A fluid mover (1) includes a passage (3) of substantially constant cross section into which supersonic steam is injected through an annular nozzle (16) as a transport fluid to contact a working fluid, e.g. a liquid, to be treated, the passage further including a mixing chamber (3A) downstream of the steam injection where the mixture is accelerated upon the creation of a low pressure zone occasioned by the condensation of the steam, a dispersed droplet regime and a shock wave being generated downstream of the nozzle (16). A pseudo-convergent/divergent section is created and provides a flexible boundary in the absence of physical constraints to yield an improved performance by combining shear dispersion and/or disassociation with the effects of the shock wave. The fluid mover (1) may be used in a wide variety of applications for pumping, heating, mixing, disintegrating, classifying and separating among others.

The present invention has reference to a fluid mover having a number of practical applications of diverse nature ranging from marine propulsion systems to pumping applications for moving and/or mixing fluids and/or solids of the same or different characteristics. The present invention also has relevance in the fields inter alia of heating, cleaning, aeration, gas fluidisation, and agitation of fluids and fluids/solids mixtures, particle separation, classification, disintegration, emulsification, homogenisation, dispersion, hydration, atomisation, droplet production, viscosity reduction, density reduction, and pasteurisation
More particularly the invention is concerned with the provision of a fluid mover having essentially no moving parts
Ejectors are well known in the art for moving working or process fluids by the use of a either a central or an annular jet which emits steam into a duct in order to move the fluids through or out of appropriate ducting or into or through another body of fluid. The ejector principally operates on the basis of inducing flow by creating negative pressure, generally by the use of the venturi principle. The majority of these systems utilise a central steam nozzle where the induced fluid generally enters the duct orthogonally to the axis of the jet, although there are exceptions where the reverse arrangement is provided. The steam jet is accelerated through an expansion nozzle into a mixing chamber where it impinges on and is mixed with process fluid. The mixture of process fluid and steam is accelerated to higher velocities within a downstream convergent section prior to a divergent section, e.g. a venturi. The pressure gradient generated in the venturi induces new process fluid to enter the mixing chamber. The energy transfer mechanism in most steam ejector systems is a combination of momentum, heat and mass transfer but by varying proportions. Many of these systems employ the momentum transfer associated with a converging flow, while others involve the generation of a shock wave in the divergent section. One of the major limitations of the conventional convergent/divergent systems is that their performance is very sensitive to the position of the shock wave which tends to be unstable, easily moving away from its optimum position. It is known from the prior art mentioned infra that if the shock wave develops in the wrong place within the convergent/divergent sections, the relevant unit may well stall. Such systems can also only achieve a shock wave across a restricted section.
Furthermore, for systems which employ a central steam nozzle, the throat dimension restriction and the sharp change of direction affecting the process fluid presents a serious limitation on the size of any particulate throughput and certainly any rogue material that might enter the system could cause blockage.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,396,290 to Schwarz discloses a sludge system intended essentially as an apparatus for removing from storage tanks the accumulation of viscous tar or semi-fluid tar, oil sludges and the like. The Schwarz system has a throat body provided with an outwardly flared portion at one end, a steam intake nozzle extending into the body and having a central opening for the passage of material therethrough into the throat body, and a steam discharge nozzle at the flared end for drawing material out of the flared portion of the throat body. The principal objective of Schwarz is to provide a means whereby the difficult materials recited above may be fluidised by a combination of the impact of the steam initially at the intake end of the throat body and the heat of the steam, the material being further subjected to the same action afforded by the discharge nozzle. The viscosity of the difficult material is thus reduced to improve flowability to allow pumping. It is to be noted that the flow of material whilst being assisted through the throat body has to pass from a wide bore nipple into a tapered section prior to the location of the primary steam nozzle, thus constraining the material and potentially causing blockages. Equally the throat body is of smaller dimension than the intake nipple and the tapered section, thus combining to create a constriction to the flow, albeit that the intention is to provide a concentration of impact and heat application for the purpose taught. The secondary or discharge nozzle fulfils a similar function to that of the primary nozzle to give a second stage impact and fluidising effect to the flowing material thus to enhance induction of the material through the system. The potential disadvantage of the Schwarz system is that by virtue of the convergent nature of the inlet to the unit and the constricted throat portion the free flow of fluid materials therethrough is likely to be difficult or restricted by the physical characteristics of the materials. As will be appreciated control on the type and size of material entering this system is difficult and the chances of blockage are high from material or agglomerates which have a size approaching the inlet bore size of the unit.
Canadian Patent No 833 980 to Schutte and Koerting Co is concerned with a jet pump of the type having a compressible flow in the diffusor and a supercritical ratio of suction to discharge pressures. The method and apparatus described by Schutte and Koerting are aimed at overcoming certain defined disadvantages associated with the operation of jet pumps in which supersonic velocities initially prevail in the mixture of the motive or thrust stream and the suction stream. As is explained in this prior art the change from supersonic to subsonic velocity occurs in a shock zone. In particular the problem associated with this type of pump, used for pumping gas, resides in controlling the positioning of the shock wave which is critical in that if it moves into either the intake or the discharge zone of the diffusor, significant difficulties arise. In particular, if the shock wave moves into the convergent conical intake zone the jet pump becomes unstable and might even fail. If the shock wave moves into the divergent conical exit zone the rate of flow of the mixture of the thrust and suction streams is accelerated resulting in a reduction in efficiency. The patentees propose a method of monitoring the prevailing conditions within the diffusor and to vary the thrust stream accordingly in order to position the shock wave accurately thereby to optimise efficiency. The jet pump of this prior art is essentially a conventional steam ejector and the invention merely lies in the monitoring and control of the shock wave positioning. This jet pump is configured for gas pumping and as such would be unsuitable for pumping liquids or liquid/solids mixtures, not least because of the significant difficulties associated with achieving supersonic velocities with substantially incompressible fluids. Clearly the amount of energy that would be required to impart supersonic velocity to the mixture would be prohibitive since the performance would be poor.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,664,768 to Mays concerns a fluid transformer of the straight-through type for sludges and other liquid/solids materials in which again the throat area converges, in this instance in a stepwise configuration thereby giving rise to potential impaction of the solids elements of the fluids passing therethrough. It is to be noted that Mays is silent regarding the nature of the impelling fluid.
An object of the present invention is to provide a fluid mover having essentially no moving parts having an improved performance than fluid movers currently available in the absence of any constriction such as is exemplified in the prior art herein recited.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of moving fluid.
According to a first aspect of the present invention a fluid mover includes a hollow body provided with a straight-through passage of substantially constant cross section with an inlet at one end of the passage and an outlet at the other end of the passage for the entry and discharge respectively of a working fluid, a nozzle substantially circumscribing and opening into said passage intermediate the inlet and outlet ends thereof, an inlet communicating with the nozzle for the introduction of a transport fluid, a mixing chamber being formed within the passage downstream of the nozzle, the nozzle being so disposed and configured that in use a dispersed droplet flow regime and a supersonic shock wave are created within the mixing chamber by the introduction and condensation of the transport fluid.
The transport fluid is preferably a condensable fluid and may be a gas or vapour, for example steam, which may be introduced in either a continuous or discontinuous manner.
According to a second aspect of the present invention a fluid mover includes a hollow body provided with a straight-through passage of substantially constant cross section having an inlet at one end of the passage and an outlet at the other end of the passage for the entry and discharge respectively of a working fluid, a steam nozzle substantially circumscribing and opening into said passage intermediate the inlet and the outlets thereof, a steam inlet communicating with the nozzle for the introduction of steam, a mixing chamber being formed in the passage downstream of the nozzle, the nozzle being so disposed and configured that in use a dispersed droplet flow regime and a supersonic shock wave are created in the mixing chamber by the introduction and condensation of steam.
At or near the point of introduction of the transport fluid, for example immediately downstream thereof, a pseudo-vena contracta or pseudo convergent/divergent section is generated, akin to the convergent/divergent section of conventional steam ejectors but without the physical constraints associated therewith since the relevant section is formed by the effect of the steam impacting upon the working or process fluid. Accordingly the fluid mover of the present invention is more versatile than conventional ejectors by virtue of a flexible internal boundary. The flexible boundary lies between the working fluid at the center and the solid wall of the unit, and allows disturbances or pressure fluctuations in the multi phase flow to be accommodated better than for a solid wall. This advantageously reduces the sonic velocity within the multi phase flow, resulting in better droplet dispersion, increasing the momentum transfer zone length, thus producing a more intense shockwave. Accordingly the positioning and intensity of the shock wave is variable depending upon the specific requirements of the system in which the fluid mover is disposed.
The mechanism of the present invention relies on a combination of effects in order to achieve its high versatility and performance, notably heat, momentum and mass transfer which gives rise to the generation of the shock wave and also provides for shearing of the working fluid flow on a continuous basis by shear dispersion and/or disassociation.
The intensity of the supersonic shock wave is controllable by manipulating the various parameters prevailing within the system when operational. Accordingly the flow rate, pressure and quality, i.e. in the case of steam the dryness, of the transport fluid may be regulated to give the required intensity of shockwave. In this connection the intensity of the shockwave essentially relates to its degree of development within and across the passage and the mixing chamber. For example the shockwave may develop across the whole section or may only partially do so providing a central core that is open. The intensity of the shockwave may therefore be variable dependent upon the particular task the fluid mover has to perform. Furthermore the intensity of the shockwave may also be determined or defined by its position within or possibly without the passage or mixing chamber. As indicated supra the positioning of the shock wave may be manipulated in accordance with requirements and is not limited by the physical constraints of conventional ejectors since the pseudo-vena contracta is of variable dimension.
The supersonic shockwave constitutes in one aspect of its function a barrier through or across which fluid flow occurs in one direction only and in that respect may be regarded as a one-way valve, there being no designed possibility of backflow through the shockwave. Further, the steam condensation immediately leading up to the creation of a supersonic shockwave provides a self-induction mechanism whereby the transport fluid is drawn in by the very shockwave the fluid produces and accordingly is to some extent self-perpetuating when in operation. It is predominantly the position and intensity of the shockwave which dictates the pressure gradient obtained across the unit, which in turn defines the pressure and suction head and flow rate capabilities of the unit.
The passage may be of any convenient cross-sectional shape suitable for the particular application of the fluid mover. The passage shape may be circular, rectilinear or any intermediate shape, for example curvilinear.
Preferably the nozzle is located as close as possible to the projected surface of the working fluid in practice and in this respect a knife edge separation between the transport fluid or steam and the working fluid stream is of advantage in order to achieve the requisite degree of interaction. The angular orientation of the nozzle with respect to the working fluid stream is of importance and may be shallow.
In some embodiments of the present invention a series of nozzles is provided lengthwise of the passage and the geometry of the nozzles may vary from one to the other dependent upon the effect desired. For example, the angular orientation may vary one to the other. The nozzles may have differing geometries in order to afford different effects, i.e. different performance characteristics, with possibly differing parametric steam conditions. For example some nozzles may be operated for the purpose of heating whereas others are used simultaneously for mixing or disintegrating for example. Each nozzle will have a mixing chamber section downstream thereof. In the case where a series of nozzles is provided the number of operational nozzles is variable.
The nozzle may be of a form to correspond with the shape of the passage and thus for example a circular passage would advantageously be provided with an annular nozzle circumscribing it. The term 'annular' as used herein is deemed to embrace any configuration of nozzle or nozzles that circumscribes the passage of the fluid mover.
In the case of a rectilinear passage, which may have a large width to height ratio, nozzles would be provided at least on each transverse wall, but not necessarily on the side walls, although the invention optionally contemplates a full circumscription of the passage by the nozzle irrespective of shape.
The or each nozzle may be continuous or may be discontinuous in the form of a plurality of apertures, e.g. segmental, arranged in a circumscribing pattern that may be circular. In either case each aperture may be provided with helical vanes formed in order to give in practice a swirl to the flow of the transport fluid. As a further alternative the nozzle may circumscribe the passage in the form of a continuous helical scroll over a length of the passage, the nozzle aperture being formed in the wall of the passage.
The or each nozzle may be of a convergent-divergent geometry internally thereof, and in practice the nozzle is configured to give the supersonic flow of transport fluid within the passage. For a given steam condition, i.e. dryness, pressure and temperature, the nozzle is preferably configured to provide the highest velocity steam jet, the lowest pressure drop and the highest enthalpy.
For example only, and not by way of limitation, an optimum area ratio for the nozzle, namely exit area: throat area, lies in the range 1.75 and 7.5, with an included angle of less than 9°.
The or each nozzle is conveniently angled towards the flow since this occasions penetration of the working fluid and advantageously prevents both kinetic energy dissipation on the wall of the passage and premature condensation of the steam at the wall of the passage, where an adverse temperature differential prevails. The angular orientation of the nozzles is selected for optimum performance which is dependent inter alia on the nozzle orientation and the internal geometry of the mixing chamber. Further the angular orientation of the or each nozzle is selected to control the pseudo-convergent/divergent profile and the condensation shock wave position in accordance with the pressure and flow rates required from the fluid mover. Moreover, the creation of turbulence, governed inter alia by the angular orientation of the nozzle, is important to achieve optimum performance by dispersal of the working fluid in order to increase acceleration by momentum transfer. This aspect is of particular import when the fluid mover is employed as a pump. For example, and not by way of limitation, in the present invention it has been found that an angular orientation for the or each nozzle may lie in the range 0 to 30°.
A series of nozzles with respective mixing chamber sections associated therewith may be provided longitudinally of the passage and in this instance the nozzles may have different angular orientations, for example decreasing from the first nozzle in a downstream direction. Each nozzle may have a different function from the other or others, for example pumping, mixing, disintegrating, and may be selectively brought into operation in practice. Each nozzle may be configured to give the desired effects upon the working fluid. Further, in a multi-nozzle system by the introduction of the transport fluid, for example steam, phased heating may be achieved. This approach may be desirable to provide a gradual heating of the working fluid.
The mixing chamber geometry is determined by the desired and projected output performance and to match the designed steam conditions and nozzle geometry. In this respect it will be appreciated that there is a combinatory effect as between the various geometric features and their effect on performance, namely there is interaction between the various design and performance parameters having due regard to the defined function of the fluid mover.
At the location of the or each nozzle in the passage, the dimension of the passage is greater than either upstream or downstream thereof since this increase compensates for the additional volume of fluid introduced. However, the cross sectional area of the mixing chamber is always consonant with or greater than the cross sectional area of the passage whereby any material entering the passage meets no constriction. The cross-sectional area of the mixing chamber may vary with length and may have differing degrees of reduction along its length, i.e. the mixing chamber may taper at different angles at different points along its length. The mixing chamber tapers from the location of the or each nozzle and the taper ratio is selected such that the multi-phase flow velocity and pressure distribution of the condensation shock wave is maintained at its optimum position. This point is found in the region of the throat of the mixing chamber, but the invention also foreshadows a different position, for example just after the throat. As heretofore indicated the intensity of the shockwave is controllable and coupled with its positioning will dictate its performance characteristics. As foreshadowed supra the supersonic shockwave may not extend across the whole of the cross-sectional dimension of the passage or mixing chamber and may resemble an annulus, for example it may be akin to a doughnut shape with a central relief. The regulation of the shockwave is a determinant of the performance of the fluid mover and is in turn dictated by its particular application.
The mixing chamber of the present invention may be of variable length in order to provide a control on the point at which collapse or implosion of the steam, i.e. condensation and pressure drop, occurs, thus affecting the extent of the supersonic shock wave and the performance of the fluid mover. The length of the mixing chamber is thus chosen to provide the optimum performance regarding momentum transfer. In some expressions of the invention the length may be adjustable in situ rather than predesigned in order to provide a measure of versatility. The collapse of the steam gives rise to an implosive force which also influences the entrapped working fluid within the circumscribing steam stream to the extent that a pinching effect takes place. Accordingly the steam collapse is focused and the working fluid induced thereby is directionalised.
A cowl may be provided downstream of the outlet from the passage in order to enhance the collapse effect and to harness the pressure and to accelerate an additional volume of the working fluid stream.
The fluid mover may also be provided with a fluid inlet nozzle, for example for the introduction of air or gas or indeed a liquid, provided in the passage intermediate the inlet and the outlet. The fluid nozzle may circumscribe the passage and may therefore be of annular form and may be located upstream and/or downstream of and/or coincident with the nozzle for the transport fluid or steam.
The fluid inlet or other inlets which may be provided in the passage may be used for the introduction of other gases or liquids or of other additives that may for example be treatment substances for the working fluid or may be particulates in powder or pulverulent form and used to seed or be mixed with the working fluid. The other inlets may additionally or alternatively be employed for the introduction of further working fluid. The fluids or other additives are entrained into the working fluid by the low pressure created within the unit, typically for example in the region of 0.2 bar. The fluids or additives can also be pressurised by an external means and pumped into the working fluid, if so required.
In a further embodiment of the present invention the fluid mover is disposed within a chamber provided with an inlet and an outlet, the inlet diverging to a central section of constant cross section in which the fluid mover is located and the chamber converging towards the outlet thereof. In this arrangement the working fluid is induced through the fluid mover and also around it within the confines of the chamber the outlet of which is no smaller than its inlet.
The fluid mover of the present invention may also be used in heating applications where the heat in the case of steam when used as the transport fluid is employed since necessarily the working fluid will receive heat from the steam. The heat of the steam may also have advantageous effects on the physical properties of the working fluid; for example the viscosity of the working fluid may be reduced.
According to a third aspect of the present invention a method of moving a working fluid includes presenting a fluid mover to the fluid, the mover having a straight-through passage of substantially constant cross section, applying a substantially circumscribing stream of a transport fluid to the passage through an annular nozzle, causing the collapse of the transport fluid thereof to create a region of low pressure thereby to induce working fluid flow through the passage (3), generating a supersonic shock wave within the passage downstream of the nozzle, inducing flow of the working fluid through the passage from an inlet to an outlet thereof, and modulating the shock wave to vary the working fluid discharge from the outlet.
The transport fluid is preferably a condensable fluid and may be a gas or vapour, for example steam.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention a method of moving a working fluid includes presenting a fluid mover to the fluid, the mover having a straight-through passage of substantially constant cross section, applying a substantially circumscribing stream of steam to the passage through an annular nozzle, causing the collapse of the steam by virtue of condensation thereof to create a region of low pressure thereby to induce working fluid flow through the passage (3), generating a supersonic shock wave within the passage downstream of the nozzle, inducing flow of the working fluid through the passage from an inlet to an outlet thereof, modulating the shock wave to vary the working fluid discharge from the outlet.
The thermal capacity of the working fluid is generally sufficient to yield the desired result in terms of the condensation effect. However, in those instances where that capacity might be insufficient, the invention includes the step of introducing additional working fluid or another working fluid, e.g. water, at a location downstream of the introduction of the transport fluid, e.g. steam, in order to provide additional quenching of the steam to give the requisite result.
The method of the present invention involves the transfer of energy to the working fluid by a combination of heat, momentum and mass transfer as the transport fluid, e.g. steam, is accelerated to supersonic speeds and directed by the nozzle into the working or process fluid. The resulting mixture of the transport and working fluids is accelerated within the pseudo-convergent section before it decelerates as a result of shear losses, steam condensation, and mass transfer. It is the decelerative aspect of the invention that results in the generation of the supersonic shock wave.
In carrying out the method of the present invention the creation of a shock wave, plus control of its position and intensity, is occasioned by the design of the nozzle interacting with the setting of the desired parametric conditions, for example in the case of steam as the transport fluid the pressure, the dryness or steam quality, the temperature and the flow rate to achieve the required performance of the steam nozzle.
The fluid mover of the present invention may be employed in a variety of applications ranging from marine propulsion, where the mover is submersed within a body of fluid, namely the sea or lake or other body of water, to its use as a pump or mixer or aerator. In its application to pumping a variety of working fluids may be moved and may include liquids, liquids with solids in suspension, slurries, sludges and the like. It is an advantage of the straight-through passage of the mover that it can accommodate material that might find its way into the passage. The velocity and pressure generated within the passage and enhanced by the collapse of the transport fluid or steam are such as to ensure rapid movement through the passage. Such an advantage is also of particular import in the use of the fluid mover as a propulsion unit in the marine field where flotsam and jetsam can be a serious problem inhibiting the smooth running of more conventional propulsion units.
It has been found that the present invention by virtue of the shearing effect in combination with the shock wave affords a mechanism occasioning capability for breaking up any friable or readily disintegratable material that may have entered the passage, the combination of the shearing effect, namely an effect of shear dispersion and/or disassociation, and the shock wave having a disintegrating effect on the material.
The disintegrating effect of the supersonic shock wave assists in the transport of materials that would otherwise be regarded as difficult, for example slurries, sludges both primary and secondary, raw sewage or sewage sludge since the invention affords the capability of breaking up the solids for easier disposal. In a further example from the waste water industry this effect can be employed for disintegration of agglomerates and other particle size reduction in aerobic and anaerobic digesters. The combination of disintegration and heating of the sludge has an added benefit of increasing the biological activity of the sludge, thereby improving the generation of biogas within the digester. Any filter cake generated in the sewage treatment process, or indeed any other process, is also a candidate for disintegration using the fluid mover of the invention.
At the same time it has been found that the invention also has application to the destruction of harmful bacteria, for example e-coli, or the control of filamentous bulking in the waste water industry. The shearing mechanism afforded by the present invention coupled with the pressure gradient across the shock wave effectively destroys the bacteria in the fluid flow. The heat input of the transport fluid, usually steam, enhances this bacteria killing effect thereby providing for the sterilization of the working fluid. The sterilising effect could be enhanced further with the entrainment of chemicals or other additives which is mixed into the working fluid.
The present invention may also be used for the control and destruction of organisms. For example the present invention may be used for pumping and treatment of ballast water from marine vessels. The combination of the shearing mechanism, the shockwave and the heat input will destroy water borne organisms such as snails and artemia. This effect could be further enhanced with the introduction of air to the working fluid, thereby causing gas bubble trauma and/or gas saturation.
In the food industry for example, the present invention maybe used for the pasteurisation of potable and comestible products.
The invention further allows the treatment of liquids containing solids material of a size and flow rate greater than are possible with conventional equipment since the disintegrating action occurs across a larger cross section of passage than that available conventionally. Additionally any rogue material that may enter the fluid mover can be accommodated without damage since the fluid mover has little or no impedance.
The invention may also be used for mixing, dispersion or hydration and again the combination of the shearing mechanism and presence of the shock wave provides the mechanism for achieving the desired result. In this connection the fluid mover may be used for mixing one or more fluids, one or more fluids and solids in particulate form, for example powders. The fluids may be in liquid or gaseous form. It has been found that the use of the present invention when mixing liquid with a powder of particulate form a homogeneous mixture results, even when the powder is of difficult to wet material, for example Gum Tragacanth which is a thickening agent. This mechanism could also be used for example in the manufacture of paints, where powders and other additives, such as extenders, can be entrained, mixed and dispersed.
The treatment of the working fluid, for example heating, dosing, mixing, dispersing, emulsifying etc may occur in batch mode using at least one fluid mover or by way in an in-line or continuous configuration using one or more fluid movers as required.
A further use to which the present invention may be put is that of emulsification which is the formation of a suspension by mixing two or more liquids which are not soluble in each other, namely small droplets of one liquid (inner phase) are suspended in the other liquid(s) (outer phase). The present invention has achieved satisfactory emulsification in the absence of surfactant blends, although they may be used if so desired. It has been found that the present invention has achieved the emulsification of fat, oils and greases in water to a homogenised condition with a particle size down to 0.1 μm in a single pass through the fluid mover, without the use of a surfactant. In addition, due to the straight through nature of the invention, there is no limitation on the particle size that can be handled, allowing particle sizes up to the bore size of the unit whilst emulsification is taking place.
The fluid mover of the present invention may be used simply for transporting solids in a liquid carrier medium, for example paper pulp of up high consistency, particulates in water or other liquid, e.g. sand or gravel (5 mm pea shingle) in water of up to 80% solids. This high solids content capability is of particular importance in some applications, for example when used for moving radioactive material from collection tanks as part of nuclear decommissioning. There is less liquid to firstly separate from the solids and consequently less to dispose of safely.
A further example of solids handling capability is grain and split grain transport, where the present invention could also be utilised for separation of the husks.
Further the fluid mover may be employed for washing particulate materials of slurries to effect separation of the wanted from the waste elements. This usage has particular, but not exclusive, application to mineral dressing systems. This usage can also be applied to de-oiling of oil rich media. I.e. separating the oil from other particles, for example oil sands, mill scale and oil spill from beaches.
Whilst there has been emphasis upon the use of a liquid working fluid, it is within the scope of the invention that the working fluid could be gaseous, for example air. In this connection, the fluid mover may be deployed as an extractor whereby the injection of the transport fluid, for example steam, effects induction of a gas for movement from one zone to another. One example of use in this way is to be found in fire fighting when smoke extraction at the scene of a fire is required. The present invention has the additional benefit of wetting or quenching of explosive or toxic atmospheres utilising either just the steam, or with additional entrained water and/or chemical additives. The latter configuration could be used for placing the explosive or toxic substances into solution for safe disposal.
Also for firefighting applications, the fluid mover may be deployed to draw air or another gas into its passage into which water or another fluid is introduced. The mixing and disintegrating functions of the invention may be exploited whereby the shearing effect mentioned above together with the pressure gradient across the shock wave give rise to conditions in which the water is atomised by the incoming transport fluid, e.g. steam. The atomisation of the water may be effected by its transport with the transport air and its passage through the supersonic shock wave and/or by a shearing effect. The atomisation effect as indicated above may be advantageously employed by the fire services, for example, when attending a fire or where there has been a leakage or escape of chemical or biological materials in liquid or gaseous form. The atomised spray provides a mist which effectively creates a blanket saturation of the prevailing atmosphere giving a thorough wetting result. The effect in the case of fire is to dampen down the combustion. In the case where chemical or biological materials are involved, the mist wets the materials and occasions their precipitation or neutralization. Additional treatment could be provided by entrainment of chemical or biological additives into the working fluid.
Once the fire is under control or the chemical or biological materials have been successfully neutralized, the fluid mover of the present invention may also be used as a means of collecting and discharging the liquid or gaseous waste from the site. This provides a further opportunity to neutralise the waste by virtue of the heat provided by the steam, and also allows further chemical or biological additives to be added and mixed with the fluids.
In this area of usage also lies another potential application in terms of foam generation for fire fighting purposes. A fluid mixture of water with a foaming agent, and possibly air, are mixed within the fluid mover using the transport fluid, e.g. steam, by virtue of a combination of the shearing effect and of the supersonic shock wave
The straight through aspect of the invention has the additional benefit of offering very little flow restriction and therefore a negligible pressure drop, when a fluid is moved through it. This is of particular importance in applications where the fluid mover is located in a process pipe work and fluid is pumped through it when the fluid mover is turned off. In addition, the clear bore offers no impedance to cleaning 'pigs' or other similar devices which may be employed to clean the pipe work.
By way of example, four embodiments of a fluid mover in accordance with the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Like numerals of reference have been used for like parts throughout the specification.

Apparatus and methods for moving a working fluid by contact with a transport fluid


A method for speed prediction may include obtaining current vehicle speeds associated with first vehicles that pass through a target road section in a current time interval. The method may also include determining a current road speed associated with the target road section in the current time interval based on the current vehicle speeds. The method may also include determining a predicted speed difference between the current road speed and a future road speed associated with the target road section in a future time interval based on the current road speed and a trained prediction model, which is based on prior speed differences, wherein the current time interval and the future time interval are separated by a first time period. The method may also include estimating the future road speed based on the predicted speed difference and the current road speed.

In many occasions, it is necessary and/or desirable to make reliable predictions about parameters that are changing over time. For example, in transportation systems, it is often important to predict road speed, which refers to the average or medium speed of vehicles passing through a road section in a period of time. The prediction of road speed may be used to determine whether the road section is congested and/or estimate a travel time of passing through the road section. In some cases, the road speed is predicted using machine learning models. However, the traditional methods of using a machine learning model for road speed prediction often involve training the model with historical road speed data from various road sections and including a large number of features. However, such traditional approaches may fail to provide accurate and/or efficient machine learning models due to the fluctuations of road speeds of different road sections and the sometimes wild variations of the feature values. Therefore, it is desirable to provide systems, methods, and models that can efficiently and accurately make predictions about road speeds.

Systems and methods for speed prediction

BEIJING DIDI INFINITY TECHNOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD.


Methods of depositing boron and carbon containing films are provided. In some embodiments, methods of depositing B, C films with desirable properties, such as conformality and etch rate, are provided. One or more boron and/or carbon containing precursors can be decomposed on a substrate at a temperature of less than about 400° C. One or more of the boron and carbon containing films can have a thickness of less than about 30 angstroms. Methods of doping a semiconductor substrate are provided. Doping a semiconductor substrate can include depositing a boron and carbon film over the semiconductor substrate by exposing the substrate to a vapor phase boron precursor at a process temperature of about 300° C. to about 450° C., where the boron precursor includes boron, carbon and hydrogen, and annealing the boron and carbon film at a temperature of about 800° C. to about 1200° C.

Field
The present disclosure relates generally to the field of semiconductor device manufacturing and, more particularly, to deposition of boron and carbon containing materials.
Description of the Related Art
Boron and carbon containing materials, such as boron and carbon films, can have a wide variety of uses, including uses in the semiconductor industry. Silicon nitride based materials can be modified to include boron and carbon components, for example forming silicon nitride films comprising boron and carbon components. Boron and carbon films and silicon nitride films comprising boron and carbon components may have various applications in fabrication processes of semiconductor devices.
As the physical geometry of semiconductor devices shrinks, deposition of films on three-dimensional structures having high aspect ratios is desired. Therefore, deposition processes that provide films which can demonstrate conformal coverage of three-dimensional structures having high aspect ratios are desired. Additionally, films are desired that demonstrate an advantageous etch selectivity with respect one or more other materials in the semiconductor device, and/or a desirable etch rate in a dry etch and/or wet etch process.

Deposition of boron and carbon containing materials


A method of optical communication includes providing a plurality of optical signals each associated with a distinct channel of a composite optical signal. A unique pilot tone signature is superimposed on each channel. The spectral composition of each signature includes a plurality of frequencies. In one embodiment, binary frequency shift keying at a frequency fm is used to shift between instantaneous frequencies f1 and f2 wherein f2+Δf=f1−Δf=fc. Choosing

Optical communications networks are used to transport large amounts of voice and data through fiber optic cables. Wave-division multiplexing (WDM) can be used to transmit multiple channels of optical information through the same optical fiber. Multiple channels are carried in the same fiber by assigning different optical wavelengths to each channel. Data is communicated within a particular channel by pulses of optical energy using the wavelength assigned to that channel.
The optical signals degrade over distance such that re-generation or re-amplification may be required. Moreover, the channels within a fiber tend to degrade at different rates. Accordingly, determination and regulation of optical power on a channel-by-channel basis is desirable.
One technique used to enable optical power measurement on a channel-by-channel basis is to assign and introduce a sinusoidal pilot tone into each channel. Within a given fiber, each channel has a pilot tone distinct from the pilot tone of any other channel for the purpose of power calculations. The presence and power of a given channel is inferred by the presence of the pilot tone associated with that channel in the composite optical signal.
The spectral components contributed by the data for any channel may interfere with the pilot tone associated with a selected channel. For example, spectral peaks introduced by the framing pattern at multiples of the data frame rate can be mistaken for the pilot tone of the associated channel or any other channel. The data may have recurring patterns that introduce spectral components indistinguishable from the pilot tone. The spectral contributions from the data carried by any channel can create a false indication of the power or presence of the pilot tone of a selected channel.
Optical network management is compromised as a result of the false indications. Loss of a channel may not be detected as a result of a false positive. Detecting and locating faults within the optical network is made more complicated as a result of the false indications. Incorrect estimates of the channel power due to the spectral contributions of the data can result in improper amplification of a selected channel thus reducing the quality of the selected channel.

Pilot tones for optical signal wavelength identification and power measurement

Abstract: Δ                                      f              f      m        ≈  1.1602produces a spectrum having a plurality of dominant components at least some of which have substantially the same amplitude. A method of detecting the presence of a selected pilot tone signature having a plurality n of dominant spectral components F1 . . . Fn includes generating a power spectrum P0(f). Sk(f) is calculated as a product of a plurality of frequency shifted versions of P0(f), where k∈{1 . . . n}. The existence of a dominant spectral component at Fk indicates the presence of the selected pilot tone signature.


A network receiver for a network using distributed clock synchronization and a method of adjusting a frequency of an internal clock of the network receiver are provided. The network receiver receives from the network an input signal and has an internal clock for generating a clock signal. The network receiver further includes a clock bit comparator and an adjustment signal generator. The clock bit comparator compares lengths of a first time period lapsed while receiving at least five consecutive bits of the signal and of an internal clock time interval representing the same number of bits as a number of bits of the first time period. The adjustment signal generator generates a frequency adjustment signal for controlling a frequency of the internal clock in dependence of a result of the comparison of the lengths to reduce a difference between the lengths.

Various communication networks and communication protocols do not have a central clock but use distributed clock synchronization. In distributed clock synchronization type of networks, devices are able to communicate with each other over, for example, a bus without sharing a (central) clock signal. In such networks and protocols each device has an internal clock which needs to have a certain accuracy such that the devices can communicate with each other via the bus. If the internal clocks operate, within certain tolerances, at the same frequency or, in other examples, at frequencies that relate to each other, a receiver is able to synchronize with the transmitter and decode the received data packet without errors.
The required tolerances may be met by crystal or ceramic oscillators. However, in specific applications it is required that an oscillator is implemented on an integrated circuit without external components is used and, thus, it is required to use of a fully integrated RC or LC oscillator. It is relatively difficult to implement an integrated oscillator which provides the required accuracy especially when a very wide range of operating temperatures and a life-time of the devices is taken into account. Furthermore, in the specific applications, the network devices with the internal oscillators may be required to use limited power and to be manufactured cost efficiently. Therefore, there is an incentive to use low precision clock source in devices of a network that uses distributed clock synchronization. However, if the clock sources do not operate within the tolerance limits defined in the network and communication protocol specifications, they cannot be used to reliably synchronize to the received data.
An example of a network/communication bus with distributed clock synchronization is the Controller Area Network (CAN, ISO 11898) which is a message based network that is often used in vehicles and is also used in industrial automation and medical equipment. The CAN standard is designed to allow digital devices to communicate with each other via a bus without the presence of a host computer. The CAN physical layer specification defines also CAN high-speed medium access units with selective wake-up (SWU) functionality. Such devices wake-up or wake-up another circuitry in response to receiving particular messages via the CAN bus. Most CAN SWU devices are low-power devices and need to be manufactured relatively cost-effective—thus, the CAN SWU devices preferably have a cost clock source, and, as previously discussed, low cost clock sources are often a low precision clock source.
US2012/0185721 describes a possible solution for reliable receiving information with CAN SWU devices that have a low precision clock source. The cited patent application proposes to use multiple timing engines that sample received bits with slightly different frequencies and a timing engine resolver which determines which one of the multiple timing engines correctly samples the received bits. A disadvantage of the proposed solution of the cited patent application is that a plurality of timing/sampling engines for sampling the received signal must be implemented. This implementation incurs silicon area and test penalties to the die costs of an integrated circuit on which the CAN SWU devices are implemented.

Network receiver for a network using distributed clock synchronization and a method of adjusting a frequency of an internal clock of the network receiver


One or more twin screw pumps prevent backflow of wetted powder and jamming of powder eductors. A twin screw pump at an exit of a powder eductor produces a vacuum in the eductor to prevent backflow. A twin screw pump in a liquid input line produces a strong liquid stream through the eductor. A viscous or recycled fluid bypasses the eductor or is pumped through the eductor using the twin screw pump in the eductor liquid input line. The twin screw pump at the eductor output reduces the eductor exit pressure and draws a viscous liquid stream from the eductor. The powder-laden stream is directed for processing or recycling.

There are many methods of incorporating powders into liquids on a continuous basis, but there are several challenges with the current methodologies. When powder is held in a hopper prior to being introduced into the liquid stream, there are often times when this hopper holding the powder sees contact with the liquid and results in the wetting of powder in the hopper. This wetting of the powder can cause a variety of problems which prevent the free flow of solids into the liquid stream into which the solids are to be incorporated. Backflow of liquid into the hopper usually occurs when downstream pressures increase as a result of increasing viscosity of the liquid stream or with when changes in downstream restrictions cause high downstream pressures. Incorporating powders into a high pressure line can also be a challenge.
These problems are common with eductor use and in systems that utilize liquid ring pumps to produce vacuum

Powder inductions utilizing positive displacement twin screw pump technology


A rolling mill facility includes a single or plural rolling mills having a pair of top and bottom work rolls and that roll strip steel and strip shape detecting devices installed at least on one side of the inlet and outlet sides of the rolling mill. The strip shape detecting devices consist of a single roller on which the metal strip gets wound and at least two bearing boxes one side or four bearing boxes on both sides with the bearing boxes supporting the roller in a free-to-rotate manner and at least two load cells on one side or four load cells on both sides for measuring the supporting load of each of the bearing boxes. From the load values measured by the load cells, the tension distribution of the strip is computed and that tension distribution is converted into the strip shape of the strip.

1. Field of Utilization in Industry
The present invention relates to rolling mill facilities having strip shape detection equipment, and in particular to, a rolling mill facility that has strip shape detection equipment having strip shape detecting devices installed at least on one of the inlet side and the outlet side of the rolling mill that rolls metal strips, permitting the measurement of the strip shape using such shape detected equipment, having a high productivity, and being ideally suitable for obtaining strips with excellent strip shape.
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, as has been described in pages 269-270 of xe2x80x9cTheory and Practice of Rollingxe2x80x9d published by The Iron and Steel Institute of Japan, the most widely used type is the segmented roller type in which shape detecting devices are installed in the shape detection equipment for measuring the strip shape after rolling the metal strip s, and the body part of the detection roller is segmented with a pitch of about 50 mm, the weight load on each of those rings is measured, and from them, the tension distribution is calculated, and from that tension distribution conversion is made to the strip shape of the strip thereby measuring strip shape of the strip. The accuracy in such segmented roller types will be high because they allow measurement of the direct tension distribution for each segment ring.
However, the following problems are present in said conventional technologies.
That is, since the strip shape detecting device of the conventional segmented roller type divides the body part of the rotating sensor roller into several segments and has a complicated construction in which different load cells are incorporated for each segment, although the detection accuracy is good, the device becomes extremely expensive. In addition, because of being of the segmented roller type, there is the fear of scratching the surface of the strip in each segment and of bad effects of thermal deformation due to heat transfer from the strip.
An object of the present invention is to provide a rolling mill facility having a strip shape detection equipment with a simple construction, and using which it is possible to measure easily the strip shape of the metal strip after rolling.
The rolling mill facility having strip shape detection equipment according to the present invention adopts the following construction in order to achieve the above object.
(1) Firstly, in the present invention, the rolling mill facility comprises at least one rolling mill having a pair of top and bottom work rolls that roll the strips, and a strip shape detection equipment in which a shape detecting device is installed at least on one of the inlet and outlet sides of the rolling mill, and the strip shape detecting device comprises one roller on which the metal strip is wound, at least two bearing boxes on one side and four bearing boxes on both sides provided on an operating side end section and a driving side end section, respectively, of that roller, and supporting the roller in a free-to-rotate manner, and at least two load cells on one side or four load cells on both sides, with the load cells being provided on the bearing boxes, respectively, and capable of measuring the supporting load on each of the bearing boxes.
By constructing such a strip shape detecting device with one roller, two bearing boxes on one side or four bearing boxes on both sides, and two load cells on one side or four load cells on both sides, the tension distribution of the strip can be calculated from the load values measured by the load cells, that tension distribution can be converted into the strip shape of the strip, thus indirectly measuring the strip shape of the strip, and hence it becomes possible to measure easily the strip shape of the metal strip after rolling with a simple construction.
In addition, since the roller is a non-segmented integrated construction roller, there is no problem of causing scratches on the surface of the strip, and also there are no bad effects of thermal deformation due to heat transfer from the strip, and hence the durability gets improved.
(2) In (1) above, preferably, the strip shape detection equipment is additionally provided with a means for calculating the tension distribution of the strip from the load values measured by the load cells of the strip shape detecting device, and for converting that tension distribution into the strip shape of the strip
Because of this, it is possible to carry out automatically and instantaneously the calculation of the strip shape after measuring the load values.
(3) Further, in (2) above, preferably, the means for calculating the strip shape of the strip converts to the strip shape of the operation side half of the strip from the load measured by the two load cells provided in the bearing boxes on the operation side end section of the strip shape detector, and converts to the strip shape of the driving side half of the strip from the load measured by the two load cells provided in the bearing boxes on the driving side end section of the strip shape detector.
Because of this, it is possible to calculate the entire strip shape.
(4) Further, in (1) above, preferably, the strip shape detecting devices respectively on the two bearing boxes on each side are provided additionally with a means on any one bearing box out of the two bearing boxes on each side for applying pre-load on the bearing box in the direction of the supporting load.
Because of this, since it becomes possible to kill the gap between the bearing box and the load cell, it will be possible to measure the load using load cells with a good accuracy.
(5) In (1) above, preferably, said shape detection equipment is additionally provided with an edge position detecting device that detects the amount of meandering movement of the strip, and a means that not only calculates the operating side plate width range and the driving side plate width range according to the detected value from that edge position detecting device, but also converts to the strip shape of the plate width range of the strip on the operation side from the load measured by the two load cells provided on the bearing boxes in the operation side end section of said shape detecting device, and converts to the strip shape of the plate width range of the strip on the driving side from the load measured by the two load cells provided on the bearing boxes in the driving side end section of said shape detecting device.
Because of this, even when there is meandering movement of the plate, it will be possible to detect the shape by compensating for that meandering movement.
(6) In (1) above, preferably, the strip shape detection equipment is additionally provided with a displacement measurement means that measures the roller surface displacement in the tension supporting direction at at least one location of the roller of the strip shape detecting device, and a means for calculating the tension distribution of the strip from the load measured by the load cells of the strip shape detecting device and the values measured by the displacement measurement means, and converts that tension distribution into the strip shape of the strip.
Because of this, it will be possible to detect shapes of compound buckle in addition to center buckle and edge buckle shapes.
(7) In (1) above, preferably, the rolling mill facility is provided with a control means that carries out feedback control of the strip shape controlling means of the rolling mill so that the difference between the shape measured by the strip shape detecting device on the outlet side of the rolling mill equipment and the previously set target strip shape becomes small.
Because of this, it will be possible to increase the acceleration rate at the time of starting the rolling operation, and also to increase the production efficiency because the frequency of strip exhaustion gets decreased.
(8) Further, in the present invention, the rolling mill facility comprises at least one rolling mill having a pair of top and bottom work rolls that roll the strips, and a strip shape detection equipment in which a shape detecting device is installed at least on one of the inlet and outlet sides of the rolling mill, the strip shape detecting device comprises one roller on which the metal strip is wound, and at least two bearing boxes on one side and four bearing boxes on both sides provided on an operating side end section and the driving side end section, respectively, of that roller, and supporting the roller in a free-to-rotate manner, and the strip shape detection equipment measures the supporting load on the bearing boxes of the strip shape detecting devices and the supporting moment, calculates the tension distribution of the strip from these measured values, and converts that tension distribution into the strip shape of the strip.
Because of this, it will be possible to calculate the tension distribution of the strip, to convert that tension distribution into the strip shape of the strip, thus indirectly measuring the strip shape of the strip, and hence to measure easily the strip shape of the metal strip after rolling with a simple construction.
In addition, since the roller is a non-segmented integrated construction roller, there is no problem of causing scratches on the surface of the strip, and also there are no bad effects of thermal deformation due to heat transfer from the strip, and hence the durability gets improved.
(9) Further, in the present invention, the rolling mill facility comprises at least one rolling mill having a pair of top and bottom work rolls that roll the strips, and a strip shape detection equipment in which a strip shape detecting device is installed at least on one of the inlet and outlet sides of the rolling mill, the strip shape detecting device comprises one roller on which the metal strip is wound, and at least one bearing box on one side and two bearing boxes on both sides, provided on the operating side end section and the driving side end section, respectively, of that roller, and supporting the roller in a free-to-rotate manner, and the strip shape detection equipment approximates the tension distribution of the strip using a function in the plate width direction and having several unknown coefficients, and measures the same number of parameters as the number of unknown coefficients among the parameters of the supporting load on the bearing boxes, the supporting moment on the bearing boxes, the deflection of the roller, the deflection angle of the roller, and/or the roller bending stress, and prepares condition equations equal in number to the number of the unknown coefficients from these measured values, computes the unknown coefficients and calculates the strip tension distribution, and converts that tension distribution into the strip shape of the strip.
Because of this, it will be possible to calculate the tension distribution of the strip, to convert that tension distribution into the strip shape of the strip, thus indirectly measuring the strip shape of the strip, and hence to measure easily the strip shape of the metal strip after rolling with a simple construction.
In addition, since the roller is a non-segmented integrated construction roller, there is no problem of causing scratches on the surface of the strip, and also there are no bad effects of thermal deformation due to heat transfer from the strip, and hence the durability gets improved.

Rolling mill facility with strip shape detection equipment, strip shape detection device, strip shape detection method and rolling method


A control apparatus connected to the plurality of image processing apparatuses by way of a network judges whether to apply current to a data processing unit held by the image processing apparatus based on a predetermined current application judging rule and transmits a result of judgment to the image processing apparatus. Each image processing apparatus, in the case of receiving the result of judgment of whether to apply current to the data processing unit through a NIC from the control apparatus, controls a current application state of the data processing unit based on the result of judgment. The data processing unit is divided in a plurality of functional blocks, and the current application to the data processing unit is controlled, functional block by functional block.

In general, an image processing apparatus, such as a multifunctional peripheral (MFP) including a printer, scanner, facsimile machine, and copier or functions thereof, includes a communicating unit (such as a NIC (Network Interface Card) or modem (Modulator-Demodulator)) that communicates with an external apparatus (such as a computer or other image processing apparatuses) through a communication medium such as a network or telephone lines. Some of such image processing apparatuses include a function (hereinafter, a sleep function) for shifting to a power saving state (generally, referred to as a sleep mode) with lower power consumption than a normal operation state (hereinafter, an operating state) if no operation is performed for an operation input unit included in the image processing apparatus and no data are received from the external apparatus through the communicating unit for a certain time period or more. In the power saving state, for example, energization (power supply) is discontinued for a fixing device including a heater and devices such as a control circuit, while the communicating unit is often maintained in an energized state. This is because in the power saving state, energization of devices in a non-energized state is resumed automatically in response to a request from the external apparatus to allow the devices to automatically return to the operating state. For example, in an image forming apparatus shown in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H8(1996)-101606, when an energized communicating unit receives a print request in a power saving state, the entire apparatus is applied with current to form an image in accordance with the received print request.
The requests from the external apparatuses include various requests such as a print request that requests to form an image on a recording paper sheet, an image scan request that requests to read an image formed on a document, and a request for performing processing of accessing a storage unit such as a hard disk included in the image processing apparatus to manipulate a data file (hereinafter, a data filing processing). The data filing processing may be processing of writing or updating data, reading data, erasing data, and changing data file names, for example.
On the other hand, in an image forming apparatus shown in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-186425, when an energized controller receives an access request for a hard disk from an external apparatus through a network in a power saving state, energization of the hard disk is started to perform the requested processing.
In an MFP shown in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-63101, when a print request is received through an external interface in a power saving state where a sub-CPU and the external interface are supplied with electric power from a subsidiary power supply, the sub-CPU supplies electric power to a main CPU controlling the entire apparatus to perform printing.
However, when a number of image processing apparatuses held by corporations, etc., individually have a function of setting a condition of shifting to a power saving state and a condition of returning from the power saving state, there has been a problem that a work of setting these conditions individually at these apparatuses is burdensome and at the same time, overall power saving control is hard to achieve.
There has also been a problem that when an apparatus, while in the power saving state, is requested to perform some processing by an external apparatus through a communicating unit or by an operation to a predetermined operation unit, constantly responding to such request by starting application of current to many devices not current-applied and executing the requested processing do not sufficiently achieve sufficient electric power saving.
Furthermore, there has been a problem that when, in a situation where each of many image processing apparatuses is in a power saving state, judgment is made of whether to return to an operating state depending on the situation such as contents of the incoming request for processing, each of many image processing apparatuses, even in the power saving state, must keep a calculating device of making various kinds of judgment in a current-applied state, and sufficient power saving can not be achieved.

Image processing apparatus, control apparatus thereof, and image processing system that manages component power individually


A shift register having a plurality of stages in which each of the stages includes: an input circuit part arranged to receive an input signal; an exclusive OR circuit arranged to generate a toggle signal by an exclusive OR operation on a non-inversion output and an inversion output of the input circuit part; and an output circuit part arranged to supply one of a clock signal and a feedback signal from an output terminal to the output terminal and an input terminal of the next stage in response to the toggle signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device and more particularly to a shift register with low capacitance loading with overlapping outputs and a liquid crystal display device using the same.
1. Discussion of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display device controls the light transmittance of liquid crystal cells in accordance with a video signal to display a picture.
In an active matrix type liquid crystal display device, active switching devices are used to control the electric fields in each liquid crystal cell to control the light transmittance of the cell. By controlling the active switching devices, moving images can be displayed. Thin film transistors (hereinafter, referred to as 'TFTs') are primarily used as the switching devices in an active matrix type liquid crystal display device.
A liquid crystal display device of the related art, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a liquid crystal display panel 2 having a plurality of data lines 5 crossing a plurality of gate lines 6 with TFTs for driving liquid crystal cells formed at the crossings of the gate and data lines; a data driver 3 for supplying data to the data lines 5; a gate driver 4 for supplying a scan pulse to the gate lines 6; and a timing controller 1 for controlling the data driver 3 and the gate driver 4.
The liquid crystal display panel 2 includes liquid crystal injected between two glass substrates. The data lines 5, gate lines 6 and TFTs are formed on a lower of the two glass substrates. The TFTs supply the data from the data lines 5 to the liquid crystal cell in response to the scan pulse from the gate lines 6. To this end, a gate electrode of the TFT is connected to the gate line 6, a source electrode is connected to the data line 5, and, a drain electrode of the TFT is connected to a pixel electrode of the liquid crystal cell Clc. Further, a storage capacitor Cst for maintaining the voltage of the liquid crystal cell is formed on the lower glass substrate of the liquid crystal display panel
The data driver 3 includes a plurality of data integrated circuits hereinafter, referred to as 'ICs'), and each of the data ICs includes a shift register; a register for temporarily storing stretched digital video data RGB from the timing controller 1; a latch for storing the data line by line and outputting the stored data of one line at the same time in response to a clock signal from the shift register; a digital/analog converter for selecting a positive/negative analog gamma compensation voltage in correspondence to a digital data value from the latch; a multiplexer for selecting the data line 5 to which the positive/negative gamma compensation voltage is supplied; and an output buffer connected between the multiplexer and the data line. The data driver 3 supplies the digital video data RGB from the timing controller 1 to the data lines 5 of the liquid crystal display panel 7.
The gate driver 4 includes a shift register for sequentially generating a scan pulse in response to a gate control signal GDC from the timing controller 1; a level shifter for shifting a swing width of the scan pulse to a level suitable for driving the liquid crystal cell Clc; and an output buffer. The gate driver 4 supplies the scan pulse to the gate line 6 to turn on the TFTs connected to the gate line 6, thereby selecting the liquid crystal cells Clc of a horizontal line to which a pixel voltage of the data, i.e., analog gamma compensation voltage, is to be supplied. The data generated from the data driver 3 are supplied to the liquid crystal cell Clc of the horizontal line selected by the scan pulse.
The timing controller 1 receives a digital video data RGB, a horizontal synchronization signal H, a vertical synchronization signal H, and a clock signal CLK to generate a gate control signal GDC for controlling the gate driver 4 and a data control signal DDC for controlling the data driver 3. Further, the timing controller 1 supplies the data RGB to the data driver 3.
On the other hand, in order to reduce the number of integrated circuits of the data driver, as shown in FIG. 2, there has been proposed a liquid crystal display device having common bus lines 201 to 240 connected to an output terminal of the data register 21 in a one-to-one relationship, and a channel selecting part 24 and a sampling & holding part 23 disposed between the common bus lines 201 to 240 and the data lines DL1 to DL42. A plurality of data output bus lines are formed in each of the common bus lines 201 to 240. For example, the first and 41st data output bus lines 301, 341 are connected to the first common bus line 201. The channel selecting part 24 includes a plurality of switch devices 24A that are connected to the data output bus lines 301 in the one-to-one relationship. The switch devices 24A for the channel selecting part 24 may be realized using CMOS structures and are sequentially turned on in response to the control signal from the shift register 22, thereby acting to supply the data from the data output bus lines 301 to the sampling & holding part 23. The sampling & holding part 23 sequentially samples and holds the data from the channel selecting part 24, and then simultaneously supplies the held data to the data lines DL1 to DL42.
A shift register for making the switch devices 24A of the channel selecting part 24 sequentially operated may be realized as shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 5.
FIG. 3 illustrates a stage configuration for a shift register 22 allowing overlapped output pulses. FIG. 4 illustrates input/output waveforms of the shift register 22 shown in FIG. 3.
Referring to FIG. 3 and 4, an arbitrary stage of the shift register 22 includes a first inverter type tri-state buffer 31, a first latch 37, a second inverter type tri-state buffer 34 and a second latch 38 disposed in cascade between an input terminal and an output terminal. Each stage of the shift register 22 outputs a start pulse or an output pulse (in) of a previous stage by delaying it for as much as one clock period in response to first and second clock signals (cka, ckb) which have opposite phases, and generates the output pulse (in) which overlaps the output pulse (in) of the previous stage by as much as one clock period.
The first clock signal (ckb) is inputted to a non-inversion control terminal of the first inverter type tri-state buffer 31 and the second clock signal (cka) is inputted to an inversion control terminal of the first inverter type tri-state buffer 31. The start pulse or the output pulse (in) of the previous stage is inputted to the input terminal. The first inverter type tri-state buffer 31 inverts the output pulse (in) of the previous stage or the start pulse to supply to the first latch 37 when the first clock signal (cka) of logic high is supplied to the non-inversion control terminal and the second clock signal (ckb) of logic low is supplied to the inversion control terminal. The first inverter type tri-state buffer 31 is changed to a high impedance state so as not to transmit the start pulse of the output pulse (in) of the previous stage to the first latch 37 when the first clock signal (cka) a logic low level is supplied to the non-inversion control terminal or the second clock signal (ckb) of logic high level is supplied to the inversion control terminal.
The first latch 37 includes a first inverter 32 and a third inverter type tri-state buffer 33 which are connected within a closed loop between the first inverter type tri-state buffer 31 and the second inverter type tri-state buffer 34. The first latch 37 latches the output of logic high, inverts the output and supplies the inverted output to the second inverter type tri-state buffer 34 when the output of the first inverter type tri-state buffer 31 is at logic high.
The second inverter type tri-state buffer 34 inverts the output from the first latch 37 to supply to the second latch when the second clock signal (ckb) of a logic high level is supplied to the non-inversion control terminal and the first clock signal (cka) of logic low level is supplied to the inversion control terminal at the same time.
The second latch 38 includes a second inverter 35 and a fourth inverter type tri-state buffer 36 which are connected within a closed loop between the second inverter type tri-state buffer 34 and an output terminal. The second latch 38 latches the output of logic high, inverts the output, and supplies the inverted output to the output terminal and simultaneously generates a start pulse (In+1) for the next shift register stage when the output of the second inverter type tri-state buffer 34 is at a logic high level.
As shown in FIG. 4, the outputs S1 to S42 of the stages are shifted while being overlapped by as much as one clock period. The outputs S1 to S42 sequentially turn on the switch devices 24A that are included in the channel selecting part 24 shown in FIG. 2.
The shift register configured with the stages as illustrated in FIG. 3 has an advantage that the operating speed of the channel selecting part 24 can be increased by the amount of the overlapping period between the shifted outputs. On the other hand, such a shift register has a problem that a capacitance between the gate terminal and the source/drain is relatively high because a clock signal line is connected to the gate terminal of an MOS TFT used for each of the inverter type tri-state buffers. The high capacitance generates signal delays that limit the usable frequency of the clock signal. Further, the high capacitance causes increased power consumption if the drive voltage is increased to operate at high speeds.
FIG. 5 illustrates one stage a shift register 22 having a configuration in which the output pulses are not overlapped.
Referring to FIG. 5, an arbitrary stage of the shift register 22 includes a first multiplexer 51, an OR circuit 52, a second multiplexer 53, and first to fifth inverters 54 to 58.
Each of the multiplexers 51 and 53 has a circuit configuration in which two transmission gates are symmetrically connected, and the multiplexer outputs an input signal applied to a first input terminal (in1) when a logic high signal is supplied to a non-inversion control terminal but outputs an input signal applied to a second input terminal (in2) when a logic high signal is supplied to an inversion control terminal.
The OR circuit 52 includes an NOR gate having two input terminals and an inverter. The output of the first inverter 54 is supplied to the second input terminal of the NOR gate as feedback and the output of the first multiplexer 51 is supplied to the first input terminal of the NOR gate. The OR circuit inverter inverts the output of the NOR gate. The OR circuit 52 generates an output which is a logical sum (OR) of the two input terminals to the NOR gate.
The shift register 22, using the shift register stages illustrated in FIG. 5, has an advantage that the capacitance load is low because the clock signal line is connected to the source/drain terminal of the MOS TFT which constitutes the transmission gate and because most of the MOS TFTs are in an off state during operation. However, a shift register 22 employing register stages as illustrated in FIG. 5 has the problem that outputs cannot be overlapped.

Shift register and liquid crystal display device using the same


A programmable timer circuit that can be connected directly to the fan switch of any thermostat with a forced air heating and/or cooling system that includes a blower fan for circulating air throughout the home. A programmable timer circuit that can be connected directly to any thermostat used in a hot-water heated home with a boiler and pump for circulating hot water through the heating system. The timer can be installed with no modifications to the existing wiring and has interchangeable leads to make installation quick and easy. The present invention increases the efficiency of the heating/cooling system, and in homes with auxiliary heat sources, circulates the warm air throughout the home to increase comfort levels. The present invention is programmable with a single button. A method of circulating hot air and/or hot water throughout a home using the timer device of the present invention.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a programmable timer circuit that can be connected directly to the fan switch of any thermostat with a forced air heating and/or cooling system that includes a blower fan for circulating air throughout the home. The present invention also relates to a programmable timer circuit that can be connected directly to any thermostat used in a hot-water heated home with a boiler and pump for circulating hot water through the heating system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In homes that use an auxiliary heat source such as a wood, gas or pellet stove or a fireplace, the air in the room in which the heat source is located can become quite warm while the temperature in the rest of the home is exceedingly cool. This temperature differential can be uncomfortable to the homeowner. In the case of a home with hot-water-based heat, including radiant and/or baseboard heat, and an auxiliary heat source, the thermostat can report that the main part of the home is sufficiently warm and never call for hot water to circulate through the system, even though other parts of the home are quite cool. This circumstance can cause pipes associated with the heating system to freeze and burst because the water in them is never circulated. The present invention solves both of these problems by periodically circulating hot air or hot water, depending upon the home's heating system, throughout the home.
Mobile home owners experience similar problems. The pipes for mobile homes run underneath the home and receive heat from the furnace. If the mobile home has an auxiliary heat source, the thermostat never calls for heat from the furnace. In that event, the water pipes can freeze and burst because they are not receiving warm air from the furnace. The present invention periodically circulates the air from inside the mobile home to the area underneath the home, thereby preventing the pipes from freezing.
There are a number of patented inventions that relate generally to furnace or air conditioning control systems, but none that provides the unique features and ease of use of the present invention. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,482 (Vogelzang, 1989) discloses an air temperature conditioning system comprising a thermostat, a remotely located air temperature conditioning apparatus, a circuit means of connecting the thermostat to the air temperature conditioning apparatus, a fan connected to the conditioning apparatus, and a cycling means that is connected to the fan and that is controlled by a switch on the thermostat. The patent also provides an improvement in a space temperature control system wherein a remote temperature conditioning apparatus is controlled by a manual switch on the thermostat, the fan operates independently of the temperature conditioning apparatus, and a circuit means is connected to the manual switch to allow the fan to operate even when the temperature conditioning apparatus is not operating. Unlike the present invention, the invention covered by the Vogelzang patent cannot be retrofitted to an existing thermostat, and it requires wiring modifications that the present invention does not.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,044 (Flanders et al., 1989) provides a heating and cooling control system that works by energizing a fan or other fluid circulating device to circulate fluid and effect thermal transfer of energy from the fluid to the spaces being heated and by deenergizing the circulating means at a selected time interval after deenergization of the heating and control system. The patent also claims a heating control system comprising a switching means to effect energization of the fluid circulating means, a switching control means that is energizable in response to operation of the control circuit, and an additional circuit means that energizes the switching control means a selected time interval after deenergization of the heating system. The invention covered by this patent is intended to increase the time the fan is turned on after a heating cycle to improve energy efficiency. It is distinguishable from the present invention because it does not periodically circulate the blower, and it also requires the breaking of the fan circuitry. It also draws power continuously from the gas solenoid through a 680 ohm resistor, and this method has proven to be problematic in practice. The invention cannot be used to keep pipes from freezing in a boiler system, whereas the present invention can.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,880 (Bellis, 1992) discloses a solid state control circuit for use in connection with existing low-voltage thermostat terminals of a central, forced-air, air conditioning system having a compressor and an indoor blower and gas-fired or electrical heating elements. The invention relates generally to systems for increasing the efficiency of air conditioning units by continuing the blower running time after the compressor is turned off. Specifically, the patent claims an air conditioning control unit comprising a low voltage room thermostat fan terminal, a low voltage compressor relay terminal, a timing circuit means, a sensitive gate triac, and a power triac. The patent also claims a method for controlling the on-off time of an indoor fan that is controlled by and associated with an indoor thermostat for a room air conditioning system. This invention is distinguishable from the present invention because it does not cycle the fan but only lengthens the duration after a heat cycle. In addition, this invention, like the Flanders invention, has to be inserted into the existing circuit and thus can cause problems with the heating and cooling system if it fails.
The invention described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,017 (Rudd, 1996) is a system for controlling the operation of the circulating fan of a closed central air conditioning (CAC) system. The system periodically activates and deactivates only the circulating fan after a preselected delay time from the normal running of the cooling and heating modes of the CAC system, and the cooling and heating modes of the CAC system operate independently of the fan recycling control. This invention differs from the present invention because it requires connection to the air circulation system, whereas the present invention only requires connection to the thermostat. Furthermore, the timer function of the Rudd invention is not user programmable, but the timer of the present invention is.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,233 (Noto, 1996) relates to a timer circuit and power outlet control circuit for augmenting control and regulating operation of the blower fan in a forced air heating and cooling system. The only independent claim covers an improvement to existing technology comprising coupling a timer device into a forced air heating and cooling system and programming the timer device to delay cessation of the blower fan operation and to maintain the blower fan in operation for a limited finite time period after the cooler or heater ceases operation. Unlike the present invention, this invention is not user programmable, and it has no user interface. It requires insertion of the invention into the circuit by re-routing the wire that normally connects to the fan switch. It requires a power source and, therefore, cannot mount directly to the thermostat. Another difference between this invention and the present invention is that the present invention entails only two wires, and the wires can be connected on either side of the fan switch (in other words, each terminal on the unit is interchangeable). With the Noto invention, the wires need to be connected in a certain way to certain terminals.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,639 (Toth, 2001), the inventor describes an electronic programmable thermostat with different modes of fan operations, including an automatic mode, a time mode, and a continuous mode. In the automatic mode, the air-circulating fan is operated based on temperature-related demands of the climate control system. In the time mode, the fan is operated based on the time of day. In the continuous mode, the fan is operated continuously. The invention is an improvement comprising a user-selectable temporary fan-on mode of operating the air-circulating fan in which the air-circulating fan is operated only once for a pre-selected period of time. Once the fan runs for a predetermined amount of time, operation of the fan returns to being controlled by a regular thermostat. Whereas the present invention is an addition to an existing thermostat, the Toth invention is a thermostat device. The device provides a temporary period of operation, not periodic cycling as with the present invention.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,572,338 provides a modular timer for an air circulator that energizes an air circulator motor for a predetermined amount of time. A selector switch controls the timer setting of the timer such that the time period corresponds to at least one time period of a work shift. This patent relates to a timer that attaches to an external fan and is not connected to a thermostat as part of the heating/cooling system. The present invention attaches to the thermostat and becomes part of the heating/cooling system.
The main objects of the present invention are:
(1) to provide a thermostat or boiler timer device that does not require any special power connection;
(2) to design the device such that each terminal on the unit is interchangeable for purposes of connecting the device to the fan or thermostat switch;
(3) to eliminate the necessity of any wiring modifications to accommodate the device; and
(4) to restart the timing cycle automatically when the thermostat calls for heat or cooling on its own.


A quick connect fluid coupling is provided for use with a fuel tank having an outwardly extending tubular and cylindrical nipple and which the nipple has a radially inwardly extending recess at a position spaced from its outer end. The coupling includes a tubular and cylindrical body which is open at each end and which is dimensioned to slidably extend over the nipple to a connected position. The body includes a plurality of elongated and circumferentially spaced slots formed radially through the body and these slots register with the nipple recess when the body is in its connected position. An elongated arcuate retainer is positioned within each slot and is radially movable between an inner locked position in which a portion of the retainer is positioned in the nipple recess, and an outer unlocked position in which the retainers are positioned outside the nipple recess thereby allowing the body to move axially with respect to the fuel tank nipple. A tubular and cylindrical locking ring is positioned coaxially around the body and is movable between an extended and a retracted position. The locked ring includes an inner cam surface which radially moves the retainers from their unlocked position to their locked position as the locking ring is moved from its retracted to its extended position.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to fluid coupling and, more particularly, to a quick connect fluid coupling for a fuel tank.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Fuel tanks of the type used on automotive vehicles typically include an outwardly extending nipple which is fluidly connected with the fill tube for the automotive vehicle. The fill tube is then used to fill the fuel tank in the conventional fashion.
Although there have been a number of previously known ways for attaching the fill tube to the fuel tank nipple, all of these previously known attachment methods require assembly time on the automotive assembly line. This necessarily increases the overall labor cost of the vehicle.
A still further disadvantage of these previously known fuel tanks and fill tubes is that access between the fuel tank nipple and the fuel tube is limited on many automotive vehicles. This further increases the difficulty and time required to connect the fuel tube to the fuel tank nipple thus further increasing assembly time and vehicle cost.


An A/D converter updates its reference potential so that it coincides with an analog potential of a video signal. The A/D converter changes a variable voltage range of the reference potential during the same horizontal synchronizing period based upon a horizontal synchronizing signal. It is possible to correctly discriminate data superposed on the video signal even if an analog potential of the video signal considerably varies during the same horizontal synchronizing period.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data acquisition circuit for acquiring data superposed on a video signal.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a conventional data acquisition circuit.
Referring to FIG. 11, reference numeral 1 denotes an A/D converter for updating its reference potential so that the reference potential coincides with an analog potential of a video signal and outputting a digital value corresponding to the reference potential, reference numeral 2 a 0/1 judgment circuit for comparing the digital value outputted from the A/D converter 1 with a predetermined judgment reference value to convert the digital value into binary code and reference numeral 3 a memory for storing therein the binary-coded digital value ("0" or "1") obtained by the 0/1 judgment circuit 2.
FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the A/D converter 1.
Referring to FIG. 12, reference numeral 11 denotes a D/A converter for updating the reference potential in accordance with a compared result obtained by a comparator 14 and outputting the updated reference potential, reference numerals 12 and 13 limiting resistors for limiting the variable voltage range of the reference potential and reference numeral 14 a comparator for comparing the reference potential whose variable voltage range is limited by the limiting resistors 12 and 13 with the analog potential of the video signal and outputting the digital value corresponding to the reference potential when the reference potential coincides with the analog potential.
Next, the operation of the conventional data acquisition circuit will be described.
First, the A/D converter 1 receives a video signal as an analog signal and successively updates its reference potential so that the reference potential coincides with the analog potential of the video signal. When the analog potential of the video signal coincides with the reference potential, the A/D converter 1 outputs a digital value corresponding to the reference potential.
Specifically, when the D/A converter 11 in the A/D converter 1 outputs the reference potential, the comparator 14 in the A/D converter 1 compares the reference potential whose variable voltage range is limited by the limiting resistors 12 and 13 with the analog potential of the video signal.
The comparator 14 outputs a control signal instructing a raising of the reference potential to the D/A converter 11 when the reference potential is lower than the analog potential of the video signal and outputs a control signal instructing a lowering of the reference potential to the D/A converter 11 when the reference potential is higher than the analog potential of the video signal.
Further, the comparator 14 outputs the digital value corresponding to the reference potential when the reference potential coincides with the analog potential of the video signal.
The reason why the limiting resistors 12 and 13 are connected to the output side of the D/A converter 11 is as follows.
In a case of 6-bit A/D converter 1, for example, when the variable voltage of the reference potential outputted from the D/A converter 11 ranges from 0 to 5 V, the resolution per 1 bit is 0.079 V and if the limiting resistors 12 and 13 are connected thereto to limit the variable voltage of the reference potential with the range from 1 to 3 V, the resolution per 1 bit comes to 0.032 V and the resolution per 1 bit increases by a factor of about 2.5.
When the A/D converter 1 outputs the digital value in the manner as described above, the 0/1 judgment circuit 2 compares the digital value with the predetermined judgment reference value.
Then, when the digital value is larger than the predetermined judgment reference value, the 0/1 judgment circuit 2 stores "1" into the memory 3. Otherwise, the 0/1 judgment circuit 2 stores "0" into the memory 3.
The conventional data acquisition circuit thus configured as above improves the resolution per 1 bit, but if a video signal having an analog potential out of the variable voltage range of the reference potential is inputted (for example, a video signal having an analog potential of 4 V is inputted when the variable voltage ranges from 1 to 3 V), the conventional circuit does not properly acquire data superposed on the video signal, or the like.

Data acquisition circuit which changes a range of a reference potential

Mitsubishi Electric System LSI Design Corporation