Other

Caterpillar Inc.

Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Storwatts, Inc.

Closed-loop Engine Technology, LLC

Robert J Moffat

Ronald Ho

Arthur R Zingher

Scott Byron Fiveland

Dean Samara-Rubio

Dino J Farina

James John Callas

Michael J Campagna

Harold D Ackler

John L Lawless

Raymond Girouard

Elizabeth Samara-Rubio

Jacqueline R Girouard

Certain examples present an improved compressed-air energy storage system. The system can include multiple sequential stages, in which accumulators are charged with air, which influences a hydraulic fluid to influence a pump/motor, and vice versa.

Compressed air energy storage

A fuel injector arrangement for a turbine engine is disclosed. The fuel injector arrangement may have a combustion chamber, a plenum, an injector, and a premixing chamber configured to receive the injector. The premixing chamber may be at least partially disposed within the plenum and open to the combustion chamber. The premixing chamber may have at least one passageway configured to allow air from the plenum to enter and mix with fuel from the injector to form an air/fuel mixture within the premixing chamber, and a porous annular wall configured to allow air from the plenum to enter and create a lean boundary layer at the porous annular wall.

Fuel injector arrangement having porous premixing chamber

The present invention provides a method of controlling engine performance that includes obtaining at least one optical wavelength-dependent measurement from at least one combustion event in at least one combustion chamber. The method further includes analyzing the optical wavelength-dependent measurement for determining adjustments to the at least one combustion event. Additionally, the method includes adjusting the at least one combustion event or at least a next combustion event by changing at least one physical parameter, at least one constituent parameter, or at least one physical parameter and at least one constituent parameter to control the engine performance. The engine can include steady-flow engines or periodic flow engines, and the engine performance can be selected by an engine user.

Method of controlling engine performance

A heat exchanger is disclosed. The heat exchanger may have a conduit configured to conduct a fluid and at least one body of metal foam surrounding the conduit. The at least one body of metal foam may have a radially inner portion, a radially outer portion, and a radially intermediate portion between the radially inner portion and the radially outer portion. The at least one body of metal foam may have a lower percentage of void space at the radially outer portion as compared to the radially intermediate portion.

Heat exchanger with conduit surrounded by metal foam

Device and methods are provided for assessing a temperature exposure history of a sample that is comprised of a nonmetallic material. To assess the temperature exposure history, the pre-exposure and post-exposure electronic states of the sample are compared. Changes in the electronic state of the sample are indicative of the temperature exposure history.

Devices and methods for assessing a sample's temperature exposure history

A device includes a first semiconductor die having a first surface and a second surface. The first semiconductor die is configured to communicate by capacitive coupling using one or more of a plurality of proximity connectors proximate to the first surface. The first semiconductor die is configured to have a flexibility compliance greater than a first pre-determined value in a direction substantially perpendicular to a plane including the plurality of proximity connectors in order to reduce misalignment in the direction between the plurality of proximity connectors and additional proximity connectors on another device.

Structures for Z-aligned proximity communication

An apparatus and method for accurately calibrating the full-field color response to temperature of a thermochromic liquid crystal (12, 76) (TLC) located on a substrate material (10, 78). The apparatus uses a camera (50) to measure a reflected light (101) reflected by the TLC (12, 76) from a light source (54) which preferably illuminates the TLC with a full visible light spectrum (100). To achieve a temperature distribution over its surface the TLC (12, 76) is placed on a thermal element (14, 80) and allowed to reach a steady state. An optically transmissive pane (36) covers the TLC and contact assurance elements (38) which ensure contact pressure between the thermal element (14, 80) and the TLC. A set of optically transmissive plates (42, 44) mounted on top of one another and separated by air gap (46) covers the optically transmissive pane (36) and provides a thermal resistance to prevent heat leakage. The apparatus has a preferably ring-shaped light source (54) mounted above the set of optically transmissive plates (42, 44) for illuminating the TLC. For increased calibration accuracy the apparatus has an infrared filter (56) and an ultraviolet filter (58) mounted upstream from the light source (54) for removing ultraviolet and infrared radiation. Additionally, the apparatus has two polarizers (64, 66) to only admit circularly polarized light into the camera (50).

Growing community of inventors

Salinas, CA, United States of America

Robert J Moffat