A method and apparatus for manufacturing a brazed heat exchanger. The method includes the steps of: assembling the heat exchanger components to form at least one unbrazed heat exchanger core in a core builder machine; without removing the at least one heat exchanger core from the core builder machine, enclosing the heat exchanger core with a brazing tool arrangement adapted to form a chamber, optionally, evacuating the chamber and/or filling the chamber with a controlled atmosphere; brazing the heat exchanger core in the chamber to form a brazed heat exchanger.

Heat exchangers made from aluminium alloy products are used widely in the transportation industries, such as the automotive industry, for powertrain cooling and HVAC& R applications, as well as for domestic and industrial cooling purposes, e.g. for fluid processing and HVAC&R applications. A brazed heat exchanger typically comprises at least one or more tank structures to hold a coolant media; a tube or header plate coupled to at least one of the said tank structures, the said header plates or tubes include a plurality of apertures; to which are connected a multiplicity of fluid-carrying tubes, mounted in a substantially parallel array, each extending substantially perpendicular from one of the said apertures in the said header plate or tube, and structured to receive the said cooling media; and a plurality of heat transfer fins, said fins being in thermal communication with said plurality of fluid carrying tubes, and structured to transfer heat away from the tubes, in order to cool said coolant media as it flows or circulates therein.
In the manufacturing process for such brazed heat exchangers, the individual components (tubes, fins and headers, etc.) or sub-assemblies are manufactured first, wherein at least some of these components are made from aluminium alloy material, clad with a filler alloy or brazing material, which allows for joining of the heat exchanger by brazing. The individual heat exchanger components are then assembled by a so-called core builder machine. This process can be manual or fully automated in operation. After assembly, a clamp or fixture or loading device is usually put on to the assembled heat exchanger components to hold the various components together, and the fixtured heat exchanger core assembly is then transferred to a brazing furnace. For the automotive industry, where large volumes and varieties of heat exchangers are required, it is not unusual to have one or more brazing furnaces being supplied by several core builder machines, assembling different types of heat exchangers.
In the prior art manufacturing process, the core building and brazing processes are separate sequential process steps, carried out in two separate machine cells or equipment layouts, requiring a number of handling and transportation steps in between the core building machine and the brazing furnace. As the heat exchangers are only loosely assembled prior to brazing, they need to be secured with a braze clamp or frame, such as disclosed for example in patent document U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,899.
An exemplary core builder machine is disclosed in patent document U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,704, and incorporated herein by reference.
It is an object of the invention to improve the efficiency and operating effectiveness of brazed heat exchanger manufacture, in particular brazed aluminium alloy heat exchanger manufacture.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for manufacturing brazed heat exchangers, which uses fewer process steps, less handling operations and less work-in-progress inventories.

Brazing a heat exchanger with a moving brazing tool


A method of making a lithography mask with a stress-relief treatment is disclosed. The method includes providing a substrate and depositing an opaque layer on the substrate. The opaque layer is patterned to form a patterned mask. A stress-relief treatment is applied to the patterned mask by using an radiation exposure.

The semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) industry has experienced exponential growth. Technological advances in IC materials and design have produced generations of ICs where each generation has smaller and more complex circuits than the previous generation. In the course of IC evolution, functional density (i.e., the number of interconnected devices per chip area) has generally increased while geometry size (i.e., the smallest component (or line) that can be created using a fabrication process) has decreased. This scaling down process generally provides benefits by increasing production efficiency and lowering associated costs.
Such scaling down has also increased the complexity of processing and manufacturing ICs and, for these advances to be realized, similar developments in IC processing and manufacturing are needed. For example, a need of obtaining an adequate interlayer overlay raises challenges to control, relieve and compensate a composite stress built up on a lithograph mask during fabrication of the mask. Several approaches of reducing overlay error have been applied, such as an e-beam correction, a charging dissipation layer deposition, and manipulating blank flatness. Accordingly, although existing approaches have been generally adequate for their intended purposes, they have not been entirely satisfactory in all respects. For example, variations of pattern density and device layout from area to area in a lithography mask raise need of a stress compensation solution not only globally (a whole mask) but also locally (a portion of the mask). It is desired to have improvements in this area.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


A fiber optic probe sensor for accurate measurement of displacement of a target over very small distances is disclosed. The probe sensor is comprised of plurality of light emitting fibers exclusively occupying a central region and connected to a light source for illuminating the target; a first and second plurality of light receiving fibers arrayed in two concentric regions exterior to and at two different distances from the central region, and means for measuring reflected light received from the target and for generating an output proportional to the light received and independent of target reflectivity or light source variation.

The use of reflected light received by optical fibers to measure displacement of a target is well known. Known probes generally comprise a bundle of optical fibers some of which transmit light to a target. A portion of the light which strikes the target is reflected back to the probe. The reflected light is received by and communicated along other optical fibers in the probe to a transducer which then generates an electrical signal proportional to the light received. As the target distance increases, the intensity of reflected light decreases. Thus, changes in the signal output of the light sensor can serve as a direct measure of changes in target distance. Typical examples of such sensors are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,327,584; 3,940,608; 4,247,764; 4,694,160; and 4,701,611. Unfortunately, measurement of displacement based upon changes in absolute light intensity greatly impairs the usefulness and sensitivity of such known probes. First, different targets will have different types of surfaces with different reflectivities, thereby necessitating frequent recalibration. Second, the light source itself may not always remain constant, but rather may often displays short-term variance resulting from variation the power supply. In addition, light sources frequently exhibit a decrease in intensity over time. Such changes require either frequent recalibration or the addition of costly circuitry and/or light sources to insure that the amount of light initially transmitted remains nearly constant. Finally, crosstalk between the light emitting and light receiving fibers in mixed bundles considerably reduces the resolving power of the apparatus. Although many modifications have been proposed to overcome these problems, there has been little improvement.
More recently, U.S. Pat. No. 4,701,610 described a fiber optic probe in which some of the light receiving fibers are segregated from a mixed bundle of light emitting and light receiving fibers. This provides two measures of reflectivity, one based on the segregated receiving fibers and one based on the receiving fibers which remain intermixed with the light emitting fibers. These two signals can then be processed to provide an output which is somewhat independent of changes in target reflectivity. Although this probe suffers from fewer of the problems encountered with reflectivity dependent probes, many difficulties remain. Crosstalk between the light emitting and light receiving fibers of the mixed bundle is particularly problematic, considerably reducing the probe's capacity for resolution. Furthermore, having a bundle of mixed light emitting and light receiving fibers substantially decreases the linearity of the final output signal, thereby introducing error and decreasing the range of distance through which the probe can effect an accurate measurement. Thus, there exists a need for a fiber optic probe which can determine the displacement of a target accurately over very small changes is distance, and which will provide a measurement which is substantially independent of target reflectivity and source illumination variation.

Fiber optic probe sensor for measuring target displacement


A system and method for effectuating the transfer of data blocks having intervals across a clock boundary between a first clock domain and a second clock domain. A first circuit portion provides the data blocks to a second circuit portion. A synchronizer controller disposed between the first and second clock domains provides at least one dead cycle control signal to the second circuit portion, which is indicative of the location of at least one dead cycle between the first and second clock signals. Control logic associated with the second circuit portion generates data transfer control signals responsive to the at least one dead cycle control signal in order to control the second circuit portion so that the data blocks may be transmitted as contiguous data blocks relative to the at least one dead cycle.

By way of example, FIG. 1 depicts a timing sequence 100 of two clock domains having an N:(N−1) frequency ratio wherein data transfer across the clock boundary between the domains results in an extra data cycle or "dead cycle" in which data cannot be transferred. As is well known, data transfer operations between circuitry of a first clock domain and circuitry of a second clock domain are effectuated by synchronizer circuitry disposed therebetween. Further, the first and second clock domains are operable with clock signals that have a particular cycle ratio. For instance, the circuitry of the first clock domain ("fast clock domain") may be clocked with a first clock signal (CLK1) that is faster than a second clock signal (CLK2) used for clocking the circuitry of the second clock domain ("slow clock domain") such that there are N first clock cycles to (N−1) second clock cycles. In one application, core clock circuitry and bus clock circuitry of a computer system may represent the first and second clock domains, respectively, wherein CLK1 and CLK2 signals correspond to the core clock (CC) and bus clock (BC) signals.
A synchronizer controller circuit (not shown in FIG. 1) is usually provided for controlling the operation of synchronizer circuitry disposed between the two clock domains. Additionally, a control signal such as a SYNC pulse may be generated based on a predetermined temporal relationship between CLK1 and CLK2 for synchronizing the data transfer operations. For example, the SYNC pulse may be generated when a rising edge of the CLK1 signal coincides with a rising edge of the CLK2 signal, which commences a data transmit window for the transfer of data blocks, which may include one or more data bits, from one clock domain to the other clock domain.
The timing sequence 100 of FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of CLK1 104, CLK2 106 and SYNC pulse signal 108, wherein for every five ticks of CLK1 there are four ticks of the slow clock (i.e., CLK2). A cycle count 102 refers to the numbering of CLK1 cycles in a particular data transmit window of the timing sequence 100. Data to be transferred from the fast clock domain is clocked at CLK1, that is, 5 data block pulses per window are available.
As alluded to before, the SYNC pulse 108 is high on coincident rising edges of CLK1 and CLK2 and the data transfer operations across the clock boundary between the two clock domains are timed with reference to the SYNC pulse. In a normal condition where there is no skew (or, jitter, as it is sometimes referred to) between CLK1 and CLK2, the coincident edges occur on the rising edges of the first cycle (cycle 0) as shown in FIG. 1. Since there are five CLK1 cycles and only four CLK2 cycles, CLK1 domain circuit portion cannot transmit data during one cycle resulting in what is known as a "dead tick," as CLK2 domain circuit portion does not have a corresponding time slot for receiving it. Typically, the cycle that is least skew tolerant is the one where data is not transmitted and, in the exemplary timing sequence shown in FIG. 1, it is the fourth cycle (i.e., cycle 3).
Skew between CLK1 and CLK2 signals can cause, for example, a variance in the positioning of the SYNC pulse which affects the data transfer operations between CLK1 and CLK2 domains. In the exemplary 5:4 frequency ratio scenario set forth above, if CLK2 leads CLK1 by a quarter cycle for instance, then instead of the edges being coincident at the start of cycle 0, they will be coincident at the start of cycle 1 and the dead tick's location may accordingly vary. In similar fashion, if CLK2 lags CLK1 by a quarter cycle, the edges will be coincident at the start of the last cycle (i.e., cycle 4). Regardless of the skew between the clock cycles, however, there will be a cycle where a data block cannot be sent, resulting in data transfer at less than full bandwidth. Furthermore, in channelized data transmission scenarios, where multiplexed data blocks are transmitted from a fast clock domain to a slow clock domain sequentially as contiguous data blocks, the latency introduced by dead cycles presents problems.

System and method for effectuating the transfer of data blocks across a clock boundary

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


In one aspect, an icemaker for making ice in a fresh food compartment of a bottom mount refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator comprises a freezer compartment comprising a freezer door, and a fresh food compartment located over the freezer compartment and comprising a fresh food door. The fresh food door comprises an ice dispenser. An ice maker is located in the fresh food compartment, and the ice maker comprises an ice mold, and a thermoelectric device for moving heat from the ice mold. The mold is positioned so that ice from the mold can be dispensed by the ice dispenser in the fresh food door.

This invention relates generally to refrigerators and more particularly, to icemakers for bottom mount freezer type refrigerators.
Refrigerators and freezers typically include an icemaker. The icemaker receives water for ice production from a water valve typically mounted to an exterior of the refrigerator or freezer case. The water valve typically is coupled to a fill tube via polyethylene tubing. Water is dispensed from the fill tube into a tray in which ice cubes are formed. Specifically, the fill tube transports water from the polyethylene tubing to the icemaker located inside the freezer. The fill tube typically is either foamed in place or extends through an opening in the case.
A bottom mount type refrigerator includes a freezer compartment and a fresh food compartment. The freezer compartment is located below the fresh food portion, and generally, the temperature in the freezer compartment is intended to be maintained below the freezing point of water. The temperature in the fresh food compartment is intended to be maintained at a higher temperature than the temperature in the freezer compartment, and generally, above the freezing temperature of water. Specifically, the temperature in the fresh food compartment generally is not sufficiently cold to freeze items or to form ice.
Even though the temperature in the fresh food compartment is not sufficient to form ice, it would be desirable to have ice and chilled water service through the fresh food door of a bottom mount freezer type of refrigerator. Due to the location of the freezer (i.e., below the fresh food compartment), moving ice upward from the bottom freezer compartment to the door of the fresh food compartment would be difficult and not very practical. Also, since the fresh food compartment temperature is above the freezing point, ice cannot be made in the fresh food compartment.
In one aspect, an icemaker for making ice in a fresh food compartment of a bottom mount refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator comprises a freezer compartment comprising a freezer door, and a fresh food compartment located over the freezer compartment and comprising a fresh food door. The fresh food door comprises an ice dispenser. An ice maker is located in the fresh food compartment, and the ice maker comprises an ice mold, and a thermoelectric device for moving heat from the ice mold. The mold is positioned so that ice from the mold can be dispensed by the ice dispenser in the fresh food door.
A freezer air duct extends from the freezer compartment to the ice mold. An air flow control device is provided for controlling flow of freezer air through the freezer air duct. In addition, a controller is coupled to the flow control device and to a temperature measurement device positioned to be in an air stream leaving the thermoelectric device. The controller monitors a temperature of air flow from the thermoelectric device. When the temperature of air flow from the thermoelectric device is above a predetermined temperature, air flow through the freezer air duct is increased. When the temperature of air flow from the thermoelectric device is below a predetermined temperature, then air flow through the freezer air duct is decreased.
In another aspect, an ice mold having an enhanced heat transfer surface and located in a fresh food compartment of a bottom mount refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator comprises a freezer compartment comprising a freezer door, and a fresh food compartment located over the freezer compartment and comprising a fresh food door. The fresh food door comprises an ice dispenser. An ice maker is located in the fresh food compartment, and the ice maker comprises the ice mold with the enhanced heat transfer surface. A freezer air duct extends from the freezer compartment to the ice mold, and an air flow control device is provided for controlling flow of freezer air through the freezer air duct. A fan is located near the ice mold and the fan augments the movement of the freezer air.
A controller is coupled to the flow control device, the fan near the ice mold, and to a temperature measurement device positioned to be in an air stream leaving the thermoelectric device. The controller monitors a temperature of air flow from the thermoelectric device. When the temperature of air flow from the thermoelectric device is above a predetermined temperature, air flow through the freezer air duct over the ice mold is increased. When the temperature of air flow from the thermoelectric device is below a predetermined temperature, then air flow through the freezer air duct and over the ice mold is decreased.


An amorphous metal alloy which is at least 90% amorphous having enhanced magnetic properties at elevated temperatures and consisting essentially of a composition having the formula Fe.sub.a Si.sub.b B.sub.c wherein "a", "b" and "c" are atomic percentages ranging from about 79.4 to 79.8, 6 to 8 and 12 to 14, respectively, with the proviso that the sum of "a", "b" and "c" equals 100.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to amorphous metal alloy compositions and, in particular, to amorphous alloys containing iron, silicon and boron having enhanced AC magnetic properties at elevated temperatures.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Investigations have demonstrated that it is possible to obtain solid amorphous materials from certain metal alloy compositions. An amorphous material substantially lacks any long range atomic order and is characterized by an X-ray diffraction profile consisting of broad intensity maxima. Such a profile is qualitatively similar to the diffraction profile of a liquid or ordinary window glass. This is in contrast to a crystalline material which produces a diffraction profile consisting of sharp, narrow intensity maxima.
These amorphous materials exist in a metastable state. Upon heating to a sufficiently high temperature, they crystallize with evolution of the heat of crystallization, and the X-ray diffraction profile changes from one having amorphous characteristics to one having crystalline characteristics.
Novel amorphous metal alloys have been disclosed by H. S. Chen and D. E. Polk in U.S. Pat. No. 3,856,513, issued Dec. 24, 1974. These amorphous alloys have the formula M.sub.a Y.sub.b Z.sub.c where M is at least one metal selected from the group of iron, nickel, cobalt, chromium and vanadium, Y is at least one element selected from the group consisting of phosphorus, boron and carbon, Z is at least one element selected from the group consisting of aluminum, antimony, beryllium, germanium, indium, tin and silicon, "a" ranges from about 60 to 90 atom percent, "b" ranges from about 10 to 30 atom percent and "c" ranges from about 0.1 to 15 atom percent. These amorphous alloys have been found suitable for a wide variety of applications in the form of ribbon, sheet, wire, powder, etc. The Chen and Polk patent also discloses, amorphous alloys having the formula T.sub.i X.sub.j, where T is at least one transition metal, X is at least one element selected from the group consisting of aluminum, antimony, beryllium, boron, germanium, carbon, indium, phosphorus, silicon and tin, "i" ranges from about 70 to 87 atom percent and "j" ranges from about 13 to 30 atom percent. These amorphous alloys have been found suitable for wire applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,950 discloses amorphous metal alloys consisting essentially of 12 to 15% boron, 1 to 8% silicon and 80 to 84% iron, by atomic percentage. These alloys exhibit relatively low crystallization and curie temperatures (i.e. less than 400.degree. C.). As a result, the magnetic properties thereof are substantially degraded by long term thermal aging, and the induction levels of the alloys are relatively low at elevated temperatures. Hence, the alloys are not well suited for power magnetics applications wherein operating temperatures frequently exceed 100.degree. C.
European Patent Application 095,831, filed Mar. 28, 1983 discloses amorphous metal alloys consisting of 4-10% boron, 14-17% silicon and 73-80% iron, by atomic percentages and incidental impurities. These alloys evidence high exciting power (e.g. of the order of 3-5 VA/kg at 60 Hz and 1.4 T) and are not well suited for power magnetics appliations wherein low exciting power is required.
European Patent Application 095,803, filed Mar. 28, 1983 discloses amorphous metal alloys consisting of 6-10% boron, 14-17% silicon and 1-4% chromium, by atomic percentages, no more than incidental impurities and the balance iron. These chromium containing alloys have relatively low intrinsic saturation induction and relatively low curie temperature, and are unsuitable for elevated temperature, high induction applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,907 discloses amorphous metal alloys composed of 8-19% silicon, 6-13% boron 0-3.5 carbon and 74-80% iron, by atomic percentage with incidental impurities. These alloys evidence low crystallization temperatures (e.g. less than 515.degree. C.) and, hence, are not well suited for power magnetics applications.
European Patent. Application 0,058,269, filed May 8, 1981 discloses amorphous metal alloys consisting essentially of 12 to 16% boron, 5 to 10% silicon and 77 to 80% iron, by atom percent, with no more than incidental impurities. No disclosure is contained therein concerning alloys which exhibit, in combination, enhanced induction at elevated temperatures and long term thermal stability.
At the time that the amorphous alloys described above were discovered, they evidenced magnetic properties that were superior to then known polycrystalline alloys. Nevertheless, new applications requiring improved magnetic properties at elevated temperatures and higher thermal stability have necessitated efforts to develop additional alloy compositions.

Amorphous metal alloys having enhanced AC magnetic properties at elevated temperatures


A method of producing petroleum coke in a petroleum coking system comprising the steps of (a) adding a fluid to a live coking drum while warming a second drum so that additional vapor is provided in the live drum and (b) reducing pressure loss in the live drum by regulating the addition of the fluid based upon a target pressure for the live drum and by regulating the flow of warm-up vapor from the live drum to the second drum based upon a target pressure for the second drum. The flow of warm-up vapor from the live drum to the second drum is preferably conducted via a conduit system having a total length of less than 100 feet.

The present invention relates to methods of and apparatuses for warming coking drums in petroleum coking systems.
Coking systems are commonly used in petroleum refineries for converting vacuum tower bottoms and/or other heavy (i.e., high boiling point) residual petroleum materials to petroleum coke and other products. The greater part of each barrel of resid material processed in the coker will typically be recovered as fuel gas, coker gasoline/naphtha, light cycle oil (also commonly referred to by various other names such as light coker gas oil), and heavy cycle oil (also commonly referred to by various other names such as heavy coker gas oil).
A typical delayed coking system comprises: a combination tower or other fractionator; a fired heater; and at least one vertical coking drum. Most coking systems include at least a pair of vertical coking drums. The heavy coker feed is typically delivered to the bottom of the fractionator wherein it is combined with a heavy, liquid, residual bottom product (commonly referred to as a xe2x80x9crecyclexe2x80x9d) produced in the fractionator. The resulting mixture is drawn from the bottom of the fractionator and then pumped through the heater and into at least one coking drum. Typically, multiple coking drums are operated in alternating cycles such that, while one drum (referred to herein as the xe2x80x9clivexe2x80x9d drum) is -operating in a fill cycle, another drum is operating in a second cycle typically comprising a steaming stage, a cooling/quenching stage, a hydraulic decoking stage, a pressure testing stage, and a warm-up stage. During the warm-up stage, a portion of the product vapor produced in the live drum is used to warm the empty drum.
In the fill cycle, the hot feed material from the coker heater typically flows into the bottom of the live coking drum. Some of the heavy feed material vaporizes in the heater such that the material entering the bottom of the coking drum is a vapor/liquid mixture. The vapor portion of the mixture undergoes mild cracking in the coking heater and experiences further cracking as it passes upwardly through the coking drum. The hot liquid material undergoes intensive thermal cracking and polymerization in the coking drum such that the liquid material is converted to cracked vapor and petroleum coke. The resulting combined overhead vapor product produced in the coking drum is typically delivered to the fractionator wherein it is separated into gas, naphtha, light cycle oil, and heavy cycle oil, which are withdrawn from the fractionator as products, and the heavy recycle/residual material which flows to the bottom of the fractionator. The light and heavy cycle oil products are typically taken from the fractionator as side-draw products which are further processed (e.g., in a fluid catalytic cracker) to produce gasoline and other desirable end products. The heavy recycle material combines with the heavy feed material in the bottom of the fractionator and, as mentioned above, is pumped with the heavy feed material through the coker heater.
By way of example, but not by way of limitation, typical coker operating conditions and product specifications include: a heater outlet temperature in the range of from about 905 to about 935xc2x0 F.; coke drum pressures in the range of from about 20 to about 40 psig; live drum overhead temperatures in the range of from about 800xc2x0 to about 820xc2x0 F.; a fractionator overhead pressure in the range of from about 10 to about 30 psig; a fractionator bottom temperature in the range of from about 750xc2x0 to about 780xc2x0 F.; a light cycle oil draw temperature in the range of from about 450xc2x0 to about 550xc2x0 F.; a light cycle oil initial boiling point (ASTM D-1186) in the range of from about 300xc2x0 to about 325xc2x0 F.; a light cycle oil end point (D-1186) in the range of from about 600xc2x0 to about 650xc2x0 F.; a heavy cycle oil draw temperature in the range of from about 600xc2x0 to about 690xc2x0 F.; a heavy cycle oil initial boiling point (D-1186) in the range of from about 470xc2x0 to about 500xc2x0 F.; and a heavy cycle oil end point (D-1186) in the range of from about 960xc2x0 to about 990xc2x0 F.
One of the most serious and commonly encountered problems in delayed coking operations is foamover. Foamover typically results from the formation of an excessive volume of foam in the live coking drum during the fill cycle. When foamover occurs, partially coked resid is carried into the coke drum overhead line and, depending on the amount of such overflow, can result in: coke lay-down in the coke drum overhead lines; partial plugging of the combination tower bottoms screen; complete plugging of the combination tower bottom screen and a resultant sudden loss of feed to the coker heater; plugged (i.e., coked) heater tubes resulting from the sudden loss of flow therethrough; and plugging of the coker blowdown system. A massive foamover can even carry coke into the upper portions of the combination tower.
Foam is primarily formed from waxy, paraffinic condensed hydrocarbons present in the live coking drum during the fill cycle. A primary source of such material comprises condensate which forms in the live drum when hot resid is first switched into the drum at the beginning of the fill cycle. Although the empty drum is warmed prior to beginning the fill cycle, the warmed drum will typically still be very cool compared to the hot resid material flowing from the coker heater. Thus, some of the vapor condenses, particularly on the interior surface of the coking drum.
Each barrel of the condensed hydrocarbon material can form up to 1,200 barrels of foam in the live drum. The foam material travels up the coking drum on top of the coke layer.
Several factors promote the formation and expansion of foam material within the filling drum. These include: the amount of condensed and/or entrained liquid hydrocarbon material present in the drum; pressure swings in the live coking drum; a significant drop in overhead vapor product temperature; failure of the anti-foam chemical addition system; and over-filling the live drum. Particularly significant pressure losses typically occur in the live drum when a portion of the vapor product therefrom is diverted to warm up an empty drum.
Besides causing foam problems, condensate remaining or formed in the drum during the fill cycle detrimentally affects the quality and value of the coke product. Coke containing a significant amount of condensate material is commonly referred to as xe2x80x9cstickyxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cgreenxe2x80x9d coke.
The procedures heretofore used in the art for preventing foamovers have commonly included: attempting to ensure that the unit operators drain completely the warm, empty coking drum before beginning the fill cycle; injecting silicone anti-foam chemicals when a high foam level is detected in the live drum; restricting the fill rate so that the final level of the coke product is significantly below the top of the coking drum; and significantly limiting the amount of warm-up vapor taken from the live drum.
These approaches for reducing foam formation and expansion have serious shortcomings and are typically highly susceptible to operator error. Restricting fill rates and product levels significantly reduces unit capacity and, by necessitating the use of larger drums and/or a greater number of drums to achieve a given capacity, significantly increases construction costs. Silicone anti-foam chemicals are costly, unreliable, and can significantly poison catalysts used in fluid catalytic crackers and other downstream processing systems.
Most significantly, attempting to maintain live drum pressure by reducing the amount of warm-up vapor taken from the live drum can result in the empty drum being not sufficiently warmed before beginning the fill cycle. Foam formation rates increase rapidly with decreasing switchover temperatures, particularly below 600xc2x0 F. Unfortunately, however, due to the inadequacy of the warm-up procedures heretofore used in the art, switchover temperatures of as little as 450xc2x0 F. or less are common. Low switchover temperatures can also produce large pressure and temperature losses at the beginning of the fill cycle.
Due to the fact that the coking drum product vapor constitutes the primary feed to the coking unit fractionator, the fractionator is also adversely affected by pressure, temperature, and product flow fluctuations in the coking drum. Such changes can easily upset the operation of the fractionator and thus have a deleterious effect on the consistency and quality of the product fractions drawn from the fractionator.
In addition to these problems, a need also exists for a cost effective and efficient approach for significantly reducing warm-up vapor temperature and pressure losses during the drum warming process. In the coking units heretofore known in the art, the design and structure of the drum overhead systems have focused almost exclusively on the delivery of cracked vapor from the coking drums to the fractionator. It has been the practice of those skilled in the art to then conduct the drum warming procedure by diverting a portion of the product vapor from the live drum (i.e., the warm-up vapor) such that it simply travels in reverse flow through the overhead system to the top of the cold drum. As a result, the warm-up vapor has been required to travel a total of more than (typically much more than) 250 feet from the top of the live drum to the top of the cold drum. Even with the use of highly insulated piping, the temperature of the warm-up vapor will commonly decrease by as much as 90xc2x0 F. or more by the time it reaches the cold drum. Moreover, as a result of such temperature loss coupled with frictional losses and condensation, the motive pressure of the warm-up vapor will commonly decline by as much as 10 psi or more by the time it reaches the cold drum. These losses in temperature and motive pressure undesirably prolong the warming process and significantly reduce the switchover temperatures obtainable.
The present invention satisfies the needs and alleviates the problems discussed hereinabove by providing an improved method of producing petroleum coke in a petroleum coking system of the type having at least a pair of coking drums operating in a cyclical manner such that, when a first coking drum is being operated in a fill cycle wherein a coker feed material flows into the first coking drum to form coke and produce a vapor product, a second coking drum is operated in a second cycle including a warning stage wherein a flow of warm-up vapor comprising a portion of the vapor product is delivered through the second coking drum.
In one aspect, the inventive improvement comprises the steps of: (a) adding a fluid to the first coking drum during the warming stage effective for providing additional vapor in the first coking drum, the fluid being a material other than the coker feed material and (b) reducing pressure loss in the first coking drum during the warming stage by regulating the addition of the fluid to the first coking drum based upon a target pressure for the first coking drum and by regulating the flow of warm-up vapor from the first coking drum to the second coking drum based upon a target pressure for the second coking drum. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, an actual pressure is determined for the first coking drum and the target pressure in the second coking drum is said actual pressure minus a targeted pressure differential.
In another aspect of the inventive method, the first coking drum has an upper end portion, the second coking drum has an upper end portion, and the improvement comprises conducting the flow of warm-up vapor from the upper end portion of the first coking drum to the upper end portion of the second coking drum via conduit means having a total length of less than 100 feet. Such conduit means will preferably have a total length of less than 75 feet.


A system positions a patient for X-ray imaging of a Left Atrium of a heart, using an imaging system for, acquiring data representing a frontal first X-ray image and representing a lateral second X-ray image of a patient. A display processor initiates generation of data representing a first composite display image including the first X-ray image and a first graphical overlay for aligning with vertebra in the first X-ray image. The display processor initiates generation of data representing a second composite display image including the second X-ray image and a second graphical overlay for aligning with vertebra in the second X-ray image. The imaging system is positioned for imaging a heart left atrium in response to movement of a table supporting the patient to align the first graphical overlay with the vertebra in the first X-ray image and to align the second graphical overlay with the vertebra in the second X-ray image.

In order to acquire a 3D image of the left atrium using a rotational angiography system, it is necessary to position the left atrium at iso-center of the angiography system. The placement of a left atrium at iso-center for imaging ensures that the region of interest (i.e. left atrium) does not drift out of a displayed field of view. Known systems involve use of a catheter placed in a left pulmonary artery that is positioned anterior to a left atrium. In the known systems iso-centering of a Left Atrium of a heart in the frontal position is performed by an operator under fluoroscopy (live reduced dose X-ray imaging) moving a patient support table horizontally until the spinal vertebrae are about 1.5 cm on the left of the image center line and by moving the table longitudinally until the catheter that was positioned in the left pulmonary artery is placed at the top of the image. Iso-centering in the lateral position is performed by an operator moving the support table up or down until two thirds of the vertebrae body is visible on the right of the image. This is a slow and inaccurate procedure involving substantial risk in placing of a catheter. A system according to invention principles addresses this deficiency and related problems.

System for positioning and X-ray imaging a heart


An input/output channel apparatus includes a channel processing section and plural channel units transfers data between a main memory and peripheral devices in an electronic computer system. The data transfer speed is directly controlled by the data transfer speed changing mechanism in each channel unit in accordance with the operating condition of the data buffer. Further, the priority of the data chaining process is changed in accordance with the amount of data stored in the data buffer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an input/output channel apparatus for executing the input/output operations between a main memory device and an input/output apparatus in an electronic computer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional input/output channel apparatus. In the diagram, reference numeral 1 denotes a central processing unit (CPU) to control the arithmetic operation processing operation of the whole apparatus; 2 indicates a main memory device to store data of the CPU 1; 3 an input/output channel apparatus to control the input/output to/from the CPU 1; 4 external input/output apparatuses which are connected to the CPU 1; 5 a channel processing section to process an input and an output of each channel of the input/output channel apparatus 3; 6 a main memory interface section to adjust signals front the main memory device 2 to the input/output channel apparatus 3; 7 channels CH.sub.0 to CH.sub.7 which are provided in correspondence with the input/output apparatuses 4; channel control sections 71 of the channels CH.sub.0 to CH.sub.7 (7); 72 data buffers of the channels CH.sub.0 to CH.sub.7 (7); 21 a CCW list of channel command words (hereinafter, referred to as CCW) which are prepared in the main memory device 2; 11 data buses connecting the main memory interface section 6 and the data buffers 72 of the channels CH.sub.0 to CH.sub.7 (7); 12 control buses connecting the channel processing section 5 and the channel control sections 71 of the channels CH.sub.0 to CH.sub.7 (7); and 13 input/output interfaces connecting the data buffers 72 of the channels CH.sub.0 to CH.sub.7 (7) and the input/output apparatuses 4.
The operation of the conventional input/output channel apparatus based on the above construction will now be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. FIG. 8 is a graph showing the transfer speed to time characteristics with respect to the data transfer speed control in prefetching from the main memory device 2 to the data buffers in the conventional apparatus. FIG. 9 is a graph showing the transfer speed to time characteristics of the data transfer speed (a solid line indicates a total data transfer speed and a broken line represents a transfer speed in every channel) in the main memory interface section in time conventional apparatus.
In the diagrams, an input/output start command is first supplied from the CPU 1 to the channel processing section 5. The channel processing section 5 selects the channels CH.sub.i (i=0 to 7) 7 on the basis of a channel address designated by the I/O start command. The channel processing section 5 generates the input/output command designated by the I/O start command to the corresponding I/O apparatus 4 through the I/O interface 13 of the channel CH.sub.i 7 on the basis of the I/O address designated by the I/O start command.
A write command will now be considered as an I/O command. Next, the channel processing section 5 requests for prefetching of write data to the channel CH.sub.i 7. Then, the channel CH.sub.i 7 starts prefetching the data into the data buffer 72 from the main memory device 2 through the main memory interface section 6. The data prefetched in the data buffer 72 is transferred to the corresponding I/O apparatus 4 through the I/O interface 13 of the channel CH.sub.i 7.
When the data to be written is prefetched, as shown in FIG. 8, it is prefetched at the maximum transfer speed from the main memory device 2 until the data buffer 72 is filled with the data and, after the data buffer 72 has been filled with the data, the data is continuously prefetched at the same transfer speed as that between the data buffer 72 and the I/O apparatus 4.
When the I/O start commands are successively inputted to all of the channels CH.sub.0 to CH.sub.7 (7) and each channel CH.sub.i 7 has completely prefetched the data to be written as shown in FIG. 8, the data transfer speed in the main memory interface section 6 increases until the total value (the peak point of the transfer speed in the diagram) of the maximum transfer speeds of the prefetching of the channels CH.sub.i 7 as shown in FIG. 9.
The operation In the case where the above conventional I/O channel apparatus executes the data chaining process will now be described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 12.
FIG. 10 is a CCW list state diagram showing an example of the CCW list 21. In the diagram, reference numeral 14 denotes a CCW comprising two words; 15 indicates a command code indicative of the reading or writing operation; 16 a data address indicative of a start address of data transfer; 17 a byte count indicative of the number of bytes to be transferred; and 18 a data chain flag in a flag byte provided to indicate a data chain command. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing all example of a processing flow of the data chain which Is executed by the channel control section 8.
FIG. 12 is a data buffer storage state diagram showing the steps in which the data which was read out of the I/O apparatus 4 is stored into the data buffer 72 before and after the data chain. In the diagram, reference numeral 19 denotes data which had already been read out of the I/O apparatus 4 by the channel control section 71 when the data transfer to the main memory device 2 which was indicated by a CCW.sub.m has been all completed. Reference numeral 20 indicates data which was read out of the I/O apparatus 4 for the period of time when the channel control section 71 executes the data chaining process from the CCW.sub.m to CCW.sub.m+1.
In the diagrams, the CPU 1 prepares the CCW list 21 in the main memory device 2 and generates the input/output start command (hereinafter, referred to as START I/O) to the channel processing section 5. Thus, the channel processing section 5 reads the head CCW.sub.1 from the CCW list 21 in the main memory device 2 via the main memory interface section 6. Next, the channel processing section 5 selects the channel CH.sub.i (i=0 to 7) 7 designated by the START I/O and sends the CCW.sub.1 to the channel control section 71 of the same channel CH.sub.i 7 via the control bus 12. Then, the channel control section 71 supplies the command code 15 (refer to FIG. 10) in the CCW.sub.1 to the I/O apparatus 4 designated by the START I/O. A read command, that is, a data transfer command from the I/O apparatus 4 to the main memory device 2 is now considered as the command code.
The activated I/O apparatus 4 transfers the read data to the channel CH.sub.i 7 through the I/O interface 13. The channel control section 71 of the same channel CH.sub.i 7 temporarily stores the read data into the corresponding data buffer 72. The channel control section 71 sequentially writes the read data stored in the data buffer 72 into the main memory device 2 via the data buses 11 and main memory interface section 6 in accordance with the order from the data address 16 (refer to FIG. 10) in the CCW.sub.1. In this manner, the read command designated by the CCW.sub.1 is executed.
As mentioned above, the data transfer is executed and when the data of the amount designated by the byte count 17 (refer to FIG. 10) in the CCW.sub.1 has been completely transferred into the main memory device 2, the channel control section 71 of the channel CH.sub.i 7 checks the data chain flag 18 (refer to FIG. 10) in the CCW.sub.1 in accordance with the processing flow of FIG. 11. If the flag 18 is set to 1, it is regarded that the data chain command has been generated. The channel control section 71 makes a request for the next CCW.sub.2 to the channel processing section 5 via the control bus 12.
In response to the request, the channel processing section 5 reads out the CCW.sub.2 from the CCW list 21 in the main memory device 2 via the main memory interface section 6 and returns the CCW.sub.2 through the control bus 12 to the channel control section 71 which made the request.
In response to the CCW.sub.2, the channel control section 71 executes the data chaining process from the CCW.sub.1 to the CCW.sub.2 to allow the data transfer to the main memory device 2 to be continued by using the data address 16 and byte count 17 (refer to FIG. 10) in the CCW.sub.2.
FIG. 12 shows a change in the amount of data in the data buffer 72 before and after the data chain. In the diagram, upon completion of the data transfer to the main memory device 2 designated by the CCW.sub.1, the data 19 to be transferred to the main memory device 2 has already been read out of the I/O apparatus 4 and stored into the data buffer 72 on the basis of the next CCW.sub.2.
On the other hand, upon completion of the data chaining process from the CCW.sub.1 to the CCW.sub.2, in addition to the data 19, the data 20 which was read out of the I/O apparatus 4 for the period of time when the data chaining process was being executed by using the CCW.sub.2 is stored. This is because during the above period of time, for the I/O apparatus 4, the data transfer to the channel CH.sub.i 7 is continued irrespective of the presence or absence of the data chain, while the data transfer to the main memory device 2 is temporarily interrupted. When the data chaining process from the CCW.sub.1 to the CCW.sub.2 by the channel control section 71 is finished, the data 19 and 20 (refer to FIG. 12) in the data buffer 72 are again transferred to the main memory device 2.
As mentioned above, when the execution of all of the CCW.sub.1 to CCW.sub.n in the CCW list 21 has been completed, all of the input and output operations which were started by the START I/O are completed.
Since the conventional input/output channel apparatus has been constructed and controlled as mentioned above, the maximum value of the data transfer speed between the I/O channel apparatus and the main memory device must be set to a high value. If the data transfer speed does not satisfy the maximum value, problems result whereby data transfer among the channels is interfered with and a data overrun can easily occur between the I/O apparatus and the main memory device. There is also problem that such a data overrun can occur not only during the execution of the write command but also during the execution of the read command if a channel which is simultaneously executing the read command exists.
Further, since the conventional input/output channel apparatus has been constructed and controlled as mentioned above, there are problems such that if data chains simultaneously occur in a plurality of channels which are executing the read command, in which the transfer of the CCW from the channel processing section 5 to the channel control section 71 is delayed in some channels, the amount of data 19 and 20 to be stored in the data buffer of such a channel exceeds the capacity of the data buffer, so that a data overrun occurs between the channel CH.sub.i 7 and the input/output apparatus 4.


When a printing apparatus completes reception of all print data, a reception unit in the printing apparatus, which receives a cancel notification from a cloud print service, receives the cancel notification by sending a print data status request from the printing apparatus to the cloud print service, or by monitoring a file name of print data which currently undergoes print processing and checking if the file name is changed to a file name indicating a cancel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a print server and printing apparatus, a network printing system, a printing method and, more particularly, to print processing using a print service such as a cloud print service which is provided from a remote server and also to cancel processing thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
A system in which a cloud print service generates print data in response to a demand from a user terminal, and a printing apparatus receives and processes the print data and executes print processing is known. The cloud print service and printing apparatus are connected via a public communication network that configures the Internet. For this reason, a firewall is normally set between the network to which the printing apparatus belongs and the Internet, and the printing apparatus and cloud print service communicate with each other via the firewall. The firewall normally allows the printing apparatus to send information to the cloud print service, but does not allow the cloud print service to send information to the printing apparatus except for a response to a request from the printing apparatus. That is, an apparatus on the Internet side cannot normally access, as an initiator, a local network having the firewall. This is to restrict accesses from, for example, unspecified computers on the Internet to the local network.
Owing to this restriction, the cloud print service uses a so-called pull-print method. In the pull-print, a cloud print server (to be simply referred to as a server hereinafter) generates print data, and stores the print data in a specific spool on the cloud print service (that is, on the Internet side viewed from the printing apparatus). The printing apparatus monitors the spool on the cloud print service, and detects that new print data is stored. Monitoring is attained by, for example, periodic polling. When the printing apparatus detects that new print data is stored, it sends a print data request to the spool, and receives the print data as a response to that request, thus executing print processing.
A technique for starting print processing by monitoring print data stored in a spool on a server in this way is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-351806.
When the firewall exists between the server and printing apparatus, since the server cannot serve as an initiator to transmit information to the printing apparatus, if a cancel operation of the print service is made on a user terminal, the user terminal can notify the server of the cancel. However, the server cannot notify the printing apparatus of any cancel. Also, when the user terminal belongs to a network different from that of the printing apparatus, the user terminal cannot notify the printing apparatus of any cancel. For this reason, even when the server cancels generation of print data and sending of the print data to the spool due to the cancel of the print service, the spooled print data is transferred to the printing apparatus, and the print processing of the already spooled print data is executed although it is canceled.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-351806 also discloses a print service cancel implementation method when the firewall exists between the server and printing apparatus.
As described above, when the firewall exists between the cloud print service and printing apparatus, appropriate cancel processing cannot be executed.

Print server adapted to implement a pull-printing technique with a printing apparatus


In a battery charging method and apparatus, a plurality of voltage-division resistors serving as a battery voltage detecting means are connected between the battery and a microcomputer so that a voltage-division ratio can be automatically selected corresponding to the detected battery voltage. Thus, the detected battery voltage applied to the microcomputer is kept substantially constant irrespective of the value of the battery voltage.

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for rapidly charging a battery to a predetermined level corresponding to the voltage of the battery.
Heretofore, it has been known to prevent any overcharge of a rechargeable battery by detecting a voltage drop (-.DELTA.V) which occurs when the voltage of the battery reaches a peak value upon completion of the charging and then by breaking a charging current. This will be referred to as a "-.DELTA.V charge control method". Such a method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,938,021 to Kosmin and Japanese Patent Publication (Examined) No. 18177/85.
While the -.DELTA.V charge control method is advantageous in that the battery can reliably be fully charged and the battery can effectively be prevented from being broken or damaged due to overcharging, problems are involved.
Generally, it is preferable that the value of -.DELTA.V be in the range of 10 to 20 mV per a one-cell battery for a battery voltage of 1.2 V; 20 to 40 mV in the case of a two-cell battery for a battery voltage of 2.4 V; and 100 to 200 mV in the case of a ten-cell battery for a battery voltage of 12 V. When the value of -.DELTA.V is set to a value in the range of 100 to 200 mV, while an optimum charging can be attained for the ten-cell battery, the two-cell battery results in overcharge. On the other hand, when the value of -.DELTA.V is set to a value in the range of 20 to 40 mV, while an optimum charging can be attained for the two-cell battery, the ten-cell battery results in undercharge. That is, with a fixed value of -.DELTA.V, some batteries are either overcharged or undercharged depending on the battery voltage.
With another charging method in which a charge termination signal is issued while monitoring the battery voltage with a microcomputer, the following problems are encountered.
If the battery voltage is applied to the microcomputer via resistors for a voltage division and also via an A/D converter, the value of -.DELTA.V is small, say about 10 to 20 mV per a one-cell battery, so that the value of -.DELTA.V cannot be discriminated if the battery voltage is further dropped due to the voltage division when applying to the A/D converter. For example, when charging a battery of two to ten cells (2.4 to 12 V), if the battery voltage is divided to one-third by the resistors, a voltage applied to an 8-bit converter is 0.8 V for the two-cell battery, and 4 V for the ten-cell battery. Assuming that the output of the A/D converter is [FF].sub.H ([ ].sub.H indicates a hexidecimal notation, and hereinafter subscript H is omitted) when the input thereto is 5 V, the output thereof is [CC] when 4 V, and [28] when 0.8 V.
The resolution power with the 8-bit converter is: ##EQU1## That is, the resolution power is 19.6 mV per one bit. The value of -.DELTA.V of the two-cell battery is 20 to 40 mV and the voltage applied to the A/D converter is 6.7 to 13.3 mV, so that -.DELTA.V is not detectable. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the value of -.DELTA.V of the two-cell battery, alternatively it is necessary to increase the bit number of the A/D converter.

Method and apparatus for charging a battery


The swing clamping device consists of a cylinder (2) provided with fluid medium connections with a piston (5) that can be advanced and retracted and a piston rod (1) to whose free end a clamping arm (17) is attached. The piston rod swing guide is designed in the form of a swing guide sleeve (3) with a swing guide slot that runs along its entire length and is axially fixed in the cylinder interior on the piston rod side leaving an admission area of the piston (1) free on the piston rod end, and there is a swing transmission element between the guide sleeve and the piston rod (1). This device is designed according to this invention such that the cylinder (2) is designed in the shape of a pot with its opening facing toward the clamping arm and is guided precisely in it with its upper end in the area of the open end of cylinder (2) and at least in the area of its lower end (3') by the inside wall (2") of the cylinder, so it can be inserted together with the piston rod (1) and respective pistons (5) as a swing guide sleeve (3) that forms one unit. The swing guide slot in the sleeve (3) is designed in the form of a slot (7) that is closed at both ends and passes through wall (3") of sleeve (3). The free end (8) of a guide pin (9) that is secured so it can be inserted into piston rod (1) is engaged in this slot (7).

This invention concerns a swing clamping device, especially for holding workpieces on a substrate according to the introductory clause of the main claim.
Such a swing clamping device is known by use. The cylinder is sealed on the end away from the clamping arm with a flange connecting plate, and the swing guide sleeve for the piston rod, which has a relatively small diameter with respect to the inside diameter of the cylinder, is secured only in and on a relatively short bore of the upper cylinder bottom which forms a unit with the cylinder. Apart from the fact that the cylinder is accessible only from its mounting-side end, installation and removal of the piston rod with the piston (with the clamping arm removed) and the guide sleeve are possible only from the mounting side of the cylinder, the swing guide slot for the piston must remain open in order to be able to remove the piston rod from the guide sleeve at all if it is to remain in the cylinder. A guide slot that is open at the end, however, is more or less unstable to a certain extent because it can be spread apart more or less conically unless it is overdimensioned with regard to its wall thickness.


Various embodiments are directed to transgenic plants, including transgenic tobacco plants and derivative seeds, genetically modified to impede the transport of Cadmium (Cd) from the root system to aerial portions of transgenic plants by reducing the expression levels of HMA-related transporters. Various embodiments are directed to transgenic tobacco plants genetically modified to stably express a RNAi construct encoding RNAi polynucleotides that enable the degradation of endogenous NtHMA RNA variants. Reduced expression of NtHMA transporters in transgenic plants results in substantially reduced content of Cadmium (Cd) in the leaf lamina. Various consumable products that are substantially free or substantially reduced in Cd content can be produced by incorporating leaves derived from transgenic tobacco plants modified to reduce the expression of NtHMA transporters.

Plants obtain essential heavy metals, such as Zn, Ni, and Cu, by absorbing metal ion substrates from their environment by various transport mechanisms mediated by transmembrane transporters expressed on the surface of root cells and other vascular tissues. Transporters classified as P-type ATPases, such as P1B-type ATPases, are transporters that translocate positively charged substrates across plasma membranes by utilizing energy liberated from exergonic ATP hydrolysis reactions. P1B-type ATPases are also referred to as heavy metal ATP-ases ("HMAs") or CPx-type ATPases. HMAs have been grouped by substrate specificity into two subclasses, the Cu/Ag and Zn/Co/Cd/Pb groups. The first P1B-type ATPase to be characterized in plants is AtHMA4, cloned from Arabidopsis. Substrate selectivity by HMAs is not strictly limited to the transport of essential metals in that several non-essential metals can be recognized indiscriminantly as substrates, resulting in the accumulation of many non-essential metals, such as Cd, Pb, As, and Hg.

Transgenic plants modified for reduced cadmium transport, derivative products, and related methods


An apparatus for converting chemical energy of a fuel into electrical energy includes a plurality of high-temperature fuel cells, which extend parallel to each other, with each fuel cell having an oxygen electrode comprising SrO-doped Mn oxides and having a Cr surface layer, and fuel electrodes comprising Ni/ZrO.sub.2 cermet and having Ni surface layers, a separating plate constructed as a hollow body for guiding, distributing and collecting gaseous media, and a highly elastic constructional element in the form of a gas-permeable intermediate layer, which acts as a high-temperature spring between the separating plate and the current collectors.

The invention is directed to an apparatus of the generic type for the conversion of chemical energy of a fuel into electrical energy with a plurality of high-temperature fuel cells layered parallel to one another with a solid electrolyte, an oxygen electrode, a fuel electrode, a separating plate between adjacent fuel cells, with current collectors between a separating plate and the respective opposing adjacent electrode for the electrically conductive connection of adjacent fuel cells, and with members for supplying and carrying off the gaseous media.
Fuel cells with ceramic solid electrolytes have been described many times in numerous publications. Some of the multitude of available publications are indicated as follows only by way of example:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,274 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,618,543 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,395,468 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,400,054 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,429,749 PA1 EP-A-0 357 025 PA1 EP-A-0 406 523 PA1 DE-A-40 04 571 PA1 Patent Abstract of Japan, vol. 14, no. 32 (E-876) (3975) V. Jan. 22, 1990 PA1 ELECTROCHIMICA ACTA. Volume 31, No. 7, pages 801 to 809, July 1986.
The known fuel cell constructions and arrangements do not yet satisfy modern industrial requirements respecting reliability and management of operation, constancy of temperature, service life and simplicity of maintenance. The object of the present invention is, therefore, to simplify such devices and to improve their operation management, particularly to improve, ensure and simplify the constructional and electrical conditions. It is a particular object of the present invention to ensure a uniform supply of air and combustion gas to the electrochemically active surfaces and a faultless transmission of current from a fuel cell to an adjacent fuel cell while preventing transverse currents in the electrodes, wherein the gaseous media can be guided to and from the electrodes in such a way that the most uniform possible operating temperature can be achieved over the entire electrode surface in an inexpensive manufacture, with low-cost maintenance and quick exchangeability of individual elements and with a long service life.

Apparatus for converting chemical energy of fuel into electrical energy with a plurality of high-temperature fuel cells


A superconducting material made of tungsten or molybdenum containing a specified amount of silicon, a wiring made of this superconducting material, and a semiconductor device using this wiring.. The above-mentioned superconducting material undegoes no damage even in the steps of heat treatments effected after the formation of a wiring therefrom by virtue of its high melting point, and can be very easily patterned by reactive ion etching using SF.sub.6 as an etching gas, which has heretofore been generally employed. These features, in which conventional superconducting materials are lacking, allow the superconducting material of the present invention to exhibit excellent properties particularly when used in the wirings of a semiconductor device.

The present invention relates to a superconducting material and more specifically to a superconducting material suited particularly to the electrodes, wirings, etc. of semiconductor devices and the like.
Conventional metallic materials exhibiting superconductivity above the liquid helium temperature (4.2.degree. K.) include metals such as niobium and lead, and alloys such as Nb.sub.3 Sn. Where the electrodes and wirings of a semiconductor device are to be formed from such superconducting materials, it is customary to use niobium, lead or the like capable of being rather easily formed into thin film through electron beam deposition, sputtering or the like process.
Although niobium, lead and the like can be easily formed into thin films, the low melting points thereof present various problems including failure in a high level of heat treatment that is carried out after film formation in the step of producing a semiconductor device; a difficulty in fine patterning through dry etching; and a liability of the characteristics of a thin superconducting film formed therefrom to change in heat cycles between room temperature and a low temperature.
Niobium and lead as the conventional superconducting materials are notably different in characteristics from polysilicon, aluminum, tungsten, etc. used as the materials in customary processes for producing a semiconductor device. This presents a difficulty in producing therefrom a semiconductor device having fine and stable superconducting wirings.
Electrodes and wirings having such an extremely high conductivity as to ward off increase in electric resistance even if they have a decreased cross-sectional area have recently been in strong demand in step with a remarkable progress of miniaturization and an increase in the operation speed of semiconductor devices.
However, the formation of the electrodes and wirings of semiconductor devices from superconducting materials having the highest conductivity has involved the many problems mentioned above and, hence, has encountered a difficulty in materialization thereof.

Superconducting alloys comprising tungsten, molybdenum, silicon and oxygen


A method for directing borehole drilling in a target earth formation includes the following steps: providing drilling equipment having a bottom hole assembly that includes a controllable directional drilling subsystem, and a logging-while-drilling directional measurement tool with a look-around and look-ahead capability; determining the presence of a predetermined type of formation characteristic in the target formation; and navigating a drill path in the target formation with the drilling equipment, including receiving measurement signals from the directional measurement tool, obtaining, from the received measurement signals, indications of formation parameters with respect to the formation characteristic in the target formation, and controlling the directional drilling subsystem to drill in a direction determined as a function of the obtained indication of formation parameters.

The advent of directional drilling, and of logging while drilling ("LWD") and measurement while drilling ("MWD"), have profoundly improved the locating and placement of wells for production of hydrocarbon resources. Directional drilling involves the drilling of a well bore along a deviated course for various purposes, including bottoming out in a particular target region. Directional drilling is employed, for example, to obtain an appropriate well bore trajectory into an oil producing formation bed (or "pay zone") and then drill substantially within the pay zone. A horizontally drilled well can greatly increase the borehole volume in the pay zone with attendant increase in oil production.
LWD usually refers to measurement of formation properties with instruments that are located in the drill collars immediately above the drill bit. Measurements are made shortly after the hole is cut and before it is adversely affected by continued drilling or coring operations. Fluid invasion into the borehole wall is also reduced relative to wireline logging because of the shorter time between drilling and measurement. LWD and MWD are sometimes distinguished in that whereas LWD data are recorded in memory and downloaded when the tools reach the surface, MWD data are transmitted to the surface (e.g. by mud pulse or wired drill pipe) and monitored in real time. However, the term LWD is also used more generically to cover both LWD and MWD, and will be used in that manner herein, unless otherwise indicated.
Before a directional drilling well plan is devised, the drilling team will often have significant a priori knowledge of geological attributes of the local formations. Initial knowledge may be derived, for example, from survey and/or producing wells in the local area. Seismic surveys are commonly used in locating the well path in the formation, due to its ability to probe far into the formation. However, seismic surveys are generally incapable of providing the desired resolution and accuracy to sufficiently characterize a target formation and predict location for advantageous well placement.
Other measurements, such as resistivity measurements, are often made with electromagnetic (EM) tools. Some EM logging tools use propagation techniques to measure the resistivity of the formation. A propagation tool measures the amplitudes, phase shifts, and attenuation of EM signals in the formation to determine the resistivity of the formation, which can be an important aspect of its characterization.
A resistivity tool that provides a relatively deep reading is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,188,222 assigned to the assignee of the present invention. This tool, which can be part of an LWD tool array, includes a relatively long spacing between the transmitter and the receiver, and can be used to determine formation resistivity and to obtain indications of formation boundaries for determining well location during directional drilling. Subsequent developments, in LWD tools, some of which are summarized hereinbelow, have improved the accuracy of controlled directional drilling and have facilitated well placement. However, there is still much room for improvement of these functions, and of the characterization of target earth formations and their reservoirs, and it is among the objectives hereof to achieve such improvement.

Methods for characterization of formations, navigating drill paths, and placing wells in earth boreholes


Ethane is separated from a carbon dioxide-containing feed gas in a demethanizer that receives a rich subcooled reflux stream at very low temperature. Freezing of carbon dioxide is prevented by feeding a temperature-controlled vapor portion of the feed gas to the column, wherein the temperature of the vapor portion is adjusted by routing a portion of the expander discharge through a heat exchanger in response to the tray temperature in the demethanizer. Thus, high separation efficiency is achieved at reduced, or even eliminated carbon dioxide freezing.

Numerous expansion processes are commonly used for hydrocarbon liquids recovery in the gas processing industry, and particularly in the recovery of ethane and propane from high pressure feed gas. Where the feed gas pressure is relatively low or contains significant quantity of propane and heavier components, additional external (e.g., propane) refrigeration may also be required.
In most known NGL (natural gas liquids) expander processes, feed gas is cooled to a relatively low temperature to achieve partial condensation, typically by heat exchange with the demethanizer overhead vapor, side reboilers, and/or external propane refrigeration. The so condensed portion containing less volatile components is separated from the vapor portion that is typically split into two portions, with one portion being further chilled and fed to the upper section of the demethanizer while the other portion is letdown in pressure in a turbo-expander and fed to the mid section of the demethanizer. Such known configurations are commonly used for high ethane recovery for feed gas with low to medium CO2 content (less than 2%) and high C3+ content (hydrocarbon compounds with three or more carbon atoms greater than 5%), and are generally not applicable for feed gas with high CO2 content (greater than 2%) and low C3+ content (less than 2% and typically less than 1%). Among other reasons, such known processes have a significant intolerance to CO2 freezing, especially where the CO2 to C2+ (hydrocarbon compounds with two or more carbon atoms) ratio in the feed gas increases.
Moreover, in many expander processes, the residue gas from the fractionation column still contains significant amounts of ethane and propane hydrocarbons that could be further recovered if chilled to an even lower temperature, and/or subjected to another rectification stage. To that end, lower temperature can typically be achieved by a higher expansion ratio across the turbo-expander (by lowering the column pressure and temperature). However, in most known configurations, high ethane recovery in excess of 90% is neither achievable due to CO2 freezing in the demethanizer, nor economically justified due to the high capital cost of the compression equipment and energy costs. In other known NGL processes, relatively high propane recoveries can be achieved for a rich feed gas with relatively high CO2 content as very low demethanizer temperatures are not required due to the dilution effect from the presence of heavier hydrocarbons. However, such plants are then limited to a relatively low level of ethane recovery of typically 40%, or even less.
Consequently, known expander processes typically only handle feed gases with low CO2 content and rich feed gases where high propane, and especially high ethane recoveries are desirable. Where needed, a CO2 removal unit (e.g. MDEA treating) can be installed to allow feed gases with elevated CO2 content. However, such approach adds significant cost to the NGL recovery plant. Moreover, most of the known processes are also problematic when the CO2 content in the feed gas gradually increases over time, as such processes often become inoperable due to CO2 freezing in the demethanizer.
Exemplary NGL recovery plants with a turbo-expander, feed gas chiller, separators, and a refluxed demethanizer are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,955 to Campell et al. Here, a configuration with turbo-expansion is employed for ethane recovery in which the demethanizer column overhead vapor is cooled and condensed by an overhead exchanger using refrigeration generated from feed gas chilling. Such additional cooling step condenses most of the propane and heavier components from the column overhead gas, which is later recovered in a separator and returned to the column as reflux. Unfortunately, while high propane recovery can be achieved with such processes, ethane recovery is often limited to less than desirable levels by CO2 freezing in the demethanizer, particularly when processing a high CO2 and lean feed gas.
Most of heretofore known plants require very low temperatures (−100° F. or lower) in the demethanizer in order to achieve a high ethane recovery. Unfortunately, due to the very low temperatures, the CO2 content in the top section of the demethanizer increases, which invariably causes significant internal recycle and accumulation of the CO2 components. Consequently, such configurations (especially when processing lean gases) are prone to CO2 freezing which presents a significant obstacle for continuous operation.
To circumvent the CO2 freezing problems in the demethanizer, several NGL recovery plants have been described that include a CO2 removal process in the NGL fractionation column. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,469 Campell et al., teaches a configuration in which a portion of the liquid in the top trays of the demethanizer is withdrawn, heated, and returned to the lower section of the column for CO2 removal and control. While this approach can reduce undesirably high CO2 concentrations to some degree, fractionation efficiency of the demethanizer is sacrificed and additional fractionation trays, heating and cooling duties must be added for the extra processing step. In yet another approach, deethanizer overhead vapor is recycled to the mid section of the demethanizer for the removal of CO2 as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,516,631 to Trebble. Such recycle scheme can also be used to reduce the CO2 content in the NGL product to some degree, but the required energy for the recycle compressor, and additional heating/cooling duties tend to render this scheme uneconomical.
Thus, numerous attempts have been made to improve the efficiency and economy of processes for separating and recovering ethane and heavier natural gas liquids from natural gas and other sources. However, all or almost all of them are complex and fail to achieve economic operation for high ethane recovery for high CO2 feed gases. Therefore, there is still a need to provide improved methods and configurations for natural gas liquids recovery.

Ethane recovery methods and configurations for high carbon dioxide content feed gases


In a computer system with a disk array that has physical storage devices arranged as logical storage units and is capable of carrying out hardware storage operations on a per logical storage unit basis, a switch is provided to offload storage operations from a file system to storage hardware. The switch translates primitives used for performing storage operations into commands executable by the physical storage devices so that the data moving portion of the storage operations can be offloaded from the file system to the storage devices.

Enterprise storage systems employ disk arrays that are physically independent enclosures containing a disk array controller, a disk cache and multiple physical disk drives. The disk array controller manages the physical disk drives and exposes them to connected computer systems as logical data storage units, each identified by a logical unit number (LUN), and enable storage operations such as cloning, snapshotting, mirroring and replication to be carried out on the data storage units using storage hardware.
Computer systems that employ disk arrays are typically configured with a file system that executes a logical volume manager. The logical volume manager is a software or firmware component that organizes a plurality of data storage units into a logical volume. The logical volume is available in the form of a logical device with a contiguous address space on which individual files of a file system are laid out. The mapping of the logical volume to the data storage units is controlled by the file system and, as a result, disk arrays do not know how individual files are laid out on the data storage units. Therefore, a disk array cannot invoke its hardware to carry out storage operations such as cloning, snapshotting, mirroring and replication on a per-file basis.
One possible solution for carrying out storage operations in a disk array on a per-file basis is to add storage metadata in data structures managed by the disk array. Disk arrays, however, are provided by a number of different vendors and storage metadata varies by vendor. This solution is not attractive because the file system would then need to be customized for each different vendor. For this reason, storage operations such as cloning, snapshotting, mirroring and replication of files have been typically carried out using software techniques through traditional standard file system calls.

Offloading storage operations to storage hardware using a switch