Abstract: An absorption refrigeration system (ARS), includes a sorbent-refrigerant pair that has an ionic liquid (IL) sorbent and a refrigerant that displays a lower critical lower critical solution temperature (LCST) at a temperature of 50 to 100° C., wherein the separation of the sorbent from the refrigerant occurs upon heating the sorbent-refrigerant pair to a temperature above the LCST. This liquid-liquid phase separation requires significantly less energy to desorb the refrigerant from the sorbent than vapor-liquid phase separation in traditional ABSs.

Abstract: An absorption based heater is constructed on a fluid barrier heat exchanging plate such that it requires little space in a structure. The absorption based heater has a desorber, heat exchanger, and absorber sequentially placed on the fluid barrier heat exchanging plate. The vapor exchange faces of the desorber and the absorber are covered by a vapor permeable membrane that is permeable to a refrigerant vapor but impermeable to an absorbent. A process fluid flows on the side of the fluid barrier heat exchanging plate opposite the vapor exchange face through the absorber and subsequently through the heat exchanger. The absorption based heater can include a second plate with a condenser situated parallel to the fluid barrier heat exchanging plate and opposing the desorber for condensation of the refrigerant for additional heating of the process fluid.

Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for electrokinetic dewatering of suspensions such as, e.g., phosphatic clay. In one example, among others, a system for continuous dewatering includes a cake formation zone including a first anode and a first cathode each extending across a first portion of a separation chamber; a cake dewatering zone including a second anode and a second cathode; an inlet configured to supply a dilute feed suspension comprising solids suspended in water to the cake formation zone; and a conveying belt extending between the first anode and the first cathode and between the second anode and the second cathode. A first electric field between the first anode and the first cathode forms a cake on the conveying belt by consolidating the solids, and a second electric field between the second anode and the second cathode dewaters the cake on the conveying belt.

Abstract: An absorption based heater is constructed on a fluid barrier heat exchanging plate such that it requires little space in a structure. The absorption based heater has a desorber, heat exchanger, and absorber sequentially placed on the fluid barrier heat exchanging plate. The vapor exchange faces of the desorber and the absorber are covered by a vapor permeable membrane that is permeable to a refrigerant vapor but impermeable to an absorbent. A process fluid flows on the side of the fluid barrier heat exchanging plate opposite the vapor exchange face through the absorber and subsequently through the heat exchanger. The absorption based heater can include a second plate with a condenser situated parallel to the fluid barrier heat exchanging plate and opposing the desorber for condensation of the refrigerant for additional heating of the process fluid.

Abstract: Techniques for forming an electronic device having a ferroelectric film are described. The electronic device comprises a ferroelectric material having one or more crystalline structures. The one or more crystalline structures may comprise hafnium, oxygen, and one or more dopants. The one or more dopants are distributed in the ferroelectric material to form a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer. The second layer is positioned between the first layer and the third layer. Distribution of one or more dopants within the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer may promote a crystalline structure to have an orthorhombic phase.

Abstract: An exchanger for absorption or desorption of a refrigerant employs an ultra thin film (UTF) of a refrigerant solution constrained to a channel by a permeable membrane. The UTF has a thickness of about 250 ?m or less. The permeable membrane can be a nanostructured membrane, such as a membrane of nanofibers. The exchangers can be employed in an absorption refrigeration system (ARS) that use waste heat or solar heaters permitting the ARS to be less than one tenth the volume and mass of a conventional ARS.

Abstract: An absorption cycle system, which permits water heating, dehumidifying, and/or evaporative cooling, includes a desorber, absorber, heat exchanger, and, optionally, an evaporator, is constructed to heat a process water that is plumbed through the absorber, heat exchanger, and condenser. In the absence or isolation of the evaporator, the system can dehumidify ambient air to the absorber. The water vapor released by evaporative cooling at the evaporator can be provided to the absorber in a controlled manner to simultaneously maintain a desired humidity while cooling the air ambient by the evaporator. The absorption cycle system can be housed within a single unit or can be compartmentalized.

Abstract: An absorber or desorber contains one or more micro-channels that have a 3-D structured heat-exchanging surface and a membrane on the microchannel situated distal to the 3-D structured heat-exchanging surface, where the membrane is permeable to a solvent of a solution employed in the absorber or desorber. The 3-D structured surface promotes mixing of hot and cold solution between the 3-D structured heat-exchanging surface and a vapor-exchanging surface proximal to the membrane. The mixing reduces the differences in concentration and temperature of the bulk solution and the solution at the vapor-exchanging surface to enhance the efficiency and rate of absorption or desorption of the solvent.

Abstract: A high efficiency heat sink for the cooling of microelectronic devices involves a phase change from liquid fluid to fluid vapor with a vapor quality of 100%. The liquid fluid is provided to an active area that contains fins having micrometer dimension that support a membrane that is nanoporous. The membrane is effectively impermeable to liquid fluid but permeable to fluid vapor. The heat sink provides very high heat flux and coefficient of heat transfer at low mass flux over a broad range of surface superheat temperatures. The heat sink can be constructed of equi-spaced posts that separate liquid microchannels from vapor microchannels that are connected through capillary forced valves formed between adjacent equi-spaced posts.

Abstract: A proton exchange membrane (PEM) for use in a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) is a laminate of graphene oxide (GO) or sulfonated graphene oxide (SGO) platelets. The mean size of the platelets is at least 10 ?m in diameter and the platelets are combined as a laminate. By use of sufficiently large platelets, the stability of the PEM and the resistance to methanol permeation is improved dramatically with little penalty to the proton conductivity of the GO or SGO PEM. The methanol resistant PEM permits the use of higher methanol concentrations at the anode of a DMFC, for high cell performance.

Abstract: An exchanger for absorption or desorption of a refrigerant employs an ultra thin film (UTF) of a refrigerant solution constrained to a channel by a permeable membrane. The UTF has a thickness of about 250 ?m or less. The permeable membrane can be a nanostructured membrane, such as a membrane of nanofibers. The exchangers can be employed in an absorption refrigeration system (ARS) that use waste heat or solar heaters permitting the ARS to be less than one tenth the volume and mass of a conventional ARS.

Abstract: A mechanism and method for directly observing data from which the thermal emissivity or absorptivity of a surface can be calculated. The invention teaches the use of a substantially planar heat-flux or heat-flow sensor employing a thermopile, to measure the rate of heat dissipation from a radiating surface thermally attached to one side of the heat-flux sensor where the radiating surface is exposed to a first temperature and where the second side of the heat flux sensor is in thermal contact with a heat source at a second higher temperature.

Abstract: A liquid cooled heat sink for cooling integrated and power modules. The heat sink is formed of a Diamond, Silicon Carbide composite and is provided with heat transfer facilitating fins and an enclosure for routing the cooling liquid into heat transfer contact with the heat sink and its fins.

Abstract: Cooling means for a heated surface comprising an enclosure for enclosing the heated surface and two oppositely charged interleaved radial arrays of microelectrodes positioned on the surface within the enclosure. The combined arrays have a closely spaced end and a periphery end. A volatile cooling liquid is contained in a reservoir within the enclosure but separate from the array. A slit-type restrictor is positioned between the reservoir and the array to restrict liquid flow from the reservoir toward the array. A portion of the closely spaced end of the array is positioned within the slit whereby the pumping action of the array draws only the amount of volatile liquid along the electrodes needed to form a thin evaporating film over the array area. The vapor from the thin film evaporator flows to a condenser where it is cooled, condensed to a liquid and returned to the liquid reservoir.

Abstract: Means for cooling a heated surface comprising an enclosure for enclosing the heated surface and two interleaved radial arrays of micro electrodes positioned on the surface within the enclosure thereby forming an interleaved radial array. The radial array has a ‘near-vertex’ end and a periphery. The micro electrodes at the near-vertex end have a smaller interelectrode distance and the micro electrodes at the periphery have a larger interelectrode distance. A volatile cooling liquid is contained within the enclosure and moved from the near-vertex array end toward the periphery along the lengths of micro electrodes by non-alternating voltages applied to the micro electrodes, thereby creating a polarization effect and evaporation of the volatile liquid.