Abstract: A gravity-flow water filter cartridge for use in a drinking water carafe or the like includes a high-surface area cyst reduction filter element disposed in a water-retaining reservoir within the cartridge; the reservoir retains sufficient water between filtering and during dispensing cycles to maintain the filter element in a fully immersed state, whereby the primed (air-free) condition of the filter necessary for fast gravity flow at high cyst reduction efficiency is maintained.

Abstract: A hybrid CMC laminate is comprised of alternating layers of dense ceramics and fiber reinforced CMCs. The strategy involves the use of strong and stiff ceramics in order to delay the onset of cracking within the CMC layers. To provide protection from mechanical abrasion, improve thermal conductivity and inhibit oxygen ingress into the CMC layer, ceramic layers are placed on the outer surfaces of laminate. The laminate is produced by stacking alternating layers of dense ceramic and binderless layers of fiber reinforced CMCs, and then hot-pressing them together. The volume fractions of the constituent layers and the fiber architecture can be readily varied through this process. Reinforcement architecture (unidirectional vs. crossply) and the relative volume fractions of the phases effects the tensile and flexural properties of the laminates.

Abstract: A hybrid CMC laminate is comprised of alternating layers of dense ceramics and fiber reinforced CMCs. The strategy involves the use of strong and stiff ceramics in order to delay the onset of cracking within the CMC layers. To provide protection from mechanical abrasion, improve thermal conductivity and inhibit oxygen ingress into the CMC layer, ceramic layers are placed on the outer surfaces of laminate. The laminate is produced by stacking alternating layers of dense ceramic and binderless layers of fiber reinforced CMCs, and then hot-pressing them together. The volume fractions of the constituent layers and the fiber architecture can be readily varied through this process. Reinforcement architecture (unidirectional vs. crossply) and the relative volume fractions of the phases effects the tensile and flexural properties of the laminates.

Abstract: Flow-through fluid heaters useful, e.g., for the preheating of exhaust gas streams prior to catalytic treatment thereof, are made by bonding an electrically conductive metallic film or foil to at least one pre-sintered flexible ceramic foil substrate to provide a flexible, electrically conductive ceramic/metallic heating element, that element then being formed into a crimped sheet or base sheet for incorporation into a honeycomb structure which includes a plurality of open channels extending from one surface of the structure to another surface of the structure, formed by one or more contacting combinations of crimped sheet and base sheet. Catalytic coatings may be applied to the preheaters to provide a heater/converter with very rapid light-off characteristics.