Abstract: A method for providing adaptive radio transmit power based on antenna pattern and elevation tilt measured through an accelerometer is provided. The method includes estimating an orientation of a wireless device using an orientation sensor integrated in or on the wireless device, and determining an adjustment factor for a transmitter of the wireless device based on the orientation. The method further includes adjusting output power of the transmitter of the wireless device based on the adjustment factor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for measuring the load measuring rolling element deformity of rolling element bearings as a result of applied loads by providing a load measuring rolling element in a bore of a rolling element bearing, defining a fluid cavity about a central shaft and first and second end seal means. The fluid cavity is in continuous communication with a fluid conduit, the fluid conduit in communication with an external volumetric liquid measuring means. When the rotating bearing is placed under dynamic loading, the rolling element will distort and the applied load is a function of the amount of distortion of the rolling element, i.e., the fluid cavity thus producing a correlated volumetric change of the amount of fluid contained in the fluid cavity. The load measuring apparatus is calibrated to provide the measurement of three-dimensional loading and averaging of loading along the rotating bearing axis.

Abstract: A method for measuring the weight of a suspended load, such as the bucket of a dragline, is disclosed. The method incorporates visual observations by a person such as a test engineer, or the operator of the dragline. During a dig cycle, once the steady state operation of the hoist is achieved, sampling of parameters such as hoist motor armature and field currents, and hoist and drag rope lengths, is performed. Using the calculated values of the force applied to the load and the geometry determined by the various rope lengths, the weight of the suspended load is calculated for each sample in the dig cycle. The calculated weight data may be accepted or rejected based upon the presence of dynamic factors observed by the test engineer or operator, or evident in the data. Calibration of certain values, such as the hoist efficiency, may take place on-site, rather than relying on theoretical or modeled values.

Abstract: A method for the recovery of a desired metal (e.g., copper) from its sulfide ore by reaction with process metal (e.g., aluminum) capable of forming at least a high sulfide and subsulfide compound. The aluminum subsulfide compound is reacted with the copper sulfide at a first temperature to reduce the copper to metal form and to convert the aluminum to the high sulfide form. Then, the copper metal is separated and the aluminum high sulfide may be reconverted to the subsulfide form by heating to a second higher temperature at which the low sulfide is stable. After separation of the reduced sulfur, the aluminum subsulfide is recycled to reduce additional copper metal without consumption of process metal. The procedure may also be used to reduce and separate two or more metal sulfides (e.g., CuFeS.sub.2) by selective reduction with controlled amounts of processed metal.

Abstract: An actinide nitride-fueled nuclear reactor and a method of operation therefor, including continuous in situ removal of fission products and optional addition of fuel-forming actinide material as the reaction proceeds. The reactor employed has a fuel system comprising a critical mass of a nitride of an actinide metal in contact with a non-critical solution of the actinide metal in a molten metal solvent of low neutron adsorption cross section such as tin, said fuel system being maintained under a nitrogen atmosphere in an inert, refractory vessel such as graphite which is non-conducive to the formation of actinide oxides. Fission products formed are continuously exchanged with the actinide metal dissolved in the molten metal solvent as the nuclear reaction proceeds, with equivalent amounts of actinide nitride being formed and precipitated into the critical mass as fission products are dissolved in the molten metal solution.

Abstract: A method for the separation of a light reactive metal (e.g., zirconium) from a heavy reactive metal (e.g., hafnium) by forming insoluble nitrides of the metals in a molten metal solvent (e.g., copper) inert to nitrogen and having a suitable density for the light metal nitride to form a separate phase in the upper portion of the solvent and for the heavy metal nitride to form a separate phase in the lower portion of the solvent. Nitriding is performed by maintaining a nitrogen-containing atmosphere over the bath. The light and heavy metals may be an oxide mixture and carbothermically reduced to metal form in the same bath used for nitriding. The nitrides are then separately removed and decomposed to form the desired separate metals.