Abstract: Aerosols can be created by filament stretching and breaking of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids by applying a strain to and stretching the fluid. The fluid is stretched along a strain pathway and forms a fluid filament between diverging surfaces. The stretched fluid filament breaks into droplets that can be harvested to form a mist or aerosol. The aerosol creation systems can include one or more pairs of counter-rotating rollers that are positioned adjacent to each other that stretch the fluid or a pair of pistons that move toward and away from each other to stretch the fluid. Some aerosol creation systems can include multiple pairs of counter-rotating rollers that are positioned in a circular, oval, or linear pattern. The aerosol creation system with multiple pairs of counter-rotating rollers can generate mist is one or more directions and can be positioned between two concentric rings or linearly, among other configurations.

Abstract: The disclosed spray deposition systems and methods use spray charging and discharging techniques to assist with digital deposition of spray droplets on a substrate. For example, the disclosed systems and methods have a charging system that generates spray droplets from a spray generator and charges the droplets. Focusing electrodes help to collimate the droplets into a tight droplet stream and, optionally, steering electrodes help direct the tight droplet stream. A charge removal system neutralizes or removes the charge from the droplets, either during the deposition of the droplets on a substrate or after the droplets have been deposited on a substrate.

Abstract: A print head includes an inlet port that receives a flow of a phase-change ink and an outlet port that delivers the flow to a jet. The print head includes a flow path along a flow direction from the inlet port to the outlet port. The flow path has top and bottom planar surfaces, and further includes two or more elongated grooves in at least one of the top and bottom planar surfaces. The two or more elongated grooves are at an angle to the flow direction and have a threshold capillary dimension such that bubbles in the phase-change ink are directed along the elongated grooves.

Abstract: The techniques described are applied for trapping particles within a partially enclosed region of a reservoir of a printer head using thermal gradients and buoyant flows within the ink contained in the reservoir. One disclosed embodiment includes a reservoir for an ink jet printer that has a plurality of walls and a cavity. The plurality of walls include at least a first wall and a second wall. During operation, the first wall is provided with a temperature differential with respect to the second wall. The cavity is formed by the plurality of walls and operationally retains an ink of the ink jet printer. The cavity has a partially enclosed region that communicates with a remainder of the cavity. The partially enclosed region is adapted to retain particles that have separated from the ink.

Abstract: Aerosols can be created by filament stretching and breaking of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids by applying a strain to and stretching the fluid. The fluid is stretched along a strain pathway and forms a fluid filament between diverging surfaces. The stretched fluid filament breaks into droplets that can be harvested to form a mist or aerosol. The aerosol creation systems can include one or more pairs of counter-rotating rollers that are positioned adjacent to each other that stretch the fluid or a pair of pistons that move toward and away from each other to stretch the fluid. Some aerosol creation systems can include multiple pairs of counter-rotating rollers that are positioned in a circular, oval, or linear pattern. The aerosol creation system with multiple pairs of counter-rotating rollers can generate mist is one or more directions and can be positioned between two concentric rings or linearly, among other configurations.

Abstract: Aerosols can be created by filament stretching and breaking of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids by applying a strain to and stretching the fluid. The fluid is stretched along a strain pathway and forms a fluid filament between diverging surfaces. The stretched fluid filament breaks into droplets that can be harvested to form a mist or aerosol. The aerosol creation systems can include one or more pairs of counter-rotating rollers that are positioned adjacent to each other that stretch the fluid or a pair of pistons that move toward and away from each other to stretch the fluid. Some aerosol creation systems can include multiple pairs of counter-rotating rollers that are positioned in a circular, oval, or linear pattern. The aerosol creation system with multiple pairs of counter-rotating rollers can generate mist is one or more directions and can be positioned between two concentric rings or linearly, among other configurations.

Abstract: Aerosols can be created by filament stretching and breaking of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids by applying a strain to and stretching the fluid. The fluid is stretched along a strain pathway and forms a fluid filament between diverging surfaces. The stretched fluid filament breaks into droplets that can be harvested to form a mist or aerosol. The aerosol creation systems can include one or more pairs of counter-rotating rollers that are positioned adjacent to each other that stretch the fluid or a pair of pistons that move toward and away from each other to stretch the fluid. Some aerosol creation systems can include multiple pairs of counter-rotating rollers that are positioned in a circular, oval, or linear pattern. The aerosol creation system with multiple pairs of counter-rotating rollers can generate mist is one or more directions and can be positioned between two concentric rings or linearly, among other configurations.

Abstract: Energy usage data of an indoor climate control system, such as an HVAC system, for a building and ambient temperature data are obtained for a time period of interest with a time resolution that reflects the physically relevant time scales. The data are formed into time series. A fit of the data is performed, by setting the energy usage data as the independent variable to which the ambient temperature data is linearly fit. A fit could be, for instance, an ordinary least squares linear regression, a frequentist regression, a Bayesian regression, or a robust regression. The ambient temperature at the intercept of the fit where the energy usage equals zero is taken as the effective thermostat set point of the indoor climate control system and serves as a surrogate for the effective indoor temperature of the building.

Abstract: The techniques described are applied for trapping particles within a partially enclosed region of a reservoir of a printer head using thermal gradients and buoyant flows within the ink contained in the reservoir. One disclosed embodiment includes a reservoir for an ink jet printer that has a plurality of walls and a cavity. The plurality of walls include at least a first wall and a second wall. During operation, the first wall is provided with a temperature differential with respect to the second wall. The cavity is formed by the plurality of walls and operationally retains an ink of the ink jet printer. The cavity has a partially enclosed region that communicates with a remainder of the cavity. The partially enclosed region is adapted to retain particles that have separated from the ink.

Abstract: Polymer spray deposition systems and methods are disclosed that can be used with a wide range of thermoplastic materials to produce high resolution objects having the complexity and structural integrity typically only achieved using more traditional manufacturing techniques, like injection molding processes. The polymeric spray deposition systems and methods use a spray generator that stretches the fluid between two diverging surfaces, such as two rollers or between two pistons. The stretched fluid breaks apart into a plurality of droplets and is guided through a delivery system, that can include an optional droplet size selector, and into a multi-nozzle array. The multi-nozzle array is controlled and directs the spray onto a target surface, thereby creating a three-dimensional object. The disclosed polymer spray deposition systems and methods can be used in three-dimensional print heads and printing techniques.

Abstract: A print head includes an inlet port that receives a flow of a phase-change ink and an outlet port that delivers the flow to a jet. The print head includes a flow path along a flow direction from the inlet port to the outlet port. The flow path has top and bottom planar surfaces, and further includes two or more elongated grooves in at least one of the top and bottom planar surfaces. The two or more elongated grooves are at an angle to the flow direction and have a threshold capillary dimension such that bubbles in the phase-change ink are directed along the elongated grooves.

Abstract: Aerosols can be created by filament stretching and breaking of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids by applying a strain to and stretching the fluid. The fluid is stretched along a strain pathway and forms a fluid filament. The fluid filament is caused to break into droplets that can be harvested to form a mist or aerosol. Such a system for aerosol creation can include a pair of counter-rotating rollers that are positioned adjacent to each other that stretch the fluid or a pair of pistons that move toward and away from each other to stretch the fluid.

Abstract: Aerosols can be created by filament stretching and breaking of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids by applying a strain to and stretching the fluid. The fluid is stretched along a strain pathway and forms a fluid filament. The fluid filament is caused to break into droplets that can be harvested to form a mist or aerosol. Such a system for aerosol creation can include a pair of counter-rotating rollers that are positioned adjacent to each other that stretch the fluid or a pair of pistons that move toward and away from each other to stretch the fluid.

Abstract: A user of a verification system registers directly at the verification system web site or by proxy at the time of engaging in an e-transaction through a vendor's web site. Upon registration, the user provides personal information in a secure environment. The verification system checks the database to cross-reference the user-provided information with the government-certified, or non-government certified data stored in the verification system databases. The verification system then creates a unique identifier and a digital identification badge. The user inputs the unique identifier into the system at the start of an e-transaction and the digital identification badge is securely transmitted from the verification system to the vendor in response to the unique identifier. The vendor decrypts the digital identification badge to confirm that the user is authorized to make a particular e-transaction.