Abstract: An inflatable sealing assembly for sealing between an intake section of a turbine engine and an air inlet ring of a vehicle. The inflatable sealing assembly including a seal holder coupled to the intake section of the engine and having a first inflatable seal, a second inflatable seal, and a closed cell foam material disposed therein. The first inflatable seal and the second inflatable seal are configured when inflated to provide a seal between the intake section of the turbine engine and the air inlet ring of the vehicle and prevent foreign object debris and/or water from entering the turbine engine.

Abstract: A method of controlling run-up of a metal halide lamp that has a nominal (full) light output during steady state operation and that has a current limit Ilim, includes, during run-up of the metal halide lamp to steady state operation, evaluating requested power Preq and requested current Ireq to operate the lamp at the nominal light output Ln during the run-up, supplying Ilim to operate the lamp so long as Ireq?Ilim and supplying Preq to operate the lamp when Ireq<Ilim, and modulating power P supplied to the lamp. The power modulation is preferably at an acoustic resonance frequency of the lamp, such as the first azimuthal resonance mode of the lamp. Power modulation may include sweeping a sine wave ripple on top of an input voltage waveform, wherein a frequency range of the sine wave ripple includes an acoustic resonance frequency.

Abstract: A method of detecting a leak in an outer jacket of a metal halide lamp having an arc tube inside the outer jacket and operated by a ballast, where the ballast monitors an electrical characteristic of the lamp during start and detects a leak in the outer jacket when the electrical characteristic deviates from that of a corresponding metal halide lamp whose outer jacket does not have a leak. The electrical characteristic is one of six markers, namely (1) V?(E) at a predetermined E, where V?(E) is a derivative of lamp voltage V as a function of cumulative energy E delivered to the ballast since ignition, (2) a value of E at which V?(E) reaches a maximum, (3) V at a predetermined E, (4) a local maximum of V?(E) up to a predetermined E, (5) a global maximum of V?(E), and (6) E required to achieve a predetermined V.

Abstract: A method of controlling run-up of a metal halide lamp that has a nominal (full) light output during steady state operation and that has a current limit Ilim, includes a lamp ballast sensing lamp current and voltage and calculating power, and evaluating requested power Preq and requested current Ireq to operate the lamp at the nominal light output during run-up to steady state operation, supplying Ilim to operate the lamp when Ireq?Ilim, and supplying Preq to operate the lamp when Ireq<Ilim. The method may determine Preq in various ways, including determining a light output L of the lamp; comparing lamp voltage to a nominal voltage Vn for the lamp during steady state operation; determining energy E delivered to the lamp; and estimating lamp efficacy. The method may also be used to characterize an unknown lamp attached to the ballast.

Abstract: A method of controlling run-up of a metal halide lamp that has a nominal (full) light output during steady state operation and that has a current limit Ilim, includes, during run-up of the metal halide lamp to steady state operation, evaluating requested power Preq and requested current Ireq to operate the lamp at the nominal light output Ln during the run-up, supplying Ilim to operate the lamp so long as Ireq?Ilim and supplying Preq to operate the lamp when Ireq<Ilim, and modulating power P supplied to the lamp. The power modulation is preferably at an acoustic resonance frequency of the lamp, such as the first azimuthal resonance mode of the lamp. Power modulation may include sweeping a sine wave ripple on top of an input voltage waveform, wherein a frequency range of the sine wave ripple includes an acoustic resonance frequency.

Abstract: A method of controlling run-up of a metal halide lamp that has a nominal (full) light output during steady state operation and that has a current limit Ilim, includes a lamp ballast sensing lamp current and voltage and calculating power, and evaluating requested power Preq and requested current Ireq to operate the lamp at the nominal light output during run-up to steady state operation, supplying Ilim to operate the lamp when Ireq?Ilim, and supplying Preq to operate the lamp when Ireq<Ilim. The method may determine Preq in various ways, including determining a light output L of the lamp; comparing lamp voltage to a nominal voltage Vn for the lamp during steady state operation; determining energy E delivered to the lamp; and estimating lamp efficacy. The method may also be used to characterize an unknown lamp attached to the ballast.

Abstract: A method of detecting a leak in an outer jacket of a metal halide lamp having an arc tube inside the outer jacket and operated by a ballast, where the ballast monitors an electrical characteristic of the lamp during start and detects a leak in the outer jacket when the electrical characteristic deviates from that of a corresponding metal halide lamp whose outer jacket does not have a leak. The electrical characteristic is one of six markers, namely (1) V?(E) at a predetermined E, where V?(E) is a derivative of lamp voltage V as a function of cumulative energy E delivered to the ballast since ignition, (2) a value of E at which V?(E) reaches a maximum, (3) V at a predetermined E, (4) a local maximum of V?(E) up to a predetermined E, (5) a global maximum of V?(E), and (6) E required to achieve a predetermined V.

Abstract: Metal halide lighting with good color during dimming may be obtained. An appropriate balance of commonly used metal halides (NaI, DyI3, CeI3, CaI2, TlI) is dosed in the lamp. No mercury is used. A higher than typical xenon fill pressure from 50 to 500 Kilopascals may be used to help control thermal properties and voltage. If necessary, modulation of the power at acoustic resonance frequencies may be used to straighten and center the arc. Efficient and pleasant white output is obtained. As the power is reduced, the chromaticity either (1) remains fairly constant or (2) drifts acceptably towards warm pinkish colors. Large factors of attenuation in output can be realized. The lumen output was reduced by at least a factor of twenty in one sample as the power was dimmed from 70 to 20 watts.

Abstract: Metal halide lighting with good color during dimming may be obtained. An appropriate balance of commonly used metal halides (NaI, DyI3, CeI3, CaI2, TlI) is dosed in the lamp. No mercury is used. A higher than typical xenon fill pressure from 50 to 500 Kilopascals may be used to help control thermal properties and voltage. If necessary, modulation of the power at acoustic resonance frequencies may be used to straighten and center the arc. Efficient and pleasant white output is obtained. As the power is reduced, the chromaticity either (1) remains fairly constant or (2) drifts acceptably towards warm pinkish colors. Large factors of attenuation in output can be realized. The lumen output was reduced by at least a factor of twenty in one sample as the power was dimmed from 70 to 20 watts.

Abstract: In order to improve the starting of a dielectric barrier discharge lamp it is proposed to provide elements for igniting an auxiliary discharge inside the exhaust tube (5) of the lamp.

Abstract: A discharge lamp system and method of operating a discharge lamp system in which vertical segregation of vapor phase species is reduced. Lamp power is modulated with an arc-straightening frequency and with a frequency that excites a combination radial plus longitudinal acoustic mode of the lamp. The combination radial plus longitudinal acoustic mode may be a combination first radial mode and nth longitudinal acoustic mode and may be excited with a single power frequency or a swept power frequency range. The two frequencies may be provided at the same time, or separately where the modulation at the arc-straightening frequency is 2 to 16 times longer than a subsequent modulation at the combination radial plus longitudinal acoustic mode.

Abstract: A discharge lamp system and method of operating a discharge lamp system in which vertical segregation of vapor phase species is reduced. Lamp power is modulated with an arc-straightening frequency and with a frequency that excites a combination radial plus longitudinal acoustic mode of the lamp. The combination radial plus longitudinal acoustic mode may be a combination first radial mode and nth longitudinal acoustic mode and may be excited with a single power frequency or a swept power frequency range. The two frequencies may be provided at the same time, or separately where the modulation at the arc-straightening frequency is 2 to 16 times longer than a subsequent modulation at the combination radial plus longitudinal acoustic mode.

Abstract: In order to improve the starting of a dielectric barrier discharge lamp it is proposed to provide means for igniting an auxiliary discharge inside the exhaust tube (5) of the lamp.

Abstract: An improved method allows estimation of selected parameters of a given population based on non-homogenous sampling of the population data. In the method, an algorithm is applied to data in a ‘least parts’ approach, to facilitate the assumption that sampling of data is ‘piece-wise’ homogenous, when it is known that overall, the data sampling is not homogeneous.

Abstract: A method allows estimation of selected parameters of a given population based on non-homogenous sampling of the population data. In the method, an algorithm is applied to data in a ‘least parts’ approach, to facilitate the assumption that sampling of data is ‘piece-wise’ homogenous, when it is known that overall, the data sampling is not homogeneous.

Abstract: An arc discharge lamp body made from a material selected from glass and ceramic materials and defining a discharge space; an arc generating and sustaining medium contained within said discharge space; and an electrically conducting member in at least one end of said body and extending both interiorly and exteriorly thereof, said electrically conducting member being formed of an electrically conductive ceramic material having a thermal coefficient of expansion substantially matching that of said body.

Abstract: A method of and system for operating a high intensity discharge lamp having an electronic ballast system is provided wherein the power supplied to the discharge lamp is increased by bending the arc in the arc tube in order to increase the length of the arc. Bending may be effected by injecting acoustic frequencies in the power supplied to the discharge lamp.

Abstract: A system and method for the operation of a mercury free high intensity discharge lamp is disclosed which provides lamp longevity and improved photometric results regardless of the orientation of the lamp. To this end, an acoustically modulated ballast without off-time and low power time is supplied to the lamp.

Abstract: An AC discharge lamp having a constricted arc, and powered through a unidirectional ballast with a unidirectional current, is described. The AC lamp operates as a DC lamp. One method of achieving the constriction of the arc of this lamp is to modulate the DC input power to the discharge lamp to reduce the adverse effects of DC operation. The mechanism mixes the chemicals with an acoustically induced flow.

Abstract: Methods of operating a discharge lamp by amplitude-modulating and pulsing the lamp input power waveform. The techniques control both the arc stabilization and color characteristics of the lamp, respectively. The alternating current (AC) input waveform is amplitude-modulated to stabilize the arc with a swept AC periodic wave (such as a sine wave, sawtooth wave, square wave, etc., or a combination thereof). The swept wave can be generally swept from about 20 kHz to 60 kHz, with a preferable band sweep of from approximately 40 kHz to 50 kHz. The sweep can also be patterned (such as allowing the sweep to have stepped rises and falls within the sweep cycle). The sweep may also contain multiple-frequency sweeps that are bundled together to modulate the carrier wave. These modulation forms are used to center, constrict and stabilize the arc. In addition to this stabilization, the lamp input waveform is pulsed to control and regulate the color characteristics of the lamp.