Abstract: A cooling fan module may include a fan assembly and a shroud. The fan assembly including a number of fan blades and the shroud including a first sidewall and a first ring. The first sidewall defining an opening and the first ring extending in an axial direction from the first sidewall. The first ring including an inner periphery provided with a number of first serrations, each serration of the number of first serrations extending in a radial direction. The radial direction is substantially orthogonal to the axial direction.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for generating hydrogen gas at pressures high enough to fill a hydrogen storage cylinder for stationary and transportation applications. The hydrogen output of an electrochemical hydrogen gas generating device, a hydrogen-producing reactor, or a diluted hydrogen stream is integrated with an electrochemical hydrogen compressor operating in a high-differential-pressure mode. The compressor brings the hydrogen produced by the hydrogen generating device to the high pressure required to fill the storage cylinder.

Abstract: An invoice processing system generates a data structure, comprising a data field value associated with each of a plurality of identified data fields, from a document image comprising text representing each of such data field values. The secure document data capture system includes a character recognition system receiving the document image and recognizing characters within the text to generate, for each of the identified data fields, a data field value for association therewith. A validation engine identifies a subset of the identified data fields which can be referred to as exception data fields due to failure to comply with a validation rule. An exception handling system provides an exception image to a first client system. The exception image comprising a portion of the document image which includes text of the at least one suspect character within the exception data field with a context portion of the document image redacted.

Abstract: A cap lamp features a housing. A control module is positioned within the housing and includes a multi-function switch, a circuit board and contacts adapted to receive power from a battery. An optic module is also positioned within the housing and in engagement with the control module. The optic module includes a light emitting diode (LED) module and an integrated reflector and heat sink as well as an insulator. A bezel is fastened to the housing so as to secure the control module and optic module within the cap lamp housing. A pushbutton is positioned on the housing and is connected to the multi-function switch. A backup LED is in communication with the multi-function switch so that the main LED light or the backup LED may alternatively be selected.

Abstract: A proton exchange membrane well-suited for use in a direct methanol fuel cell. According to one embodiment, the proton exchange membrane is prepared by a process comprising the steps of (a) providing a perfluorocarbon membrane, the perfluorocarbon membrane being non-permeable to water; (b) imbibing the perfluorocarbon membrane with a solution containing a styrene monomer, a divinyl benzene cross-linker, and a benzoyl peroxide activator; (c) heating the imbibed membrane to yield a cross-linked polymer within the membrane; (d) repeating the combination of steps (b) and (c) at least once; and (e) then, sulfonating the cross-linked polymer. According to another embodiment, the membrane is irradiated prior to the imbibing step, thereby rendering the membrane receptive to imbibing, polymerization, crosslinking, and grafting and obviating the need for more than one cycle of steps (b) and (c), as well as permitting step (c) to be performed at a lower temperature.

Abstract: An invoice processing system generates a data structure, comprising a data field value associated with each of a plurality of identified data fields, from a document image comprising text representing each of such data field values. The secure document data capture system includes a character recognition system receiving the document image and recognizing characters within the text to generate, for each of the identified data fields, a data field value for association therewith. A validation engine identifies a subset of the identified data fields which can be referred to as exception data fields due to failure to comply with a validation rule. An exception handling system provides an exception image to a first client system. The exception image comprising a portion of the document image which includes text of the at least one suspect character within the exception data field with a context portion of the document image redacted.

Abstract: A high-voltage electrochemical-electrolytic capacitor. The capacitor includes a cathode comprising a plurality of electrically-conductive particles in intimate electrical contact with one another and disposed in a proton-conductive, electrically-non-conductive, solid ionomer matrix. The capacitor also includes an anode comprising a plurality of electrically-conductive particles in intimate electrical contact with one another and disposed in a proton-conductive, electrically-non-conductive solid ionomer matrix, the electrically-conductive particles of the anode differing in composition from the electrically-conductive particles of said cathode. The capacitor further includes a proton-conducting dielectric positioned between and in contact with each of the cathode and the anode, the proton-conducting dielectric comprising a solid ionomer.

Abstract: A high-voltage electrochemical-electrolytic capacitor. The capacitor includes a cathode comprising a plurality of electrically-conductive particles in intimate electrical contact with one another and disposed in a proton-conductive, electrically-non-conductive, solid ionomer matrix. The capacitor also includes an anode comprising a plurality of electrically-conductive particles in intimate electrical contact with one another and disposed in a proton-conductive, electrically-non-conductive solid ionomer matrix, the electrically-conductive particles of the anode differing in composition from the electrically-conductive particles of said cathode. The capacitor further includes a proton-conducting dielectric positioned between and in contact with each of the cathode and the anode, the proton-conducting dielectric comprising a solid ionomer.

Abstract: A proton exchange membrane well-suited for use in a direct methanol fuel cell. According to one embodiment, the proton exchange membrane is prepared by a process comprising the steps of (a) providing a perfluorocarbon membrane, the perfluorocarbon membrane being non-permeable to water; (b) imbibing the perfluorocarbon membrane with a solution containing a styrene monomer, a divinyl benzene cross-linker, and a benzoyl peroxide activator; (c) heating the imbibed membrane to yield a cross-linked polymer within the membrane; (d) repeating the combination of steps (b) and (c) at least once; and (e) then, sulfonating the cross-linked polymer. According to another embodiment, the membrane is irradiated prior to the imbibing step, thereby rendering the membrane receptive to imbibing, polymerization, crosslinking, and grafting and obviating the need for more than one cycle of steps (b) and (c), as well as permitting step (c) to be performed at a lower temperature.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for generating hydrogen gas at pressures high enough to fill a hydrogen storage cylinder for stationary and transportation applications. The hydrogen output of an electrochemical hydrogen gas generating device, a hydrogen-producing reactor, or a diluted hydrogen stream is integrated with an electrochemical hydrogen compressor operating in a high-differential-pressure mode. The compressor brings the hydrogen produced by the hydrogen generating device to the high pressure required to fill the storage cylinder.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for generating hydrogen gas at pressures high enough to fill a hydrogen storage cylinder for stationary and transportation applications. The hydrogen output of an electrochemical hydrogen gas generating device is integrated with an electrochemical hydrogen compressor operating in a high-differential-pressure mode. The compressor brings the hydrogen produced by the gas generating device to the high pressure required to fill the storage cylinder.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for generating hydrogen gas at pressures high enough to fill a hydrogen storage cylinder for stationary and transportation applications. The hydrogen output of an electrochemical hydrogen gas generating device is integrated with an electrochemical hydrogen compressor operating in a high-differential-pressure mode. The compressor brings the hydrogen produced by the gas generating device to the high pressure required to fill the storage cylinder.

Abstract: A corrosion resistant, electrically conductive, non-porous bipolar plate is made from titanium carbide for use in an eletrochemical device. The process involves blending titanium carbide powder with a suitable binder material, and molding the mixture, at an elevated temperature and pressure.

Abstract: Cation exchange membranes incorporating a thin layer of polymer having having a high ratio of backbone carbon atoms to cation exchange groups provide improved performance in direct methanol fuel cells.

Abstract: A gas sensor including an electrochemical sensor cell which has a anion-eange solid polymer electrolyte membrane with three attached electrodes is provided. The sensor cell contains no liquid electrolyte and is operated in the potentiostatic as well as the potentiodynamic modes to detect alkaline reactive gases, including vapors, such as hydrazines and derivatives thereof and ammonia. These sensor cells together with electronic circuitry, a pump and a power supply, fit into a compact, pocket-sized container to define the gas sensor of the invention which can detect traces of the above gases including 10 ppb of hydrazine and its derivatives and 10 ppm of ammonia. The invention includes the above gas sensor and the methods of operating same.

Abstract: A direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) contains a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) including an anode porous electrode structure which can operate on a liquid or vapor methanol/water feed in the absence of a liquid electrolyte such as sulfuric acid, a proton-exchange membrane electrolyte, and a porous gas-diffusion cathode. The anode porous electrode structure includes a three-dimensional reduced (Pt--Ru)O.sub.x catalyst particle-ionomer composite structure, whereby the ionomer coats the individual particles and provides a mechanism for continuous proton transport throughout the composite structure, eliminating the need for a liquid acidic electrolyte. The partially reduced (Pt--Ru)O.sub.x particles are individually ionomer coated prior to anode fabrication. The anode porous electrode structure is subsequently bonded to one side of a thin sheet of a solid proton-conducting ionomer membrane and a cathode structure bonded to the opposite side of the membrane, to form a MEA.

Abstract: The gas monitor of the present invention is capable of simultaneously determining the concentrations of two members of a family of oxygen-containing gases present in an air sample. The monitor utilizes a four electrode potentiostat (58, 70, 12, 14) including two indicating electrodes (58, 70) mounting in a single electrochemical cell (8) and immersed in an aqueous electrolyte (10). The air sample containing the two family members is initially passed to the first indicating electrode (58), where electroreduction of the first family member produces a first electrical current directly proportional to the concentration of the first family member in the sample. Thereafter, the gas sample is passed through an oxidizing means (4) interconnected between the two indicating electrodes (58, 70), where all of the second family member is converted into the first family member.

Abstract: A gas detecting and measuring device and method highly selective for the detection of certain gases is described. The gas detector is capable of detecting and measuring a gas which can be electrochemically oxidized or electrochemically reduced at a voltage of between about 0.6 and 1.5 volts relative to a standard hydrogen electrode. The gas detecting and measuring device and process are highly selective for the oxides of nitrogen (NO.sub.x) and chlorine. The gas detecting device utilizes a hydrated, solid polymer electrolyte ion transporting membrane in electrical contact with an improved catalytic graphite sensing electrode. For detecting an oxidizable gas such as nitric oxide (NO), an improved graphite anode in contact with the solid polymer electrolyte is used with a cathode and a reference electrode as an electrochemical cell, and for detecting a reducible gas such as chlorine (Cl.sub.2) or nitrogen dioxide (NO.sub.