Abstract: A horse muzzle comprises: a nose band; a head strap extended from the nose band; a mouth cover flap extended from the nose band; and side edges of the mouth cover flap defining lateral openings for a bridle bit. A horse muzzle also comprises a nose band; a head strap extended from the nose band; a mouth cover flap extended from the nose band and made at least in part with flexible mesh fabric. The horse muzzles may be used for trail riding or riding in general when a bit is used.

Abstract: A canine ventral chest and lower abdomen protection garment is disclosed for protection of a canine from impact with an obstacle. The garment mounts to the canine via a collar, a thoracic strap and a lumbar strap for a secure placement. A caudal portion of the garment rear of the lumbar strap protects the lower abdomen and urogenital regions. This caudal portion is allowed to gravitationally fold distal from the skin of the canine allowing for unobstructed urination. The same caudal portion of the garment, when impacted by an obstacle, returns proximal to the skin of the canine and acts to protect the lower abdomen and urogenital regions of the canine. The caudal portion of the garment is stitched in multiple lines allowing for permanently sizing the garment for a specific canine while retaining the integrity of the overall garment.

Abstract: A fin includes a cut and raised slit and a cut and raised wall portion. The cut and raised slit is formed in a region adjacent to at least one through hole of a plurality of through holes in a first direction and has a tunnel-shaped hole extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The cut and raised wall portion is located in the second direction of the cut and raised slit, protrudes toward a main surface of the fin, and extends along the first direction. Thus, a heat exchanger and a water heater capable of sufficiently conducting an amount of heat of a combustion gas to a heat conduction pipe even in a blind spot of a flow of the combustion gas of the heat conduction pipe and suppressing noise can be realized.

Abstract: In a vehicle provided with a power propulsion system of the mild-hybrid type, a BAS unit —including an electric machine connected through a belt transmission to the shaft of an internal combustion engine—is exploited as the only propulsion engine of the vehicle in given operating conditions. The internal combustion engine is provided with a system for variable actuation of the intake valves which is controlled to reduce the pumping losses of the internal combustion engine in the phase in which such engine is in cut-off condition and it is driven by the aforementioned BAS unit. It is also provided for that the system for variable actuation of the intake valves be controlled to temporarily increase the pumping losses of the internal combustion engine in a phase in which it is required to accelerate the switching off of the engine.

Abstract: A coolant control valve apparatus 10 includes a main valve 11 which adjusts a flow rate of a coolant in a main channel 4 to control the flow rate of the coolant in the main channel 4. Further, the coolant control valve apparatus 10 includes a detour channel 67 provided being diverged from the main channel 4 so as to detour the main valve 11. The coolant control valve apparatus 10 includes a valve main body 41 which opens and closes the detour channel 67 and a temperature detection medium 42 which can open and close the valve main body 41 according to a temperature of the coolant. The temperature detection medium 42 is disposed in the diverging part between the detour channel 67 and the bypass channel 5.

Abstract: A gear device in which lubricating oil for cooling and lubricating gears to be driven therein is adjusted to a temperature and an amount suitable for the speed of a vehicle, and a vehicle having the gear device mounted thereon. A transmission adjusts the temperature of lubricating oil by supplying the lubricating oil from a lower part of a housing of the transmission into a heat exchanger by a circulation pump and causing the lubricating oil and engine cooling water to exchange heat with each other in the heat exchanger. A level of the lubricating oil retained in an oil pan when the circulation pump is stopped is defined as a highest oil level, while the level of the lubricating oil retained in the oil pan when the amount of the lubricating oil pumped up by the circulation pump is maximum is defined as a lowest oil level. The heat exchanger is disposed at a position outside the housing and higher than the highest oil level.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed at a valvetrain actuation (VA) system for an engine comprising at least two hydraulic rotary valves connected to an engine crankshaft, at least one hydraulic actuator driven by the at least two hydraulic rotary valves, and a high pressure hydraulic fluid source for supplying hydraulic fluid to one of the at least two hydraulic rotary valves, wherein movement of the at least two hydraulic rotary valves by the engine crankshaft allows hydraulic fluid to flow to the at least one hydraulic actuator to actuate an engine valve.

Abstract: A camshaft adjuster (3), comprising a camshaft axis of rotation (D) and an electromagnetic multi-tappet actuating device (4) having at least two electromagnetic drive units, which for exerting an actuating force on a corresponding number of elongated tappet units (9, 10, 11) which are mounted axially parallel to one another, each defining a tappet longitudinal centre axis (A1, A2, A3) arranged perpendicularly to the camshaft axis of rotation (D) are activatable, in order to engage with the tappet units (9, 10, 11) in shifting grooves (8) of an adjustable cam piece (7), wherein the drive units each on a facing acting end on one of the associated tappet units (9, 10, 11) form an acting surface that is moveable in an actuating direction of the drive units and an end face on the acting side facing away from the respective associated shifting groove (8) of a respective one of the tappet units (9, 10, 11) interacts with the acting surface, wherein at least one of the tappet units (9, 10, 11) is arranged relative to

Abstract: A modified rocker assembly having an offset end is designed to be used in engine heads having an obstruction that would not allow a switching rocker arm to be used. The modified rocker assembly is described having an obstructed side and a non-obstructed side. The rocker assembly has an outer structure with a first end, and an inner rocker structure fitting within the outer structure, the inner structure also having a first end. The modified rocker assembly has an axle pivotally connecting the first ends of inner structure to the outer structure, such that the inner structure may rotate within the outer structure around the axle. At least one torsion spring on one side of axle, rotationally biases the inner structure relative to the outer structure. The outer structure, on the obstructed side as it extends from the second end toward the first end, is offset toward the non-obstructed side creating the first offset portion to provide additional clearance on the obstructed side.

Abstract: Systems and methods for actuating lobe switching in a camshaft system in an engine are disclosed. In one example approach, a method comprises deploying a first pin into a groove of a camshaft outer sleeve while a second pin remains in place due to an absence of a groove in which to deploy, and maintaining the second pin in place with a ball locking mechanism even after the second pin is exposed to a vacated groove in the camshaft outer sleeve.

Abstract: A variable valve actuation system in one form includes a rocker coupled with a valve stem at one end and a cam follower at the other end. The rocker is operable to rotate about a fixed axis and the cam follower includes a set of lower rollers operable to follow one cam lobe and an upper roller operable to follow another cam lobe. A leaf spring can be used to couple the cam follower with the rocker. A cam shaft can have a nested configuration that includes an inner shaft, an intermediate tube, and an outer tube. Cam lobes can be fastened to the cam shaft by fastening through each of the inner shaft, intermediate tube, and outer tube. The cam lobes can be attached by at least two devices inserted from either side of the cam shaft and that are not inserted at least through the inner shaft.

Abstract: A camshaft phasing system (10) for an internal combustion engine (6) includes a camshaft (16) and a camshaft phaser (15) that is axially slid onto the camshaft (16) and that has stator (34) and a rotor (36) driven by the stator (34), whereby the rotor (36) is mounted rotatably relative to the stator (34). A bushing (26) that is secured on the camshaft (16) is provided, whereby the camshaft phaser (15) is tightened on the camshaft (16) against the bushing (26). Moreover, a drive has an internal combustion engine and such a camshaft phasing system.

Abstract: A variable cam timing phaser (10) includes a fluid transfer assembly with at least one of a fluid transfer sleeve (72) having a plurality of pressurized fluid passages (74a, 74b, 74c, 74d), and a fluid transfer plate (60) having a plurality of pressurized fluid passages (62a, 62b, 62c, 62d). Each passage (74a, 74b, 74c, 74d) extends in fluid communication with a corresponding circumferentially spaced annular groove segment portion (74f, 74g, 74h, 74i) for selective communication with first and second vane type hydraulic couplings (40, 50) depending on an angular orientation of the fluid transfer sleeve (72) during rotation. Each passage (62a, 62b, 62c, 62d) extending from a corresponding centrally located port (64a, 64b, 64c, 64d) in fluid communication with a radially extending passage portion (66a, 66b, 66c, 66d) and with an arcuately extending passage portion (68a, 68b, 68c, 68d).

Abstract: The problem of providing a metal complex having excellent gas adsorption performance, gas storage performance, and gas separation performance is solved by a metal complex comprising a dicarboxylic acid compound (I) including 20 to 99 mole % of a dicarboxylic acid compound (I-1) selected from terephthalic acid derivatives having an electron-donating group in the 2nd position such as 2-methoxyterephthalic acid, 2-methylterephthalic acid, and terephthalic acid, and 80 to 1 mole % of a dicarboxylic acid compound (I-2) selected from terephthalic acid derivatives having an electron-withdrawing group in the 2nd position such as 2-nitroterephthalic acid, 2-fluoroterephthalic acid, 2-chloroterephthalic acid, 2-bromoterephthalic acid, and 2-iodoterephthalic acid; at least one kind of metal ion selected from metal ions belonging to Group 2 and Groups 7 to 12 of the periodic table; and an organic ligand capable of bidentate binding to the metal ion.

Abstract: An engine has an ignition source in a combustion chamber of the engine. An inner housing is provided that includes one or more jet apertures and defines an inner chamber containing the ignition source. An outer housing (or pre-chamber) is provided that includes one or more jet apertures in communication with the main combustion chamber and defines an outer chamber containing the inner housing.

Abstract: The size of the plasma produced by a plasma-generating device that generates plasma using electromagnetic (EM) radiation is enlarged. The plasma-generating device has an EM-wave-generating device that generates EM radiation, a radiation antenna that emits the EM radiation supplied from the EM-wave-generating device to a target space, and a receiving antenna located near the radiation antenna. The receiving antenna is grounded such that an adjacent portion that is close to the radiation antenna has a higher voltage while the EM radiation is emitted from the radiation antenna. The plasma-generating device generates plasma in the target space near the radiation antenna and the adjacent portion by emitting EM radiation from the radiation antenna.

Abstract: An intake apparatus includes an intake pipe, a resonator and a blowby gas recirculation pipe. The resonator includes a volume portion having a volume chamber therein and a connecting pipe connecting the volume portion and the intake pipe and having a connecting passage connecting the volume chambera and the intake passage. The blowby gas recirculation pipe includes an internal passage therein. The blowby gas recirculation pipe is connected to an axially midway portion of the connecting pipe, and an exit of the internal passage is connected to the connecting passage of the connecting pipe.

Abstract: A recoil starter exemplified in the embodiment includes: a starter case; a rope reel; a recoil rope; a ratchet; and a drive pulley. When the rope reel is rotated by pulling the recoil rope, the ratchet pivots to engage an engaged unit of the drive pulley to thereby transmit a torque of the rope reel to an engine. The rope reel has: a ratchet receiving unit; and a reinforcing unit. The ratchet receiving unit is arranged to receive a front end portion of the ratchet when it is engaged with the engaged unit of the drive pulley. And, the reinforcing unit extends in a circumferential direction of the rope reel with respect to the ratchet receiving unit as its leg portion.

Abstract: Embodiments may provide a valve seat insert including a valve seat face. A circumferential contact surface for contacting a cylinder head may be located radially outside and at least partially axially offset from the valve seat face. A discontinuity may be located radially between the valve seat face and the cylinder head and at least partially axially aligned with the valve seat face.

Abstract: A balancer device of an internal combustion engine, has a drive gear engaged with an input gear to which a rotation force is transmitted from a crankshaft; a balancer drive shaft to which the rotation force is transmitted from the drive gear and which has a balancer weight; a balancer drive gear rotating integrally with the balancer drive shaft; a balancer driven gear engaged with the balancer drive gear; and a balancer driven shaft rotating integrally with the balancer driven gear and having a balancer weight. At least one of the drive gear, the balancer drive gear and the balancer driven gear is provided, on both axial direction side surfaces thereof, with ring-shaped grooves whose diameters are different from each other. The ring-shaped grooves are formed up to a depth from the surface of the gear at which both the ring-shaped grooves overlap each other in the axial direction.

Abstract: A piston for an internal combustion engine, having a piston base body, a piston ring element having at least an inner region of a piston crown, and a piston skirt. The piston is provided with pin bosses having pin bores and the ring element has at least an outer region of a piston crown having a circumferential top land and a circumferential ring belt provided with ring grooves. The piston base body and piston ring element are joined together by way of corresponding, conical joining surfaces configured on them.

Abstract: Disclosed is an oil supply apparatus which can be realized at a low cost, and can reliably detect the lowered level of the oil filled in the oil reservoir unit. The oil supply apparatus is provided with an oil pump which is set to have a plurality of switching discharge pressures at which the oil discharge pressures are changed for each target rotation speeds when the rotation speed of the internal combustion engine reaches the respective target rotation speed. The ECU is adapted to determine that the level of oil stored in the oil pan is lowered under the condition that the deviation between the target rotation speed of the engine set to correspond to the switching discharge pressure and the rotation speed of the engine actually detected when the discharge pressure reaches the switching discharge pressure is not less than the determination value.

Abstract: A control housing module (1) for a combustion engine, with integrating and/or connecting and/or receiving structures for auxiliary components (2,3,4,5,6,7,8) and a rib structure. The control housing module (1) consists of a fibre-plastic composite, which has at least one insert (10) made from a flat fibre textile in a thermoplastic matrix. The rib structure made from injected reinforcing ribs (11,11a) is formed of a thermoplastic, which has short fibres made of a reinforcing material with a proportion by volume of at least 30%. The ribbing (11,11a) includes rib structures (11a) arranged according to the direction of force and regularly formed longitudinal, transverse and/or diagonal reinforcing ribs (11) that cross one another. A foam material is arranged in the spaces (13) between the ribs, the spaces being bordered by the ribs (11,11a).

Abstract: A single stroke engine fixed vane rotary abutment engine is provided in which all for phases of combustion are completed during one revolution of a main rotor. Intake and exhaust ducts are timed to be open or closed depending on which of the intake, compression, power and exhaust events is occurring. At least one abutment rotor cooperates with the main rotor having vanes thereon to define a combustion chamber and uncover ports in the stator of the engine to allow air and fuel to enter the combustion chamber and to all exhaust to exit the chamber.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to suppress generation of a misfire and an increase in the amount of emission of HC, in a multi-fuel internal combustion engine of compression ignition type using, as fuels, a liquid fuel which can be ignited by compression and a gas fuel which is lower in ignitability than the liquid fuel. In the invention, in the same operating state, in cases where the liquid fuel and the gas fuel are caused to combust with the liquid fuel being used as an ignition source, the equivalent ratio of a mixture in a cylinder is made to increase, in comparison with the case where only the liquid fuel is caused to combust, and the rate of the increase of the equivalent ratio with respect to the case where only the liquid fuel is caused to combust is made smaller, when an engine load is low in comparison with the time when the engine load is high, and when an engine rotational speed is low in comparison with the time when the engine rotational speed is high.

Abstract: An engine control system of a vehicle includes a manifold temperature module, a runner temperature module. The manifold temperature module determines a first temperature of gas in an intake manifold of an engine. The runner temperature module determines a second temperature of gas in an intake runner associated with a cylinder based on the first temperature of the gas in the intake manifold. The engine control system further includes at least one of: a fuel control module that controls fueling of the cylinder based on the second temperature of the gas in the intake runner; and a spark control module that controls spark of the cylinder based on the second temperature of the gas in the intake runner.

Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present invention includes a firing fraction module, an offset generation module, and a firing fraction module. The firing fraction module determines a firing fraction based on a driver torque request. The offset generation module randomly generates an offset. The firing control module adds the firing fraction to a running total each time that a crankshaft of an engine rotates through a predetermined angle, adds the offset to the running total, and executes a firing event in a cylinder of the engine when the running total is greater than or equal to a predetermined value.

Abstract: There is provided a cylinder head of an engine. The cylinder head includes cylindrical parts for lash adjustors into which the lash adjustors are inserted and cylindrical parts for fuel injection valves into which the fuel injection valves are inserted. An outer periphery of each of the cylindrical parts for the lash adjustors is connected to a sidewall of the cylinder head, which is disposed above intake ports communicating with a combustion chamber and each of the cylindrical parts for the fuel injection valves is disposed below the cylindrical parts for the lash adjustors. A lower end portion of each of the cylindrical parts for the lash adjustors is connected to an upper part of each of the cylindrical parts for the fuel injection valves by a reinforcement part.

Abstract: A fuel injector for internal combustion engines is provided, which has a valve seat member, bordering a valve chamber, having a valve seat and spray orifices and a central blind-end bore as well as a valve member that is able to be driven to cause a lift motion having a closing head, which, together with a valve seat, forms a sealing seat lying upstream of the spray orifices. In order to prevent an underpressure developing in the blind-end bore in the closing phase of the sealing seat, and a partial return flow of the fuel connected with it, the closing head of the valve member is provided, at its end face facing towards the valve seat member, with a plunger sticking out from closing head, which has a shape adjusted to the contour of the blind-end bore, and dips into the blind-end bore when the sealing seat is closed.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine has an ignition promotion unit that has a function of promoting ignition of fuel sprays formed by the small quantity injections by supplying the fuel sprays with electric energy. The engine is provided with a control device which has a combustion control unit that carries out processing of causing the fuel injection valve to perform the plurality of times of small quantity injections so that fuel sprays formed by the first-time small quantity injection from among the plurality of times of small quantity injections are connected with one another by the fuel sprays formed by the subsequent small quantity injections from among the plurality of times of small quantity injections.

Abstract: A power supply diagnostic circuit includes a switching power supply that generates a voltage for powering a fuel injector. An injector control module selectively applies the voltage to the fuel injector and monitors a resultant electrical current flow through the fuel injector. The switching power supply includes a dual path circuit comprising two inductors, two MOSFETs, and two diodes. The injector control module determines whether one path of the dual path circuit is defective based on the electrical current flow.

Abstract: The fuel pump driving structure includes a camshaft and a pump cam member. The camshaft is rotatably supported at an end by a cylinder head. The pump cam member has a fitting hole into which the end of the camshaft is press fitted, and is operatively coupled to a high-pressure fuel pump. The pump cam member includes a pump cam section and a first contact section. The pump cam section has a first lift portion operating the high-pressure fuel pump, and a base circular portion that does not operate the high-pressure fuel pump. The first contact section is in a position offset from a position of the first lift portion with respect to a circumferential direction and contacting a portion of the camshaft in an axial direction at a position radially outward of an external circumferential surface of the one end of the camshaft.

Abstract: A hybrid drive having a hydraulic control device capable of hydraulically controlling a first clutch, a second clutch, and a continuously variable transmission using a hydraulic pressure generated by at least one of a mechanical oil pump and an electric oil pump. A control section is configured to execute a mechanical oil pump drive mode in which a command to start an internal combustion engine is provided to drive the mechanical oil pump via a first shaft using output rotation of the internal combustion engine during reverse travel in which reverse rotation is output from the rotary electric machine to rotate wheels in reverse via the second shaft, the second clutch, and the continuously variable transmission with the first clutch disengaged and with the second clutch engaged by providing a command to the hydraulic control device.

Abstract: A method for handling fuel vapors onboard a hybrid vehicle including an internal combustion engine or ICE and a fuel system for the ICE, the method including at least partly condensing fuel vapors generated in the fuel system using an absorption refrigeration device. The absorption refrigeration device includes a regenerator that uses as a heat source, heat of combustion of part of the fuel vapors that are burnt in an adequate device.

Abstract: Free heat or scavenged heat from the coolant system or circulating oil from the crankcase of an internal combustion engine supplies heat to a fuel pre-heater causing the liquid fuel to become superheated and partially vaporized. Liquid fuel preferably diesel is converted from a fluid at ambient temperature to a superheated fuel breaking down the hydrocarbons bonds of the fuel (cracking) before being sent directly to the fuel injectors. Water fog may be added to the air intake manifold. Catalysts inside the fuel preheater also aid in breaking down the fuel (cracking). The fuel pre-heater also operates as a coolant/oil filter to remove debris and sludge from the circulating coolant water or circulating crankcase oil of an internal combustion engine. Fuel efficiency has repeatedly been tested to increase 20% or better with highway driving. Exhaust emissions have been tested to show 20% or more reductions in greenhouse gases.

Abstract: A method of using exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) in an internal combustion engine. At least two of the cylinders are “dual exhaust-ported cylinders” having two exhaust ports. For each of these cylinders, one of the exhaust ports is connected to the EGR loop and the other of the exhaust ports is connected to the main exhaust line. These cylinders are controlled such that one exhaust port is open and the other exhaust port is closed during each engine cycle, and are operated, on a cycle-by-cycle basis so that all of the exhaust produced by a cylinder may be delivered to the EGR loop at any cycle. The number of cylinders operating as EGR cylinders per engine cycle is in response to a desired EGR rate.

Abstract: In an anti-freezing device for an EGR device 14 with an EGR cooler 12 being provided midway of an EGR pipe 11 for extraction and recirculation of a part of exhaust gas from an exhaust side to an intake side, a downstream EGR pipe 11b downstream of the EGR cooler 12 being connected through a flange section 15 to an EGR valve 13, the flange section 15 is provided with a warm-water passage 16 to and from which engine warm water 22 is guided through warm-water conduits 23 and 24.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present disclosure describe a compound archery bow that has a rigid vertical riser structure. At least one flexible limb extends rearward from the vertical riser structure. One end of the flexible limb is secured to the cable arrangement of the compound bow, so that when the bowstring is drawn, the flexible limb is flexed toward the cams of the bow. As the flexible limb is bent, it stores energy that is transferred to an arrow when the bowstring is released.

Abstract: Compound bows and cross bows with flexible bow limbs and novel bottom (or power) cams which have reduced lean and wobble during the end part of bow draw, thereby reducing noise and vibration as an arrow is shot from the bow and contributing to the accuracy of the bows in which they are installed.

Abstract: A clutch for use with an arrow rest is mounted intermediate the arrow rest and the bow. The clutch includes a body having a first end configured to operatively connect to the arrow rest cord and a second end that receives a moveable shaft. The moveable shaft has a first end received in the body and a second end configured to connect to a bow. A spring is received on the shaft and positioned between the shaft and the clutch body. The clutch is moveable between a first position in which the shaft first end is proximate the clutch body first end to facilitate the movement of an arrow rest launcher arm out of an arrow support position, and a second position in which the shaft first end is proximate the clutch body second end to facilitate movement of the arrow rest launcher arm into an arrow support position.

Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for a cable saver device that can be selectively engaged with one or more cables of a crossbow, which may mitigate premature cable wear, and/or provide smoother cable movement during bowstring draw and/or release. A device for mitigating premature cable wear can comprise a selectively removable crossbow cable saver, which can install on one or more cables of a crossbow. The crossbow cable saver can comprise a selectively closable top configured to enclose a top portion of one or more cable saver guides disposed in a bottom portion of said cable saver, when the top portion is closed over the bottom portion.

Abstract: A method of preparing a plurality of workpieces for concurrent cutting using a stone cutting machine is disclosed. Each workpiece can include a stone slab that has two parallel faces and one or more edges, a substrate that is bonded to a first face, and a substrate that is bonded to a second face of the stone slab. The stone cutting machine can have a plurality of stone cutting elements and it can be configured to concurrently create a plurality of stone cuts. The method can include: providing a plurality of workpieces; and positioning the plurality of workpieces by placing a set of shims between adjacent pairs of workpieces. The set of shims can be placed to compensate for variations in workpiece thickness and/or to position each of the workpieces with one edge of each stone slab in relative alignment with one of the stone cutting elements.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for dividing silicon blocks, including the following steps: providing a cuboidal silicon block, dividing the silicon block into at least two bars in a first dividing step, turning the bars in a turning step by 90° respectively around a rotational axis perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the block and dividing the bars into silicon ingots in a second dividing step.

Abstract: A kettle includes a water receiving chamber; a water heating chamber; and a water transfer siphon. The water transfer siphon has a siphon inlet aperture in communication with the water receiving chamber, and a siphon outlet aperture in communication with the water heating chamber. The water transfer siphon is preventable from priming with water from the water receiving chamber through a first rotation of the kettle to increase an elevation of a siphon crest of the water transfer siphon relative to a water level within the water receiving chamber, the first rotation occurring in a first direction.

Abstract: A multi-ring gas burner for an appliance is provided. The burner includes an inner burner ring and an outer burner ring. The outer burner ring has a regulator positioned within a fuel chamber of the outer burner ring. The regulator controls a flow of fuel to outlets of the outer burner ring adjacent the regulator. The regulator can improve a uniformity of fuel flow through the outlets and thereby improve a uniformity of flames at the outlets.

Abstract: A burner cap and a burner are provided. The burner cap may include a cap body, an opening formed in the cap body, at a location separated from an edge of the cap body, proximate the center of the cap body, a distribution protrusion formed on a bottom part of the cap body, and a connection guide formed on the distribution protrusion.

Abstract: Systems and methods for selectively producing steam from solar collectors and heaters are disclosed. A method in accordance with a particular embodiment includes directing a flow of water to a solar collector, directing the flow of water to a gas-fired heater, and, as a result of heating the flow of water at the solar collector and the gas-fired heater, forming steam from the flow of water. The method further includes changing a sequence by which at least a portion of the flow passes through the solar collector and the gas-fired heater.

Abstract: A method comprising: (a) providing a partially processed sucrose crop product containing at least 2% optionally at least 5% of the sucrose content of said crop at harvest on a dry solids basis, cellulose and lignin; (b) hydrolyzing said partially processed crop product with HCl to produce an acid hydrolyzate stream and a lignin stream; and (c) de-acidifying said hydrolyzate stream to produce a de-acidified sugar solution and an HCl recovery stream. Additional, methods, systems and sugar mixtures are also disclosed.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention overcome the well-known recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass in an economically viable manner. A process and system are provided for the efficient fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass into cellulose, hemicellulose sugars, lignin, and acetic acid. The cellulose thus obtained is highly amorphous and can be readily converted into glucose using known methods. Fermentable hemicellulose sugars, low-molecular-weight lignin, and purified acetic acid are also major products of the process and system. The modest process conditions and low solvent/solid ratios of some embodiments of the invention imply relatively low capital and processing costs.

Abstract: A reservoir for a nebulizer, and a nebulizer with a reservoir in which, to avoid undesirable rises in pressure, a fluid chamber of the reservoir is pre-collapsed and filled with an initial amount of fluid which is less than the maximum volume of the fluid chamber. Preferably, before being filled, the fluid chamber is compressed and/or expanded by means of gas to a defined volume which is less than the maximum volume of the fluid chamber.