A process is disclosed for bleaching pulp without chlorine containing chemicals and for greatly reducing total washing filtrate discharge, comprising the steps of: 1) sending pulp that has been subjected to continuous digestion, oxygen-delignification and then washing, through a washing press; 2) treating, with agitation, the delignified washed pulp with sulfuric acid and a chelating agent; 3) washing the pulp in a washing apparatus; 4) bleaching with hydrogen peroxide in a reaction vessel; 5) washing the hydrogen peroxide bleached pulp; 6) adding sulfuric acid and ozone with mixing of the pulp; 7) reacting the pulp with ozone in a reaction vessel; and 8) washing the ozone reacted pulp, wherein the majority of liquid filtrate from the bleaching process that is waste not to be recycled is drawn off from the washing apparatus of step 3, the washings in step 3 and 5 have at least 85% efficiency, filtrate from washing step 5 is recirculated to the washing apparatus of step 3, and filtrate from the washing apparatus of step 8 is recirculated and used in the washing apparatus for the washing of pulp after oxygen-delignification.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for bleaching pulp without using organic chlorine compounds but still achieving levels of brightness required by the market e.g. 85-90 ISO. Before bleaching, pulp is continuously digested in a modified continuous cooking (MCC) digester (e.g. that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,755 and U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 08/051,396 each incorporated by reference, herein). Subsequent to MCC digestion, the pulp undergoes oxygen-delignification in a modified continuous (MC) oxygen delignification process (e.g. that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,963,561, incorporated by reference herein), until a low lignin level is achieved, e.g. low Kappa numbers of 10 or less.
The novel process not only achieves good brightness and low lignin levels without using organic chlorides to bleach, but allows for very low levels of bleaching liquid discharge such that total filtrate, from washing of pulp during the bleaching process, that leaves the bleaching plant may be limited to 3 to 10 tons of liquid per ton of 90% pulp. Essentially, the novel process comprises treating the delignified pulp with sulfuric acid and a chelating agent such as EDTA, washing pulp in a single or double-diffuser washing tower (e.g., that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,348,390 (single diffuser) and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,563,891, 4,840,047 and 4,971,694 (double-diffusers), each of the foregoing patents' disclosures are incorporated by reference, herein), bleaching the pulp with hydrogen peroxide in a single or double-diffuser washing tower, adding sulfuric acid and ozone with mixing, reacting ozone with the pulp in a reaction vessel, and washing the ozone reacted pulp in a washing tower, wherein liquid filtrates from the aforesaid washing steps are recirculated to earlier washing steps and where single or double-diffuser washing steps have a high efficiency of at least 85%.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The environmental protection authorities are making ever more stringent demands on the pulp industry to decrease the use of chlorine gas in bleaching. Permitted discharges of organic halogen compounds (AOX) in the waste water from bleaching plants have been gradually lowered and are now at such a low level that the pulp factories have in many cases stopped using chlorine gas. Instead, only chlorine dioxide is used as a bleaching agent. In achieving the same bleaching effect, chlorine dioxide forms smaller quantities of AOX than does chlorine gas. However, the polluting effects of chlorine dioxide have likewise been questioned. On the one hand, the environmental protection authorities in certain countries require that the discharges of organic chlorine compounds be reduced to such a low level that the requirements can hardly be fulfilled even if only chlorine dioxide is used for bleaching. On the other hand, environmental movements in several countries, in particular in Germany, have persuaded consumers to demand paper products which have been bleached entirely without using either chlorine gas or chlorine dioxide.
The pulp industry is therefore searching for methods which permit pulp to be bleached without using these chemicals. One such method has been developed by the Swedish company Eka, which supplies bleaching chemicals to the pulp industry. The bleaching method, which is called LIGNOX (e.g. as described in SE-A-8902058), involves the unbleached pulp being first delignified with oxygen and then, after washing, being treated with EDTA, or other suitable chelating agent, in order to remove heavy metals bound within the pulp. The EDTA treatment stage (denoted as Q state, hereafter) is followed by an intensive bleaching stage with peroxide (denoted as P stage, hereafter), i.e. hydrogen peroxide. The charge of hydrogen peroxide (H.sub.2 O.sub.2) employed is relatively high, 15-35 kg per ton of pulp, depending on the brightness required and on the bleachability of the pulp. The time is quite long, 4 hours or longer, and the temperature high, 80.degree.-90.degree. C.
However, the LGNOX method only provides a limited increase in brightness. Maximum brightness depends on the bleachability of the pulp and the charge of peroxide. Brightness in the region of 80-82 ISO has been achieved using the LIGNOX method. To achieve higher levels of brightness, further bleaching stages are required over and above the peroxide stage.
In this connection, ozone is an interesting bleaching chemical. At least one experiment has shown that if an ozone bleaching stage (denoted Z stage, hereafter) is introduced after a peroxide stage, a significant increase in brightness is achieved while at the same time lignin content of the pulp is decreased. The latter point is important, since a pulp bleached with only peroxide or oxygen/peroxide still contains a relatively high content of lignin, which affects the brightness reversion tendency of the pulp. When high lignin content pulp is warmed or irradiated with sunlight, the pulp yellows. If ozone is used, further lignin is removed, resulting in the brightness of the pulp becoming more stable.
A.G. Lenzing (See EP-A-441 113) has demonstrated how an ozone stage after a peroxide stage increases the brightness of sulphite pulp. If a peroxide stage is allowed to follow the ozone stage, a further increase in brightness is obtained.
Eka has shown that this is also the case for sulphate pulp. Oxygen-bleached sulphate pulp was treated with EDTA to remove heavy metals and subsequently the pulp was bleached with peroxide and ozone according to the stage sequence QPZ. With this sequence, brightness in the region of 82-87 ISO was achieved, depending on the type of pulp. By extending the bleaching sequence with a further peroxide stage and bleaching according to the stage sequence QPZP, brightness in the region of 87-89 ISO was obtained, depending on the type of pulp, See "Non Chlorine Bleaching," J. Basta, L. Andersson, W. Hermanson; Proceedings Mar. 2-5, 1992--Westin Resort--Hilton Head--South Carolina; Copyright by Miller Freeman, Inc.
Thus, it is possible, using process stage sequences QPZ and QPZP, to achieve the levels of brightness which the market requires for paper pulp, i.e., 87 ISO and higher, without using chlorine-containing bleaching agents. This provides interesting perspectives regarding both the effect of cellulose factories on the environment and the possibility of satisfying the demands of consumers for access to chlorine-free bleached pulps.
A prerequisite for achieving high levels of brightness while using moderate quantities of bleaching agents is that, prior to bleaching, the pulp should have been delignified to low kappa numbers, at least lower than kappa number 16.
Normally, a deterioration in quality, in particular loss of fiber strength, is obtained if the delignification in the digester house and oxygen-delignification are taken too far. However, using the modified digestion methods which have been developed in recent years, it has been found possible to achieve very low kappa numbers without loss of strength.
For example, it is possible, using a modification of Kamyr's continuous digestion processor or modified continuous cooking (MCC) as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,755 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/051,396, combined with modified continuous oxygen-delignification, e.g. that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,963,561, to achieve and go below kappa number 10 with softwood, and kappa number 8 with hardwood, while retaining their strength properties. The modification of the MCC process involves the "Hi-heat" washing zone in the lower part of the continuous digester also being utilized for counter-current digestion (See for example U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/583,043, incorporated by reference herein). This is achieved by heating to the full digestion temperature in the "Hi-heat" circulation and adding alkaline digestion liquid to this circulation. The total digestion time in countercurrent is thereby extended to 3-4 hours as compared with about 1 hour in conventional MCC. In this way a very low concentration or lignin is achieved by the end of the digestion, which provides improved selectivity in the delignification, i.e. the lignin of the wood is efficiently eliminated without the cellulose being significantly affected. The digestion and oxygen-delignification can thus be carried out to very low kappa numbers without impairing the properties of the pulp.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a novel process for bleaching pulp without chlorine containing chemicals and for greatly reducing total washing filtrate discharge from the bleaching plant. The process is carried out in a bleaching plant using washing presses and/or single-diffusers (one-stage diffusers) and/or double-diffusers (two-stage diffusers) washers. The novel process comprises the steps of:
1. sending pulp, that has been subjected to continuous digestion and then oxygen-delignification and then washing in a washing apparatus, through a washing press; PA1 2. treating, with agitation, the delignified washed pulp with sulfuric acid and a chelating agent; PA1 3. washing the pulp in a washing apparatus; PA1 4. bleaching with hydrogen peroxide in a reaction vessel; PA1 5. washing the hydrogen peroxide bleached pulp in a washing apparatus; PA1 6. adding sulfuric acid and ozone with mixing of the pulp; PA1 7. reacting the pulp with ozone in a reaction vessel; PA1 8. washing the ozone reacted pulp in a washing apparatus;
wherein the majority of liquid filtrate from the bleaching process that is waste not to be recycled is drawn off from the washing apparatus of step 3,
the washings in step 3 and 5 have at least 85% efficiency,
filtrate from washing step 5 is recirculated and used as washing liquid for the washing apparatus of step 3,
and filtrate from the washing apparatus of step 8 is recirculated and used in the washing apparatus for the washing of pulp after oxygen-delignification.
Alternately, the novel process may use an additional bleaching step 9 of bleaching with hydrogen peroxide using a peroxide charge of e.g. 1-3 kg. per ton of pulp and washing the pulp after it receives a second hydrogen peroxide bleaching, in a washing apparatus, e.g. a washing press, a single-diffuser washer, or double-diffuser washer,
wherein the majority of liquid filtrate from the bleaching process that is waste not to be recycled is drawn off from the washing apparatus of step 3,
the washings in step 3 and 5 have at least 85% efficiency,
the filtrate from washing step 5 is recirculated and used as washing liquid for the washing apparatus of step 3,
the filtrate from the washing apparatus of step 8 is recirculated and used in the washing apparatus for the washing of pulp after oxygen-delignification,
and the filtrate from the step 9 washing is recirculated and used as washing liquid in the ozone washing of step 8.
The washing apparatus used in steps 3, 5, 8, and 9, mentioned above may be selected from the group consisting of a washing press, a single-diffuser washer, or a double-diffuser washer. Preferably a single-diffuser is used most preferably a double-diffuser is used.
A further alternative bleaching step 9 is bleaching the pulp with hydrogen sulphite and washing in a washing apparatus, e.g. a washing press, a single-diffuser washer, or a double-diffuser washer: preferably a single diffuser, most preferably a double-diffuser.

Process for bleaching pulp without using chlorine containing chemicals


A calendar display wheel guard for a calendar timepiece, for rotatably mounting a calendar display wheel and for spacing a dial plate of the timepiece from the calendar display wheel. The calendar display wheel guard comprises a body having a bore opening at a pair of opposite ends thereof, a first end portion having a major surface defining a first end face of the wheel guard, and a second end portion for fastening the wheel guard to a back plate. An intermediate portion of the wheel guard, between the first and second end portions thereof, extends through a central opening of the calendar display wheel to mount the display wheel for rotation. The first end of portion of the wheel guard has the maximum diameter of the wheel guard, and the end face of the first end portion of the wheel guard abuts a dial plate of the calendar timepiece so that the first end portion of the wheel guard maintains the dial plate spaced from the calendar display wheel.

The present invention relates to a calendar display wheel guard of a timepiece provided with a calendar display wheel.
The conventional construction of a calendar display wheel guard of a timepiece provided with a calendar is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
As shown in FIG. 1, an hour wheel 1 serves as a guide for a calendar display wheel 3. A step portion 1a is provided at an external periphery of the hour wheel 1, and a calendar display wheel guard 2 is fixed via the step portion 1a to thereby guard the calendar display wheel 3. As shown in FIG. 2, a calendar display wheel guide pin 5 is fixed to a back plate 4 as one body and the calendar display wheel 3 is guided by the calendar display wheel guide pin 5 and the calendar display wheel 3 is guarded by fixing the calendar display wheel guard 2.
However, by the method shown in FIG. 1, it is impossible to step with low torque since power from a calendar jumper 12 to position the calendar display wheel 3 is applied to the hour wheel 1 and the friction torque of the rear gear train increases. And as shown in FIG. 2, the construction to prevent an increase in the friction torque of the rear gear train necessitates the calendar display wheel guide pin 5 having a larger diameter than diameter 1b of the hour wheel 1, and a dial 6 provided with a hole 6a larger than an external diameter 5a of the calendar display wheel guide pin 5 becomes necessary and this imposes a large restriction on designing the timepiece. Further, when the dial 6 is positioned underlapping the calendar display wheel guide pin 5, gaps are between the calendar display wheel 3 and the dial 6, and consequently the thickness of the timepiece is hard to be reduce.

Calendar display wheel guard construction of timepiece


A sealing mechanism for a connector and a method of producing a connector wherein undesirable invasion of water and oil from terminals in an earth connector, an engine connector or the like can reliably be prevented. A sealing mechanism for a connector is constructed such that a plurality of transversely extending grooves are formed on the opposite surfaces of an embedding portion of a terminal extending outside of a wall portion of a connector housing 1, and the connector housing and the terminal are molded integral with each other in the presence of a sealable coating agent applied to the embedding portion. A method of producing a connector is practiced by way of the steps of applying a sealable coating agent to an embedding portion of a terminal extending from a connector housing, and Subsequently, molding the connector housing integral with the terminal in the presence of the sealable coating agent applied to the embedding portion.

The present invention relates to a sealing mechanism for a ground connector, an engine connector or the like wherein undesirable invasion of water and oil from terminals can reliably be prevented. Further, the present invention relates to a method of producing a connector wherein a sealing mechanism of the foregoing type is employed for practicing the method.
FIG. 7 shows by way of sectional view the structure of a conventional ground connector sealing mechanism.
Specifically, the ground connector sealing mechanism is constructed such that a female connector housing 21 includes a joint ground terminal 22, an opposing male connector housing 23 includes a female terminal 25 adapted to be connected to a tab-shaped joint terminal 24, and grease 27 is filled in the male connector housing 23 so as to prevent water from invading in the male connector 26 and the female connector 28.
With this construction, however, the grease 27 is molten by the heat generated by electrical connection between both the terminals 24 and 25, causing the water-proof property of the ground connector sealing mechanism to be degraded. In this case, there arises a malfunction that water invades in both the connectors 26 and 28 through a gap in an embedded portion 30 of a ground terminal 29.
FIG. 8 shows by way of sectional view the structure of another conventional engine connector sealing mechanism.
Specifically, the engine connector sealing mechanism is constructed such that an epoxy resin 54 is filled in the interior of a female connector 53 to be fixedly connected to a connection hole 52 formed through an engine block 51, so as to prevent engine oil from flowing up from the interior of the engine block 51 along a cable 55 extending from the interior of the engine block 51 to the female connector 53.
With the engine connector sealing mechanism constructed as shown in the drawing, the epoxy resin 54 is filled in the range extending from the inside of a rubber plug 56 fitted into the connector end to the base end of a female tab of a crimped cable terminal 57. In addition, an O-ring 58 is fitted into the connection hole 52 of the female connector 53 and a packing 60 is fitted into an opponent male connector 59 so as to prevent oil and water from invading in the female connector 53 and the male connector 59.
With this construction, however, there arise problems that an operation for filling the female connector 53 with the epoxy resin 54 is troublesome and time-consuming, and moreover, operator's hands are readily contaminated with the epoxy resin 54 during the filling operation.

Sealing mechanism for connector and method of producing the same


An improved structure of a interface card panel of a compact PCI system is disclosed. Wherein the panel of an interface card is assembled by welding an inner layered plate and an outer layered plate. The thickness of each layered plate is only half of the standard plate. The through holes of the inner layered plate have a radius only sufficient for receiving the screw rods of the fixing studs on the two ends of a D type connector, while the through holes for the outer layered plate have a radius sufficient for receiving the whole fixing studs, so that the fixing studs will completely pass through the outer layered plate, while the bodies thereof press the rim of the holes of the inner layered plate. Thus, other than the fixing points on the buckling bodies on the two ends thereof. By the fixing studs of the D type connector, a large fixing force is formed on the middle of the panel, and meanwhile, the strength of the panel is improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved structure of an interface card panel assembly for a compact PCI system, wherein the panel for an interface card is assembled by welding together two plate layers, through holes formed in the inner plate layer opening access to a D type connector, while through holes formed in the outer plate layer are configured to pass a fixing stud that presses against the inner plate layer about its through holes. Via the fixing studs, a securing force is provided at an intermediate section of the panel, such that the overall strength of the panel is improved.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Compact PCI is a high level bus structure/standard for industrial computers. The specifications thereof are consistent with that of the PCI bus standard, but its mechanical specifications are different. It includes more stringent conductive contact and shock-resistance specifications. The most apparent difference in the use of an interface card in a compact PCI from the use of such in a general home-use computer is that the former adopts a front face connection, whereby a panel for the I/O port connector is oriented in parallel with the system bus connector. As a result, the panel of the interface card is also the panel of the machine so that the interface card is easily connected with the panel. In addition, the cables are easily checked and connected.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a compact PCI is formed by a panel (A), a circuit board (B) and a compact PCI interface card (C). The panel (A) and the circuit board (B) are secured by L-shaped seats (A11) of buckling bodies (A1) at the two ends (the buckling bodies are used to secure the panel and the machine's housing). No intermediate fixing point exists along the length of the panel (A). As a consequence, the middle of the panel (A) is easily deformed upon impact or pressure. Further, the inserting and pulling out of an interface card will apply a large force to the seat (A11). Each time the interface card is inserted or pulled out, a deforming force will be imparted to the seat (A11). Thus, the panel (A) may not remain perpendicular to the circuit board (B). After a long period of use, the seat (A11) is thus likely to be broken. Also, the panel (A) having a width that typically extends two slots in the given housing, is easily damaged on the seat.
Moreover, for a D type connector frequently used in an industrial computer or a home-use computer, fixing studs coupled at two ends thereof will press against a support bracket so that the connector is tightly connected to that bracket. However, where the T type connector is provided on an interface card, the thickness of a panel is typically limited to 1 mm, and thus an iron plate having a thickness of 1 mm replaces such bracket.
Industrial compact PCI employs panels having thicknesses of 2.5 mm for improved strength. As a consequence, the fixing studs of the D type connector cannot be used to secure the connector to the panel (A). In the prior art panel (A), the sizes of the through holes about the fixing studs of the connector are enlarged so that the hexagonal bodies of the fixing studs also pass therethrough. Therefore, the hexagonal bodies will not press against and capture the panel. This yields a large gap about the fixing stud, and the potential for electromagnetic interference (EMI) is accordingly increased.
Moreover, the compact PCI specifications indicate the right side of the panel (A) to be installed with an elastic conductor, such as a conductive rubber, a metal elastic piece, etc., for contacting the adjacent panel and improving EMI protection. To accommodate this, a vertical folded edge may be added to the right side of the panel. If the panel is made from aluminum, press molding or extrude molding fabrication techniques are available. However, these two methods of mold application are expensive. Given the market concerns touching on compact PCI, they are not economically feasible. If the panel were made from iron, a bending method may be used to finish a mold. But since the thickness employed is 2.5 mm, it is almost impossible to bend. Even if an iron panel may be bent, the bending corner will be formed with a cambered shaped to destroy the front surface contour of the panel (A). Therefore, prior art panels, made of either aluminum or iron, are formed as a planar plate and having connecting holes without provision for any elastic bodies. This not only deviates from the compact PCI specifications, it also hinders EMI abatement.

Panel assembly for compact PCI system interface card


The present invention provides a device for in-situ monitoring of material, process and dynamic properties of a MEMS device. The monitoring device includes a pair of comb drives, a cantilever suspension comprising a translating shuttle operatively connected with the pair of comb drives, structures for applying an electrical potential to the comb drives to displace the shuttle, structures for measuring an electrical potential from the pair of comb drives; measuring combs configured to measure the displacement of the shuttle, and structures for measuring an electrical capacitance of the measuring combs. Each of the comb drives may have differently sized comb finger gaps and a different number of comb finger gaps. The shuttle may be formed on two cantilevers perpendicularly disposed with the shuttle, whereby the cantilevers act as springs to return the shuttle to its initial position after each displacement.

The present invention relates to a Micro-Electromechanical System (MEMS) metrology device and techniques for using the device to measure geometric, dynamic, and material properties of MEMS devices.
MEMS devices are known. MEMS devices typically include a two-and-one-half dimension (2.5D) structure that has movable and anchored portions. A common MEMS device having such a structure is a MEMS accelerometer such as the NASA Electronic Part and Package (NEEP) 2001. Such a device includes a generally planar structure having one or more beams, one or more springs, stationary polysilicon fingers and capacitive sense plates. Such devices are made from poly or single crystal silicon as well as from SiGe and SiC and other silicon-based materials. It has been determined that the performance of such devices changes in time due in part to changes in their material properties, which result in part from changes in thermal and load or shock cycles. There is therefore a need for monitoring the changes in material and geometric properties of MEMS devices.
In the CMOS world E-test devices are available that allow for various in-situ measurements. For example, E-test resistivity bridges can be used to measure resistivities. Also, E-test devices are available for the in-situ measurement of device line widths. So, while in the CMOS world E-test devices are available that can be incorporated in the masks used to manufacture the CMOS devices, no such equivalent in-situ device exists in the MEMS world. This lack of in-situ measurement capability for MEMS devices is further complicated due to the fact that MEMS devices are movable and that an aspect of their related measurement is directed to measuring the mechanical properties of the MEMS devices.
Various approaches are currently available for the measurement of parameters related to MEMS devices. Some of these approaches involve the use of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), optical microscopy, interferometry, surface profileometry and nanoindentation. These approaches tend to be very expensive to implement requiring the use of expensive equipment and highly qualified operators. Another known test is the M-test, which involves using a test chip having arrays of cantilevered beams that are electrostatically actuated. Such a test is sensitive to process variations and cannot measure geometric properties, such as the line width of the device. Another test uses the out-of-plane bending of a cantilevered beam. This test is however restricted to the measurement of out-of-plane characteristics of a beam.
There is therefore a need for a tool for monitoring the material and geometric properties of MEMS devices that does not suffer from the above shortcomings.

Integrated MEMS metrology device using complementary measuring combs

The Regents of the University of California


Systems and techniques are described for load balancing between WAN optimization devices. During operation, a mapping is determined based solely or partially on capacities of a set of remote WAN optimization devices and capacities of a set of local WAN optimization devices, wherein the mapping maps each remote WAN optimization device to a local WAN optimization device. Next, connection requests are directed to WAN optimization devices based on the mapping.

1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to computer networking. More specifically, this disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for load balancing between wide-area network (WAN) optimization devices.
2. Related Art
The enterprise network has become a critical part of an organization's information technology infrastructure. Enterprise networks often include a WAN that interconnects offices that are distributed over a large geographical area. Many enterprise networks include one or more data centers that host computers to provide critical services (e.g., email, file sharing, etc.) throughout the organization. Improving performance of the enterprise network is important because it improves productivity, which in turn increases profitability.
Some enterprise networks use WAN optimization devices to improve network performance. WAN optimization devices optimize network traffic to improve WAN performance in reading and/or writing data over a network. Some WAN optimization devices monitor users' network traffic to attempt to predict data likely to be requested by users. This predicted data is prefetched over the WAN and cached by the WAN optimization devices at the users' respective network locations, so that this data can be quickly accessed by users if requested. WAN optimization devices also typically compress data (e.g., by performing de-duplication) for communication over the WAN. The WAN optimization devices' prefetching, caching, and compression masks the bandwidth and latency limitations of WANs from users.
WAN optimization devices may operate singly or in pairs at each side of a WAN connection to optimize network traffic. WAN optimization devices are referred to in the art by many different terms, including, but not limited to, transaction accelerators, WAN optimizers, WAN optimization controllers (WOCs), wide-area data services (WDS) appliances, WAN traffic optimizers (WTOs), and protocol accelerators or optimizers.
Additionally, techniques for optimizing network traffic to improve network performance in reading and/or writing data over a network are referred to in the art by many different terms, including, but not limited to, WAN acceleration, transaction acceleration, transaction pipelining, protocol pipelining, request prediction, application flow acceleration, and protocol acceleration. In this disclosure, the term "WAN optimization device" is used to refer to such devices and applications and "WAN optimization" is used to refer to such techniques.

Method and apparatus for load balancing between WAN optimization devices


For the purpose of improving rolling resistance and durability, the present invention provides a rubber composition for insulation of a tire comprising 0.2 to 4 parts by mass of (B) an alkylphenol-sulfur chloride condensate, and 20 to 59 parts by mass of (C) carbon black having a BET specific surface area of 25 to 50 m2/g based on 100 parts by mass of (A) a rubber component comprising 30 to 85% by mass of (a1) a natural rubber and/or an isoprene rubber, 0 to 70% by mass of (a2) at least one styrene butadiene rubber selected from the group consisting of an emulsion-polymerized styrene butadiene rubber, a solution-polymerized styrene butadiene rubber and a modified styrene butadiene rubber, and 0 to 60% by mass of (a3) a butadiene rubber, and a tire having insulation prepared from the rubber composition.

Recently, there is an increasing demand for low fuel consumption of cars, and a demand for a tire assuring a low rolling resistance is also increasing. Accordingly, there is used a tire giving rolling resistance reduced by decreasing tan δ of rubber compositions constituting each member of a tire, not excepting a rubber composition for insulation.
Insulation of a tire is a member to be provided between a case and a component such as a tie gum provided between an inner liner and a case and an inner layer sidewall provided between a case and an outer layer sidewall, and is used for the purpose of improving durability of a tire mainly by reinforcing a case. Therefore, a proper rubber strength and E* (complex elastic modulus) are required for rubber compositions for insulation. Here, in order to secure a proper complex elastic modulus and low tan δ, reversion property at vulcanization is important.
Since a tie gum is located between an inner liner and a case, crack growth property and resistance to heat deterioration as in a rubber composition for an inner liner are not required particularly, and crack growth property, tear strength and cord adhesion as in a rubber composition for case topping are not required particularly. Moreover, since an inner layer sidewall is provided between a case and an outer layer sidewall, crack growth property, tear strength and cut resistance as in a rubber composition for an outer layer sidewall are not required, and crack growth property, tear strength and cord adhesion as in a rubber composition for case topping are not required particularly.
A rubber composition for case topping has been used as a rubber composition for insulation so far. Rolling resistance of a tire can be reduced by using a rubber composition for case topping giving reduced rolling resistance as a rubber composition for insulation. However, as mentioned above, while proper rubber strength and reversion property are required for a rubber composition for insulation, crack growth property, tear strength and cord adhesion are also required for a rubber composition for case topping in addition to proper rubber strength and reversion property. Namely, it is possible to use a rubber composition for case topping as one for a rubber composition for insulation, but there is a problem that cost is increased.
Patent Document 1 describes an invention for improving rolling resistance and steering stability by using a rubber composition for sidewall, clinch and/or insulation comprising at least one vulcanization accelerator selected from the group consisting of a filler, sulfur, a citraconimide compound, an organic thiosulfate compound, an alkylphenol-sulfur chloride condensate and a specific metal salt of methacrylic acid in a specific amount based on a specific rubber component. However, since this rubber composition is not one for specific use for insulation such as a tie gum and an inner layer sidewall, cost is high and sheet processability is not enough for a rubber composition for insulation. Further, this rubber composition has improved cord adhesion and crack growth property, but these are over performance for application to a rubber composition for insulation.
Patent Document 2 describes an invention for enhancing moisture barrier property to improve durability of a tire by using a rubber composition for insulation comprising 5 to 70 parts by mass of a pulverized bituminous coal powder having an average particle size of not more than 0.1 mm based on 100 parts by mass of a diene rubber comprising 70 to 100 parts by mass of a natural rubber. However, improvement of rolling resistance is not taken into consideration.

Rubber composition for insulation of tire and tire using same


A computer-implemented method comprising detecting a resolution of an internet address to a first computing-device address, the internet address being associated with a first domain. The method may also comprise storing a domain-name record, the domain-name record associating the internet address with the first computing-device address. The method may comprise using the domain-name record to bind the first domain to the first computing-device address and preventing, until a request to leave the first domain is detected, the first domain from being rebound to a second computing-device address. Systems and computer-readable media for addressing DNS rebinding are also disclosed.

Computer attackers may use many techniques to gain access to secure computing systems. One method used by hackers is known as domain-name rebinding. In a domain-name rebinding attack, an attacker may subvert the same-origin policy implemented by a browser in order to gain access to sensitive information and secured servers.
Domain-name rebinding attacks may be relatively simple to implement. The attacker may register a domain delegated to a Domain Name System (DNS) server controlled by the attacker. The attacker may configure the DNS server to respond to DNS queries with relatively short Time To Live (TTL) values. In response to a first DNS query, the DNS server may provide an Internet Protocol (IP) address to a malicious server. The browser may send a second DNS query to refresh the cache after the cache entry (which may have a short time to live) expires. In response to the second request, the DNS server may provide an IP address of a secure system that the attacker desires to access.
One example of how DNS rebinding may be implemented is in the context of a web page with multiple frames. First, an attacker may attract a user to direct a browser to the attacker's domain. The attacker may use advertisements, e-mails, or various other tactics to draw the user to the attacker's domain. The attacker's DNS server may respond to a first DNS query with an IP address of a server controlled by the attacker. After a cached record containing the first IP address expires, the browser may send a second DNS query to the attacker's DNS server, and the DNS server may respond to the second DNS query with an IP address of a legitimate server, such as a bank's server.
As a result of the DNS rebinding, a first frame in the web page may originate from the attacker's server, and a second frame may originate from the bank's server. The frame originating from the attacker's server may be hidden from the user, such that the user only sees the frame originating from the bank. The bank's actual website may be rendered on the browser such that the user may have no reason to doubt that the page is sent from the bank. In fact, site key technology of the bank might even be deployed and work through the browser. The browser may not recognize that the malicious frame and bank's frame originate from different sources. Thus, the attacker may have subverted the same-origin policy of the browser. The attacker's frame may monitor the bank's frame for user keystroke events and may obtain other sensitive information from the bank's website.
One technique that attempts to prevent DNS rebinding attacks is known as DNS pinning. In DNS pinning, a browser may be programmed to ignore the TTL value provided in response to DNS queries. The TTL value may be overridden by a longer TTL value (e.g., a ten minute TTL value). In some situations, the longer TTL value may keep the browser from sending a second DNS query and may therefore be able to keep attackers from performing DNS rebinding.
Attackers have found ways to work around DNS pinning technologies. For example, an attacker's web page may make a request to a non-existing port of the attacker's domain. In this situation, the browser may attempt to refresh its DNS cache by sending out another DNS query. This may allow the attacker to perform DNS rebinding and refresh the DNS cache with an IP address from a different server (override the IP address of the attacker's server with a trusted domain IP address). What is needed, therefore, is more robust protection against DNS rebinding attacks.

Methods and systems for addressing DNS rebinding


Systems and methods for controlling a guide with the aid of optical coherence tomography (OCT) data are described. A guide wire includes at least one optical fiber, a flexible substrate, and one or more optical elements. The at least one optical fiber transmits a source beam of radiation. The flexible substrate includes a plurality of waveguides. At least one of the plurality of waveguides transmits one or more beams of radiation away from the guide wire, and at least one of the plurality of waveguides receives one or more beams of scattered radiation that have been reflected or scattered from a sample. The multiplexer generates the one or more beams of exposure radiation from the source beam of radiation. The one or more optical elements at least one of focus and steer the one or more beams of radiation.

Field
Embodiments of the invention relate to designs of, and methods of using, a guide wire and/or catheter together with optical tissue inspection.
Background
Coronary artery occlusion refers to the blockage of the blood flow in the coronary artery. Occlusion may be partial or complete and it can cause serious complications: partial occlusion forces the heart to work harder and it may derive into angina whereas complete blockage may cause heart infarction or even death. These occlusions may be produced by a gradual deposition of cholesterol and fatty materials around the wall of the coronary artery.
Partial occlusion may respond to pharmacological treatment (nitrates, calcium antagonists, etc.). In other cases, angioplasty may provide an effective solution for the arterial occlusion. Angioplasty is a percutaneous method that provides a minimally invasive technique to maintain blood flow in blocked arteries. The artery is mechanically widened by means of a balloon catheter. The tip of the catheter is passed across the blockage and then, the balloon is inflated. Afterwards, a stent is usually inserted in the vessel acting as a scaffold at the position of the blockage to maintain blood flow.
Angiography is an x-ray based imaging technique typically used for navigation of the balloon catheter or guide wire through the blood vessels. It is used to visualize blood vessels by means of radio-contrast agents. A less invasive approach is the magnetic resonance angiography, although it requires more complex setups.
Angiography provides only limited information about the occlusion structure and provides very little information about tissue characteristics. Current tools are unable to generate adequate information about the position of the guide-wire regarding the true lumen of the vessel.

Optical coherence tomography probe for crossing coronary occlusions


A new distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant named ‘Sunny Zara’, characterized by its red-purple flower color RHS 59C with stripes of RHS N57B; dense and bushy plant form; with globular plant habit; vigorous growth habit, but less need for chemical growth retardation; and obovate to lanceolate leaves.

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum eclonis (DC) T. Norl., commonly known by the name Cape Daisy, and hereinafter referred to by the name 'Sunny Zara'.
The new Osteospermum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor, Bjarne Larsen, in Stige, Denmark. The new Osteospermum originated from a cross made in 2000 by the Inventor between Osteospermum eclonis (DC) T. Norl. seedling designated '2.97.96' (unpatented) and Osteospermum eclonis (DC) T. Norl. seedling designated '2.290.98' (unpatented). The Inventor selected the new Osteospermum cultivar from the progeny of the above crossing in 2002 on the basis of its flower color and compact, freely branching habit. Plants of the new Osteospermum are more upright, compact and have a unique color combination of upper and underside of the ray petals.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttings taken and propagated during trial production batches in Stige, Denmark, has shown that the unique features of this new Osteospermum are stable and reproduced true to type in many successive generations.


DNA obtained, for example, from snapdragon or torenia, encoding an enzyme that can convert flavanones directly to flavones, and its uses; the DNA and amino acid sequences for enzymes encoded thereby are listed as SEQ.ID. No. 1 and 2 and 3 and 4, for example. Introduction of the genes into plants can, for example, alter the flower colors of the plants.

The present invention relates to the control and utilization of biosynthesis of flavones, which have effects on flower color, protection from ultraviolet ray, symbiosis with microorganisms, etc. in plants, by a genetic engineering technique. More specifically, it relates to genes encoding proteins with activity of synthesizing flavones from flavanones, and to their utilization.
The abundance of different flower colors is one of the pleasant aspects of life that enriches human minds and hearts. It is expected to increase food production to meet future population increase by the means of accelerating the growth of plants through symbiosis with microorganisms, or by increasing the number of nitrogen-fixing leguminous bacteria, thus improving the plant productivity as a result of increasing the content of nitrogen in the soil. Elimination or reduction of the use of agricultural chemicals is also desirable to achieve more environmentally friendly agriculture, and this requires improvement of the soil by the abovementioned biological means, as well as higher resistance of plants against microbial infection. Another desired goal is to obtain plants with high protective functions against ultraviolet rays as a means of protecting the plants from the destruction of the ozone layer.
xe2x80x9cFlavonoidxe2x80x9d is a general term for a group of compounds with a C6-C3-C6 carbon skeleton, and they are widely distributed throughout plant cells. Flavonoids are known to have such functions as attracting insects and other pollinators, protecting plant from ultraviolet rays, and participating in interaction with soil microorganisms (BioEssays, 16 (1994), Koes at al., p.123; Trends in Plant Science, 1 (1997), Shirley, B. W., p.377).
Of flavonoids, flavone plays an important role in interaction of plants with microorganisms, especially in legumes, where they participate in the initial steps of the symbiosis with leguminous bacteria (Plant Cell, 7 (1995), Dixon and Paiva, p.1085; Annu. Rev. Phytopathol., 33 (1995), Spaink, p.345). Flavones in petals play a role in recognition by insects and act as copigments which form complexes with anthocyanins. (Gendai Kagaku, (May, 1998), Honda and Saito, p.25; Prog. Chem. Org. Natl. Prod., 52 (1987), Goto, T., p.114). It is known that when flavone forms a complex with anthocyanin, the absorption maximum of the anthocyanin shifts toward the longer wavelength, i.e. toward blue.
The biosynthesis pathways for flavonoids have been widely studied (Plant Cell, 7 (1995), Holton and Cornish, p.1071), and the genes for all of the enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of anthocyanidin 3-glucoside and flavonol, for example, have been isolated. However, the genes involved in the biosynthesis of flavones have not yet been isolated. The enzymes that synthesize flavones include those belonging to the dioxygenase family that depends on 2-oxoglutaric acid (flavone synthase I) and monooxygenase enzymes belonging to the cytochrome P450 family (flavone synthase II). These groups of enzymes are completely different enzymes with no structural homology.
It has been reported that in parsley, 2-oxoglutaric acid-dependent dioxygenase catalyzes a reaction which produces apigenin, a flavone, from naringenin, a flavanone (Z. Naturforsch., 36c (1981), Britsch et al., p.742; Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 282 (1990), Britsch, p.152). The other type, flavone synthase II, is known to exist in snapdragon (Z. Naturforsch., 36c (1981), Stotz and Forkmann, p.737) and soybean (Z. Naturforsch., 42c (1987), Kochs and Grisebach, p.343; Planta, 171 (1987), Kochs et al., p.519). A correlation has been recently reported between a gene locus and flavone synthase II activity in the petals of gerbera (Phytochemistry, 49 (1998), Martens and Forkmann, p.1953). However, there are no reports that the genes for these flavone synthases I and II were isolated or that flavone synthase II was highly purified.
The properties of a cytochrome P450 protein, which had licodione-synthesizing activity that was induced when cultured cells of licorice (Glycyrrhiza echinata) were treated with an elicitor, were investigated. The protein is believed to catalyze the hydroxylation of 2-position of liquiritigenin which is a 5-deoxyflavanone, followed by non-enzymatic hemiacetal ring opening to produce licodione (Plant Physiol., 105 (1994), Otani et al., p.1427). For cloning of licodione synthase, a cDNA library was prepared from elicitor-treated Glycyrrhiza cultured cells, and 8 gene fragments encoding cytochrome P450 were cloned (Plant Science, 126 (1997), Akashi et al., p.39).
From these fragments there were obtained two different full-length cDNA sequences, each encoding a cytochrome P450, which had been unknown until that time. Specifically, they were CYPGe-3 (cytochrome P450 No.CYP81E1) and CYPGe-5 (cytochrome P450 No.CYP93B1, hereinafter indicated as CYP93B1) (Plant Physiol., 115 (1997), Akashi et al., p.1288). By further expressing the CYP93B1 cDNA in a system using cultured insect cells, the protein derived from the gene was shown to catalyze the reaction synthesizing licodione from liquiritigenin, a flavanone, and 2-hydroxynaringenin from naringenin, also a flavanone.
2-Hydroxynaringenin was converted to apigenin, a flavone, by acid treatment with 10% hydrochloric acid (room temperature, 2 hours). Also, eriodictyol was converted to luteolin, a flavone, by reacting eriodictyol with microsomes of CYP93B1-expressing yeast followed by acid treatment. It was therefore demonstrated that the cytochrome P450 gene encodes the function of flavanone 2-hydroxylase activity (FEBS Lett., 431 (1998), Akashi et al., p.287). Here, production of apigenin from naringenin required CYP93B1 as well as another unknown enzyme, so that it was concluded that a total of two enzymes were necessary.
However, no genes have yet been identified for enzymes with activity of synthesizing flavones (such as apigenin) directly from flavanones (such as naringenin) without acid treatment. Thus, despite the fact that flavones have numerous functions in plants, no techniques have yet been reported for controlling their biosynthesis in plants, and improving the biofunctions in which flavones are involved, such as flower color. The discovery of an enzyme which by itself can accomplish synthesis of flavones from flavanones and acquisition of its gene, and introduction of such a gene into plants, would be more practical and industrially applicable than the introduction into a plant of genes for two enzymes involved in the synthesis of flavones from flavanones.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide flavone synthase genes, preferably flavone synthase II genes, and more preferably genes for flavone synthases with activity of synthesizing flavones directly from flavanones. The obtained flavone synthase genes may be introduced into plants and over-expressed to alter flower colors.
Moreover, in the petals of flowers that naturally contain large amounts of flavones, it is expected that controlling expression of the flavone synthase genes by an antisense method or a cosuppression method can also alter flower colors. Also, expression of the flavone synthase genes in the appropriate organs, in light of the antibacterial activity of flavones and their interaction with soil microorganisms, will result in an increase in the antibacterial properties of plants and improvement in the nitrogen fixing ability of legumes due to promoted symbiosis with rhizosphere microorganisms, as well as a protective effect against ultraviolet rays and light.
The present invention therefore provides genes encoding proteins that can synthesize flavones directly from flavanones. The genes are, specifically, genes encoding flavone synthase II that can synthesize flavones from flavanones by a single-enzyme reaction (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cflavone synthase IIxe2x80x9d).
More specifically, the present invention provides genes encoding P450 proteins having the amino acid sequences listed as SEQ.ID. No. 2, 4 or 8 of the Sequence Listing and possessing activity of synthesizing flavones from flavanones, or genes encoding proteins having amino acid sequences modified by additions or deletions of one or more amino acids and/or a substitution with different amino acids in said amino acid sequence, and possessing activity of synthesizing flavones from flavanones.
The invention further provides a gene encoding proteins having amino acid sequences with at least 55% identity with the amino acid sequences listed as SEQ.ID. No. 2, 4 or 8 of the Sequence Listing and possessing activity of synthesizing flavones from flavanones.
The invention still further provides genes encoding proteins possessing activity of synthesizing flavones from flavanones, and hybridizing with all or a part of the nucleotide sequences listed as SEQ.ID. No. 1, 3 or 7 of the Sequence List under the conditions of 5xc3x97SSC, 50xc2x0 C.
The invention still further provides a vector, particularly an expression vector, containing any one of the aforementioned genes.
The invention still further provides a host transformed with the aforementioned vector.
The invention still further provides a protein encoded by any of the aforementioned genes.
The invention still further provides a process for producing the aforementioned protein which is characterized by culturing or growing the aforementioned host, and collecting the protein with flavone-synthesizing activity from the host.
The invention still further provides a plant into which any one of the aforementioned genes has been introduced, or progenies of the plant or a tissue thereof, such as cut flowers, which exhibit the same properties.
The invention still further provides a method of altering amounts and compositions of flavonoid using the aforementioned genes; a method of altering amounts of flavones using the aforementioned genes; a method of altering flower colors using the aforementioned genes; a method of bluing the color of flowers using the aforementioned genes; a method of reddening the color of flowers using the aforementioned genes; a method of modifying the photosensitivity of plants using the aforementioned genes; and a method of controlling the interaction between plants and microbes using the aforementioned genes.


In a cleaning apparatus for substrates, such as semiconductor wafers, a permeable core member 68 made of a synthetic resin is supplied with distilled water from a distilled water supply path 60 within a head portion 66 of a cleaning tool 24. A planar portion 72 is provided on the lower surface of the core member 68 and a porous resin sheet 69 is attached to the outer surface of the core member 68, to cover it. The cleaning tool 24 is provided with an air bearing cylinder 30 that imparts a vertical driving force to a rod 31 that presses against the surface of a wafer W which is being rotated, and the distilled water supply path 60 is provided within the rod 31. The distilled water supplied from the distilled water supply path 60 permeates through the core member 68 and the porous resin sheet 69 and is sent out of the head 66 so that a flowing film of distilled water is formed on the surface of the wafer W. Thus contamination and damage of the substrate is prevented and the shape of the head is not destroyed.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a substrate cleaning tool, apparatus, and method that are used in the cleaning of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer.
2. Description of Related Art
During the fabrication of a semiconductor device, it is necessary to ensure a high level of cleanliness of the surfaces of the semiconductor wafer (hereinafter called xe2x80x9cwaferxe2x80x9d) on which the semiconductor device is to be formed. For that reason, a substrate cleaning apparatus is used to clean the surfaces of the wafer at various stages, such as before and after each fabrication step or processing step, or after film-formation steps and polishing steps.
A substrate cleaning apparatus of this type has been disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2875213, by way of example. This apparatus presses a head against the surface of the wafer, while the wafer is made to rotate, and removes particulate contaminants from the surface of the wafer by the relative motion between the wafer and the head.
In the substrate cleaning apparatus of this Japanese Patent No. 2875213, the head is configured of a protective film covering the surface of a cell-structure of foamed polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Various other types of head are used in known substrate cleaning apparatuses, such as a stiff head formed of a material such as a head with hard and stiff nylon bristles or a flexible head formed of a material such as soft mohair, by way of example, and these heads have to be used differently as appropriate, depending on the type of cleaning.
With the substrate cleaning apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2875213, particles of contaminants or the like readily adhere to the protective film, these particles are transferred to the wafer, and there is a fear that the particles will remain on the wafer after the cleaning. With a head such as a nylon head or mohair head, there is also the fear of damage to the surface of the wafer from friction or scratching, particularly with a stiff head, in addition to contamination of the wafer due to the transfer of particles. With such a prior-art head, the surface of the head becomes worn as the number of cleaning cycles increases, which leads to bias or xe2x80x9cquirks,xe2x80x9d making it difficult to maintain the initial contact pressure and thus causing defective cleaning.
An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate cleaning tool that can maintain the initial contact pressure and clean a substrate in a satisfactory manner, with little adhesion of particles, no damage due to friction or scratching, and without creating bias or xe2x80x9cquirksxe2x80x9d due to wear of the surface thereof, together with a substrate cleaning apparatus and substrate cleaning method using that substrate cleaning tool.
In order to solve the above described problem, one aspect of the present invention relates to a cleaning tool for cleaning a substrate, the cleaning tool including: a cleaning head and a cleaning liquid supply path for supplying a cleaning liquid into the cleaning head; wherein the cleaning head comprises: a permeable core member and a permeable porous film covering an outer surface of the core member.
Cleaning is done with this cleaning tool by pressing the cleaning tool onto the surface of the substrate while a cleaning liquid is supplied through the cleaning liquid supply path, then causing the substrate and the cleaning tool to move relative to each other. The cleaning liquid supplied through the cleaning liquid supply path passes through the core member and the tiny holes formed in the porous film and is expelled onto the substrate, in a state in which the cleaning liquid is constantly expelled onto the surface of the substrate. There is therefore no need to worry about particles adhering to the surface of the substrate (in other words, to the surface of the porous film). This means that there is no need to worry about particles entering into the porous film, and there is no problem concerning contamination of the substrate by the transfer to the substrate of particles that have adhered to the porous film.
Moreover, since the porous film is placed into contact with the substrate in a state in which a liquid film is formed on the surface of the substrate by the expelled cleaning liquid, the contact between the porous film and the substrate can be done smoothly. In particular, if the porous film is placed indirectly into contact with the substrate, with the liquid film formed on the surface of the substrate therebetween, the contact between the porous film and the substrate can be done smoothly. This ensures that there is no damage to the substrate. In addition, since the porous film covers the core member, there is no need to worry about deformation of the porous film due to the supply pressure of the cleaning liquid, which makes it possible for the porous film to maintain its predetermined shape always. Since the contact between the porous film and the substrate is smoothed, there is no destruction of the shape thereof due to friction or other factors, even when the number of cleaning cycles increases.
The cleaning head may comprise a surface facing a substrate, that surface is formed to be a planar surface, and that planar surface is covered by the porous film. The cleaning head is preferably configured to comprise a cylindrical portion, wherein the planar surface is formed at an end portion of the cylindrical portion.
The permeable porous film is typically formed of a synthetic resin. The synthetic resin of the porous film may be either a hydrophilic resin or a hydrophobic resin.
The planar surface may have a groove through which a flow of the cleaning liquid is produced.
Another aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus for cleaning a substrate. This substrate cleaning apparatus comprises: a cleaning tool and a support mechanism for supporting the cleaning tool, a pressing mechanism for pressing the cleaning tool to the substrate; wherein the cleaning tool comprises a cleaning head and a cleaning liquid supply path for supplying a cleaning liquid into the cleaning head; and the cleaning head comprises: a permeable core member for receiving the supply of cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid supply path and a permeable porous film covering an outer surface of the core member.
The pressing mechanism may be a pneumatic device. The cleaning liquid supply path may be provided with an ultrasonic wave generator for imparting ultrasonic wave oscillations to a cleaning liquid that passes therethrough.
A further aspect of this invention relates to method of cleaning a substrate, comprising the steps of: expelling a cleaning liquid from a cleaning tool formed of a permeable core member covered with a porous film, which is supplied with a cleaning liquid from a cleaning liquid supply path; and cleaning a surface of the substrate in a state in which a liquid film is formed between the surface of the substrate and the cleaning tool by the cleaning liquid expelled from the cleaning tool.
A still further aspect of this invention relates to a substrate cleaning method comprising the step of expelling a cleaning liquid through a cleaning tool that is formed of a permeable core member covered with a porous film, which is supplied with a cleaning liquid through a cleaning liquid supply path, and the step of cleaning a substate with the cleaning tool; wherein the cleaning method further comprises the steps of: recording a signal value into a control portion, for obtaining a predetermined contact pressure of the cleaning tool with respect to the substrate, before the substrate is cleaned by the cleaning tool; performing the cleaning while pressing the cleaning tool against the substrate; and controlling the pressing force of the cleaning tool so as to obtain the predetermined contact pressure.

Substrate cleaning tool, having permeable cleaning head


A light source device houses a lamp such as a mercury discharge tube for generating a high temperature heat, and a reflective optical member such as an elliptic, mirror surrounding the lamp, in a lamp case. When the lamp is forcibly cooled by air, a device for substantially uniformly heating or heat-insulating a reflection surface of the reflective optical member is provided to prevent overcooling of the reflective optical member.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light source device which uses a lamp such as a discharge tube which emits a highly brilliant illumination light, and more particularly to a light source device having a concave mirror such as an elliptic mirror or a parabolic mirror arranged with a lamp.


A method for rapid loading of stacks of cartons aboard vessels is provided which may include sliding the stacks of cartons from a pallet onto a carrier having fork channels for receiving the blades of a load push lift truck, lifting the carrier into the hold of a ship, removing the stacks of cartons from the carrier using a second load push lift truck and stowing the stack of cartons in a stowage location using the second load push lift truck. The carrier may be used to insert slings about palletless stacks of cartons positioned thereon and the stack of cartons may be moved into the hold of the ship by the ship's gear or other crane. The slings may be withdrawn from about the stack of cartons by releasing one end of the slings and using, for example, the ship's gear to draw the other slings out from around the stack of cartons.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of cargo handling, and in particular, to the rapid depalletizing and loading of cartons of frozen animal products onto a refrigerated vessel.
2. Background of the Invention
While there have been significant advances in the methods employed for the loading and unloading of vessels, the loading of refrigerated, cartonized cargo, and in particular, frozen animal products has proved particularly difficult due to several intractable problems. As a result, the transfer of the products from the packers to their loading aboard a vessel is presently carried out by processes that involve high costs and significant expenditure of manual labor, and which include bottlenecks that slow the process, that may result in product degradation or spoilage, and that result in long loading times for the product onto the vessel. It is presently common for the handling of cartons of frozen animal products to proceed as follows.
A large volume of animal products such as frozen chicken, turkey, beef, pork and seafood products (including livers, hearts, other parts, deboned meat and the like) are frozen and shipped within and exported from the U.S. in relatively shallow, rectangular boxes. For example, chicken thighs, legs or quarters may be shipped in cartons of about 23.5 inches in length by 16.5 inches in width by 4 to 6.25 inches in height (59.7 cm by 41.9 cm by 10.2 to 15.9 cm). A preferred standardized box size for use with the present invention would be 24 inches by 16 inches (61.0 cm by 40.6 cm) with the height of the box varied to hold the particular products to be shipped. A box of such dimensions containing frozen chicken parts may weigh on the order of 30 to 45 pounds (14 to 20 kg).
As the cartons are generally filled fairly completely with unfrozen animal products, and the animal products are subsequently frozen while in the carton, the cartons of frozen animal products tend to be comparatively resistant to compressive forces. The cartons may also be slightly distorted from their rectangular shape owing to volume changes accompanying freezing and to their handling and stacking. For simplicity, reference will hereafter be made to cartons of frozen chicken, as other animal products may be handled in a similar manner.
Owing to the size restrictions imposed by standard trucks and trailers, the cartons are normally stacked on 40×48 inch (102×122 cm) pallets in layers of five cartons arranged with two cartons placed on the pallet in an end-to-end relationship beside three cartons placed side to side with their long axes perpendicular to those of the first two cartons. While the exact size of the stack of cartons may vary depending on the exact dimensions of the cartons, stacks of cartons and layers of such stacks will be referred to herein as having the foregoing dimensions or having a wider side of 48 inches (122 cm) and a narrower side of 40 inches (102 cm). These dimensions are, however, approximate, and may vary not only depending on the box dimensions, but also from such factors as bulging of the cartons of frozen chicken and irregularities in the stacking pattern. In general, however, the cartons have a relatively low aspect ratio (length divided by height). For example, a 4″ tall by 16″ long carton would have an aspect ratio of 0.25. This is significantly lower than, for example, the common apple boxes.
A palletload of cartons generally contains between about 10 to 12 such layers of cartons. A palletload of cartons, arranged in this manner would have five cartons per layer. A 12 layer stack of cartons weighing 30 pounds (14 kg) would thus weigh about 1800 pounds (818 kg). Three such stacks of cartons would thus weigh about 5400 pounds (2454 kg, equal to 2.454 metric tons).
Although it is the general practice to use pallets having dimensions of 40×48 inches (102×122 cm) in the frozen animal products industry, which facilitate loading thereof into enclosed vans or trailers, 48×48 inch pallets (122×122 cm), which hold six rather than five cartons per layer, are sometimes used. In such case, the cartons are generally arranged in layers, each such layer having two rows of three cartons with the three cartons of each row in side-to-side arrangement.
The stacking pattern for either the 48×48 or 40×48 inch pallets (122×122 cm or 102×122 cm) may be varied, as by rotating it from layer to layer. For the 40×48 inches (102×122 cm) pallets, for example, the two end-to-end cartons may be arranged along one of the long edges of the pallet in one layer and along the other long edge in the next layer.
Presently, wooden pallets are typically made of three parallel beams arranged with a center beam and two outer beams on either side thereof. Boards or other such support members are nailed, stapled or otherwise fastened to the upper and lower surfaces of the beams transversely to the beams to form the upper and lower surfaces of the pallet. Lift channels extending parallel to the beams are thus formed between the upper and lower transversely-mounted boards. Apertures may be provided in the beams along their lower edges and/or boards may be removed from the lower pallet surface in the area of the apertures to permit insertion of lift truck blades into the pallet transversely to the beams and lift channels (these are often called "4-way" pallets, as a lift truck can insert the lift blades into the pallet from any of four directions).
The packer sends the fresh chicken parts in such palletloads to a blast freezer/cold storage warehouse. At the warehouse, the cartons are restacked with spacers between the layers thereof. The spacers allow the circulation of air between the layers of cartons. Once the cartons are so stacked, the palletload of cartons are transferred to a blast freezer, which forces air chilled to about −40° F. (−40° C.) between and around the cartons. The chicken parts should be cooled in the blast freezer to 0° F. (−17.7° C.) and should be held at that temperature. When the freezing process is completed, the cartons are removed from the blast freezer and placed in a rotator. The load of cartons is then rotated 90 degrees onto its side, the spacers are removed, and the load of cartons is then rotated back to an upright position in which it rests once more on the pallet. In order to facilitate transportation and storage of the stacks of cartons, the stacks may be, and typically are, wrapped with a stretchable plastic film to help reduce sliding of the layers of cartons relative to one another. Lift trucks are then used to move the cartons of frozen chicken products and transport them into the cold storage warehouse.
When the time comes to load a ship, lift trucks are used to remove the palletloads of stacks of cartons of chicken parts from the warehouse, and place them inside dry van trucks or truck trailers for transportation to the dock. The trucks or truck trailers are typically uninsulated and unrefrigerated, and thus can provide a deleterious environment to the frozen product contained therein if they are not soon loaded into a refrigerated ship. At the dock, the cartons are removed from the truck trailer by lift trucks and placed on the dock. Alternatively, if the cold storage warehouse is sufficiently near to the dock, the lift trucks may transport the palletloads of stacks of cartons directly to the dock. In either case, the palletloads of stacks of cartons are subsequently lifted into the hold using the ship's gear, such as by using slings, lifting platforms, lift cages, flying forks or the like to lift the cartons and pallets.
Many of the ships transporting cartons of frozen chicken internationally are older vessels having ship's gear with a three-ton (metric) rated capacity. This permits them to lift up to three stacks of cartons at a time, depending on the weight of the stacks and of the gear used to lift them. However, other ships may have cranes with capacities of five or more tons. The mass of lift cages, of course, can be substantial, approaching one ton for a lift cage that can be used to lift two stacks of cartons. Thus, with three-ton ship's gear, it would generally only be possible to lift two stacks of cartons into the hold of the vessel at a time.
In the hold, lift trucks engage the pallets and transport the pallets with their stacks of cartons to locations near where the cartons will be stowed. Stevedores then manually remove the cartons from the pallets and stack the cartons without pallets for shipping. The pallets are then returned to the square of the hatch and are stacked to be hoisted out of the hold and back onto the dock by the ship's gear. The square of the hatch is the volume of space extending vertically downward from the open hatch to the floor of the cargo hold.
This process is quite inefficient. Delays in bringing a sufficient quantity of product to the dock and in unloading the cartons from the truck can increase the time needed to load the vessel. The space constraints in the vessel limit the number of workers who can be engaged in stowing of the cartons, and thus may create a backup for product arriving at the dock. Excessive delays in loading which result in the cartons being left on the dock or in the truck can allow the product to begin to thaw, which can result in spoilage or otherwise render the product unmarketable. Delay in loading may also result in increased condensation of moisture on the cartons which can complicate the handling process. As the industry is seeking to use less wax on the cartons and to utilize paper-coated boxes, the damaging effect of condensation and internal thawing on the boxes is increased.
The breakage rate for pallets during this process is fairly high. As many as half of the pallets suffer some breakage, and this can result in splintered wood, which may contain protruding nails, being left at the warehouse, on the dock and in the cargo hold of the vessel. Additional work is thus required to collect the pallets and pallet debris, to extract it from the hold of the ship or remove it from the dock, and to repair or discard the broken pallets. Further, the existence of pallet debris at the warehouse, on the dock, and in particular in the hold of the vessel, presents a risk of injury to workers.
Inefficient as this method of handling may be, there are a number of constraints that have made it difficult to improve. The main problem encountered is that the holds of the ship are irregular both in the overhead clearance and in the shape of the floor space. Not only does the overhead clearance of the cargo holds vary from ship to ship, and perhaps within a ship from hold to hold, the internal structure of the vessel and of the cooling system within it can result in overhead clearances that vary depending on the location within the hold.
Another difficulty in loading such cargoes is that the cartons are typically stacked to a uniform height after blast freezing. This is necessary for efficient use of the cold storage warehouse. This uniform height is generally ten or twelve layers of boxes arranged on a lift truck pallet, but it may vary somewhat from this number depending on the size of the cartons. The cartons are unitized by wrapping them with a stretchable plastic film that aids in transportation of the palletloads by lift truck, etc. However, space on refrigerated vessels is at such a premium that the wasted space of such pallets is considered undesirable. Thus, it has been considered necessary to avoid stowing the cartons on the pallets, and thus the practice of manually stowing the cartons in the ship by restacking them without the pallets has persisted. Moreover, since the ceiling height of holds on ships varies, and is seldom equal to the height of the cartons when stacked for warehousing purposes, it has heretofore been considered essential to manually stack the cartons in order to obtain as complete a filling of the vessel as possible.
Load push lift trucks have been used to push cargo off the lift truck blades. A load push lift truck has at least two blades extending from its lift mechanism. Typically, the blades are relatively broad, and may have relatively smooth or polished upper surfaces to facilitate the sliding of the cartons thereon. A push plate associated with the lift mechanism can be extended by means of hydraulic cylinders from a retracted position adjacent the lift mechanism to a position adjacent the ends of the blades. If the stack of cartons is resting on the blades of the lift truck, the push mechanism may also be used to push the cartons off the blades and/or to extract the blades from under cargo as the lift truck moves backward away from the desired position of the stack of cartons. Such a lift truck may include a side-shift mechanism which permits small lateral adjustments in the position of the cargo to facilitate its precise placement. Such load-push lift trucks are known in the art of specialized lift trucks.

Method and apparatus for loading stacks of cartons of frozen animal products onto vessels using a carrier


Techniques for debugging applications are provided. Access to an application is controlled by a wrapper. The wrapper intercepts calls to the application and records the calls. The calls are then passed to the application for processing. The recorded calls form a log which may be analyzed or mined to detect error conditions or undesirable performance characteristics associated with the application independent of source associated with the application.

Debugging an application can be particularly difficult when the application is not owned by a consumer/customer or when the source code associated with an application is no longer available by an owner of the application. In some cases, a customer may encounter problems for an application that was not upgraded or an application whose license was not renewed. Thus, the only believed way in which such an application can be fixed is to acquire a new version of the application via a renewed or upgraded license. Such an option may not be financially practical for some customers.
In short, some applications may have actually been in use for many years. Very often, these applications cannot be debugged at a symbolic level because the applications lack their source code, such that an engineer cannot compile and/or link the applications for purposes of inserting breakpoints and other debugging statements into executing version of the applications. It may also not be possible to load the application into an automated debugger, because the error may not present itself within the automated debugger, which is located outside a typical production environment for the application. Essentially, the error may only present itself within a production environment, such that the automated debugger is incapable of recreating a failure state which was produced only within the production environment.
In fact, often the application is viewed as a black box to a consumer or an engineer. Furthermore, a black box is typically debugged by analyzing memory dumps. Analyzing a memory dump is not a desired technique for debugging; is often time consuming; and can involve a lot of guess work on the part of an engineer.
Accordingly, improved techniques for debugging applications are needed in order to improve debugging associated with applications that are viewed as black boxes.

Techniques for monitoring application calls


In accordance with aspects of the disclosure, a computing device may provide a user interface for developing an interactive natural-language response system, which may include a virtual assistant. A user may interact with a system using spoken, written (e.g., text), or other input methods. The user interface may allow a user to associate sentences with intents, tag words within the sentences with concepts, and construct a grammar using the associated intents and tagged concepts. The system may use the grammar for automatically predictively associating sentences with intents and words with concepts. The system may display in the foam of a chat transcript a single branch of a tree of a discussion between the virtual assistant and a user. The user interface may graphically display variable values to assist a user to test system responses under different simulated conditions.

Natural-language systems are utilized to manipulate data based on natural-language input (e.g., words spoken or written by a user). Natural-language systems conventionally are difficult to develop, requiring, for example, extensive knowledge of the science behind speech recognition and text processing. The development of technology has increased the ubiquity of and demand for natural-language systems in everything from smartphones to televisions. There will always be a need for improved methods and systems for developing natural-language systems.


Aspects include a method, a system and a computer program product for providing status updates while collaboratively resolving an issue. The method includes identifying, using a processing device, one or more key phrases in an electronic text-based message. Based on the identified one or more key phrases, at least one status-based suggestion is provided to a user to change a status milestone associated with a problem resolution. The providing of the change of milestone includes: building a table to map a key phrase to one or more status identifiers; mapping the key phrase to one or more status identifiers to associate the key phrase with the at least one status-based suggestion; and displaying a corresponding status milestone based on the user selecting from the at least one status-based suggestion.

The present invention relates generally to system and method for collaborative problem solving and, more specifically, to a system and method for tracking and updating a milestone status.
Collaborative problem solving involves bringing teams of personnel together for the common purpose of accomplishing a goal. Often, these problems are systematically tracked so the status of effort may be known to those managing the problem. A number of tools have been used for tracking teams, such a GANTT Charts for example, where the problem is broken down into a series of tasks or elements with start and end dates. As the efforts of the team progress, a team member or program manager manually updates data for the elements so that the current status may be determined.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to organizing textual responses, such as survey responses. More specifically, one or more embodiments of the present disclosure provide a reviewer with textual responses that are prioritized according to usefulness. As an example, one or more embodiments of the present disclosure provide a reviewer with a notability value that provides an indication of the usefulness and/or interestedness of a response in relation to other responses for a particular open or textual type question.

1. Technical Field
One or more embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to systems and methods for organizing responses to a survey question. More specifically, one or more disclosed embodiments relate to systems and methods for prioritizing text responses from a plurality of users.
2. Background and Relevant Art
Companies often rely on opinions and feedback from past customers to improve the experience of current and future customers. A common method of acquiring feedback is through customer surveys, including customer ratings and reviews (e.g., ratings and reviews for products, services, businesses, etc.). For example, a company may use feedback obtained from a survey administered to one or more past customers to improve future customer experience with the company.
Due to the development of electronic communication technologies, many surveys are administered to survey respondents via the Internet as electronic surveys. Typical electronic surveys can include various types of questions, for example, some types of questions include categorical (e.g., multiple-choice), scalar (e.g., select or enter a quantity), or open/textual (e.g., leave a response with regard to the following topic, product, or service) questions. Due to the ease of distributing electronic surveys, as well as collecting responses to electronic surveys, the number of responses to an electronic survey may easily be in the hundreds of thousands, or even millions. For categorical and scalar type questions, techniques exist for summarizing and presenting a visual representation for all responses to a given question. For open or textual responses, however, there currently exist a number of problems in identifying, classifying, summarizing, and organizing responses, especially in the case of electronic surveys that can produce a large quantity of responses.
As an initial problem, not all textual responses include equally valuable information. Often, many textual responses include fairly useless information, or "noise." For example, when a respondent provides the answer "no," "none," "no response," "no comment," or "I don't know" as their response to an open or textual question, such responses typically create noise, but do not provide any valuable insight. As an additional example, while some responses to an open or textual question appear at first glance to be valuable, the responses merely express emotions without providing useful information. In a similar manner, some responses appear to be valuable because of their length, but long responses often do not include any actionable or useful information despite their length.
Despite the efficiencies provided by electronic survey technology, many conventional systems require that a reviewer read each response to an open or textual question—a process that is both labor-intensive, time consuming, and expensive. Further, the review process can become highly repetitious and boring for a reviewer. Moreover, not only can reviewing a large number of responses be very time consuming, boring, and repetitious, but by the time a reviewer identifies an issue, the time to act on the issue may have passed.
In addition to the above disadvantages, many conventional systems also have the disadvantage of lacking the ability to organize and/or otherwise provide textual responses in a manner that allows reviewers to quickly identify an issue, and thus quickly respond to customer feedback by implementing a solution. In general, conventional systems typically present textual responses in reverse chronological order. While, sorting responses with the most recent responses first may assist a reviewer in viewing the most recent responses, many quality and/or important responses will be moved continually deeper into the reviewer's queue, and may never be addressed. As an alternative, some conventional systems sort responses in order from longest to shortest. As described above, however, response length alone does not indicate whether a response will be useful or interesting.
In addition to the inability of conventional systems to effectively organize textual responses, some conventional systems attempt to analyze and organize textual responses by comparing textual responses to each other. Organizing textual responses based on comparing responses to each other, however, presents a number of additional drawbacks. For example, comparing responses to each other requires that responses be in a particular language (e.g., all responses in English). Furthermore, in order to adequately compare responses, a minimum number of responses must be obtained before the responses can effectively be compared with each other.
Accordingly, these and other disadvantages exist with respect to conventional systems and methods for organizing textual responses.


There is provided methods and systems for the reduction of nitrogen oxides and carbon loss from carbonaceous fuel combustion flue emissions. The preferred carbonaceous fuel is coal. The invention provides methods and systems comprising the use of coal as a reburn fuel for coal combustion systems. The invention comprises low temperature pyrolysis producing gaseous hydrocarbons for the reduction of nitrogen oxides and treatment of char with resulting reduction of carbon loss.

The present invention relates to the combustion of carbonaceous fuels. More particularly, the present invention related to the reduction of oxides of nitrogen and carbon loss from the flue emissions produced from the combustion of carbonaceous fuels. Still more particularly, methods and systems involving both the reduction of nitrogen oxides and carbon loss from the flue emission produced from the combustion of carbonaceous fuels, particularly coal, are provided.
By way of background, the combustion of carbonaceous fuels such as coal generates by-products, including various oxides of carbon, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, water vapor, sulfur dioxides, and nitrogen oxides. These primary gases, along with unused oxygen and nitrogen from the air used for combustion, constitute the flue gas. Sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen are significant pollutants released into the atmosphere from the combustion of carbonaceous fuels. These two gases are primarily responsible for acid rain and result in environmental damage. Both sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are subject to governmental regulation, including requirements under the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. In addition, oxides of nitrogen not only cause acid rain, but also produce ground level ozone by reacting with volatile organic compounds emitted primarily from internal combustion engines involved with transportation. The ozone produced from nitrogen oxides migrates widely and causes problems in regions removed from the site of production. In view of the public concern over ozone damage, various regulations for reducing the emissions of nitrogen oxides have been enacted and new regulations are becoming more stringent.
Various methods are currently used to reduce nitrogen oxides. Present methods to control the emission of nitrogen oxides include burner air staging, furnace air and flue staging (reburning), flue gas recirculation, selective catalytic reduction, and selective non-catalytic reduction. The main principle of the air staging technique is to reduce the level of available oxygen in zones or regions where oxygen is a critical requirement for the formation of nitrogen oxides. The amount of fuel burnt or combusted at the peak temperature is also reduced. Fuel staging, or reburning, is another method of reducing nitrogen oxides by a part of the fuel above the main combustion zone. The hydrocarbon radicals that are released from this fuel reduce nitrogen oxides from the primary combustion zone. However, it should be noted that the main limitation for this method is that the fuel has to be very reactive because of the short residence time that is available for complete combustion after the reburn fuel is introduced. Therefore, natural gas is primarily used as a reburn fuel, although other fuels such as oil, coal, biomass-based products have been used. Selective catalytic reduction uses chemicals such as NH3 to reduce nitrogen oxides over catalysts that are expensive. Ammonia is a hazardous chemical to handle. Another problem in the industry, high un-burnt carbon, is most often encountered with low nitrogen oxide burners. With low nitrogen oxide burners, as the oxygen concentration is reduced in the near burner zone, the combustion process is delayed leading to high un-burnt carbon. This is usually indicated by and called LOI (Loss on Ignition).
With current reburning or fuel staging methodology, a part of the fuel is admitted downstream of the main combustion zone. This method requires that the fuel be very reactive and with less nitrogen since the time available for complete combustion is short. The problem with using coal as a reburn fuel is that the volatiles produced from combustion can be used to reduce nitrogen oxides, but the char increases the unburnt carbon loss. Accordingly, coal is not a preferred choice.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,061 is directed to a method and system for reducing nitrogen oxide and sulfur oxide emissions from carbonaceous flue gases. U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,180 is directed to a process for catalytic multi-stage hydrogenation of coal. U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,101 is directed to a method for reducing oxides of nitrogen generated in a coal-fired fluidized bed boiler. U.S. Pat. No. 5,291,841 is directed to a process for combustion of coal to maximize combustion efficiency while minimizing emissions of sulfur and nitrogen oxides.
In light of current technology, there still remains a long-felt need for methods and systems that reduce nitrogen oxides and carbon loss from carbonaceous fuel combustion flue emissions, especially when coal is the fuel. Methods and systems that are easily implemented with existing carbonaceous fuel combustion systems are particularly desirable.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for the reduction of nitrogen oxides from carbonaceous fuel combustion flue emissions.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for the reduction of carbon loss from carbonaceous fuel combustion flue emissions.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a system for reducing oxides of nitrogen and carbon loss from carbonaceous fuel combustion flue emissions.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method and system for the reduction of nitrogen oxides and carbon loss from coal combustion flue emissions.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention and equivalents thereof, are achieved by the methods and systems of the present invention described herein and manifest in the appended claims.
In accordance with the objects outlined above and other objects, the present invention provides methods and systems for reducing nitrogen oxides and carbon loss from carbonaceous fuel combustion flue emissions. The method of the invention comprises heating a first portion of carbonaceous fuel to a first temperature in a first chamber (external to the main burner system or within the main burner system) sufficient to thermally decompose the carbonaceous fuel to produce a first gaseous stream and a char fraction; adding the char fraction directly to the main burner, or to a second portion of the carbonaceous fuel, and combusting at a second temperature in a second furnace chamber (main burner) to produce a second gaseous stream (combustion products); and adding the first gaseous stream downstream to the second gaseous stream. The thermal decomposition, or low temperature pyrolysis, is at a temperature from about 600xc2x0 C. to about 850xc2x0 C., preferably about 600xc2x0 C. to about 700xc2x0 C. The combustion of the second portion of the carbonaceous fuel is preferably at a temperature from about 1300xc2x0 C. to about 1700xc2x0 C. The preferred carbonaceous fuel is coal. The first portion of the carbonaceous fuel, preferably coal, is in an amount from about 15 wt % to about 50 wt % and the second portion of the carbonaceous fuel is preferably in an amount from about 50 wt % to about 85 wt % of the total weight of the fuel. Preferably, the char fraction from the first chamber and the second portion of the coal is pulverized prior to combusting at the second temperature. In one embodiment, the combined first gaseous stream from thermal decomposition or low temperature pyrolysis (pyrolysis products) are combined with the second gaseous stream (main combustion products) in the first furnace chamber. Carbonaceous fuel is selected form the group of coal, biomass, petroleum coke, bitumen, fuel oil, non-aqueous mixtures thereof, and aqueous mixtures thereof.
The present invention also provides a system for reduction of nitrogen oxides and carbon loss from carbonaceous fuel combustion flue emissions. The system comprises a means for thermally decomposing a first portion of the carbonaceous fuel at a first temperature; a means for combusting a second portion of the carbonaceous fuel at a second temperature (in the main burner); a means for adding the first gaseous stream to the second gaseous stream downstream from the second gaseous stream; and a means for adding the char fraction to the second portion of the carbonaceous fuel prior to combusting the second portion of the carbonaceous fuel. The preferred carbonaceous fuel of the system is coal. The system further comprises a means for recycling combustion flue emissions located downstream from the means for adding the first gaseous stream to the second gaseous stream to the means for thermally decomposing the first portion of the carbonaceous fuel. Also, the system further preferably comprises a means for pulverizing the char fraction and the second portion of the carbonaceous fuel prior to combusting the char fraction and the second carbonaceous fuel portion. The thermal decomposition means, or low temperature pyrolysis means, is preferably at a temperature from about 600xc2x0 C. to about 850xc2x0 C., preferably about 600xc2x0 C. to about 700xc2x0 C. The means for combusting the second portion of the carbonaceous fuel is preferably at a temperature from about 1300xc2x0 C. to about 1700xc2x0 C. The first portion of the carbonaceous fuel of the system is preferably in an amount from about 15 wt % to about 50 wt %, and the second portion of the carbonaceous fuel of the system is preferably in an amount from about 50 wt % to about 85 wt % of the total weight of the fuel.

Method and system for reducing nitrogen oxides and carbon loss from carbonaceous fuel combustion flue emissions