USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Department of the Navy

Aaron Wiest

Robert Dale Conner

Craig MacDougall

Craig Andrew Macdougall

Dylan R Switzer

Sam Pratt

Rebecca Stevens

Matthew T McCormick

Steven J Rogers

Robert A Heller

Matthew P Khalil

Llewelynn R Galace

Apparatus and methods for forming and printing hollow bodies from amorphous materials to form three-dimensional objects are provided. Apparatus provide a hollow body forming and printing machine, and methods for determining a desired amount of impact deformation for the hollow spheres, including calculating specific characteristics of the hollow spheres and the amorphous material, deriving a target viscosity range, adjusting the apparatus to satisfy the target viscosity range, and using the apparatus to form a plurality of hollow spheres with controlled deformation.

Methods and apparatus for manufacturing and printing hollow spheres

Systems and methods for pressure measurement are provided. A ludion with a trapped gas bubble floats between two liquids. Pressure acting upon the liquids causes the bubble to expand or contract, resulting in movement of the ludion which can be measured and correlated with pressure change. Pressure measuring device can measure pressures from 0.05 inHg to 110 inHg with a four-to-one Test Accuracy Ratio (TAR) without using mercury.

Ludion pressure measurement system

Apparatus, systems, and methods of measuring relative pressure based on the displacement of a Cartesian diver are provided. Within the system, various designs of divers, as well as a variety of measurement methods implementing such systems and apparatus, are illustrated. The systems and methods described herein are directed to precise pressure measurements traceable to the SI through the vertical displacement of a ludion within a two fluid system. The system is selectively optimized to ensure the buoyancy and mass of the ludion as well as the density of the gases and fluids involved are known and controlled.

Systems and methods for pressure measurement

A low energy fluid purification system and method of implementation including some embodiments having a vacuum-rated first chamber placed in or near a body of water with higher temperature near the surface and lower temperatures at greater depths. The vacuum-rated first chamber holds a quantity of non-potable water and a low pressure area less than or equal to the water's vapor pressure. Vaporization occurs when the higher temperature surface water is brought into contact with the low pressure area. A tubular vapor transport passage allows the vaporized water to pass to a lower temperature and lower pressure condensation chamber. The lower temperature condensation chamber is cooled by lower temperature water from a selected depth below the surface. As the temperature of the vapor lowers, the vapor will condense. This condensation is collected as a quantity of potable water. Additional embodiments and methods are also provided.

Low energy fluid purification system

Novel cellular solids and foams from amorphous materials with a glass transition temperature (T) and methods of forming such materials are provided. In particular, foams are formed by expanding or compressing hollow spheres made of a high strength amorphous material, which is defined as a material having high strength characteristics, but also possessing a glass transition within a confined space. Using such a method, it has been unexpectedly found that it is possible to make cellular structures, including both open and closed cell foams, with customizable properties from materials that have been inaccessible with conventional methods. Moreover, based on calculations high specific strengths and stiffnesses are expected.

Foams made of amorphous hollow spheres and methods of manufacture thereof

Apparatuses and methods of forming hollow spheres are provided. Hollow sphere forming apparatus incorporate a bubble forming nozzle assembly in which outlets for gas and liquid materials are disposed substantially coaxially. The relative positions of the gas and liquid outlets are adjustable in at least one dimension (e.g., axially, radially or angularly relative to each other), such that a more uniform annular exit region for the gas and liquid outlets may be configured, such that more symmetric bubbles may be formed thus reducing the rejection rate in solidified bubbles due to asymmetry or decentering of entrapped gas.

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Norco, CA, United States of America

Aaron Wiest