Johns Hopkins University

Other

Algenol Biofuels, Inc.

The United States of America As Represented by the Department of Energy

Algenol Biotech LLC

Sienna Biotech, Inc.

Joseph L Katz

Edwin Malkiel

Edward Legere

Robert Paul Woods

Jason Keith Ward

Oliver Ashley

Harlan L Miller, Iii

George Meichel

Paul Petersen

Umang Anand

Carl Theodore Edens

Markus M Rudek

Heikki Lihavainen

Brian C Salter

Cheng-Hung Hung

Philippe F Miquel

The invention provides a mixing system comprising a magnetically coupled drive system and a foil for cultivating algae, or cyanobacteria, in an open or enclosed vessel. The invention provides effective mixing, low energy usage, low capital expenditure, and ease of drive system component maintenance while maintaining the integrity of a sealed mixing vessel.

Magnetically coupled system for mixing

An abrasive, fluid jet cutting apparatus, and its method of construction and operation, are disclosed that reduce the wear and erosion problems typically experienced in the cutting jet's mixing tube. This improved fluid jet cutting apparatus comprises (a) a chamber having an inlet for receiving a pressurized fluid jet, a port for receiving a flow of abrasive particles which are entrained into the fluid jet, and an exit through which the fluid jet and entrained abrasives exit the chamber, (b) a mixing tube having an entry port for receiving said fluid jet and entrained abrasives, an inner wall for directing the flow of said fluid jet and entrained abrasives, and an outlet port through which said fluid jet and entrained abrasives exit said tube, wherein the tube entry port is proximate the chamber exit, (c) a lubricating fluid reservoir that surrounds at least a portion of the outer wall of the mixing tube, (d) wherein at least a portion of the mixing tube wall is porous, and (e) wherein the lubricating fluid passes from the lubricating reservoir and through the porous wall to lubricate at least a portion of the surface of the mixing tube wall so as to resist erosion of the tube wall when the fluid jet and entrained abrasives flow through the mixing tube.

Porous, lubricated mixing tube for abrasive, fluid jet

A nozzle apparatus for use with an abrasive fluid jet cutting system, and its method of construction and operation, are disclosed that reduce the wear and erosion problems typically experienced in the cutting jet's nozzle. This improved nozzle apparatus comprises (a) a nozzle having an entry port for receiving a slurry consisting of a carrier fluid and abrasive particles, an inner wall for directing the flow of the slurry, and an outlet port through which the slurry exits the nozzle, (b) wherein at least a portion of the nozzle wall is porous, and (c) a lubricating fluid chamber that surrounds the porous portion of the outer wall of the nozzle, the chamber having a port where a lubricating fluid enters the chamber, with the chamber port connecting to an input pipe which connects to a filter for filtering contaminants that might clog the pores of the porous portion of the nozzle. The nozzle operates by having the lubricating fluid pass from the lubricating reservoir and through the porous wall to lubricate at least a portion of the surface of the nozzle inner wall so as to resist erosion of the wall, as well as result in an abrasive slurry jet with improved coherence and cutting efficiency.

Porous, lubricated nozzle for abrasive fluid suspension jet

Elemental mercury is removed from emissions of coal-fired utilities by the selective photoionization of mercury atoms using ultraviolet light, followed by electrostatic precipitation of the mercury ions. Mercury is first exposed to light of a wavelength which boosts the mercury to an excited state. Then mercury is ionized using light of a different wavelength. The ionized mercury atoms are exposed to supersaturated water vapor to produce charged droplets which are precipitated, such that the exhaust effluent is substantially devoid of mercury or the mercury level is substantially reduced.

Removal of elemental mercury by photoionization

A method and apparatus for determining the presence of molecules in a gas at concentrations of less than about 100 ppb. Light having wavelengths in the range from about 200 nm to about 350 nm is used to illuminate a flowing sample of the gas causing the molecules if present to form clusters. A mixture of the illuminated gas and a vapor is cooled until the vapor is supersaturated so that there is a small rate of homogeneous nucleation. The supersaturated vapor condenses on the clusters thus causing the clusters to grow to a size sufficient to be counted by light scattering and then the clusters are counted.

Photoinduced nucleation: a novel tool for detecting molecules in air at ultra-low concentrations

A high speed fluid jet nozzle made at least in part of a porous material and configured so that the porous part of the nozzle is surrounded at least in part by a reservoir containing a lubricant fluid. As a cutting fluid passes through the nozzle, lubricant from the reservoir is drawn through the porous material and lubricates the surfaces of the nozzle exposed to the fluid jet. The invention not only resolves the main difficulties of the prior art relating to nozzle wear, it expands the use and applications of high speed fluid jet cutters. By reducing wear of a jet nozzle, it is possible to increase the jet speed and reduce the nozzle diameter even further than the prior art, allowing much higher precision, deeper cutting, and usage on difficult to cut material such as ceramics. The invention thus provides a reliable but yet very simple method for preventing nozzle wear.

Lubricated high speed fluid cutting jet

A pre-analysis chamber having reduced turbulence is provided for a flow particle analyzer. The chamber has a conical diverging section for decelerating sheath fluid flow to form a laminar profile, followed by a conical converging section for accelerating flow. A sample inlet tube is supported in the chamber near the interface between the diverging and converging sections, and terminates in the laminar, accelerated sheath flow. The sample enters the laminar sheath flow to form a discrete sample stream.

Pre-analysis chamber for a flow particle analyzer

Ceramic oxide powders and methods for their preparation are revealed. Ceramic oxide powders are obtained using a flame process whereby one or more precursors of ceramic oxides are introduced into a counterflow diffusion flame burner wherein the precursors are converted into ceramic oxide powders. The nature of the ceramic oxide powder produced is determined by process conditions. The morphology, particle size, and crystalline form of the ceramic oxide powders may be varied by the temperature of the flame, the precursor concentration ratio, the gas stream and the gas velocity.

Counterflow diffusion flame synthesis of ceramic oxide powders

Ceramic oxide powders and a method for their preparation. Ceramic oxide powders are obtained using a flame process whereby two or more precursors of ceramic oxides are introduced into a counterflow diffusion flame burner wherein said precursors are converted into ceramic oxide powders. The morphology, particle size, and crystalline form of the ceramic oxide powders are determined by process conditions.

Ceramic oxide powders and the formation thereof

Microscopic, neutrally buoyant particles containing fluorescing compounds used for tracers of large scale turbulent flows. The particles are generated by dissolving acrylics in a solvent and mixing the solution with fluorescing dyes. This mixture is sprayed into a heated chamber where the solvent evaporates, and the solid acrylic with the imbedded dye settles on the bottom of the chamber. The dust is collected, and the particles are separated according to size using a filter. Dye residue on the particles' surface is washed leaving the dye imbedded within the particles. The particles are then used within flow fields.

Growing community of inventors

Baltimore, MD, United States of America

Joseph L Katz