Diverse methods of utilization and the corresponding, related modifications, of linear type, Variable Gas Atomization (VGA) nozzles and lances are described. Therein is joined the mixing and gas atomization of chemicals that react to form active products that further react with harmful flue gas constituents of combustion so as to enable their effective collection. One version combines, in a lance assembly of nozzles, the injection of reactants, in the form of finely divided dry solids conveyed in a carrier air stream, and the fine atomization of water, aqueous solutions or slurries. Atomization of such streams is employed to effectively wet the surfaces of the dry particles and, thereby, promote the rapid sorption of gaseous constituents of flue gas being treated. Another version simultaneously mixes and atomizes reacting chemicals to produce, and release into the flue gas stream, strongly oxidizing, transient, species of their reaction products. The simultaneous atomization and chemical reaction enables the effective capture of targeted flue gas constituents.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to methods and means for combining the mixing, reaction and compressed air atomization of reactive chemicals. It employs and expands upon the teachings of expired patent, "Variable Gas Atomization," U.S. Pat. No. 4,314,670 (referred to herein as VGA), which was issued to this writer on Feb. 9, 1982. It comprises specific improvements to the atomizing nozzle configuration thereof that enable effective removal of harmful combustion gas stream constituents. It specifically relates to the removal of sulfur oxides, nitric oxides and mercury. It further relates to means of modification of conventional flue gas duct configuration so as to provide an effective and economical flue gas cleaning system via in-duct injection in existing utility, commercial and industrial power plants.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The need for providing cost-effective removal of the deleterious constituents emitted in the combustion of coal and other fossil fuels has long plagued the utility industry. The gaseous atmospheric contaminants of primary concern consist of four categories; namely, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, mercury and carbon dioxide. Development of methods of eliminating them from the flue gas by use of scrubbers has been undertaken with varying degrees of success. To date, successful removal on a full scale level has been limited to sulfur dioxide, the primary acid rain producing constituent emitted in coal combustion. This was initially done by finely atomizing lime slurries in large spray dryers. Since the enactment of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, these have been largely superseded by the use of scrubbers. In wet scrubbers, coarsely sprayed slurry is continuously re-circulated to the top of a tower to cascade downward within the up-flowing flue gas stream. The liquid is distributed throughout the gas stream in order to expose the gas to maximum liquid surface contact and achieve maximum utilization of the lime. The wet-collected spent lime is subsequently de-watered for disposal or by-product recovery. Much of the sulfur trioxide present converts to sulfuric acid mist during the rapid quenching of the flue gas to its wet bulb temperature and is released with the emitted flue gas. In circulating fluidized-bed scrubbers, over 90% of the solid, collected in a dry or semi-dry state, is recycled and rewetted to produce a dense, fluidized bed that is suspended in the up-flowing flue gas stream. As the water content evaporates the solids content is carried out in it to be electro-statically separated or collected by filters. Because both of these methods involve high capital and operating costs, their installation has been generally limited to larger and newer power plant units. In these cases, the high costs are ameliorated by scale-up factors. Neither of these methods removes the nitrogen oxides or mercury present.
A major government and industry sponsored, program was undertaken, during the period of 1986-1992, to develop a lower cost method of sulfur dioxide removal that would enable economic retrofit of the many existing, smaller and older, coal-fired power plants. The process, termed "In-duct Injection," involves injecting lime directly into existing flue gas ducts so as to eliminate the costly addition of spray dryers and scrubbers. Two methods of lime injection were employed. One consisted of atomizing aqueous lime slurries. The sulfur dioxide gas is absorbed into the slurry droplets to react with the lime present as dissolved calcium hydroxide. The other method involved atomizing water, plus blowing dry, hydrated lime, separately, into the duct. The water served both to solubilize the lime by wetting the dry particles and to cool and humidify the flue gas. Although it showed promise as a lower cost method, it was nevertheless abandoned. This was primarily because many of the existing plants had been grandfathered in the 1970's under the Clean Air Act enactments, but also because of its limited technical success. Many of the existing US, coal-fired utilities subsequently converted to low-sulfur coal in the 1990's in an effort to meet the sulfur dioxide emission limitations; however, these non-scrubbed units will not meet the recent new reduced emission limits.
The results and conclusions of the many individual contracts awarded by the US Department of Energy (DOE) are summarized in the "Design Handbook of Duct Injection for SO2 Control" that was published in 1993. Coupled with the slowdown in retrofitting during the implementation of the Clean Air Act Amendments, major generic retrofit-design problems remained. These prevented adequate conceptual design and field development for duct injection and its adoption by industry. The maximum feasible amount of SO2 removed was only 50%. In addition an excessively large amount of hydrated lime (calcium/sulfur ratio of 2.5 to 3 times the theoretical) was required, which resulted in excessively high cost of reagent and waste disposal.
It is believed by this writer that the operating conditions that prevailed in the test programs prevented near completion of the chemical reaction and, thereby, reduced the overall performance. Contributing factors to these limitations were the comparatively large droplet sizes produced by the commonplace nozzles used and the limited gas residence time of 1-2 seconds available in the horizontal duct injection tests. The time limitation resulted from duct lengths of approximately only 100 ft., plus the need for a minimum flue gas velocity in horizontal ducts of approximately 50-60 ft/sec. This is required to prevent settling and fallout of solid particles or spray droplets. An industry survey by DOE had indicating that straight-section duct lengths in existing power plants were generally limited to around 100 ft.
Compressed air-atomizing nozzle designs are generally used for injecting chemicals into flue gas ducts in order to produce a spray of fine droplets. As conventionally designed, they typically form a conical spray pattern that is produced as the result of specific nozzle configurations used. The general purpose of nozzle design is to produce compressed air and liquid stream intersection, interaction and liquid breakup through stream impingement or internal swirling. The nozzle configurations are also designed to maximize the shearing force between the air and the droplets initially formed, so as to thereby cause additional subsequent, or secondary, droplet break-up. The diameter of their liquid orifices, or the width of their sheet-forming openings, cannot be varied. The ability to produce fine droplet sizes by use of thin liquid streams is also limited by the need to prevent clogging by solid particles that can be present. An inherent characteristic of the conical spray patterns generally produced is that, because the largest droplets generally exit the nozzle at widest angle, they can collide with droplets exiting adjoining nozzles to cause droplet growth. Because of the wide spray divergence angles employed, moreover, droplet-to-droplet and droplet-to-duct wall impingement can result.
As customarily practiced with in-duct injection of dry (hydrated) lime, Ca(OH)2, the dry lime was conveyed by separate distribution nozzles generally located upstream, downstream or in the same plane of the water atomizing nozzles. In order to obtain the fullest reaction of injected chemicals in the minimum time, the liquid surface area exposed to the flue gas must be maximized. In wet scrubbers and circulating fluid bed scrubbers, this is accomplished by recirculation of a high percentage of the injected material. With spray drying and in-duct injection of reagent solutions or slurries, this is best done by finely atomizing and suspending the liquid in the gas stream. In the case of injection of dry, finely divided, reactive chemicals, such as lime, surface wetting is required for solubilization. SO2 sorption is accomplished with associated injection of finely atomized water spray. The finely atomized water spray serves two functions, namely, promoting the wetting of the surfaces of the conveyed lime particles and the cooling of the flue gas. The surface wetting serves to dissolve a portion of the lime, and the gas cooling promotes the absorption of gaseous SO2 molecules for their reaction in the solution.
It was believed that a real need existed for nozzles that could produce fine atomization at high liquid flow rates and distribute the fine spray uniformly throughout the large cross-sectional areas of power plant flue gas ducts. A program of design, testing and demonstration of a linear version of VGA nozzles, such as that illustrated in FIG. 2, was therefore undertaken (The term "VGA nozzles," as used herein, refers to nozzles utilizing the method and means of U.S. Pat. No. 4,314,670.). In the linear version, the liquid is inserted at low velocity as a very thin, planar sheet, directly into a flat-slit-shaped exit throat of a compressed air nozzle. A liquid sheet is typically formed to a thickness of the order of 25-75 microns and a width of several inches. Atomization of the extended liquid sheet is initiated within the throat by the compressed air that is flowing at high velocity, in the same direction, on both sides of it. For fine atomization with a linear VGA nozzle, the throat velocity is typically sonic, with pressures generally ranging from 30 to 60 psig. The fine droplets form a flat extended spray plume as they are carried in the high velocity air stream issuing from the nozzle. The ambient flue gas is immediately entrained by aspiration, as it sweeps aerodynamically around the cylindrical nozzle enclosure. Low pressure air from a blower, termed secondary air, is delivered within the cylindrical lance in the space surrounding the nozzle-manifold assembly to exit as it sweeps over the curved faces of the linear nozzle. In the case of dry chemical injection, the finely divided, solid air-conveyed reagent is delivered in an annular channel formed by an additional outer cylindrical enclosure. The dry particles are rapidly and uniformly drawn into the exiting plume of finely atomized water spray so as to facilitate their solubilization. For initial tests of combined atomization and dry lime injection within the single enclosure, an additional outer tube was added to a linear nozzle having a cylindrically curved face such as that illustrated in FIG. 2. The flow of secondary air over the cylindrical nozzle faces was subsequently found to be inadequate in preventing deposition of lime on the nozzle face as the result of turbulent eddies. To eliminate the deposition, several modifications were later undertaken.
Atomization of the thin flat sheet offers additional operating advantages compared to conventional nozzle design. The liquid, sheet-forming channel is in the form of a prism. Its converging walls, which divide it from two similar channels that feed compressed air to the opposite surfaces of the inserted liquid sheet, are constructed as cantilevered elements. By varying the liquid or gas pressure, the thickness of the liquid sheet is varied. This occurs because the cantilevered, sheet-forming walls deflect to thereby change the tip width. Similarly, the width of the nozzle exit can be varied by deflecting the walls of the nozzle exit throat. These features enable the spray droplet size to be varied to suit the injection needs of the particular process and chemicals involved. In addition, momentary deflection of the walls dividing the liquid and air feed channels may be employed to dislodge any oversized solid particles introduced by the liquid.
To expose all of the flue gas to the injected droplets, a multiplicity of linear nozzles is assembled, end-to-end, at suitable intervals within a cylindrical lance. The atomized spray, which issues through a series of rectangular openings along the lance, forms an extended plume. The plume expands laterally at angles that are relatively narrow compared to the expansion angle of conventional, conical spray nozzles. Droplet-to-droplet and wall impingement are minimized as it expands to form a virtually continuous flat spray plume extending across the full width of the flue gas duct. Additional lances, installed, side-by-side, in a plane extending across the full width of the duct, insure that all of the flue gas is so treated. The flue gas, flowing in the same general direction as the spray plume, is rapidly entrained into the expanding high velocity air stream as it passes the array of cylindrical lances. A large percentage of the flue gas is thus immediately contacted to enable rapid mass and heat transfer between the gas and liquid phases. The mixing of the flue gas with the stream of expanding air and fine droplets issuing from the nozzles immediately initiates the desired process reactions. The combination of the linearly configured nozzles and lances and the parallel, co-current flow of the liquid and gas streams provides a significant additional advantage over similarly configured lances employing conventionally designed nozzles.
It was generally realized, and confirmed by the DOE sponsored test programs, that the closer to its wet bulb temperature that the flue gas could be cooled, the higher was the percentage of removal of SO2. Efforts to achieve a close approach resulted in excess carryover of water droplets into the downstream, bag-house, filters used to collect the spent lime. In order to resolve the question of duct residence time required to sufficiently evaporate the droplets, an in-house, numerical analysis procedure was devised. It involved stepwise calculations of the evaporative heat and mass transfer at small temperature intervals for the various droplet sizes (grouped into increments) of the size distribution data obtained from spray nozzle tests. Table I, which summarizes the results, is presented to show the need for sufficiently small droplet size and adequate time in order to achieve complete reactions between flue gas constituents and chemicals injected as solids or atomized from solutions or slurries:
TABLE IRESIDENCE TIME vs. PERCENT EVAPORATEDCooling From 275° C. to 70° C. (527° F. to 158° F.)MASS PERCENT UNEVAPORATEDVGA NOZZLE TESTSVs. TIME IN SECONDS:GPMSMDALRRESIDENCE TIME1.00.50.10.050.010.0051.6181.0% UNEVAPORATED:0.50.70.91.01.11.2TIME, SECONDS:1.6220.82% UNEVAPORATED:0.70.81.21.42.02.1TIME, SECONDS:1.6230.7% UNEVAPORATED:18.104.22.168.04.04.3TIME, SECONDS:3.2290.44% UNEVAPORATED:1.41.93.03.44.44.8TIME, SECONDS:4.0260.6% UNEVAPORATED:22.214.171.124.96.16.5TIME, SECONDS:4.8340.25% UNEVAPORATED:2.43.15.05.87.58.1TIME, SECONDS:NOTES:GPM = Gallons per MinuteSMD = Sauter Mean Diameter, or diameter of average surface/volume-ratioALR = Air to Liquid Mass Ratio
The gas temperature change employed in the computations, though somewhat larger than that generally encountered in power plant flue gas ducts, is applicable to water atomization with injection of dry lime or to slurry atomization. While the required evaporation time decreases significantly with increased exit gas temperature, decreasing the inlet gas temperature has a relatively small effect. As indicated, 99 percent of the water is rapidly evaporated. However, the remaining small percentage of droplets (which are the un-evaporated portions of the largest sizes present in the initial distribution of droplet sizes in the spray) requires a considerably longer period to evaporate. This is because the large decrease in flue gas temperature that has already occurred results in considerably reduced driving force for further evaporation. Without providing additional duct residence time, the small percent of remaining un-evaporated droplets will accumulate in the downstream solids collectors to present disposal problems. It is estimated that the accumulation of moisture in a bag house type filter, from as little as 1% un-evaporated droplets, assuming evaporation there to near equilibrium at the wet bulb temperature of the flue gas, can reach 8%. This compares to a recommended 2% maximum allowed for recycle or waste disposal.
Two additional tables are presented to show the comparison of in-house tests with dry lime, separately injected, of a linear VGA nozzle and of a commercial, fine-droplet, air-atomizing nozzle, with summary data on in-duct injection published by DOE. Table II compares VGA test data with data published by DOE. In the VGA tests, a 3-4 second residence time was allowed, confirming the minimum time requirement indicated by the in-house analysis. The benefit of a close approach to the flue gas wet bulb was confirmed by the VGA tests in which up to 86% removal of SO2 was obtained with dry lime injection at a calcium/sulfur mass ratio of 1.5 (i.e., 50% excess) compared to the ratios of 2.5 to 3 previously required in the DOE program. In Table III, the percent SO2 removal, with the data from VGA tests of a conventional type commercial nozzle, are presented together with that of DOE. The percentage removal of SO2 was significantly lower, and in the same range as that published by DOE.
TABLE IISULFUR DIOXIDE REMOVAL vs. Ca/S RATIOVGA vs. DOE @ Approach to wet Bulb, Deg. F.WETSO2BULB, ° F.RATIOREMOVEDVGA NOZZLE241.373TEST DATAVGA NOZZLE231.680TEST DATAVGA NOZZLE171.786TEST DATAVGA NOZZLE271.771TEST DATAVGA NOZZLE301.876TEST DATAVGA NOZZLE251.971TEST DATAVGA NOZZLE262.385TEST DATAVGA NOZZLE312.475TEST DATAVGA NOZZLE413.285TEST DATAVGA NOZZLE473.274TEST DATAVGA NOZZLE501.248TEST DATAVGA NOZZLE381.352TEST DATAVGA NOZZLE481.648TEST DATAVGA NOZZLE632.742TEST DATAREPORTED BY DOE25-343.054REPORTED BY DOE″2.550REPORTED BY DOE″2.043REPORTED BY DOE″1.536REPORTED BY DOE35-443.045REPORTED BY DOE″2.542REPORTED BY DOE″2.035REPORTED BY DOE″1.529REPORTED BY DOE45-543.039REPORTED BY DOE″2.535REPORTED BY DOE″2.030REPORTED BY DOE″1.523
TABLE IIISULFUR DIOXIDE REMOVAL vs. Ca/S RATIOCommercial Nozzle Tests vs. DOEWETSO2BULB, ° F.RATIOREMOVEDCOMMERCIAL181.730NOZZLE TEST332.248DATA  21(1)2.452  28(1)2.551  14(1)2.739282.730112.755272.949  26(2)3.362263.655REPORTED BY DOE25-343.054REPORTED BY DOE″2.550REPORTED BY DOE″2.043REPORTED BY DOE″1.536REPORTED BY DOE35-443.045REPORTED BY DOE″2.542REPORTED BY DOE″2.035REPORTED BY DOE″1.529REPORTED BY DOE45-543.039REPORTED BY DOE″2.535REPORTED BY DOE″2.030REPORTED BY DOE″1.523NOTES:(1)= 50% Recycle of Lime(2)= 70% Recycle of Lime
In order to optimally employ the linear VGA nozzle-lances in each of various injection processes for which they are suited, it is desirable to modify the duct or other enclosure through which the flue gas is flowing. The time required to complete the reactions between the injected chemicals and the adverse flue gas components varies considerably with the type of additive. The duct residence time, and the extent of any associated duct modification, required to complete the reactions involved in removal of NO and mercury also depends on the flue gas temperature. In the case of gas phase reactions, such as with injection of ozone for oxidation of nitric oxide and mercury vapor, the reaction time required is very short. It is essentially that required to diffuse the ozone throughout the flue gas stream. With the injection of solutions, slurries or dry solids, the time requirement is increased by the various inter-phase diffusions involved. This is particularly the case with respect to the collection of SO2, in which the amount of water used to sufficiently cool and humidify the flue gas greatly increases the evaporation time required.
The oxides of nitrogen (mostly NO), present in the flue gas of all fossil fuels, are primarily the result of oxidation of the nitrogen in the combustion air. Since the concentration increases with combustion temperature and amount of excess air, it has, until recently, chiefly been a problem of concern with the burning of coal. Methods of reduction have included Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) and Selective Non-catalytic Reduction (SNCR) with high temperature injection of ammonia and urea, followed by wet scrubbing. With SCR, some of the SO2 present is converted to SO3, which is not efficiently removed in the wet scrubber.
A number of development programs are underway to find more cost-effective methods of removing the nitrogen oxides and mercury. Efforts are also being made to further reduce sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide emissions, so as to meet tighter limitations being mandated. When accomplished, this would enable resumption and expansion of power plants burning high sulfur coal, a lower cost and higher energy content fuel. In view of the recent emphasis on global warming, programs are also being undertaken to investigate ways and means of isolating and sequestering the carbon dioxide that is released in fossil fuel combustion.
The procedures being examined for eliminating these harmful constituents generally involve injecting into the flue gas stream chemicals that react with these constituents to form products that may be separated from the gas. The added chemicals may be in the form of aqueous solutions, slurries, gases or finely divided solids. The reactions involved are usually specific to each flue gas constituent, and require separate, sequential process steps. For the desired reactions to occur, three specific injection requirements must be met. These are common to all of the contaminant categories. The first requirement is that the gas stream contaminant must be absorbed into an injected liquid, adsorbed on to the surface of an injected solid or react in the gas phase with an additive that is vaporized into the gas stream or injected as a gas. The second requirement is that the injected chemical must be uniformly distributed throughout the flue gas stream so that all portions of it will be effectively treated. The third requirement is that sufficient time must be allowed for the desired reactions to occur.
The solutions now being undertaken or considered cover a wide range. They include full scale demonstration programs, pilot and laboratory scale operations and conceptual ones based upon known chemical reaction possibilities. Among the chemicals being injected are ozone, (O3), chlorine dioxide (ClO2), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2).
With ozone injection, it must be produced on site for immediate use because of its short life. It is generated from delivered and stored liquid oxygen. This process, which has been demonstrated at full scale, converts the NO and NO2 present to N2O5. This soluble, gaseous product readily forms soluble nitrate in the wet scrubber. The process is not only considered costly, but adds the hazard of the transportation and storage of the liquid oxygen needed.
With chlorine dioxide, because of its susceptibility to explosive decomposition, it must also be generated on site and immediately cooled and diluted to less than 3% in air for delivery to the flue gas. Because it has been shown to oxidize not only the NOx but also the mercury vapor that is present in coal flue gas in relatively small quantities, the development of a method for its use in flue gas cleaning is currently of interest.
The high oxidizing potential of hydrogen peroxide has led to considerable interest in employing it to oxidize the nitric oxide, preferably to N2O5, that is present in the flue gas. The effectiveness in this application results from its catalytic decomposition at elevated temperature into transient, gaseous free radicals such as nascent oxygen and the hydroxyl, OH. Tests to-date have indicated that, because of the fleeting presence of these reactive forms, concentrated solutions, large excess amounts of hydrogen peroxide and injection temperatures as high as 500 deg. C. may be required.
With partial oxidation of NO to NO2, magnesium hydroxide is being utilized in combination with lime injection (for SO2 capture) in medium/high sulfur applications to reduce the NO2 to N2 before emission.
The methods, processes and equipment in general use by the fossil-fuelled power generation industry do not adequately address the current and anticipated emission limits of the undesirable flue gas constituents. What is particularly lacking is a cost effective means of retrofitting the many existing coal-fired utility, commercial and industrial power plants. The curtailed major development of the DOE sponsored in-duct injection process showed considerable promise of providing such a low cost approach that could be broadly adapted to the industry's needs. Coupled with modification of flue gas duct configuration where required, a VGA nozzle and duct modification program was undertaken to meet this need.

Joining the mixing and variable gas atomizing of reactive chemicals in flue gas cleaning systems for removal of sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides and mercury


An apparatus for etching one side of a semiconductor layer, including at least one etching tank for receiving an electrolyte, a first electrode, which is arranged to make electrical contact with the electrolyte located in the etching tank during use, at least a second electrode, which is arranged to make indirect or direct electrical contact with the semiconductor layer, at least one electric current source, which is electrically conductively connected to the first and the second electrode to produce an etching current, and at least one transport apparatus for transporting the semiconductor layer relative to the etching tank in such a way that substantially only an etching side of the semiconductor layer that is to be etched can be wetted by the electrolyte located in the etching tank during use. The current source is formed as a variable current source, and that the apparatus has a controller for controlling the variable current source, wherein the apparatus is designed such that the etching current can be changed automatically by the controller during the etching operation. A method for etching one side of a semiconductor layer is also provided.

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for etching one side of a semiconductor layer.
In the method for producing semiconductor wafers or semiconductor components it is often desirable to carry out an etching process at only one side of a semiconductor layer.
For this purpose, the side that is not to be etched can be provided with an etching protection layer, such that only the side that is not covered by the protection layer is processed in a subsequent etching process. However, a procedure of this type is complex in terms of method since the protection layer has to be applied and removed again.
Methods are known, therefore, in which only the side to be etched of the semiconductor layer is wetted with an electrolyte. A constant-current source generates an etching current between the electrolyte and the semiconductor layer, such that etching on one side is effected.
Such a method and an apparatus suitable therefor are known from DE 10 2013 219 886 A1. In this case, by the use of a transport apparatus, the semiconductor layer is moved over an electrolyte in an etching chamber in such a way that substantially only that side of the semiconductor layer which faces the electrolyte is wetted with the electrolyte.
There is a great need to extend the areas of application of the etching method described previously and to reduce the susceptibility to faults in order to enable use in industrial processes with a high throughput.

Apparatus and method for etching one side of a semiconductor substrate


A leading edge structure for an aerodynamic surface of an aircraft with an outer wall part curved in a streamlined manner around an interior compartment and having an inner surface pointing toward the interior compartment and an outer surface provided for contact with the external surrounding flow. The outer wall part has a first outer wall section extending from a leading edge point in an incident flow direction in a convexly curved manner in the direction of a first side. The outer wall part has a second outer wall section which extends from the leading edge point in the incident flow direction in a convexly curved in the direction of a second side. An inner wall part is arranged in the interior compartment opposite the inner surface of the outer wall part and extends from the first outer wall section to the second outer wall section.

The leading edge structure comprises an outer wall part which is curved in a streamlined manner around an interior compartment and extends in a wingspan direction. Furthermore, the outer wall part comprises an inner surface which points toward the interior compartment and an outer surface which is provided for contact with the external surrounding flow. The outer wall part comprises a first outer wall section which extends from a leading edge point in an incident flow direction in a manner which is curved convexly in the direction of a first side, and a second outer wall section which extends from the leading edge point in the incident flow direction in a manner which is curved convexly in the direction of a second side. The leading edge point is that point, at which the outer surface of the outer wall part lies perpendicularly with respect to the incident flow direction of the outer surrounding flow. The incident flow direction relates to the incident flow during cruising flight straight ahead under normal conditions.
Furthermore, the leading edge structure comprises an inner wall part which is arranged in the interior compartment opposite the inner surface of the outer wall part and extends in the wingspan direction. The inner wall part extends from the first outer wall section to the second outer wall section and is preferably connected to the latter. A cavity preferably extends between the inner wall part and the outer wall part.
Similar leading edge structures are known from the prior art. Leading edge structures are those parts of aircraft which are frequently affected by bird strikes and therefore have to be designed to be tolerant with respect to bird strikes. It is therefore known from the prior art, in order to reinforce the leading edge structure against bird strikes, for example, for sandwich structures with a honeycomb core or rib-reinforced fiber composite components to be used. Structures of this type are complicated and expensive to produce, however.

Leading edge structure for an aerodynamic surface of an aircraft


A computer enclosure includes a chassis (30), a side panel (10), a clip piece (25) and a button (21). The chassis includes an elastic tab (353) with a free end titled. The side panel is mounted on the chassis. The clip piece is attached to the side panel. The clip piece defines an opening (253) therein. The clip piece engages with the free end of the elastic tab for securing the side panel on the chassis. The button is disposed on the side panel. The button has a post (213) extending through the opening of the side panel for disengaging the elastic tab from the clip piece, thereby moving the side panel away from the chassis.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer enclosure, and more particularly to a computer enclosure with a side panel and a chassis attached together.
2. Background of the Invention
With the popularization of computers, our modern society is closely linked to computers. A computer enclosure generally includes a chassis and a cover assembled thereto. It is required that a computer cover should be demounted and mounted conveniently for checking malfunction of hardware and repairing interior components of a computer. A typical mounting assembly usually utilizes a plurality of screws, directly attaching a computer cover to a computer chassis. Thereby, screwdrivers or other detaching tools are necessary for installation or removal of the computer cover in assembly or disassembly processes, which is laborious and time-consuming.
Generally, the cover is assembled to the chassis by screws which takes time in assembly and disassembly. This also inevitably increases the manufacturing cost. In addition, screws or the equivalents are also parts of inventory that should be carefully monitored in order to prevent a shutdown of the production line.
Therefore, some attempts have been taken to introduce the snapping type enclosure by using less or without screws. For example, a screwless computer case mounting arrangement includes a top-opening case body, a top cover covered on the case body, a hollow shell mounted in an opening on the top cover, an axle pivoted to the hollow shell on the inside, a retaining member fastened to the axle in the hollow shell and hooked on a locating frame of said case body to secure the top cover and the case body together, a handle fastened to the axle and adapted for turning by hand to disengage the retaining member from the locating frame of the case body, a spring mounted on the axle and adapted for forcing the retaining member into engaging with the locating frame of the case body, and a lock installed in the case body and adapted to stop the retaining member from movement relative to the case body. In this mounting arrangement, the retaining member engages or disengages with the locating frame to mount or demount the cover to the case. But the frame and the retaining member are not reliable for repeated use. So the cover can not be secured to the case well again. Therefore, an improved mounting assembly for a cover of a computer enclosure that overcomes the above-mentioned problems is desired.
What is needed, therefore, is a computer enclosure for conveniently and reliably securing a cover to a chassis.

Bao-an District, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.


An apparatus includes an estimation circuitry configured to receive a first set of one or more digital signals of transmitters of a communication system, and capture a set of one or more radio frequency signals that have been generated from the first set of digital signals The set of radio frequency signals being input of an antenna system of the communication system. Based on the first set of digital signals and the corresponding set of radio frequency signals, a set of weights related to a distortion effect caused by the generation of the radio frequency signals is derived. A received second set of digital signals is weighted using the set of weights, resulting in filtered signals. Using the filtered signals, a correction signal indicative of an interference caused by transmission of the second set of digital signals at a receiver of the communication system is estimated.

Intermodulation products may be generated in a wireless system when two or more signals at different frequencies are transmitted along a signal path including a component having a non-linear transmission characteristic; these products differ in frequency from the signals from which they were generated, and may potentially cause interference to other signals.

Method for processing of passive intermodulation products


A pump includes a housings and a rotor capable of rotating within the housing. The rotor engages an interior surface of the housing in use, with at least two radially-inward shaped surfaces on the rotor forming respective chambers with the interior surface. In use, the chambers transport fluid from an inlet in the housing to an outlet in the housing as the rotor rotates. A seal provided between the inlet and the outlet will engage each of the shaped surfaces to prevent fluid passing from the outlet to the inlet as each shaped surface travels from the outlet to the inlet. The rotor includes a surface portion extending axially and circumferentially between respective edges of the shaped surfaces. On planes normal to an axis of rotation of the rotor, the surface portion of the rotor has a greater curvature than that of the interior surface of the housing.

It is known from PCT/GB 2005/003300 and PCT/GB 2010/000798 to form a pump with a housing and a rotor rotatably received in an interior surface of the housing. The housing has an inlet and an outlet and the rotor has a housing engaging surface that co-operates and seals with the interior surface of the housing. The rotor has at least one shaped surface radially inwardly of the housing-engaging surface and forming with the interior surface of the housing a chamber for conveying fluid from the inlet to the outlet on rotation of the rotor. A seal is provided between the outlet and the inlet to engage the shaped surface to prevent the passage of fluid from the outlet to the inlet.
In the pump of PCT/GB2005/003300 and PCT/2010/000798 the surfaces have a shape formed by the intersection with the rotor of an imaginary cylinder having an axis normal to the axis of the rotor. This produces a surface that is concavely curved in planes including the axis of the rotor. This defines the size of the chamber formed by the surface with the housing.
In the prior art, such a shape of surface has an abrupt change in profile where the edge of the surface meets the interior surface of the housing. This limits the maximum rotational speed as, owing to its inherent flexibility, the seal cannot follow the abrupt change of a profile, as is necessary to provide a continuous seal on fast rotations, and the seal is subject to more wear from abrasion caused by the sharp edge which is inherent in an abrupt change in profile.

Pump having a housing and a rotor capable of rotating in the housing


A semiconductor device includes: a MOS transistor; a protection diode; and a semiconductor substrate. The MOS transistor and the protection diode are disposed in the semiconductor substrate. The drain of the MOS transistor is connected to the cathode of the protection diode. The source of the MOS transistor is connected to the anode of the protection diode. The MOS transistor has a withstand voltage defined as VT. The protection diode has a withstand voltage defined as VD, a parasitic resistance defined as RD, and a maximum current defined as IRmax. They satisfy a relationship of VT>VD+IRmax×RD. The maximum current of IRmax is equal to or larger than 45 Amperes.

A semiconductor device having a MOS transistor and a protection diode, which are formed on a semiconductor substrate, is disclosed in, for example, EP 0905781, which corresponds to JP H11-163275. The MOS transistor is, for example, a lateral type MOS transistor, specifically, a lateral double-diffused MOS transistor (i.e., LDMOS transistor). The protection diode protects the LDMOS from an electro static discharge (i.e., ESD) or the like. In the device having the protection diode, in general, a drain of the MOS transistor is connected to a cathode of the protection diode. Further, a source of the MOS transistor is connected to an anode of the protection diode.
The withstand voltage of the MOS transistor is about 70V, for example. Further, the withstand voltage of the protection diode is about 55V, for example. Accordingly, in the device, the withstand voltage of the MOS transistor is higher than that of the protection diode by about 15V. Here, all surge current cannot be absorbed in the protection diode when the ESD is occurred.
The maximum current flows through the device, i.e., the protection diode, at a moment when the ESD is occurred. The protection diode shows a positive linear resistance characteristic after the diode is broken down. Specifically, as the current increases, the voltage of the diode also increases. This resistance region higher than 55V is attribute to a parasitic resistor in the protection diode.
When the maximum current flows through the protection diode, a certain voltage is applied to the diode. When the certain voltage is applied to the diode, the certain voltage is also applied to the MOS transistor. This is because the protection diode is connected to the MOS transistor in parallel. Accordingly, the MOS transistor may be broken down so that the transistor shows a negative resistance region. Thus, a part of the surge current flows into the MOS transistor, so that the MOS transistor is broken down.

Semiconductor device having MOS transistor and protection diode and method for designing the same


A subscriber profile changing method etc. is provided. While a mobile terminal 110 is present in a service area of an exchange 131, a subscriber profile is changed only in the exchange 131. When the mobile station 110 moves to a service area of an exchange 132, a home memory station 120 requests the exchange 131 to delete the subscriber profile of the mobile terminal 110. Before deleting the subscriber profile, the exchange 131 checks a flag to see whether or not the subscriber profile was changed while the mobile terminal 110 was present in the service area of the exchange 131. If the subscriber profile has been changed, the exchange 131 sets the changed subscriber profile in a deletion request response signal and transmits this signal to the home memory station 120.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a subscriber profile changing method, a subscriber profile file updating method, a mobile communication system, an Exchange, and a home memory station.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a communication method of downloading a subscriber profile into an exchange the service area of which contains the mobile terminal. In the example in FIG. 1, when a mobile terminal 10 becomes present in the service area of an exchange 31, it registers its location via the exchange 31. In this case, the exchange 31 downloads the subscriber profile of the mobile terminal 10 from a home memory station 20 in order to obtain information on the mobile terminal 10. The subscriber profile may be personal information, locational information, service information, or the like.
FIGS. 2 and 3 are diagrams illustrating an example of a process of changing a subscriber profile in prior art. When the mobile terminal 10 transmits a request to change its subscriber profile to the exchange 31 (FIG. 2(a)), the exchange 31 transmits the change request to the home memory station 20 (FIG. 2 and FIG. 3(b)). Upon receiving the change request, the home memory station 20 change the subscriber profile of the mobile terminal 10 on the basis of the request ((c)). Then, the home memory station 20 transmits a change request response to the exchange 31((d)). The exchange 31 transmits the received change request response to the mobile terminal 10((e)). Also, the home memory station 20 transmits the changed subscriber profile to the exchange 31((f)). The exchange 31 changes (updates) a subscriber profile of the mobile terminal 10 retained thereby to the received one ((g)). After the change, the exchange 31 responds to the home memory station 20 by notifying it that the change process has been completed at the exchange (the exchange 31) whose service area has the mobile station 10((h)).
With this method, the subscriber profile in the home memory station 20 is changed and then the subscriber profile in the exchange 31 is changed, so that two round trips of inter-station signals are required between the home memory station 20 and the exchange 30.
This process is used partly because if the mobile terminal 10 moves to the service area of a new exchange, the home memory station 20 must transmit its subscriber profile to this new exchange, that is, the home memory station 20 must have the latest information.
FIGS. 4 and 5 show an example of a process executed in prior art if the change of the location registration is requested after the mobile terminal has moved to the service area of a different exchange. It is assumed that the mobile terminal 10, which shifts from the service area of the exchange 31 to the service area of an exchange 32, transmits a location registration change request to the exchange 32, which is the new exchange whose service area has the mobile terminal 10. The exchange 32 transmits this location registration request to the home memory station 20 (FIGS. 4 and 5(a)). Upon receiving the request, the home memory station 20 transmits a subscriber profile deletion request to the exchange 31, which is the old exchange whose service area had the mobile terminal 10((b)). Upon receiving the deletion request, the exchange 31 deletes its subscriber profile ((c)), and transmits a deletion completion response to the home memory station 20((d)). Upon receiving this response, the home memory station 20 changes its subscriber profile on the basis of the location registration request ((e)), and inputs the changed subscriber profile to the exchange 32((f)). Subsequently, a change process completion response is transmitted between the exchange 32 and the home memory station 20((g) and (h)).
Thus, in the prior art, when the subscriber profile is to be changed, a large number of signals are transmitted and received between the home memory station and the exchange.

Subscriber profile changing method, subscriber profile file updating method, mobile communication system, exchange, and home memory station


A scanning circuit has L scan control signal lines to which scan control signals differing from each other are supplied, and x pulse generating circuits each of which outputs a pulse signal based on a logical computation on scan control signals supplied from m signal lines, combinations of the m signal lines differing from each other. The scan control signal lines are divided into m groups so that the m groups respectively correspond to m groups of signals supplied to the scan control signal lines. Each of at least m-1 groups among the m groups is composed of three to four scan control signals differing in phases. One scan control signal is selected from each of the m scan control signal line groups so as to constitute each combination of the m scan control signal lines for sending the scan control signals to each pulse generating circuit.

As an arrangement of a conventional matrix-type image display device such as a liquid crystal display device, an arrangement shown in FIG. 13 has been well known. In this image display device, a plurality of data signal lines 51 and a plurality of scanning signal lines 52 are provided so as to be orthogonal to each other on one of a pair of substrates or the both. Around each intersection of the signal lines 51 and 52, a pixel (not shown) is provided. The data signal lines 51 are connected to a data signal line driving circuit 53, so that data signals (image signals) to be applied to the pixels are supplied from the data signal line driving circuit 53 to the data signal lines 51. On the other hand, the scanning signal lines 52 are connected to a scanning signal line driving circuit 54, so that scan signals for selecting pixels to receive the data signals supplied to the data signal lines 51 are supplied from the scanning signal line driving circuit 54 to the scanning signal lines 52.
A schematic arrangement of the data signal line driving circuit 53 is shown in FIG. 14. The data signal line driving circuit 53 incorporates a scanning circuit 55 for sequentially outputting pulse signals at fixed intervals, and a sample-and-hold circuit (hereinafter referred to as S/H circuit) 56 for sampling and outputting the data signals inputted thereto from outside in response to signals supplied from the scanning circuit 55. The scanning signal line driving circuit 54 has substantially the same arrangement, wherein usually a buffer circuit is used instead of the S/H circuit 56.
Any of the driving circuits 53 and 54 requires the scanning circuit 55. There are two types of the scanning circuit 55, namely, (1) one type using a shift register, and (2) the other type using a decode circuit, a multiplexer circuit, or the like, for conducting simple logical computations with respect to a plurality of pulse signals supplied thereto so as to output pulse signals.
As an example of the latter type (2), a circuit structure in the case where a decode circuit is used therein is shown in FIG. 15. Note that the figure is simplified for purposes of illustration, with a small number of signal lines or the like being shown.
The scanning circuit 55 has scan control signal lines (hereinafter referred to as SCS lines) 61 composed of signal lines 61.sub.1 through 61.sub.8, and a pulse generating circuit 62 composed of circuits 62.sub.1 through 62.sub.16. Each pulse generating circuit 62 conducts logical computations with respect to signals supplied from the SCS lines 61 and outputs the computation results. Each pulse generating circuit 62 has m (m=4 in this example) input terminals, and the n'th (n.ltoreq.m) input terminal is supplied with a signal from either the signal line 61.sub.2n-1 or the signal line 61.sub.2n of the SCS lines 61. In addition, combinations of scan control signals supplied to the pulse generating circuits 62.sub. through 62.sub.16 differ from one another. By doing so, 2.sup.4 (=16) pulse signals at most are controlled.
FIG. 16 is a timing chart illustrating examples of signal waveforms applied to respective parts of the scanning circuit 55. The scan control signals SCS61 through SCS.sub.68 are supplied to the SCS lines 61.sub.1 through 61.sub.8, respectively. To be more specific, supplied to the signal lines 61.sub.2n-1 and the signal line 61.sub.2n during a scanning period are signals which have a phase difference of 180.degree. from each other and which have cycles and pulse widths 2.sup.n times and 2.sup.n-1 times as great as a reference time interval t1, respectively. By thus arranging, one combination of the scan control signals supplied to the pulse generating circuits 62.sub.1 through 62.sub.16 is switched to another combination per one reference time interval t1, and one pulse signal is selected among pulse signals PS.sub.1 through PS.sub.16 in accordance with the combination so as to be supplied to output signal lines 63.sub.1 through 63.sub.16.
Incidentally, display in accordance with high-definition image signals has recently been demanded with respect to the matrix-type image display device, and this has led to development of, for example, SVGA, XGA, and high-definition televisions. In such cases, as the numbers of the data signal lines 51 and the scanning signal lines 52 increase, the SCS lines 61 and the input terminals of the pulse generating circuits 62 accordingly increase.
The increase in the number of the input terminals of the pulse generating circuits 62 causes an increase in crossings of the SCS lines 61 and wires from the SCS lines 61 to the input terminals of the pulse generating circuits 62. As a result, parasitic capacitances of the SCS lines 61 increase.
Besides, the number of the SCS lines 61 itself increases, thereby, in combination with the increase in the parasitic capacitances, causing an increase in power consumption by the scanning circuit 55 as a whole.
Furthermore, the increase in the number of the SCS lines 61 and the increase in the number of the input terminals of the pulse generating circuits 62 cause the scanning circuit 55 to become bulky, thereby resulting in that miniaturization of the circuit becomes difficult.

Scanning circuit and matrix-type image display device


A system for distributing water flow between jet stations in a bathing system, such as a spa, is disclosed. The outlets of two pumps are connected together by a water supply line looped around the water containment. Jet stations are disposed along the supply line and water controllers that selectively block or allow water to flow are placed between the jet stations. By blocking the flow with a water controller, the flow to the jet stations is divided between the two pumps. The distribution of water supply of the jet stations can thereby be adjusted by selecting a water controller where the pump supply line is to be divided between the pumps.

Bathing appliances in the nature of spas, or so-called hot tubs, have become commercially successful. These spas are typically constructed as a molded shell to form a water containment, with seats, footwells, platforms for reclining, and the like molded into the shape of the shell. The shell is usually molded from plastic or fiberglass or a composite thereof. A pump or pumps usually placed in a chamber under the shell draw water from the water containment and reinject the water, usually with air, into the containment through a variety of nozzles, hydrotherapy jets, and the like. The jets are usually mounted in the shell under the water line, and are designed to provide a comforting or therapeutic effect to a person in the spa. The jets are usually mounted by making a hole in the shell, and fixing the jet in the hole by a use of seals, adhesives, welding compounds, or a combination thereof. Water supply lines from the pumps to the jets are usually flexible tubing or rigid PVC tubing. After the jets and tubing are in place, an expandable foaming polymeric material is blown into the empty spaces to provide thermal and sound insulation. This construction system has been used widely and successfully, and is currently almost universally used.
One of the problems of conventional spa construction is that the configuration of the spa is essentially fixed at the time of construction. Since the jets are fixed in a hole in the spa shell, replacement of the jet is difficult or impractical. Replacement in the least would required an extensive reconstruction involving removing the old jet (usually by cutting out the jet), and installation of the new jet requiring repair and resealing of the shell around the new jet. In addition, the water and air supply lines to the jets must be replaced or reinstalled on the new jet, requiring access from the bottom of the spa and removal and replacement of the foam insulation surrounding the lines. Because such replacement is burdensome, a user will usually avoid a jet replacement unless absolutely necessary. If a new jet type is introduced into the market or the tastes of the bather change for a difference jet type, the difficulties of replacement basically preclude user from changing the jets.
Another problem involving jet replacement is that the water supply systems or jets are usually buried in insulating foam under the spa shell. If a jet is replaced with a different type that requires a different water flow, the function of the remaining jets attached to the same pump can be compromised as the pressure drops or rises due the increased or decrease flow through the new jet. It may be possible to solve the problem by installing a pump of a different capacity, or by rearranging the water supply lines between different pumps in the spa to redistribute the water flow between the pumps. However, both alternatives are expensive, and the later involves extensive labor in digging out the old piping and reinstalling the new.


A liquid crystal displays and a method of production in which a plurality of data lines are formed on an insulating substrate with a plurality of gate lines formed on the insulating substrate and arranged perpendicular to the data lines and are located at opposite sides with respect to the data lines. The first and the second common electrode lines are arranged parallel to the gate lines and divided into a plurality of bars which are located at opposite sides with respect to the data lines. A plurality of common electrodes are formed parallel to the data lines and connected to the first and the second common electrode lines. An insulating film covers the gate lines, the data lines, the first and second common electrode lines and the common electrodes. A secondary common electrode is formed on the insulating film and arranged parallel to the data lines. Moreover, the secondary common electrode overlaps edges of the data line to play a role as an electric field blocking webbing and contacts the common electrode lines located at opposite sides with respect to the data line through contact holes. A contact pattern is formed on the insulating film and connects the two gate lines located at opposite sides with respect to the data line through contact holes.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and a manufacturing method thereof, in particular, to structures of liquid crystal displays having pixel electrodes and common electrodes in a substrate and a manufacturing method thereof.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Generally, liquid crystal displays (LCDs) include two substrates facing each other and a liquid crystal layer injected between the substrates. Images of the LCD are displayed by controlling the light transmittance of the liquid crystal layer.
In an LCD mode having pixel electrodes and common electrodes in one substrate, an electric field is generated parallel to the surfaces of the substrates so that long axes of liquid crystal molecules are operated in parallel to the surfaces of the substrates. Therefore, a viewing angle becomes enhanced.
An LCD according to the conventional invention now will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a layout view of an LCD according to the conventional invention. FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of a thin film transistor taken along line II-IIxe2x80x2 in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line III-IIIxe2x80x2 in FIG. 1.
As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, gate lines 200 are formed on a substrate 100 and arranged in the horizontal direction. The first common electrode line 301 and the second common electrode lines 302 are formed parallel to the gate lines 200. A plurality of common electrodes 310 are arranged in the vertical direction in FIG. 1, extend from the first common electrode line 301 and connect to the second common electrode line 302.
A gate insulating film 400 covers the gate line 200, the first and the second electrode lines 301 and 302, and the common electrodes 310. An amorphous silicon layer 500 is formed on the gate insulating film 400 and overlaps a portion of the gate line 200 playing a role as the gate electrode. Data lines 700 are formed on the gate insulating film 400 and arranged in the vertical direction in FIG. 1. A source electrode 710 is extended from the date line 700 and partially overlaps the amorphous silicon layer 500, and a drain electrode 720 is formed opposite the source electrode 710 and partially overlaps the amorphous silicon layer 500. Doped amorphous silicon layers 610 and 620 are formed between the amorphous silicon layer 500 and the source 710 and the drain electrodes 720 to improve contact characteristics.
A pixel electrode line 800 is extended from the drain electrode 720 and overlaps the first common electrode line 301. A plurality of pixel electrodes 810 is extended from the pixel electrode line 800 and arranged parallel to the data line 700 and the common electrodes 310. Each the pixel electrode 810 is located between the two common electrodes 310.
As described above, since the pixel electrode 810 and the common electrodes 310 are formed in the same substrate 100 and parallel to each other, an generated electric field is substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate 100.
The electric field and an arrangement of the liquid crystal in the LCD according to the conventional invention now will be described hereinafter.
FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view showing the electric field and the arrangement of the liquid crystal molecules.
As shown in FIG. 4, a common electrode 310 is formed on the first substrate 100 for a thin film transistor substrate and arranged parallel to a pixel electrode 810 and a data line 700 via a gate insulating film 400. The second substrate 110 having a light-blocking film 120 corresponds to face the first substrate 100 and a liquid crystal layer (LC) is interposed therebetween. The light-blocking film 120 is located between two pixels, and arranged to face the data line 700 and a portion of the common electrode 310 adjoining the data line 700
The liquid crystal layer (LC) of the above-described LCD is operated by a potential difference between the common electrode 310 and the pixel electrode 810. In more detail, either a direct-current (DC) voltage or an alternating-current (AC) is applied to the common electrode 310. Display signals are applied to the pixel electrode 810 through the data line 700 when the thin film transistor (TFT) is in the on-state. If the TFT gets turned off, the signals applied to the pixel electrode 810 are stored until the TFT gets turned on again.
As illustrated in FIG. 4, electric field lines E perpendicular to equipotential lines Peq are substantially parallel to the surface of the substrates 100 and 110 between the electrodes 310 and 810. However, an abnormal arrangement of the liquid crystal molecules occurs between the common electrode 310 adjoining to the data line 700 and the pixel electrode 810. This phenomenon of an unwanted abnormal arrangement is defined as a disclination. One cause of the disclination is the electric voltage differences between the voltages applied and stored to the pixel electrode 810 and voltages applied to the data line 700. As the electric voltage difference between the data line 700 and the pixel electrode 810 is increased and the distance between the data line 700 and the pixel electrode 810 is narrowed, the disclination region of the liquid crystal layer LC becomes wider. A signal variation of the data line 700 is another cause of the disclination. That is, since the adjoining common electrode 310 is affected by the signal variation, the status of the electric field is changed.
In the disclination region, light-leakage may occur. That is, light tansmitted by the disclination region is partially blocked by the blocking film 120 overlapping the data line 700 and a part of the adjoining common electrode 310. However, as shown in FIG. 4, if the disclination region is wide, the light-leakage still occurs through a region A which is not blocked by the blocking film 120.
Additionally, even when light passing through the disclination region is initially blocked by the light-blocking film 120, it is possible that light-leakage still occurs around the light-blocking film 120. This is because reflection of light occurs at the surface of the blocking film 120 which is made of metals such as Cr and then reflects again off of the common electrode 310 or the pixel electrode 810.
Since this light-leakage phenomenon occurs at pixels along the data lines 700, a vertical cross-talk effect by which a white line is generated in a normally black state display screen occurs.
One method to prevent the vertical cross-talk is overlapping a common electrode and the adjoining data line. However, since a parasitic capacitance occurs near the overlapping portion of the data line and the common electrode, the driving IC may be abnormally heated while being operated. Another method to prevent the cross-talk is forming the light-blocking film from an organic film. However, as this would require a different method of recognizing alignment keys, extra equipment investment will be needed.
The present invention has been made in an effort to solve the above problems.
It is an object of the present invention to reduce the disclination region of liquid crystal layer to decrease cross-talk.
It is another object of the present invention to prevent the cross-talk without generation of heat in driving circuits or an increase of the manufacturing cost due to an equipment investment.
To achieve the above objects, a liquid crystal display according to an embodiment of the present invention provides a field-blocking film which overlaps edges of a data line via an insulating film and blocks an electric field generated from the data line.
The field-blocking webbing may be made by partially overlapping a common electrode adjoining to the data line and connect to the common electrode.
Gate lines may be formed on the same layer as the data line. The gate line is divided into a plurality of portions, which are separated from the data lines. The portions are connected to each other by connect patterns formed on an insulating film covering the gate lines and the data lines. Moreover, the common electrodes may be formed on the same layer as the data line. In this case, the common electrodes of two adjacent pixels connect to each other by the electric field blocking webbing which is formed on the insulating film and overlaps the data line and the common electrode.
In this embodiment, switching devices may be included. The switching devices play a role of transmitting image signals from the data lines to the pixel electrodes according to scan signals from the gate lines.
To achieve above objects, in a liquid crystal display according to another embodiment of the present invention, data lines are located on a lower layer than common electrodes and do not overlap the common electrodes. In other words, data lines are formed on a lower substrate in one direction and a gate insulating film covers the data lines. On the gate insulating film, gate lines are formed perpendicular to the data lines, common electrode lines are formed parallel to the gate lines, and a plurality of common electrodes are extended from the common electrode line. The common electrodes are arranged parallel to the data lines. A light-blocking film is formed on one surface of an upper substrate facing the lower substrate. The light-blocking film overlaps the data line and a part of the common electrode adjoining to the data line.
It is required that the common electrode adjoining the data line does not overlap the data line.
Secondary data lines may be formed on an interlayer insulating film covering the common electrodes and electrically connect to the data lines. The secondary data lines are required not to overlap the common electrodes.
In the case that the data line is formed below the common electrode, since directions of light transmitting through the gap between the data line and the common electrode are different from in the conventional structure, the light is mostly blocked by the light-blocking film. In addition, since an incident angle of the light is large, the intensity of the light is decreased while being reflected several times on the light-blocking film and the common electrodes.

Liquid crystal display with preventing vertical cross-talk having overlapping data lines


Primary and/or secondary communication groups can be assigned to users with communication devices arranged in a hierarchy (FIG. 4). A set of humans are assigned to a role in a role-based hierarchy. A communication device (404) is assigned to the set of humans for communication over a network. One or more secondary communication groups are determined for the communication device (120). The one or more determined secondary communication groups are primary communication groups of other devices used by one or more other humans assigned roles in the role-based hierarchy. Secondary communication group settings are programmed for the communication device (124), where the group settings are consistent with the determined secondary communication groups.

When incidents such as natural disasters, crime investigations, and wildfires occur, responding to these incidents effectively can save lives, prevent damage, and limit injuries. To prepare for, prevent, respond to, and recover from incidents, the National Incident Management System (NIMS) was developed. NIMS can provide a consistent nationwide approach for all levels of government to work together regardless of cause, size, or complexity. NIMS can include an Incident Command System (ICS) which standardizes incident organizational structure for on-scene management of incidents. The ICS is an example where user groups of users are established. It can incorporate a Unified Command (UC) approach, whereby individuals can be designated by their jurisdictional authorities to jointly determine objectives, plans and priorities, as well as work together to execute them.
During incident preparation and/or response, there is a need to rapidly align all electronic communication (e.g., PTT, Video, Conferencing, Voice, Imaging, Data, etc.) with the ICS organizational chart, which is a role-based hierarchy of groups of one or more users, where each user group is associated with the same role. Communication groups are assigned to each user group. In one example, responders performing the same role at the incident are assigned, or affiliated, to the same primary communication group. This primary communication group facilitates communication between all responders performing the same role. One or more responders in each group may be further designated as a leader of that group. As a group leader, such users must also monitor, or scan, the primary communication groups of hierarchical user groups subordinate and peer to their own; such groups are referred to as the leader's secondary communication groups. This permits the leader to maintain situational awareness of the user groups subordinate and peer to him or her in the hierarchy. These primary and secondary communication group assignments must then be dynamically programmed into the applicable narrowband and/or broadband communication devices carried by the responders. Currently, these devices must be manually programmed with these group configurations. This can be a slow process and subject to error, costing valuable time during an emergency. Similarly, situations outside of incident response exist where a set of communication devices associated with users arranged into hierarchical user groups are to be programmed with primary and secondary communication groups.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.

Programming secondary communication groups to devices arranged in a hierarchy of groups


The invention relates to a process for preparing compounds having the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.6 and Ar are as defined in the description, by reaction of a compound of formula (I) with a compound of formula (II) according to the following reaction scheme: ##STR2## The compounds of formula (IV) are useful as pesticides.

1. Field of the Invention
The instant invention is directed to a new process for manufacturing pesticidally active materials as well as the intermediates thereof. More particularly, the instant invention is directed to a process for manufacturing 1-aryl substituted pyrazoles.
2. Background Art
Many manufacturing processes have been described in the literature for preparing such derivatives, for example in International Patent Publication Nos. WO87/03781, WO93/06089 and WO94/21606; in European Patent Publication Nos. 0295117, 0403300, 0385809 and 0679650; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,232,940 and 5,236,938; and German Published Patent Application No. 19511269.
The Japp-Klingemann reaction, reviewed in Org. React., Vol. 10, pages 143-178 (1959), known in the literature since 1887, is a process by which phenyl azo compounds are formed from the reaction of diazonium salts with active methylene compounds. Typically the phenyl azo compound is not isolated, but is reacted in situ with base resulting in loss of a leaving group and formation of the corresponding hydrazone. When the phenyl azo intermediate is properly substituted, a spontaneous cyclization reaction occurs giving a 3,5-disubstituted-4-protio-pyrazole, that is, a 3,5-disubstituted-4-unsubstituted pyrazole. If a 3,4,5-trisubstituted pyrazole is desired, further manipulation is required in subsequent steps.

Process for preparing pyrazole derivatives


Disclosed herein are methods, compounds and compositions for preventing or treating a renal disorder or chronic kidney diseases, including nephropathies such as diabetic nephropathy. The invention generally includes administering to a subject 1,3-propanedisulfonic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, e.g., 1,3-propanedisulfonic acid sodium salt. The invention also relates to methods, compounds and compositions for the prevention and/or treatment of for preventing or treating a renal disorder complication. The invention further relates to methods, compounds and compositions for the prevention and/or treatment of dyslipidemia, and more particularly for reducing levels of harmful serum lipid levels, especially cholesterol and triglycerides in diabetic patients.

Renal disorders involve an alteration in the normal physiology and function of the kidney. Renal disorders can result from a wide range of acute and chronic conditions and events, including physical, chemical, or biological injury, insult or trauma, disease such as, for example, hypertension, diabetes, congestive heart failure, lupus, sickle cell anemia, and various inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, HIV-associated nephropathies, etc. Renal disorders can lead to reduced kidney function, hypertension, and renal failure, seriously compromising quality of life, sometimes requiring dialysis and in certain circumstances, kidney transplantation.
Diabetic nephropathy also known as Kimmelstiel-Wilson syndrome and intercapillary glomerulonephritis, is a progressive kidney disease caused by angiopathy of capillaries in the kidney glomeruli. It is characterized by nodular glomerulosclerosis due to longstanding diabetes mellitus and is a prime cause for dialysis in many Western countries. The syndrome can be seen in patients with chronic diabetes. The disease is progressive and may cause death two or three years after the initial lesions and is more frequent in women. Diabetic nephropathy is the most common cause of chronic kidney failure and end-stage kidney disease in the United States. People with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are at risk. The risk is higher if blood-glucose levels are poorly controlled. However, once nephropathy develops, the greatest rate of progression is seen in patients with poor control of their blood pressure.
Diabetic nephropathy is clinically well defined and is characterized by proteinuria, hypertension, edema and renal insufficiency. There are limited treatment options for diabetic nephropathy. Current treatments are primarily directed to improving complications of the diseases as follows: 1) control of blood-pressure (ACE-inhibitors inhibitors or Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs); 2) Control of glycemic values; and 3) lipoproteic diet, exercise or other life styles modifications. However, there is an important need for better drugs and treatments since current treatment may have limited impact on the progressive decline in kidney function and patients still progress to renal replacement therapy, either dialysis or renal transplantation.
Hyperlipidemia is a major complication of diabetic nephropathy and is a determinant of progression of renal disorder in diabetes. Hyperlipidemia is a pathogenic factor for diabetic nephropathy and clinical studies involving therapeutic interventions for hyperlipidemia suggest the importance of this approach in at least slowing the progression of diabetic renal disorder (Rosario and Prabhakar (2006), Current Diabetes Reports, 6:455-462). Therefore, there is a need for methods and compounds for modulating blood lipids levels, and more particularly reducing levels of harmful serum lipid levels, especially cholesterol and triglycerides in diabetic patients.

Treatment of renal disorders, diabetic nephropathy and dyslipidemias


There is provided an image encoding method in a facsimile apparatus or an image filing apparatus as an image communication apparatus. In this method, a color image signal which is expressed by a plurality of color component signals to be encoded is input, the input color image signal is converted into a bit stream signal, and the bit stream signal is encoded by the prediction encoding. A parameter for the prediction encoding is changed in accordance with the color image signal to be encoded. The encoding operation is executed adaptively to the color image signal to be encoded. By bit stream converting the binary color signal, the efficient encoding using the color correlation can be executed and an increase in data amount is prevented. By encoding the bit stream signal by using a dynamic arithmetic code, a binary color image can be efficiently encoded.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image encoding system in a facsimile apparatus or an image filing apparatus as an image communication apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
As a conventional image encoding system, a run length encoding system represented by the G3 or G4 facsimile which is recommended by CCITT (International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee) is generally used. According to such an encoding system, a length (run length) in which all white pixels or all black pixels continue is counted and a code corresponding to its count value is determined from a prepared code table. The code table which is used in such a system is characterized by the feature that a relatively short code is assigned to a long white run which is frequently seen in a document image. Therefore, in the case where the statistical characteristics of the run length differ from those of the image which was used as a reference in the making of the code table, for instance, in the case of encoding a pseudo half tone image in which white and black pixels frequently alternate, there is a problem that the amount of information required to express the codes exceeds the amount of original data.
Therefore, as an encoding method in which encoding can be also efficiently executed even for the above-described image such that an inconvnience occurs with encoding based as described above on run length, an encoding method whereby a Markovian model code such as an arithmetic code or the like is used has been proposed.
The conventional well-known arithmetic code is based on a method whereby a code is formed by an arithmetic operation so that an input signal train is set to a code which is expressed by a binary decimal fraction. The above method has been published by the literature by Langdon, Rissanen, et al., "Compression of Black/White Images with Arithmetic Coding," IEEE Transaction Com., COM-29, 6, June 1981, and the like. According to the literature, assuming that an input signal train which has already been encoded is set to S, a probability with which a less probable symbol (LPS) appears is set to q, an augend of the arithmetic register is set to A(S), and a code register is set to C(S), the following arithmetic operations are executed for every input signal. EQU A(S.sub.1)=A(S).times.q.perspectiveto.a(S).times.2.sup.-Q ( 1) EQU A(S.sub.0)=<A(s)-A(S.sub.1)>.sub.l ( 2)
<>.sub.l denotes the cutting at an effective number of digits, i.e., l bits. EQU C(S.sub.0)=C(S) (3) EQU C(S.sub.1)=C(S)+A(S.sub.o) (4)
In the case where the encoding data is a most probable symbol (MPS: 0 in the above example), A(S.sub.0) and C(S.sub.0) are used to encode the next data. On the other hand, if the encoding data is a less probable symbol (LPS: 1 in the above example), A(S.sub.1) and C(S.sub.1) are used to encode the next data.
The new value of A is increased by 2.sup.S times (S is an integer equal to 0 or more) and is set to a value within a range of 0.5.ltoreq.A<1.0. The above process corresponds to the content of the arithmetic register A being shifted S times in the hardware. The code register C is also shifted to the left the same number of times and the signal which was shifted out is set to a code. By repeating the above processes, the codes are formed.
On the other hand, as shown by equation (1), by approximating the appearance probability q of the LPS by the power of 2 (2.sup.-Q : Q is a positive integer), multiplication is replaced by a shift arithmetic operation. To further improve such an approximation, there has been proposed a method whereby q is approximated by, for instance, a polynomial in powers of 2 as shown by equation (5). The worst efficiency point is improved by the above approximation. EQU q.perspectiveto.2.sup.-Q1 +2.sup.-Q2 ( 5)
However, in the above arithmetic encoding, the appearance probability which was approximated by the powers of 2 is fixed and it may happen that the encoding is not efficiently executed for an image of different appearance probability.
Therefore, there has been proposed a method whereby the appearance probability q of the LPS is changed in accordance with the feature of the image to be encoded and efficient encoding suitable to an image is performed. As such a probability estimating method, there have been known a static method of unconditionally deciding a probability in accordance with the status of a pixel which has already been encoded and a dynamic method of estimating the probability while encoding.
In the case where the appearance probability q of the LPS was approximated by the polynomial in powers of 2, the value of the appearance probability q is a discontinuous value. A condition, a timing, and the like to change a certain appearance probability to another appearance probability are large factors in accomplishing the optimum encoding.
On the other hand, as mentioned above, in a facsimile apparatus as a typical example of a conventional image communication apparatus, an MH code, an MR code, or the like is used as a system for encoding black/white binary data. On the other hand, in recent years, the development of a cheap color printer has progressed and there has been proposed an image communication of a color image, particularly, a binary color image having data of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) each consisting of one bit or data of yellow (Y), cyan (C), and magenta (M) each consisting of one bit.
As such an encoding system of a binary color image, there has been considered a method whereby three colors are encoded for every bit plane and the MH or MR coding system for black/white data is used.
However, according to the method of encoding three colors for every bit plane, there is the problem that by encoding three colors for every bit plane of R, G, and B, the entropies of the original RGB information sources are increased, so that the encoding efficiency is deteriorated. This typically results in the color correlation information not being used.

Image encoding method and apparatus providing variable length bit stream signals


An ink set is disclosed which includes a yellow ink composition containing a resin-coated yellow pigment in which a yellow pigment is coated with a crosslinked water-soluble resin, a water-soluble polymerizable compound and water; a magenta ink composition containing a resin-coated magenta pigment in which a magenta pigment is coated with a crosslinked water-soluble resin, a water-soluble polymerizable compound and water; a cyan ink composition containing a resin-coated cyan pigment in which a cyan pigment is coated with a crosslinked water-soluble resin, a water-soluble polymerizable compound and water; and a treatment liquid containing an aggregating agent for aggregating components in the ink compositions.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an ink set and an image forming method.
2. Related Art
Inkjet technology has been used as an image recording method for recording a color image in the fields of office printers, home printers and the like.
In inkjet technology, an ink set having a combination of an ink containing a coloring material and additional liquid(s) may be used. As an example thereof, an ink set is known in which an anionic or cationic ink containing a coloring material is combined with a liquid composition which contains dispersed particles the surface of which is charged with polarity opposite to that of the ink and also contains a polymerizable component capable of being cured into a polymer when energy is applied to the component and a solvent capable of dissolving the polymerizable component (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2002-332433).
Further, as an ink set used in inkjet technology, an ink set is also known in which inks of two or more colors are combined (for example, see JP-A Nos. 2003-160751, 2007-161850 and 2009-149805).


An air diffusion apparatus for aeration of rotating biological contactors or other media in a liquid filled tank includes an air supply manifold, a drop pipe connected to the air supply manifold, and a diffuser header assembly connected to the drop pipe. The diffuser header assembly has shoes allowing it to roll or slide against the tank walls and bottom during installation and removal. The diffuser header assembly is negatively buoyant during installation and operation of the apparatus, so that attachment of the diffuser header to the bottom or sides of the tank is not required. This results in easy installation and removal of the apparatus without requiring prior removal of the contactor or other obstructions from the tank.

There are many applications that require air to be diffused throughout large containers of liquid, typically water. An example of such an application is the aeration of contactors, which are most often used in processing, cleaning, purifying, or otherwise treating wastewater. Applicant's invention may be used for general aeration services but is particularly well suited for aerating contactors.
Aeration, effecting intimate contact between air and liquid, is widely used for the purpose of dissolving oxygen to support aerobic organisms employed in wastewater treatment and agitation or mixing to suspend and prevent sedimentation of solids. Some popular models of contactors are "air driven" devices wherein the air moving through the media drives the contactors, thus eliminating the need for mechanical gear and motor drives.
An air diffusion apparatus incorporating applicant's invention accomplishes the oxygen dissolving function by diffusing low pressure air into wastewater through orifices in a perforated pipe or specialized diffuser nozzles in a diffuser header, so that small bubbles are discharged uniformly into and rise continuously through the wastewater.
There are many reasons why an efficient method of aerating contactors is needed. Added transfer of oxygen into the wastewater increases system treatment capacity and efficiency by creating an environment favoring beneficial biota and reduced nuisance growth. Certain advanced and combined treatment processes with contactors require aeration for successful operation. A thinner biomass is achieved and maintained through increased agitation as the air bubbles rise through the contactor media. Thinner biomass reduces structural loads on the contactor and contactor support shaft, and reduces hydraulic drag as the contactor rotates in the wastewater, thus potentially reducing energy consumption and permitting closer spacing of the contactor media with less risk of mechanical overloading from excessive biofilm growth. Increased concentrations of wastewater can therefore be applied to aerated contactors. Tests have demonstrated up to 50% greater loadings and removal efficiencies. Aeration in the lower portion of the contactor tank assists in keeping solids in suspension. These and other reasons make desirable an efficient aeration method.
There are numerous designs and configurations for submerged diffused aeration devices. However, when there is a contactor or other obstruction in the tank, positioning the aeration device correctly in the tank can be difficult. Additionally, because the devices carry air through a heavier liquid, buoyancy can be a problem. There are designs that embrace ballast or weights to prevent flotation, but no known prior art device combines weight to prevent flotation with rolling or sliding shoes for positioning, support, and mobility of aeration headers.
Prior art contactor aeration devices are typically attached mechanically to the bottom of a contactor tank and to the to of the tank walls. Traditional methods of support and anchoring such devices require fixed support, hooks, or brackets, all mounted with anchor bolts to the tank floor or walls. These methods require installation before the contactor is put in lace, making the aeration device difficult to remove for service and almost impossible to relocate if adjustment of position is indicated.
Accordingly, one object of applicant's invention is to make possible an aeration system that allows convenient installation and removal of an air diffusion system apparatus in new or existing tanks containing contactors or variants thereof, or containing other obstructions.
Another object of this invention is to prevent flotation of the pipes and diffuser header assemblies without using fixed support, hooks, or brackets mounted to the tank floor or walls, by making diffuser header assemblies that are negatively buoyant when installed and while in use.
Applicant's invention solves these and other problems by providing structure that uses novel means for supporting and locating the apparatus on the tank floor, and preventing flotation with added weight, preferably by a plurality of weighted shoes.
An air diffusion apparatus comprising applicant's invention features an air supply manifold, one or more "drop pipes" (with or without air control valves) connected to the air supply manifold, and one or more negatively buoyant diffuser header assemblies connected to respective drop pipes and preferably containing one or more shoes. Each diffuser header assembly provides one or more diffuser orifices comprising nozzles or holes.
The shoes are preferably weighted, can slide or rotate along tank surfaces, and are preferably located on the diffuser header, which is essentially a pipe through which air can flow toward an end cap. The end cap can host an additional diffuser orifice outboard of the shoe, and acts as a "bumper" should it contact a tank wall or the like during installation. Air control valves on individual drop legs, and coarse bubble diffusers, may be furnished as an option for flexibility in air control.
The drop pipes are carefully designed and configured depending on the shape and configuration of the tank and obstruction, in order to allow easy installation and removal of the diffuser headers without interference with the contactor or tank wall. The drop pipes deliver air to the diffuser headers, which distribute air along the tank through the diffuser orifices.
Submerged air diffuser devices, depending upon the size and weight of piping, tend to be buoyant when the tank is filled with liquid and the pipe is filled with air. This problem is overcome in the referred embodiments of applicant's invention by using weighted shoes to locate the diffuser header at the desired elevation for best operation while allowing clearance underneath a contactor or other obstruction, and providing sufficient weight to prevent flotation of the aeration equipment. Other embodiments can be made with the weight or weights placed at other locations about the diffuser header, but it is referred to use weighted shoes, so that the shoes themselves comprise sufficient weight or have weights attached or placed adjacent to them. When the air diffusion apparatus is being installed in or removed from a tank, the weighted shoes keep the apparatus from floating, while allowing mobility by rolling or sliding along the tank bottom or inclined walls. This minimizes the force necessary to lift and move the device, while preventing unnecessary strain on piping and joints associated with less freely rolling or sliding devices.
Shoe is used herein to mean any structure (wheels, rollers, runners, bearings, etc.) for supporting a device while allowing it to safely and conveniently roll or slide against the side or bottom of a tank. Weighted shoe (weighted runner, weighted roller, etc.) is used herein to mean either a shoe (runner, roller, etc.) that is itself heavy or weighted, or a shoe (runner, roller, etc.) placed in close proximity to a weight or weights. Pipe sections may be plastic, steel, stainless steel, other metals, or any other suitable materials, fabricated with screwed fittings, solvent welded fittings, welded metal fittings, adapters or sections formed by bending or rolling, or by any other suitable means. Connections may be flanged, screwed, unions, mechanical joints, or any other suitable type.
One advantage of applicant's invention is adjustability. The diffuser header can be accurately positioned or relocated within the tank by adjustments made above the tank walls, using the drop pipe as a tongue or handle.
Another advantage of the invention is that, as mentioned previously, it provides for use of a hollow shaft or pipe as a support for the shoes. This feature allows one or more aeration ports or diffuser orifices to be mounted outboard of the shoes, thereby providing greater aeration width and eliminating dead spaces at the end of the diffuser header. This feature also helps avoid interference with tank walls and damage to diffuser assemblies.
A further advantage of the invention is improved convenience of installation and (when necessary) removal of the diffuser header, saving substantial time and cost in construction or retrofit of such systems. In systems that require a fixed floor-mounted submerged bracket, the upper piping must be adjusted to comply with that inaccessible bracket. But with the rolling or sliding shoe feature of the invention, normally only the piping above the tank needs to be adjusted when installing.
Advantages of applicant's air diffusion apparatus include convenience and ease of installation in new or existing tanks. Applicant's air diffusion apparatus can be installed with tanks full of wastewater and contactors in place, immediately providing the advantages of contactor aeration. The weighted shoes allow easy installation and adjustment of applicant's air diffusion apparatus, and anchoring and control is all conveniently located above the wastewater surface.


A labyrinth seal including: an annular seal body having an inner wall and an outer wall spaced apart from one another by an annulus; a nested dampener system disposed along the outer wall, the nested dampener system including: a first dampening element; and a second dampening element, wherein opposite axial ends of the nested dampener system are defined by the first dampening element, and wherein the second dampening element is disposed outside of at least a portion of the first dampening element in a radial direction.

Many systems, such as gas turbine engines, include rotors disposed within openings of stators. In gas turbine engines, for example, alternating stages of rotating blades and stationary vanes are arranged to harness combustion energy to generate force. Seals may be used between the rotors coupled to the rotating blades and openings within the stationary vanes in order to fluidly isolate two or more cavities of the gas turbine engine from one another, such as two sumps including lubrication. These seals typically experience vibrational loading which can damage the seal and reduce operational longevity.
Accordingly, a seal which can effectively mitigate vibrational loading within the system without compromising on spatial availability and sealing effectiveness would be useful.