Abstract: A valve comprising a stationary shell and a rotatable annular core is designed for installation on the block deck of a spark-ignition piston engine, with there being one valve installed on the engine's block for every cylinder in the block. Rotation of the annular core cyclically opens and closes the ignition pathway(s) extending between the internal volume of the valve's associated cylinder and the spark plug(s) initiating combustion within the cylinder, with the pathway(s) only being open during time intervals wherein the spark plug(s) are electrically activated as part of the engine's normal operating cycle. Control of the open-closed status of the ignition pathway(s) eliminates engine pre-fire events caused by hot points on the spark plug(s). The valve also provides improved technology for directing and regulating the flow of fuel, oxidant, and exhaust gases as they are transferred into and out of the valve's associated cylinder.

Abstract: A multi-port rotary valve has penetrations in the form of annulus sectors through its stationary outer shell and through its rotating inner core, with the penetrations being situated so that, once during each rotation of the core, each core penetration overlaps and becomes volumetrically linked to a corresponding congruent pair of shell penetrations, thereby creating, in an ordered temporal sequence, high conductance flow passages that extend completely through the valve. The azimuth-angle locations of the penetrations determine the relative times at which the valve's flow passages begin to open. The central angles of the penetrations determine the duration of the time intervals for which the flow passages are open or partially open. The radial extent of the penetrations determines the conductance of the flow passages.

Abstract: A cooling system transfers thermal energy from a temperature-critical reservoir to a heat sink. The system has an intermediate reservoir which is thermally interposed between the temperature-critical reservoir and the heat sink. The intermediate reservoir serves as an energy buffer between the two reservoirs by accepting thermal energy from the temperature-critical reservoir, storing that energy, and then transferring it to a heat sink by means of a temperature-driven process rather than by means of a heat pump. Transfer of thermal energy from the intermediate reservoir to the heat sink is temporally coordinated with naturally occurring temperature variations of the heat sink so that all thermal energy transfer processes conducted by the system are temperature-driven.

Abstract: A cooling system transfers thermal energy from a temperature-critical reservoir to a heat sink. The system has an intermediate reservoir which is thermally interposed between the temperature-critical reservoir and the heat sink. The intermediate reservoir serves as an energy buffer between the two reservoirs by accepting thermal energy from the temperature-critical reservoir, storing that energy, and then transferring it to a heat sink by means of a temperature-driven process rather than by means of a heat pump. Transfer of thermal energy from the intermediate reservoir to the heat sink is temporally coordinated with naturally occurring temperature variations of the heat sink so that all thermal energy transfer processes conducted by the system are temperature-driven.

Abstract: A coolant loop for trough-reflector solar energy conversion systems has open coolant supply and discharge reservoirs. Coolant is driven by siphoning pressure through cooling channels which have attached solar cell arrays. The siphoning pressure is produced by maintaining the free surface of coolant in a coolant supply reservoir at a higher elevation than the free surface of coolant in a coolant discharge reservoir. The cooling channels have air evacuation and air inlet ports to facilitate initiation and termination of siphon-pressure-driven coolant flow. The cooling channels also have in-line flow control valves that respond to control signals generated by coolant temperature sensors.

Abstract: A coolant loop for trough-reflector solar energy conversion systems has open coolant supply and discharge reservoirs. Coolant is driven by siphoning pressure through cooling channels which have attached solar cell arrays. The siphoning pressure is produced by maintaining the free surface of coolant in a coolant supply reservoir at a higher elevation than the free surface of coolant in a coolant discharge reservoir. The cooling channels have air evacuation and air inlet ports to facilitate initiation and termination of siphon-pressure-driven coolant flow. The cooling channels also have in-line flow control valves that respond to control signals generated by coolant temperature sensors.

Abstract: A two-stroke internal combustion engine achieves high performance levels by using an innovatively timed sequence of injecting and igniting fuel and oxidant. The operating cycle of the engine does not utilize a compression process. This permits the injection of fuel and oxidant to be coordinated with the initiation of the combustion process in such a way that the engine achieves high efficiency and provides high torque, while at the same time producing low thermal loading of engine components and low levels of engine noise and vibration.

Abstract: A two-stroke internal combustion engine achieves high performance levels by using an innovatively timed sequence of injecting and igniting fuel and oxidant. The operating cycle of the engine does not utilize a compression process. This permits the injection of fuel and oxidant to be coordinated with the initiation of the combustion process in such a way that the engine achieves high efficiency and provides high torque, while at the same time producing low thermal loading of engine components and low levels of engine noise and vibration.

Abstract: A parabolic trough reflector assembly consists of (1) a free-hanging, flexible rectangular sheet that is highly reflective of solar radiation and (2) support hardware which critically supports the reflecting sheet at two opposing edges. Methods are disclosed for providing linear dimensions and edge slopes for the reflecting sheet that are consistent with a parabolic trough having specific predetermined dimensions and a predetermined focal length. Methods are disclosed for providing uniform loading for a reflecting sheet when it is critically supported as a free-hanging element. The methods involve tapering the thickness of a sheet, applying variable-thickness coatings to a sheet of uniform thickness, or fabricating discreet thickness variations into a sheet of otherwise uniform thickness.

Abstract: A dual-use solar energy conversion system has an innovative structural framework which accurately maintains the relative position and alignment of functional system components. The system has parabolic trough reflectors which focus solar radiation onto arrays of solar cells. The cells convert a portion of the incident radiation into electrical energy and the rest is collected in a cooling fluid and subsequently discharged as low-grade thermal energy to an energy storage medium. During operation, the entire system rotates about a vertical axis to track the azimuthal position of the sun.

Abstract: A dual-use solar energy conversion system has an innovative structural framework which accurately maintains the relative position and alignment of functional system components. The system has parabolic trough reflectors which focus solar radiation onto arrays of solar cells. The cells convert a portion of the incident radiation into electrical energy and the rest is collected in a cooling fluid and subsequently discharged as low-grade thermal energy to an energy storage medium. During operation, the entire system rotates about a vertical axis to track the azimuthal position of the sun.