Abstract: An apparatus for heating and impelling a fluid may comprise a housing, and an air heating impeller assembly positioned in the housing and configured to impel and heat the fluid moving through the housing. The air heating impeller assembly may comprise a support shaft, and a plurality of disks on the support shaft and spaced from each other to form fluid flow gaps therebetween. A disk may comprise a hub portion, an annular portion located radially outward from the hub portion, and a plurality of spoke portions connecting the annular and hub portions. The hub, annular and spoke portions of a disk may be formed of an integral part. A magnetic assembly may be configured to apply a magnetic field of adjustable intensity to the disks.

Abstract: A lubrication system for extending times period between changing engine lubricant may include a tank and a lubricant exchange apparatus. The lubricant exchange apparatus may comprise a first pump in fluid communication with the engine and the tank to transfer lubricant from the lubricant collection element to the tank, a second pump in fluid communication with the tank for transferring lubricant from the tank to the engine, and a control element configured to cause the first pump to operate to remove lubricant from the lubricant collection element. The control element may be configured to cause the second pump to operate to remove a quantity of lubricant from the tank and transfer the quantity to the engine.

Abstract: An apparatus for heating and impelling a fluid may comprise a housing, and an air heating impeller assembly positioned in the housing and configured to impel and heat the fluid moving through the housing. The air heating impeller assembly may comprise a support shaft, and a plurality of disks on the support shaft and spaced from each other to form fluid flow gaps therebetween. A disk may comprise a hub portion, an annular portion located radially outward from the hub portion, and a plurality of spoke portions connecting the annular and hub portions. The hub, annular and spoke portions of a disk may be formed of an integral part. A magnetic assembly may be configured to apply a magnetic field of adjustable intensity to the disks.

Abstract: An apparatus for heating fluid may comprise a housing with an interior, a fluid inlet, and a fluid outlet. A fluid heating assembly in the housing is rotatable and includes a plurality of disks including a conductive material and being spaced from each other to form gaps therebetween. A magnetic assembly may be configured to apply a magnetic field of adjustable intensity to the disks. The magnetic assembly may comprise a plurality of magnetic elements positioned adjacent to the disks and a support structure supporting the magnetic elements proximate to the gaps between the disks. The support structure moves the magnetic elements between a maximum exposure position with respect to the conductive material of the disks in which a relatively greater degree of heating is produced and a minimum exposure position with respect to the conductive material in which a relatively lesser degree of heating is produced.

Abstract: A seed singulator system for a seed planter may comprise a seed container including a housing defining an interior to hold seed. A seed pickup assembly may be configured to pick up seeds individually from the interior, and the pickup assembly defines a plurality of seed-retaining holes configured to hold seed when a vacuum is applied to the holes. A seed discharging assembly may be configured to discharge seed in a singular manner from the seed container. The seed discharge assembly may comprise a seed receiver structure configured to receive seeds from the seed pickup assembly, and may define a seed-receiving passage having an entry opening for a seed to pass through, with the seed-retaining holes being alignable with the entry opening. A seed ejecting structure may be configured to eject seeds one at a time from the seed pickup assembly into the entry opening of the seed receiver structure.