Abstract: Disclosed herein is a chemical vapor infiltration method including flowing ceramic precursors through a preform and depositing a matrix material on the preform at a first gas infiltration pressure, increasing the gas filtration pressure to a second gas infiltration pressure, and lowering the gas infiltration pressure to a third gas infiltration pressure which is intermediate to the first and second gas infiltration pressures.

Abstract: Disclosed is a refrigeration system comprising: condenser; an expansion valve; a first conduit fluidly connecting the condenser and the expansion valve to define a first fluid segment through which a medium is transported when the system is active; and a separator assembly, operably disposed in the first fluid segment, configured to remove non-condensable gas from the medium when the system is active.

Abstract: A method for coating a fiber tow includes moving a fiber tow across a wedge to separate the fiber tow into a plurality of sub-tows, and coating the plurality of sub-tows.

Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying clouds and cloud shadows in satellite imagery are described herein. In an embodiment, a system receives a plurality of images of agronomic fields produced using one or more frequency bands. The system also receives corresponding data identifying cloud and cloud shadow locations in the images. The system trains. a machine learning system to identify at least cloud locations using the images as inputs and at least data identifying pixels as cloud pixels or non-cloud pixels as outputs. When the system receives one or more particular images of a particular agronomic field produced using the one or more frequency bands, the system uses the one or more particular images as inputs into the machine learning system to identify a plurality of pixels in the one or more particular images as particular cloud locations.

Abstract: Systems for and methods of manufacturing a ceramic matrix composite include introducing a gaseous precursor into an inlet portion of a reaction furnace having a chamber comprising the inlet portion and an outlet portion that is downstream of the inlet portion, and delivering a mitigation agent, such as water vapor or ammonia, into an exhaust conduit in fluid communication with and downstream of the outlet portion of the reaction chamber so as to control chemical reactions occurring with the exhaust chamber. Introducing the gaseous precursor densifies a porous preform, and introducing the mitigation agent shifts the reaction equilibrium to disfavor the formation of harmful and/or pyrophoric byproduct deposits within the exhaust conduit.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a component according to an example of the present disclosure includes the steps of depositing a stoichiometric precursor layer onto a preform, and densifying the preform by depositing a matrix material onto the stoichiometric precursor layer. An alternate method and a component are also disclosed.

Abstract: A tow coating reactor system includes a reactor for receiving fiber tow, a wedge situated adjacent the reactor and configured to receive the tow at a tip end, such that as the tow moves across the wedge, the wedge spreads the tow into a plurality of sub-tows.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a chemical vapor infiltration method including flowing ceramic precursors through a preform and depositing a matrix material on the preform at a first gas infiltration pressure, increasing the gas filtration pressure to a second gas infiltration pressure, and lowering the gas infiltration pressure to a third gas infiltration pressure which is intermediate to the first and second gas infiltration pressures.

Abstract: A method of forming a ceramic matrix composite includes depositing particles on a ceramic fabric formed from a plurality of ceramic tows, applying a binder to at least the particles to form a stabilized ceramic fabric, forming a preform using the stabilized ceramic fabric, and densifying the preform. The ceramic tows are formed from a first material and the particles are formed from at least a second material.

Abstract: A reactor furnace for coating fiber tow includes an elongate reactor having a fiber tow inlet and a fiber tow outlet; a thermo-chemical reactor section positioned along the elongate reactor; a first microwave source for directing microwave energy along the reactor from a first end of the reactor toward a second end of the reactor; a second microwave source for directing microwave energy along the reactor from the second end of the reactor toward the first end of the reactor; a gas inlet upstream of the thermo-chemical reactor; and a gas outlet downstream of the thermo-chemical reactor.

Abstract: A method of spreading fiber tows includes applying a coupling medium to a surface of a fibrous structure, positioning an ultrasonic probe adjacent to the surface of a fibrous structure, such that a tip of the ultrasonic probe is in contact with the coupling medium, moving at least one of the ultrasonic probe and the fabric structure relative to the other of the ultrasonic probe and the fibrous structure according to a first pattern, and imparting ultrasonic vibration with the ultrasonic probe to the surface of the fibrous structure while moving the ultrasonic probe along the surface of the fibrous structure. Imparting ultrasonic vibration to the surface of the fibrous structure spreads tows of the fibrous structure.

Abstract: Disclosed is a coated ceramic fiber including a silicon carbide coating layer adjacent to the ceramic fiber and a silicon dioxide coating layer adjacent to the silicon carbide coating layer, wherein the silicon dioxide coating layer forms micro cracks after a crystal structure transformation. The coated ceramic fiber may be included in a composite material having a ceramic matrix.

Abstract: A method of making a composite material includes disposing a carbon-based particulate material, such as graphene or carbon nanotubes, in an activation solution and activating surfaces of the carbon-based particulate material using the activation solution. Once the surfaces of the carbon-based particulate material have been activated, a metallic coating is applied to the activated surfaces to form a composite material. The composite material is then recovered as a particulate material formed having carbon-based particulate material with a metallic coating that is suitable for fusing together for forming electrical conductors, such as with an additive manufacturing technique.

Abstract: A separator for removing contamination from a fluid of a heat pump includes a housing having a hollow interior, a header plate arranged within the hollow interior and having at least one mounting hole, and a separation module mounted within the hollow interior. The separation module includes a connector for forming an interface with the at least one mounting hole. A sealant is located at the interface between the connector and the mounting hole.

Abstract: A system, and associated method, for reducing oxidation of a friction disk may include a braking assembly comprising the friction disk and a coolant loop coupled to the braking assembly, with the coolant loop being configured to circulate liquid coolant from the braking assembly. That is, the coolant loop may be configured to reduce the temperature of the braking assembly, thus reducing the rate/extent of oxidation of the friction disks and potentially enabling the concentration of oxygen around the braking assembly to be reduced.

Abstract: An example method of modifying a powder according to the present disclosure includes contacting a powder comprising particles with a nitrogen-containing gas and improved flowability of the powder. A method of providing a powder and a reactor are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a component according to an example of the present disclosure includes the steps of depositing a stoichiometric precursor layer onto a preform, and densifying the preform by depositing a matrix material onto the stoichiometric precursor layer. An alternate method and a component are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for forming ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component includes forming a fiber preform, positioning the fiber preform into a chemical vapor infiltration reactor chamber, and densifying the fiber preform. Densification includes infiltrating the fiber preform with a first gas comprising precursors of silicon carbide and infiltrating the fiber preform with a second gas comprising a first rare earth element, wherein the steps of infiltrating the fiber preform with the first gas and infiltrating the fiber preform with the second gas are conducted simultaneously to produce a first rare earth-doped silicon carbide matrix in a first region of the component.

Abstract: An inerting system includes a fluid circuit, a reactor within the fluid circuit, at least one particulate removal device (PRD) downstream from the reactor, and a fluid tank. The fluid tank is downstream from the at least one PRD. A method for removing particulates from a fluid stream in a fluid circuit includes receiving a fluid stream in a reactor within a fluid circuit, outputting an exhaust stream from the reactor, receiving the exhaust stream in at least one PRD downstream from the reactor, removing particulate from the exhaust stream, and receiving the exhaust stream with particulate removed in a fluid tank downstream from the at least one PRD.

Abstract: A system and method for enhancing a diffusion limited CVI/CVD process is provided. The system may densify a porous structure by flowing a reactant gas around the porous structure. A mass flow controller may be configured to pulse the flow rate of the reactant gas around the porous structure. The mass flow controller may pulse the flow rate from a nominal flow rate to a first flow rate. The mass flow controller may pulse the first flow rate back to the nominal flow rate or to a second flow rate. The mass flow controller may pulse the flow rate between the nominal flow rate, the first flow rate, and the second flow rate, as desired.