Abstract: Composite assemblies are described that include composite spars that are co-cured with one or more sacrificial members on their flanges, forming an integrated sacrificial surface for the composite spars. In one embodiment, the composite assembly includes a composite spar having a web and flanges that project from sides of the web. The composite assembly further includes a sacrificial member of composite materials co-cured with the composite spar on an outer surface of at least one of the flanges. In addition, the sacrificial member has an outer surface that has been machined into conformance with an inner surface of at least one skin panel for an aircraft structure to form a contact surface with the at least one skin panel.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine system is described herein. The system uses a switching rail in combination with a first fuel rail to operate the internal combustion engine of the system. The first fuel rail receives the first fuel for combustion within one or more of the combustion cylinders of the internal combustion engine. The switching rails are configured to receive either the first fuel or a second fuel. A controller is used to operate a switching valve that, depending on the position of the switching valve, routes or directs either the second fuel or the first fuel from their respective fuel tanks. In a switching condition, such as startup, shutdown, or when the second fuel is not available, the controller can use the first fuel as the alternate source of fuel provided through the switching rail.

Abstract: Operating a gaseous fuel engine includes spark-igniting gaseous hydrogen fuel and air, and propagating combustion gases of the spark-ignited mixture outwardly from a spark gap. The propagating combustion gases are impinged upon a cone surface of a piston so as to limit a flame area of the propagating combustion gases. Additional gaseous hydrogen fuel and air is ignited in the combustion cylinder by way of the propagating combustion gases to urge a piston toward a bottom-dead-center position.

Abstract: Operating a gaseous fuel engine system includes combusting a mixture containing a gaseous hydrogen fuel and air in a cylinder of an engine, varying an operating parameter of the engine to which a crown surface temperature of a piston within the cylinder is responsive, and populating a temperature model based on a value of the varied operating parameter. Operating a gaseous fuel engine system further includes operating an oil spray apparatus to spray oil onto the piston based on the populated temperature model, and maintaining the crown surface temperature of the piston between a high temperature limit and a pre-ignition mitigation temperature limit based on the operating of the oil spray apparatus. Related apparatus and control logic is also disclosed.

Abstract: Operating a gaseous fuel engine system includes controlling at least one of a delivery location, a delivery timing, or in situ mixing of a gaseous fuel with air, based on at least one engine system parameter upon the basis of which a blowby amount of a gaseous fuel to a crankcase varies. Crankcase accumulation of the gaseous fuel is maintained below a flammability limit. Related apparatus and control logic is also disclosed.

Abstract: A dual fuel system for an internal combustion engine includes a first fuel supply of a liquid pilot fuel, a primary fuel supply of a liquid primary fuel, and a dual fuel injector. The dual fuel injector includes a spill valve fluidly connected with a plunger cavity and movable to control a start of injection and an end of injection, and an admission valve. The admission valve is movable to admit a pilot fuel into the fuel injector, such that the pilot fuel is conveyed through an outlet check to form, within a primary fuel passage fluidly connected to the plunger cavity, a segmented fuel charge of leading pilot fuel and trailing primary fuel by displacing some of the primary fuel. The liquid pilot fuel may be a higher cetane/lower octane liquid fuel, and the primary fuel may be a lower cetane/higher octane liquid fuel.

Abstract: Operating a gaseous fuel engine system includes controlling at least one of a delivery location, a delivery timing, or in situ mixing of a gaseous fuel with air, based on at least one engine system parameter upon the basis of which a blowby amount of a gaseous fuel to a crankcase varies. Crankcase accumulation of the gaseous fuel is maintained below a flammability limit. Related apparatus and control logic is also disclosed.

Abstract: An inert blanket system includes a reformer that produces hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide. The hydrogen gas is separated from the carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide is ported to a vapor region of a tank to reduce the flammability of the gases in the vapor region of the tank. Excess carbon dioxide is ported to an overflow system designed to store the excess carbon dioxide for future use or to sequester the carbon dioxide.

Abstract: A valve bridge to operatively interface with a rocker arm and a valve, and systems, assemblies, and methods thereof can comprise: a body, of the valve bridge, having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, a first leg of the valve bridge extending from the first side of the body, a second leg of the valve bridge extending from the first side of the body, and a third leg of the valve bridge extending from the first side of the body. A first pin can extend from an end of the first leg opposite the body, and a second pin can extend from an end of the second leg opposite the body.

Abstract: A novel outdoor workout station includes a platform, an exercise structure, and a canopy assembly. The exercise structure is disposed on and fixed to the platform, and the canopy assembly is disposed over both the exercise structure and the platform. The arrangement of support beams of the platform corresponds to a footprint of the exercise structure. In a particular embodiment, the platform includes adjustable legs that facilitate the leveling of the platform. In another particular embodiment, the canopy assembly is mounted directly to the platform.

Abstract: A dual fuel system for an internal combustion engine includes a first fuel supply of a liquid pilot fuel, a primary fuel supply of a liquid primary fuel, and a dual fuel injector. The dual fuel injector includes a spill valve fluidly connected with a plunger cavity and movable to control a start of injection and an end of injection, and an admission valve. The admission valve is movable to admit a pilot fuel into the fuel injector, such that the pilot fuel is conveyed through an outlet check to form, within a primary fuel passage fluidly connected to the plunger cavity, a segmented fuel charge of leading pilot fuel and trailing primary fuel by displacing some of the primary fuel. The liquid pilot fuel may be a higher cetane/lower octane liquid fuel, and the primary fuel may be a lower cetane/higher octane liquid fuel.

Abstract: Operating an engine system includes combusting a gaseous hydrogen fuel (H2) and a gaseous hydrocarbon fuel (HC) at a first substitution ratio in a cylinder in an engine, determining at least one of an H2 fueling command or an HC fueling command based on an H2 availability input and an H2 cost, and outputting the H2 fueling command and the HC fueling command to an H2 injector and an HC admission valve, respectively. Operating the engine system further includes combusting H2 and HC at a varied substitution ratio based on the H2 fueling command and the HC fueling command. At least one of the H2 fueling command or the HC fueling command may be based on a monitored CO2 exhaust level which may be used to populate a stored history of CO2 output.

Abstract: A valve bridge to operatively interface with a rocker arm and a valve, and systems, assemblies, and methods thereof can comprise: a body, of the valve bridge, having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, a first leg of the valve bridge extending from the first side of the body, a second leg of the valve bridge extending from the first side of the body, and a third leg of the valve bridge extending from the first side of the body. A first pin can extend from an end of the first leg opposite the body, and a second pin can extend from an end of the second leg opposite the body.

Abstract: Operating a gaseous fuel engine system includes spark-igniting a gaseous hydrogen fuel and air in a prechamber sparkplug to ignite a main charge containing gaseous hydrogen fuel and air in a cylinder. Operating the gaseous fuel engine system also includes determining a preignition condition and conveying cooling air to the prechamber sparkplug based on the preignition condition to limit preignition of gaseous hydrogen fuel and air in the prechamber sparkplug. Related apparatus and control logic is also disclosed.

Abstract: Operating a gaseous fuel engine includes spark-igniting gaseous hydrogen fuel and air, and propagating combustion gases of the spark-ignited mixture outwardly from a spark gap. The propagating combustion gases are impinged upon a cone surface of a piston so as to limit a flame area of the propagating combustion gases. Additional gaseous hydrogen fuel and air is ignited in the combustion cylinder by way of the propagating combustion gases to urge a piston toward a bottom-dead-center position.

Abstract: Operating a gaseous fuel engine system includes combusting a mixture containing a gaseous hydrogen fuel and air in a cylinder of an engine, varying an operating parameter of the engine to which a crown surface temperature of a piston within the cylinder is responsive, and populating a temperature model based on a value of the varied operating parameter. Operating a gaseous fuel engine system further includes operating an oil spray apparatus to spray oil onto the piston based on the populated temperature model, and maintaining the crown surface temperature of the piston between a high temperature limit and a pre-ignition mitigation temperature limit based on the operating of the oil spray apparatus. Related apparatus and control logic is also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a handle clamp for an exothermic mold. The clamp includes a pair of legs, each having a plurality of rods that are shaped to fit into engagement holes on sections of the mold. The rods of each leg engage with one section of the mold. Engagement brackets are rotatably disposed on one or more or the rods. The brackets each have a thumb bolt that can be extended toward a mold section connected with the clamp. When engaged with the mold section, the thumb bolt stabilizes the mold section on the handle. A detent mechanism is provided between the bracket and the leg of the handle. The detent mechanism releasably holds the bracket in one of a selected plurality of rotational positions with respect to the rod. By selecting different rotational positions for the brackets, the handle can be configured to engage with different configurations of mold. The thumb bolts that are biased toward the mold section by a spring. The bolts include a key that can be aligned or misaligned with a key slot on the bracket.

Abstract: A novel outdoor workout station includes a platform, an exercise structure, and a canopy assembly. The exercise structure is disposed on and fixed to the platform, and the canopy assembly is disposed over both the exercise structure and the platform. The arrangement of support beams of the platform corresponds to a footprint of the exercise structure. In a particular embodiment, the platform includes adjustable legs that facilitate the leveling of the platform. In another particular embodiment, the canopy assembly is mounted directly to the platform.

Abstract: A dual fuel system includes a liquid pilot fuel supply, a liquid main fuel supply, and a fuel injection apparatus. The dual fuel system further includes a fueling control unit coupled with a cylinder pressure sensor and a NOx sensor, and structured to vary, via outputting a fueling control command to a main fuel injection control valve, fuel delivery parameters each on the basis of at least one of a cylinder pressure parameter or a NOx parameter. The fueling control unit compensates via the varying fuel delivery parameters for a change to a liquid main fuel composition such as a change from a first alcohol fuel or blend to a second alcohol fuel or blend.

Abstract: A wearable device to assist with memory that includes a processor, a haptic output device, and a button. When a wearer of the device encounters a piece of information they want to remember but thinks they may forget (e.g. the name of someone they just met; a phone number; a coupon code; an address; a new word definition, etc.) they simply press the single button on the device. The single button press initiates a pre-set schedule of tactile reminders about that piece of information. The reminders are vibrational and/or haptic outputs triggered by the processor that come quickly at first, and then become more spaced out over time. The device beneficially assists users in implementing the empirically supported ‘spaced retrieval’ memory strategy—where spaced retrieval refers to a method of retrieving information at longer and longer intervals to aid memory retention for selected pieces of information.