Abstract: An improved fire-retarded insert for forming a fire and thermal barrier between the bottom of a fluted deck structure and the top-of-walls is disclosed. The fire-retardant insert comprises an elongated fire-retardant member and at least one intumescent member in contact with the top, bottom, side, or end surfaces of the fire-retardant member, or positioned within the interior of the fire-retardant member. The fire-retardant member and the intumescent member are circumscribed preferably by a thin flexible film, such as shrink-wrap, to fully encase the fire-retardant insert making the installation easier and safer.

Abstract: An autonomous lithium-ion cell balancing system with integrated voltage monitoring includes a lithium-ion battery having a plurality of cells, a cell balancing circuit and a cell balancing control circuit. The heart of the cell balancing circuit is a plurality of gated cell balancing converters that are connected with the battery cells and a common share bus. Each gated lithium-ion cell balancing converter receives and input drive voltage and an input sample voltage and transfers energy from highly charged lithium-ion cells to the less charged lithium-ion cells, forcing all cells to have the same energy level. Further, the gated cell balancing converter provides a telemetry output voltage analog to an input cell voltage, eliminating the need for a separate cell voltage monitor.

Abstract: An autonomous lithium-ion cell balancing system with integrated voltage monitoring includes a lithium-ion battery having a plurality of cells, a cell balancing circuit and a cell balancing control circuit. The heart of the cell balancing circuit is a plurality of gated cell balancing converters that are connected with the battery cells and a common share bus. Each gated lithium-ion cell balancing converter receives and input drive voltage and an input sample voltage and transfers energy from highly charged lithium-ion cells to the less charged lithium-ion cells, forcing all cells to have the same energy level. Further, the gated cell balancing converter provides a telemetry output voltage analog to an input cell voltage, eliminating the need for a separate cell voltage monitor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is described for removing acid gases, air toxics and/or other contaminants from a flue gas stream formed during the combustion of fossil fuel, and/or waste materials. The flue gas stream is conditioned immediately downstream of the combustion source with a finely atomized liquid which is preferably water. The water spray decreases the volume of the flue gas and cools the flue gas to condense air toxics or heavy metals on the baghouse fabric filters. Advantageously, this may utilize the alkalinity inherent in the fly ash component of the particulate to assist in the removal of acid gases and/or other contaminants via adsorption. Also, the conditioned gas reduces the flue gas volumetric flow rate and hence the size of the particulate collection device, and the cost of the fabric filter media.