter and second diameter are the same, iii) forming, a primer cavity into the closed head end, iv) forming internal and external features in the closed head end, v) forming by a heading process, an enlarged head rim on the closed head end, such that said enlarged head rim has a third diameter which is larger than the second diame

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a deep learning model that can be used for performing speech or image processing tasks. The model uses multi-task training, where the model is trained for at least two inter-related tasks. For face detection, the first task is face detection (i.e. face or non-face) and the second task is facial feature identification (i.e. mouth, eyes, nose). The multi-task model improves the accuracy of the task over single-task models.

Abstract: Spent nuclear fuel is added to an electro-reduction cell, wherein the electro-reduction cell includes a halide salt electrolyte, and anode, and a cathode including an alloy of uranium and a first metal forming a low melting point alloy with uranium, the first metal being one or more of: iron; chromium; nickel; manganese; and cobalt. The spent nuclear fuel is electrochemically reduced at a potential sufficient to reduce plutonium and lanthanides in the spent nuclear fuel, to form a molten alloy of the first metal, uranium and higher actinides present in the spent nuclear fuel. The alloy is extracted from the electro-reduction cell while uranium oxide is present in the electro-reduction cell. The spent nuclear fuel includes uranium oxide and at least 1 mol of lanthanides per tonne of uranium in the spent nuclear fuel, and the electro-reduction cell is operated at a temperature above the melting point of the alloy.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling infrared radiation (IR) sources of a sauna including tuning IR wavelength-ranges and radiated power-levels of IR sources, and directing IR to locations on a user's body. In one illustrative embodiment, a sauna may be provided having adjustable IR emitters to emit IR at any wavelength resulting in a desirable radiation treatment for the sauna user. In another illustrative embodiment, a method is provided for tuning IR emitters in a sauna.