Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Grumman Aerospace Corporation

Metco, Inc.

The Perkin-elmer Corporation

Other

John Frederick Klein

Janine E Dubois

Victor Curreri

Richard T Smyth

Gary C Irons

Robert L Kosson

Donald DiMarzio

Ronald Gary Pirich

John A Quadrini

David J Larson, Sr

Henry C Thompson

Thomas J Fox

Raymond A Zatorski

Dennis K Buzzelli

Thomas F Bernecki

Janusz Wlodarczyk

William P Rusch

Jim Clark

Chandra K Bhansali

Richard D Trapani

Richard D Lander

Hans M Siewertsen

Jerry Gonen

Joel Kearns

Kevin J Varley

June Clarke, Legal Representative

Chandra Bhansali

An apparatus includes a foam metal panel heat exchanger core positioned in a duct, an inlet flow passage for directing a first fluid to the heat exchanger core, and an exit flow passage for directing the first fluid from the heat exchanger core, wherein the inlet flow passage is tapered relative to an inlet face of the heat exchanger core and the exit flow passage is tapered relative to an outlet face of the heat exchanger core. The first fluid has a substantially uniform flow distribution through the core. The inlet and exit flow passages can be adjacent to each other. The core can be formed of a compressed foam.

Foam metal heat exchanger system

A disruptive media dispersal system for aircraft which absorbs and scatters directed energy weapon beams such as tracking lasers and high energy lasers (HELs) is disclosed. The system may include laser detectors, laser beam propagation disruptive media and a dispersal system. When attacked by a directed energy weapon such as a laser, the laser detector system or vehicle operator deploys the disruptive media. The disruptive media is released by a feeder and dispersal system into the air in the path of the tracking and/or HEL weapon. For example, the dispersal system may be located onboard the aircraft near the front of the fuselage.

Disruptive media dispersal system for aircraft

An embodiment of the present invention provides a protective layer which includes an aggregate of long chain molecules wherein each long chain molecule is randomly oriented and consistently entangled to adjacent long chain molecules throughout the aggregate of long chain molecules. Additionally, the layer is essentially free from voids and essentially free from residual stresses. By way of example and not limitation, the long chain molecule may be a plastic or liquid crystal polymer. Additionally, a method for forming the protective layer is disclosed herein. The method includes the steps of disposing an aggregate of long chain molecules in a liquid state onto a substrate such that each long chain molecule is randomly oriented, maintaining the liquid state of the aggregate of long chain molecules such that each long chain molecule is consistently entangled to adjacent long chain molecules throughout the aggregate of long chain molecules, and solidifying the aggregate of long chain molecules from the liquid state to a solid state.

Combustion, HVOF spraying of liquid crystal polymer coating on composite, metallic and plastics

A method of fabricating a porous metal structure of a molten liquid metal within a casting chamber to form a porous solid structure upon controlled chamber cooling and depressurization. The method includes provision of a pressurizable stationary mold casting chamber having a gas pressure release valve, a gas pressure measurement sensor, and a plurality of sites with respective surface-temperature or heat flux sensors and respective independently operable temperature controllers for regulating each respective site temperature. A data base driven microprocessor receives pressure and temperature data and selectively and independently adjusts pressure and temperature in accord with algorithmic commands relative required pressure reduction for pore formation and cooling for solidification to chosen extents of porosity and of solidification over a time period terminating upon porous solid-structure fabrication.

Method of fabricating a mold-cast porous metal structure

A powder injector assembly for delivering powder into an axial flow of heated gas of a powder coating applicator. The assembly includes a powder injector rotatable in a plane whose centerline is perpendicular to the gas flow for issuing powder thereto. An injection nozzle exit port is integral with and leads from the injector and is disposed in the centerline for angular rotation thereabout, and is alignable into the gas flow for powder melting and subsequent substrate deposition. An integral cooling system maintains the powder in a non-melted state until its exit. The injector is independently movable laterally, axially, and angularly for respective radial, axial, and angular movement of the injection nozzle exit port. Angular movement occurs along a centerline passing through the tip of the nozzle exit port to thereby permit independent angle adjustment without changing axial or lateral locations of the injection point.

Adjustable injector assembly for melted powder coating deposition

A method of controlling a solidification rate of a molten liquid material within a casting chamber to form a solid structure upon controlled cooling thereof. The method includes provision of a stationary mold casting chamber having a plurality of sites with respective surface-temperature or heat flux sensors for determining respective site temperatures or heat withdrawal, and with respective independently operable temperature controllers for regulating each respective site temperature. A data base driven microprocessor receives sensor data and selectively and independently operates each controller in accord with algorithmic commands relative a cooling, and thus solidification, rate for the molten material. The molten material is in the casting chamber, the microprocessor receives and compares sensor data, and regulates in response thereto each respective temperature controller for continuously maintaining a cooling rate equal to chosen extents of solidification over a time period terminating upon solid-structure fabrication.

Method for controlling solidification rate of a mold-cast structure

A method for producing a self decontaminating surface to decontaminate chemical and biological contaminants that are deposited on the surface and decontaminatable through reaction with free hydroxyl radicals. The method first includes determination of a surface to be treated and which is exposable to ultraviolet light. Second, a coating of nanoparticles of a transition metal oxide, non-limitedly exemplified by anatase titanium dioxide, is applied to the chosen surface. Application of the coating is accomplished by spraying heated nanoparticles or clusters thereof from a feed stock onto the surface to form a nanoparticle coating, with the nanoparticles being at a temperature of at least about 750&deg; C. upon exit from a spray apparatus and of a size between about 5 nm and 100 nm. Finally, the treated surface is exposed to ultraviolet light and water moisture, either naturally from the environment or artifically, to thereby catalytically form free hydroxyl radicals that thereafter react with the contaminants to render them generally harmless.

Method for producing a self decontaminating surface

A variable conductance heat pipe includes an electronic component mounting plate serving as the evaporator of the heat pipe. The evaporator is connected to an air cooled condenser which condenses vapor flowing from the evaporator. The evaporator has a sump located at the lowest gravity point of the evaporator passage. By either vaporizing or pumping liquid from the sump and passing it back through the heat pipe a continuing wetted condition exists in the heat pipe which can accommodate heat dissipation transients by the electronic components. A control loop is closed through the heat pipe for controlling the penetration of an inert gas into the heat pipe condenser to maintain a constant temperature for the electronic components mounted thereto.

Closed loop feedback control variable conductance heat pipe

The present invention monitors thermocouple data from a semiconductor furnace. The data is checked against a first set of profiles which mimic an intended operational temperature profile for the furnace. If the temperature measured in any zone of the furnace falls outside a first set of maximum and minimum limits fixed by the mimicking profiles, a warning is generated thereby giving operational personnel an opportunity to correct the condition. If the condition remains unchecked and further deviation occurs, a second condition is reached as defined by a corresponding second set of mimicking maximum and minimum profiles. This condition is established as a serious condition which will cause a microprocessor to terminate power supply to the furnace. Otherwise, the quality of the grown crystal would be jeopardized; or sufficiently excessive power would be delivered to the furnace so as to cause its damage or destruction.

Alarm system for a crystal growing furnace

An ampoule is designed for inclusion within a multi-zone furnace which forms particularly well in space. The ampoule includes an outer quartz wall which has outward projections supported by complementary members of a space furnace and minimizes the transferral of vibrational forces through the ampoule. An inner quartz containment member includes a hollow projection for holding a semiconductor seed, the containment member extending toward a charge containment section. A tube is positioned between an outward end of the charge and the interior wall of the ampoule for maintaining the charge in place during space travel. Further, the tube serves as a vapor chamber for accommodating overpressurization of a vapor component such as arsenide, in the case a gallium arsenide crystal is being grown. The ability to accommodate overpressurization of the vapor allows a uniform and homogeneous single crystal to be grown.

Ampoule for crystal-growing furnace

A heating system has a substantially cylindrical hollow muffle formed of a alumina ceramic with a plurality of heat-generating windings therearound. A light-actuated power control is operatively connected to the windings. A computer is operatively connected to a temperature monitor associated with an article being heated in the muffle. The computer is also operatively connected to a light-signal generator and provides commands to the generator in the form of a train of equidistantly spaced electrical pulses in response to temperature measurements provided by the monitor such that an article can be heated to an elevated steady state temperature and controlled at that steady state temperature within precise predetermined limits. The precise temperature control makes the system particularly valuable in the fabrication of crystals with uniform properties or having special growth requirements.

Computerized multi-zone crystal growth furnace

A computerized method of digitally controlling the temperature profile of a heated article in which the temperature profile is defined by a plurality of temperature zones spaced about the article. The temperature profile of the article is monitored and a heating cycle requirement of the temperature zones of the profile is computed. A train of minute increments of power is supplied to heat each respective zone in accordance with the computed heating cycle requirements to achieve a precision approximately between .+-.0.1.degree. and .+-.0.5.degree. C. in a temperature range of approximately 400.degree. C. to 1,350.degree. C.

Computerized multi-zone crystal growth furnace precise temperature and

A plasma generating system comprises a plasma gun including a hollow cylindrical anode member, a hollow cylindrical intermediate member electrically isolated from and juxtaposed coaxially with the anode member to form a plasma-forming gas passage through the intermediate member and the anode member, and an axially movable cathode member. The intermediate member comprises tubular segments separated by resilient insulating spacing rings held in compression. Arc radiation is blocked from the spacer rings by meanders in the inter-segment slots and further by ceramic barrier rings. An electric motor or pneumatic piston responsive to a measurement of arc voltage continually adjusts the axial position of the cathode tip relative to the anode nozzle so as to maintain a predetermined arc voltage.

Plasma gun with adjustable cathode

A plasma spray gun system with improved nozzle life. The gun includes a nozzle with a thin annular coolant passage and having a dimension optimized for nozzle life. The system also includes a deionizer to remove ions from the cooling fluid and a dissolved gas remover which also improves nozzle life. In addition, the coolant is treated to remove ions which extends nozzle life even more. Further cooling fluid treatment for even further nozzle life includes dissolved gas removal and heat removal.

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Port Washington, NY, United States of America

John Frederick Klein