Abstract: Methods of firing ceramic honeycomb bodies are disclosed that include heating the ceramic honeycomb bodies and blocking furnace gases from flowing through the ceramic honeycomb body by placing an aluminum metal layer adjacent an endface of the honeycomb body. Heating removes organic pore-forming material and graphite pore-forming material in the ceramic honeycomb body. The aluminum metal layer oxidizes to form a porous Al2O3 layer after firing to a first temperature, and furnace gases flow through the ceramic honeycomb body.

Abstract: Methods of firing ceramic-forming honeycomb bodies are disclosed that include heating the honeycomb bodies and blocking furnace gases from flowing through the honeycomb body by placing a layer selected from the group consisting of a graphite layer, a graphite-containing layer, an activated carbon layer, or an amorphous carbon layer adjacent an endface of the honeycomb body. Heating removes organic pore-forming material and graphite pore-forming material in the honeycomb body. The layer oxidizes to form a porous layer after firing to a first temperature, and furnace gases flow through the honeycomb body.

Abstract: Methods of producing a ceramic article include heating the ceramic green body containing a quantity of one or more organic materials to extract only a fraction of the organic materials from the ceramic green body by exposing the ceramic green body to a process atmosphere which is heated to a hold temperature of from 225° C. to about 400° C. and has from 2% to 7% O2 by volume of the process atmosphere. The method further includes cooling the ceramic green body to a temperature of below 200° C., exposing the ceramic green body to a higher concentration of O2 than in the process atmosphere of the heating step, and firing the ceramic green body to form the ceramic article. Volatile extraction units for implementing the methods are also described.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to porous ceramic materials and porous ceramic articles, including honeycomb structure bodies and porous ceramic filters comprised of plugged honeycomb bodies. In various embodiments, a particulate filter is disclosed herein, such as suitable as a gasoline particulate filter (GPF) for use with a gasoline engine and treating its exhaust, and/or such as a diesel particulate filter (DPF) suitable for use with a diesel engine and treating its exhaust.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to porous ceramic compositions and porous ceramic articles, such as honeycomb structure bodies and porous ceramic filters. In various embodiments, a particulate filter is disclosed herein; in some of these embodiments, the particulate filter is a gasoline particulate filter (GPF) and is suitable for use with a gasoline engine and treating its exhaust, and in some of the embodiments, the particulate filter is a diesel particulate filter (DPF) and is suitable for use with a diesel engine and treating its exhaust.

Abstract: Methods of producing a ceramic article include heating the ceramic green body containing a quantity of one or more organic materials to extract only a fraction of the organic materials from the ceramic green body by exposing the ceramic green body to a process atmosphere which is heated to a hold temperature of from 225° C. to about 400° C. and has from 2% to 7% O2 by volume of the process atmosphere. The method further includes cooling the ceramic green body to a temperature of below 200° C., exposing the ceramic green body to a higher concentration of O2 than in the process atmosphere of the heating step, and firing the ceramic green body to form the ceramic article. Volatile extraction units for implementing the methods are also described.

Abstract: According to certain aspects, a wrapped green body carrier for a green body includes side supports and moveable supports mounted to the side supports. Each of the moveable supports includes an inner end configured to move relative to the side supports. The green body carrier includes a flexible sheet attached to and suspended from each inner end of the moveable supports. The inner ends of the moveable supports are configured to move inward to wrap the flexible sheet around at least a portion of the green body (e.g., more than 180°). Accordingly, the wrapped green body carrier supports a large circumference of the green body and accommodates large deviations in shape and/or diameter. In certain embodiments, the flexible sheet includes radiation coupling material or radiation blocking material so that wrapping the flexible sheet around the green body improves uniformity during microwave drying.

Abstract: Methods of firing ceramic honeycomb bodies are disclosed that include placing refractory particles on and end face of the green ceramic honeycomb body, and heating the green ceramic honeycomb body to a temperature of at least 600° C. to form a fired ceramic honeycomb body. The refractory particles prevents sticking of honeycomb-to-honeycomb during firing. A layer of refractory particles can also be used to replace a green cookie.

Abstract: Methods of firing ceramic honeycomb bodies are disclosed that include heating the ceramic honeycomb bodies and blocking furnace gases from flowing through the ceramic honeycomb body by placing an aluminum metal layer adjacent an endface of the honeycomb body. Heating removes organic pore-forming material and graphite pore-forming material in the ceramic honeycomb body. The aluminum metal layer oxidizes to form a porous Al2O3 layer after firing to a first temperature, and furnace gases flow through the ceramic honeycomb body.

Abstract: Methods of firing ceramic-forming honeycomb bodies are disclosed that include heating the honeycomb bodies and blocking furnace gases from flowing through the honeycomb body by placing a layer selected from the group consisting of a graphite layer, a graphite-containing layer, an activated carbon layer, or an amorphous carbon layer adjacent an endface of the honeycomb body. Heating removes organic pore-forming material and graphite pore-forming material in the honeycomb body. The layer oxidizes to form a porous layer after firing to a first temperature, and furnace gases flow through the honeycomb body.

Abstract: Methods of producing a ceramic article include heating the ceramic green body containing a quantity of one or more organic materials to extract only a fraction of the organic materials from the ceramic green body by exposing the ceramic green body to a process atmosphere which is heated to a hold temperature of from 225° C. to about 400° C. and has from 2% to 7% O2 by volume of the process atmosphere. The method further includes cooling the ceramic green body to a temperature of below 200° C., exposing the ceramic green body to a higher concentration of O2 than in the process atmosphere of the heating step, and firing the ceramic green body to form the ceramic article. Volatile extraction units for implementing the methods are also described.

Abstract: A method for firing a ceramic honeycomb body including heating a green ceramic honeycomb body from a first temperature to a second temperature at a first heating rate and at a first oxygen level. Then, the green ceramic honeycomb body is heated from the second temperature to a third temperature at a second heating rate and at a second oxygen level. In this firing schedule, the second heating rate is greater than the first heating rate, and the second oxygen level is greater than the first oxygen level. Further, oxygen is introduced into the kiln to increase an oxygen level of the kiln from the first oxygen level to the second oxygen level near a peak of organic volatile release.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to porous ceramic compositions and porous ceramic articles, such as honeycomb structure bodies and porous ceramic filters. In various embodiments, a particulate filter is disclosed herein; in some of these embodiments, the particulate filter is a gasoline particulate filter (GPF) and is suitable for use with a gasoline engine and treating its exhaust, and in some of the embodiments, the particulate filter is a diesel particulate filter (DPF) and is suitable for use with a diesel engine and treating its exhaust.

Abstract: A method for firing a green honeycomb ceramic body in a kiln may include heating the green honeycomb ceramic body in four stages. The first stage may include heating the green honeycomb ceramic body from room temperature to a first temperature that at a first heating rate that is greater than or equal to about 75° C./hr. The second stage may include heating the green honeycomb ceramic body from the first temperature to a second temperature at a second heating rate that is less than or equal to the first heating rate. The third stage may include heating the green honeycomb ceramic body from the second temperature to a hold temperature at a third heating rate that is less than or equal to the first heating rate. The fourth stage may include holding the green honeycomb ceramic body at the hold temperature to remove residual carbon.

Abstract: A method for firing a ceramic honeycomb body including heating a green ceramic honeycomb body from a first temperature to a second temperature at a first heating rate and at a first oxygen level. Then, the green ceramic honeycomb body is heated from the second temperature to a third temperature at a second heating rate and at a second oxygen level. In this firing schedule, the second heating rate is greater than the first heating rate, and the second oxygen level is greater than the first oxygen level. Further, oxygen is introduced into the kiln to increase an oxygen level of the kiln from the first oxygen level to the second oxygen level near a peak of organic volatile release.

Abstract: A method for firing a green honeycomb ceramic body in a kiln may include heating the green honeycomb ceramic body in four stages. The first stage may include heating the green honeycomb ceramic body from room temperature to a first temperature that at a first heating rate that is greater than or equal to about 75° C./hr. The second stage may include heating the green honeycomb ceramic body from the first temperature to a second temperature at a second heating rate that is less than or equal to the first heating rate. The third stage may include heating the green honeycomb ceramic body from the second temperature to a hold temperature at a third heating rate that is less than or equal to the first heating rate. The fourth stage may include holding the green honeycomb ceramic body at the hold temperature to remove residual carbon.

Abstract: A method is provided for operating a directly actuated valve that comprises a strain-type actuator to actuate a valve member to travel between a closed position and an open position, the method comprising transmitting displacements from the strain-type actuator to the valve member, maintaining a compressive stress on the actuator that is greater than a predetermined minimum stress by applying a pre-load compressive stress and limiting to less than predetermined limits at least one of: (a) acceleration and deceleration of the valve member when moving between open positions and the closed position; and (b) velocity of said valve member immediately before contacting the valve seat.

Abstract: A system and method are described for recognizing repeated audio material within at least one media stream without prior knowledge of the nature of the repeated material. The system and method are able to create a screening database from the media stream or streams. An unknown sample audio fragment is taken from the media stream and compared against the screening database to find if there are matching fragments within the media streams by determining if the unknown sample matches any samples in the screening database.

Abstract: Cellular ceramic green bodies are debindered in a heated circulating oxygen-containing atmosphere while being supported on a plurality of flow-restricting support members for selectively restricting circulation of the atmosphere through cellular core sections of the bodies, and while allowing for a free circulation of the atmosphere past the support members and green bodies.

Abstract: A method is provided for operating a directly actuated valve that comprises a strain-type actuator to actuate a valve member to travel between a closed position and an open position, the method comprising transmitting displacements from the strain-type actuator to the valve member, maintaining a compressive stress on the actuator that is greater than a predetermined minimum stress by applying a pre-load compressive stress and limiting to less than predetermined limits at least one of: (a) acceleration and deceleration of the valve member when moving between open positions and the closed position; and (b) velocity of said valve member immediately before contacting the valve seat.