Abstract: A polymeric composite useful for producing large shaped articles such as railroad crossties comprises a filler component having minimal reinforcing/structural characteristics; and a polymer blend including at least one polymeric stiffening component, at least one polymeric density component, and at least one polymeric flexibility component. The polymer blend can include post-consumer recycled thermoplastic polymers. To produce the composite, a multistage extruder brings a blend of polymer and filler materials to an extrudable threshold without completely liquefying the polymer blend. The extruded blend is cooled within a mold to form a shaped article such as a recycled composite crosstie. Exemplary recycled composite mixtures may include composite polymer materials, such as, polypropylene, High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (HMW), Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE), ABS, Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA), Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE), and combinations of these polymers.

Abstract: A polymeric composite useful for producing large shaped articles such as railroad crossties comprises a filler component having minimal reinforcing/structural characteristics; and a polymer blend including at least one polymeric stiffening component, at least one polymeric density component, and at least one polymeric flexibility component. The polymer blend can include post-consumer recycled thermoplastic polymers. To produce the composite, a multistage extruder brings a blend of polymer and filler materials to an extrudable threshold without completely liquefying the polymer blend. The extruded blend is cooled within a mold to form a shaped article such as a recycled composite crosstie. Exemplary recycled composite mixtures may include composite polymer materials, such as, polypropylene, High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (HMW), Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE), ABS, Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA), Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE), and combinations of these polymers.

Abstract: A polymeric composite useful for producing large shaped articles such as railroad crossties comprisesa filler component having minimal reinforcing/structural characteristics; and a polymer blend including at least one polymeric stiffening component, at least one polymeric density component, and at least one polymeric flexibility component. The polymer blend can include post-consumer recycled thermoplastic polymers. To produce the composite, a multistage extruder brings a blend of polymer and filler materials to an extrudable threshold without completely liquefying the polymer blend. The extruded blend is cooled within a mold to form a shaped article such as a recycled composite crosstie. Exemplary recycled composite mixtures may include composite polymer materials, such as, polypropylene, High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (HMW), Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE), ABS, Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA), Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE), and combinations of these polymers.

Abstract: A method of separating a lighter gas from heavier gases. A series of pumps is used. A gas to be separated out from a mixture of gases is introduced at an exhaust port of one of the pumps, with the lighter gas among them traveling upstream into a container.

Abstract: Vacuum gauge that detects and measures the partial pressure of a gas in a chamber, from pressures ranging from atmospheric to ultra-high vacuum. The gauge utilizes electromagnetic radiation, that is generated in the vacuum chamber by a electromagnetic radiation source. When the partial pressure of water vapor is being measured, the light source used emits low wavelength UV light in the 184 and 254 nanometer range. For other gases, different light sources emitting different UV wavelengths or different electromagnetic radiation are used. The electromagnetic radiation traverses the interior of the vacuum chamber, and impinges upon a detector. As this light passes through the interior space between the source and the detector, it strikes the particular, residual gas molecules that are being detected. These impacts scatter the light and/or absorb the light, so that there is less photonic energy striking the detector.

Abstract: A bulk getter-pump, consisting primarily of large beds of heated getter-material for use in pumping down in a high-vacuum environment. The pump is designed for applications now are served by turbo, cryo, diffusion, and ion pumps. The pump consists of a meshed cage filled with bulk getter-material pellets, which cage is housed in a housing coupled to a conduit of a vacuum chamber, so that the bulk getter-material is exposed to the interior of the vacuum chamber. In use, a roughing pump is first used to bring the chamber down to a pressure of about 10.sup.3 torr, and then the bulk getter-pump of the invention is operatively coupled to the chamber for sorbing gases, in order to reach a high vacuum.

Abstract: A bulk getter-pump, consisting primarily of large beds of heated getter-material for use in pumping down a vacuum chamber to a rough vacuum. The pump is designed for applications now are served by turbo, cryo, diffusion, and ion pumps. The pump consists of a meshed cage filled with bulk getter-material pellets, which cage is housed in a housing coupled to a conduit of a vacuum chamber, so that the bulk getter-material is exposed to the interior of the vacuum chamber. In use, a roughing pump is first used to bring the chamber down to a pressure of about 2 torr, and then the bulk getter-pump of the invention is operatively coupled to the chamber for sorbing gases, in order to reach a desired vacuum.

Abstract: A method of separating a lighter gas from heavier gases, in which a molecular drag pump is used. A series of support pumps are connected to the exhaust port of the molecular drag pump. A gas to be separated out from a mixture of gases is introduced at an exhaust port of one of the pumps, with the lighter gas among them traveling upstream through the molecular drag pump, into a container.

Abstract: A leak-detection system for vacuum vessels and containers. A probe gas, such as helium, is detected flowing out of leaks in the vacuum vessel by directing such leaks to the exhaust of a molecular drap pump providing a high vacuum to a mass spectrometer's detection chamber. The probe gas is injected with dynamic flow having turbulent, laminar and transitional flow-characteristics. The helium flows rearwardly through the molecular drag pump by the process of cavitation and dynamic mixing until it is tranformed into molecular flow and directed to the detection chamber of the mass spectrometer for detection. A series of support pumps back up the molecular drag pump, between any two of which gross probe gas leaks may be introduced. The system of the invention has application to pure gas separation of one gas from a heavier gas.

Abstract: A method of desorbing water vapor molecules from the interior wall surfaces of a vacuum chamber by irradiating the inner wall surface by ultraviolet radiation. During the irradiation of the inner wall surfaces by the ultraviolet radiation, the vacuum chamber is kept under vacuum. The wavelength of the ultraviolet radiation is preferably a combination of two basic wavelengths: a first wavelength of 183 nanometers, and a second wavelength 254 nanometers. The ultraviolet radiation source is a conventional ultraviolet lamp. The lamp is connected to an exterior power source. After radiation the inner wall surface of the vacuum chamber with ultraviolet radiation, the desorbed water molecules are pumped away by the pumps of the vacuum system. Any wavelength falling within the ultraviolet band of the spectrum may be used for irradiating the inner wall surfaces of the vacuum chamber.