Abstract: A magnetic flux enhanced metal fuel combustion system and method for producing energy. The energy may be used to drive a water vessel such as a submarine. The system and method includes a ring-shaped coil of an electromagnet surrounding a combustion chamber. The electromagnet produces a magnetic flux within the combustion chamber that limits contact between charged combustion particles and the sidewalls of the chamber, thereby enhancing the combustion of metallic fuels.

Abstract: A metal fuel combustion system and method for producing energy. The energy may be used to drive a water vessel such as a submarine. The system and method comprises a combustion device having inner and outer combustion chambers. The metal fuel comprises aluminum, magnesium, and silicon, and is preferably in the form Mg2Al4Si5, and is preferably burnt using water as an oxidant. The byproduct of and the metal oxide byproduct is Mg2Al4Si5O18, which has an appearance and consistency similar to basaltic sea sand. In addition to the combustion device, the system may include additional energy producing elements such as fuel cells, thermoelectric cells, and photovoltaic cells.

Abstract: The present invention's unique utilization of an electrolytic solution renders more efficient the conduction of electricity between two objects (such as two parts of electrical or electromechanical machinery) in relative motion. According to typical inventive practice, the electrolytic solution is a “strong” electrolytic solution of a “dual-valance” nature, including two compatible solute compounds containing electron donor ions and electron acceptor ions. When inventively implemented at the current collector interface, the electrolytic solution serves to improve current transfer across the interface. During machine operation in which a brush (e.g., fiber brush) slidingly contacts a first machine part while being affixed to a second machine part, the inventive additive represents an auxiliary vehicle for conducting electrical current from one machine part to the other machine part.

Abstract: An integrated capacitor and inductor device for separate use as a capacitor and inductor. The device has a four-terminal arrangement having separate capacitor and inductor terminals, which allows connection as two independent circuit elements within one physical package. The device includes a hollow vessel having an exposed integrated capacitor element, in which the exposed integrated capacitor element comprises at least a portion of the hollow vessel. The device also includes a coil winding at least partially within the hollow vessel, electrically communicating with the integrated capacitor element. The integrated capacitor and inductor device may be configured in a plurality of shapes, using different materials to maximize the effects of electric and magnetic fields.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for degaussing a water vessel. The invention involves the use of a light-weight reduced-size degaussing system that comprises a plurality of degaussing coils arranged in a plurality of axes. An electrical current is passed through the plurality of coils to create a degaussing field. The degaussing coils comprise a high temperature superconductor material, the coils cooled by a single-phase gaseous cryogen.

Abstract: A metallic fuel mixture including solidic powders such as silicon, aluminum and magnesium together with an oxidant, and steam and hydrogen are fed into a combustor to undergo combustion therein. The combustor is positioned within a steam chamber enclosure filled with water as working fluid which is heated by the combustion. The heated water within the stream chamber enclosure is thereby converted into pressurized steam fed into a turbine for operation thereof to impart rotation to a shaft thereby propelling a sea vessel within which the steam chamber enclosure is housed. During such combustion, discharge from the combustor of a liquid by-product occurs as outflow through an exhaust funnel into a collector from which the by-product is processed for ejection into seawater without signature detection.

Abstract: A dual-nature, uni-constructed device, suitable for conducting electricity between two objects in relative motion, comprises two compatible elements each having a straight section and a sinuous section. The two elements are combined to form a unified whole whereby the two straight sections are mutually servable as a brush component and the two sinuous sections are mutually servable as a spring component. The inventive device is associable with an electrical or electromechanical machine so that, during machine operation, the brush component slidingly contacts a first machine part, the spring component is affixed to a second machine part and exerts a bias against the brush component, and the inventive device conducts electrical current from one machine part to the other machine part. Each element includes an electrically conductive main layer (including one or more wire fabric sheets) and two elastomeric outside layers (on opposite sides of the sinuous section).

Abstract: An annular stator holder within a homopolar motor housing is positioned within magnetic fields established by magnet coils positioned in surrounding relation to brushes in sliding contact with the motor rotor. Also enclosed within the stator holder is a slip ring preassembled with the brushes attached thereto on one side by soft-solder joints with the other side attached by hard-solder joints to spring devices for clamping to the stator holder by leaf springs to exert pressure on the brushes thereby maintained in sliding contact with the rotor.

Abstract: The moving slip ring surface of electrical machinery transfers electrical current by contact thereof with liquid metal directly or through the tips of a plurality of closely spaced brushes positioned along the bottom of a housing under pressure within which the liquid metal is contained. The brush tips are respectively connected to lower ends of fibers electrically interconnected within the housing and exposed to the liquefied metal received and retained within the housing. According to one embodiment, the liquefied metal is retained within containment material filling the housing for contact exposure of the fibers therewith. According to another embodiment, exposure of the fibers to the liquefied metal within the housing is effected by entry of the liquefied metal into hollow brush tubes connected to and extending from the bottom of the housing, through which stem portions of the fibers extend to the brush tips.

Abstract: A homopolar motor features radially inner and outer pairs of axially aligned rotor drums to which axially aligned drive shafts are respectively connected and extend therefrom through an outer motor housing to drive a corresponding number of propellers located in axial spaced relation to each other outside of the housing for rotation about a common axis. A magnetic shield is fixedly mounted within the housing to enclose the rotor drums within a magnetic field established by disk and ring magnets positioned within the radially inner pair of the rotor drums. Current collector brushes maintain electrical contact between the rotor drums and a source of DC electrical energy supplied through a power input tube to the magnetic shield from a location between opposite axial ends of the housing. The drive shafts journaled within the housing extend from either opposite axial ends of the housing or from only one axial end of the housing to the propellers.

Abstract: A brush assembly is formed from a single metallic foil positioned within a base portion. The foil is folded or rolled up into a plurality of closely spaced foil layers soldered to the base portion of the brush assembly. Attachment of the folded foil to the brush base portion involves use of barrier tape and/or adhesive on the folded side of the foil layers and soldering of one layer edge to the base portion which is received within a holder to position the folded foil in brushing contact along the other layer edges with a running surface under a spring bias pressure. The brush may be constructed by metal fiber braids placed on or between metal skins to form a hybrid structure. The brush assembly may be applicable to slip ring current collectors or other electric contact applications, including cleansing brush applications involving other types of brushes.

Abstract: A serpentine-shaped spring device having an internal core made of braided wires coated with elastomeric material for environmental protection and to enhance exertion of a low holding spring pressure on a metal fiber brush, when the spring device is suitably anchored at a stationary location to hold the brush in contact with a rotor during rotation thereof while conductively transferring electrical current thereto from the core of the spring device.

Abstract: The preferred embodiment of the present invention provides system for data collection that provides a solution that can be easily extended to collect different data types. The preferred embodiment provides a collection repository that stores different collected data types with a single consistent interface for accessing the collected data. The preferred embodiment is a data collector implemented from an object-oriented framework. The object-oriented data collector can be easily extended by adding additional instances of the data collector from the framework. The preferred embodiment framework includes mechanisms for global customization of the collector and synchronization of the collection. The preferred embodiment also includes base probe classes that define the probes that perform the actual collection of the system data and store the data in a common collection repository. Subclasses are provided to implement the collection of different types of system data.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for tagging fish for identification, and collecting from those caught a chosen number of fish which are the heaviest in weight. To collect the heaviest fish, they are weighed as they are caught, and tagged with a clip-on colored identification tag which is attached to the fish's dorsal fin. The weight and color of the tag are recorded. Subsequently caught fish are weighed and tagged or released as necessary, so that the pre-selected number of fish kept are also the heaviest fish which were caught.