Abstract: Coupling systems for use with pool and other covers for attaching one or more cords to deploy the cover over the pool or other structure with which it is used to translate a cover.

Abstract: A fuel cell device comprising: (a) a catalytic oxidizer; (b) means for delivering gaseous fuel and oxidizer to the catalytic oxidizer; and (c) a fuel cell assembly located in the vicinity of the catalytic oxidizer such that the fuel cell assembly is able to be heated by heat generated from the reaction of fuel and oxidizer at the catalytic oxidizer; wherein the fuel cell assembly causes the generation of hot gases and an electrical output when it is heated and supplied with fuel and oxidizer, and wherein the device is provided with (d) a heat outlet which allows hot gases generated by the device to be directed out of the device and to applications requiring heat. Also provided is the use of such a device to generate heat and/or electrical power, and an appliance comprising such a device.

Abstract: A fuel cell element comprising a tube of a solid electrolyte. An outer electrode is provided on an outside of the tube and an inner electrode is provided in the inside of the tube. A ring formed of an electrically conducting material is mounted to the tube and is electrically connected to the tube. The ring has a first surface intended to be mountable to and slidingly engageable with a substantially complementary shaped second surface of a wall of a conduit means to supply a gaseous consumable to an interior of the tube or to carry gas from the interior. The mounting of the ring to and the engaging of the ring with the second surface is to provide an electrical connection between the fuel cell element and the conduit means.

Abstract: A fuel cell device comprising: (a) a catalytic oxidiser; (b) means for delivering gaseous fuel and oxidiser to the catalytic oxidiser; and (c) a fuel cell assembly located in the vicinity of the catalytic oxidiser such that the fuel cell assembly is able to be heated by heat generated from the reaction of fuel and oxidiser at the catalytic oxidiser; wherein the fuel cell assembly causes the generation of hot gases and an electrical output when it is heated and supplied with fuel and oxidiser, and wherein the device is provided with (d) a heat outlet which allows hot gases generated by the device to be directed out of the device and to applications requiring heat. Also provided is the use of such a device to generate heat and/or electrical power, and an appliance comprising such a device.

Abstract: A fuel cell element comprising a tube of a solid electrolyte. An outer electrode is provided on an outside of the tube and an inner electrode is provided in the inside of the tube. A ring formed of an electrically conducting material is mounted to the tube and is electrically connected to the tube. The ring has a first surface intended to be mountable to and slidingly engageable with a substantially complementary shaped second surface of a wall of a conduit means to supply a gaseous consumable to an interior of the tube or to carry gas from the interior. The mounting of the ring to and the engaging of the ring with the second surface is to provide an electrical connection between the fuel cell element and the conduit means.

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell (4) operated at about 800° C.; has a cathode supplied with oxygen along conduit (26) and an anode supplied along conduit (28) with a mixture of replacement fuel and spent anode gas. In the mixture, substantially 80% to 99% by volume of the mixture is spent anode gas. Spent anode gas leaves the cell along conduit (32) and comprises carbon dioxide and water vapour which is condensed out by condenser (34) leaving the spent anode gas richer in carbon dioxide. This enriched gas is pumped by pump (36) and bubbled at (56) into the liquid replacement fuel (50) in a reservoir (52) in which the stream of gas bubbles picks up the replacement fuel in its gaseous or vapour state from the liquid fuel bulk (50) to form the mixture which leaves the reservoir on the conduit (28) which includes desulfurisation unit (29).

Abstract: A small scale ceramic fuel cell system to which fuel gas is supplied through an injector which draws ambient air into the system. The air/fuel gas mixture is passed through a catalytic oxidation device which is thereby heated and heats a fuel cell. Air and fuel gas react at the fuel cell to generate an electrical output.

Abstract: A small scale ceramic fuel cell system to which fuel gas is supplied through an injector which draws ambient air into the system. The air/fuel gas mixture is passed through a catalytic oxidation device which is thereby heated and heats a fuel cell. Air and fuel gas react at the fuel cell to generate an electrical output.

Abstract: A small scale ceramic fuel cell system to which fuel gas is supplied through an injector which draws ambient air into the system. The air/fuel gas mixture is passed through a catalytic oxidation device which is thereby heated and heats a fuel cell. Air and fuel gas react at the fuel cell to generate an electrical output.

Abstract: Solid oxide fuel cell structures which are capable of relatively rapid temperature changes without cracking and which are simple to seal. In one arrangement, a tubular SOFC structure comprises a self-supporting extruded tube of zirconium oxide with inner and outer electrodes. The tube may have an outside diameter of from, for example, 1 to 5 mm and a wall thickness of from, for example, 50 to 200 microns. In an alternative arrangement, a simple gas type planar interconnect for a planar SOFC is provided in the form of a sheet of ceramic material having electrically conducting bodies of ceramic material embedded in it so as to provide an electrical path through the sheet. To avoid edge sealing problems, fuel gas and air may be delivered to a stacked SOFC structure through tubes extending between adjacent cell sub-assemblies such that the gas is delivered to a central portion of each anode of the cell stack and flows outwards towards the edges of the stack.

Abstract: Process for producing a layered ceramic product which includes sintering layers of sinterable particulate ceramic material while in face-to-face contact. Before such contact, the surface of at least one of the layers is modified to provide a zone of weakness between the layers. This zone acts to deflect a crack propagating across the layers thereby increasing the work required to break the product. The product may also have improved fracture toughness.

Abstract: A process for the production of a shaped article of a ceramic material in which a composition comprising particulate ceramic material and a liquid medium is shaped, the liquid medium is removed from the shaped composition, and the composition is heated to sinter the particles of ceramic material in which the composition is subjected to high shear mixing such that in the shaped article which is produced the mean maximum size of flaw is less than 25 microns. Also, a shaped article of sintered particulate ceramic material in which the mean maximum size of flaw is less than 25 microns and in which the minimum dimension of the shaped article is in excess of 0.1 mm.

Abstract: A composite membrane comprising one or more domains of an electrolyte material and one or more domains of an electronically conducting interconnect material, said electrolyte domain(s) and said interconnect domain(s) traversing the thickness of the membrane so that the membrane comprises contact surfaces for the or each electrolyte domain and the or each interconnect domain on both major faces thereof. Also claimed is an electrochemical cell comprising the composite membrane and having one or more anodes arranged on one major face and one or more cathodes arranged on the other major face of the membrane.

Abstract: A process for producing a dried particulate ceramic material in which a cake comprising a dispersion of at least 25% by volume of particulate ceramic material in a liquid medium is subjected to rapid drying. Also, a dried particulate ceramic material which may be dispersed in a liquid medium to form a dispersion containing at most only a small proportion of aggregates of the primary particles of the ceramic material.

Abstract: Reforming a hydrocarbon, or hydrocarbon derivative, feedstock with steam and/or carbon dioxide using saddle shaped units made of a low silica calcium aluminate cement composition as the catalyst support. The support preferably has a surface area of at least 0.5 m.sup.2 g.sup.-1 and a pore volume of at least 0.1 cm.sup.3 g.sup.-1.

Abstract: A homogeneous composition comprising(1) at least one particulate ceramic material, and(2) a liquid medium, in which the composition comprises at least 50% by volume of particulate ceramic material, in which the particulate ceramic material and liquid medium are selected such that a test composition has a friction coefficient of less than 0.2, and in which the particulate ceramic material has a mean aspect ratio of less than 1.70, a shaped article produced from the composition, a shaped article from which the liquid medium has been removed, and a product in which the particles of ceramic material have been sintered.

Abstract: A cementitious composition comprising hydraulic cement, not more than 25% of water by weight of the composition, and water soluble or dispersible (co)polymer in a proportion of 1 to 15% by weight of the hydraulic cement in the composition, the cement and (co)polymer being selected such that a test composition comprising 100 parts by weight of cement, 5 parts by weight of (co)polymer, and 16 parts by weight of water when extruded in a capillary rheometer undergoes an increase of at least 25% in shear stress when a ten-fold increase in the shear rate of the test composition from the capillary of the rheometer is effected. Also a cementitious product produced by setting of the composition. The (co)polymer is preferably a partially hydrolyzed poly (vinyl acetate). The cementitious product may have a flexural strength in excess of 100 MPa.

Abstract: A cementitious composition comprising(a) at least one hydraulic cement,(b) water,(c) at least one polymeric water-soluble or water-dispersible additive which is capable of aiding in the processing of the composition, and(d) at least one particulate material insoluble in the composition and having an ultimate particle size of less than 0.1 micron,and a cement product produced therefrom.

Abstract: A hydraulic cement characterized by the particle size distribution of the hydraulic cement being multi-modal, preferably bimodal or trimodal, and in which preferably there are present two or more distinct bands or modes of particle sizes and in which the total weight of particles of intermediate size does not exceed 20% of the total weight of the particles in the bands or modes adjacent thereto, and a cement composition comprising the hydraulic cement and not greater than 25% of water by weight of the hydraulic cement.

Abstract: A cementitious product produced by setting of a composition comprising a mixture of at least one hydraulic cement and water not more than 2% of the total volume of the product comprising pores of maximum dimension exceeding 100 microns and preferably not more than 2% of the total volume comprising pores exceeding 15 microns in maximum dimension, the product preferably having a flexural strength of at least 40 MPa.