Colorado State University Research Foundation

Morgan Defoort

Azer P Yalin

Bryan Willson

Sachin Joshi

Adam Reynolds

John Mizia

Various implementations include a biomass dehydration system including a wet biomass chamber containing wet biomass, a belt or chain defining one or more cavities, two or more pulleys including a drive pulley that the belt or chain extend around and that are configured such that the cavities are disposable within the wet biomass chamber as the belt or chain moves along the pulleys to cause wet biomass to enter the cavities, and a drying chamber for dehydrating wet biomass disposed in the cavities into solid pellets. The drive pulley engages the belt or chain and causes the belt or chain to move around the pulleys. At least a portion of the belt or chain extends from the wet biomass chamber through the drying chamber. One of the pulleys includes one or more ejection protrusions for engaging the cavities and ejecting solid pellets from the cavities.

Biomass dehydration system

A spark delivery system for generating a spark using a laser beam is provided, and includes a laser light source and a laser delivery assembly. The laser delivery assembly includes a hollow fiber and a launch assembly comprising launch focusing optics to input the laser beam in the hollow fiber. The laser delivery assembly further includes exit focusing optics that demagnify an exit beam of laser light from the hollow fiber, thereby increasing the intensity of the laser beam and creating a spark. Other embodiments use a fiber laser to generate a spark. Embodiments of the present invention may be used to create a spark in an engine. Yet other embodiments include collecting light from the spark or a flame resulting from the spark and conveying the light for diagnostics. Methods of using the spark delivery systems and diagnostic systems are provided.

Optical diagnostics integrated with laser spark delivery system

A spark delivery system for generating a spark using a laser beam is provided, the spark delivery system including a laser light source and a laser delivery assembly. The laser delivery assembly includes a hollow fiber and a launch assembly comprising launch focusing optics to input the laser beam in the hollow fiber. In addition, the laser delivery assembly includes exit focusing optics that demagnify an exit beam of laser light from the hollow fiber, thereby increasing the intensity of the laser beam and creating a spark. In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, the assembly may be used to create a spark in a combustion engine. In accordance with other embodiments of the present invention, a method of using the spark delivery system is provided. In addition, a method of choosing an appropriate fiber for creating a spark using a laser beam is also presented.

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Fort Collins, CO, United States of America

Morgan Defoort