A pre-form and a method of preparing pre-forms are provided. The pre-forms comprise a resin and at least three layers of oriented fiber tows. The pre-forms comprise fiber tows instead of the traditional prepregs to enhance rearranging of resin and/or fibers during subsequent processing as well as provide greater freedom, a price reduction and/or a reduction of waste. The pre-forms may be formed three-dimensionally to enhance coupling to further pre-forms or other structures and/or to enhance shaping of the pre-form to a final three-dimensional shape. The method of preparation of pre-forms involves providing an adhesive between layers of fibers and providing a resin in contact with at least one of the layers of fibers. The resin is preferably provided in a non-continuous layer to allow for removal of gas at least partially in a direction orthogonal to the layers of resin. Advantageously, during manufacturing, the fibers are placed with an exact start and ending location, thereby avoiding waste. The pre-forms are suitable for preparation of composite structures like for example spars for wind turbine blades.

Pre-forms comprising resin and fibres are known in the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,139,942 discloses a pre-form with a stack of partially impregnated fabric and un-impregnated fabric. The layers of such a stack may slide before curing and may hence be difficult to handle. It is suggested to use cross-ply stitching to prevent this. However, this process is tedious and may introduce undesirable restrictions to the shape of the stack during curing.
EP 0 475 883 also discloses a pre-form with a plurality of oriented fibre layers. However, the pre-form requires infusion of a resin to cure which may be time-consuming and to some extent prevent rearranging of the fibres and resin during curing.
WO 02/090089 discloses a moulding material having a ventilating structure in the otherwise continuous resin layers. The ventilating structure is designed to allow gas to be removed from the moulding material during processing in the plane of the resin and/or in the plane of the reinforcement material. As the ground plan of the moulding material increases, this will become a still less safe way to remove gas from the moulding material due to the increasing risk of plugging during processing.
EP 0 033 224 concerns a material for forming fibre reinforced structures with a thermoplastic resin. The thermoplastic resin is provided by passing the fibres through a bath with thermoplastic resin or by mixing dry fibres with thermoplastic fibres and heat the collection From these coated fibres is formed a fabric by weaving or knitting. The description specifically teaches away from the use thermosetting resins.
EP 1 145 841 concerns a material consisting of "fibre bundle layers." Each fibre bundle layer consists of apparently fully wetted fibre bundles and thermosetting resin and the individual layers are oriented so that the fibres of different layers are oriented differently.
DE 198 09 264 concerns a material consisting of a number of fibre layers, each layer having an individual orientation, and a melting adhesive. The preferred and only described melting adhesives are thermoplastic adhesives ("Schmelzklebereblide aus thermoplastischem Polymermaterial", page 3, lines 3-7).


The present invention relates to the discovery that an increased fraction of albumin is carbamylated in patients suffering from kidney disease (e.g., end-stage renal disease) and that the fraction of carbamylated albumin is also correlated with increased disease severity, particularly risk of mortality. The present invention also relates to the discovery that free amino acids can reduce carbamylation of albumin. Based on these discoveries the present invention provides diagnostic and prognostic methods for patients suffering from, or suspected of suffering from kidney disease. The invention also provides methods for treating kidney disease by administration of a compound or composition that reduced protein carbamylation, such as free amino acids or dipeptides.

The invention relates to diagnostic, prognostic, and treatment methods for subjects suffering from kidney disease.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is estimated to affect 5-10% of adults in industrialized countries, such as the United States (Eknoyan et al., Kidney Int. 66:1310-4, 2004). Loss of renal function results in retention of excess water and metabolic wastes including urea. Intermittent hemodialysis (HD) is the mainstay of therapy for most patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESRD); however, mortality rates even after initiating HD remain distressingly high (de Jager et al., JAMA 302:1782-9, 2009). Attempts to optimize HD therapy by increasing patients' dose of dialysis have produced disappointing results in some instances (Eknoyan et al., N. Engl. J. Med. 347:2010-9, 2002), raising the question of whether effective clearance of soluble waste products is the only thing that these patients are lacking. Chronic uremia is associated with drastically increased cardiovascular risk (Lancet 2:1150-1, 1981). Individuals with CKD are 10-20 times likelier to die of cardiovascular causes than to survive long enough to require dialysis (Foley et al., Am. J. Kidney Dis. 32:S112-9, 1998). Proximate reasons for this association have been identified—accelerated atherosclerosis, hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy—but the root causes linking CKD to cardiovascular disease (CVD) remain poorly understood (Lindner et al., N. Engl. J. Med. 290:697-701, 1974; Foley et al., Kidney Int. 47:186-92, 1995). Notably, the strongest and most validated pharmacologic means of modifying cardiovascular risk, cholesterol reduction with statins, does not appear to change outcomes in patients with ESRD (Wanner et al., N. Engl. J. Med. 353:238-48, 2005, Fellstrom et al., N. Engl. J. Med. 360:1395-407, 2009). This finding further suggests the existence of other mechanisms linking CKD to CVD (Karumanchi et al., Nat. Med. 16:38-40, 2010).
The clinical significance of chronically elevated urea concentrations in ESRD subjects remains controversial. Past studies have shown that average blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels are not reliable predictors of mortality in CKD patients (Johnson et al., Mayo Clin. Proc. 47:21-9, 1972; Chertow et al., Kidney Int. 56:1872-8, 1999; Stosovic et al., Ren. Fail. 31:335-40, 2009), and although intermittent hemodialysis significantly reduces patients' average blood urea levels, the HEMO study found that increasing the dose of hemodialysis (as evidenced by increased equilibrated Kt/V) conferred no measurable survival benefit to these patients (Eknoyan et al., N. Engl. J. Med. 347:2010-9, 2002).
Thus, there is a need for improved diagnostic and prognostic methods for patients suffering from kidney disease, as well as methods for treating such patients.

Diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of kidney disease

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Inc.


A method for reducing radar cross section of an object that has conductive portions and that is expected to be scanned by radar, which includes providing the object with a multiple layer radar cross section reducing structure that reduces or entraps or dissipates radar waves therein so that the size or configuration of the object cannot be correctly detected by radar scanning. The invention also relates to the radar cross section reducing structure alone or associated with an object such as a vehicle that transports personnel or equipment. The structure can be provided on an object that previously has no stealth capability or it can be applied to an object that already has stealth capability for increasing its capability to prevent correct detection by radar scanning.

Radar, an acronym for "Radio Detection and Ranging", systems was originally developed many years ago but did not turn into a useful technology until World War II.
One component of a basic radar system is typically a transmitter subsystem which sends out pulse of high frequency electromagnetic energy for a short duration. The frequencies are typically in the Gigahertz (GHz) range of billions of cycles per second. When such a pulse encounters a vehicle made of conducting material (such as metal), a portion of the energy from the incoming pulse is reflected back. If this reflected energy is of a sufficient magnitude, it may be detected by the receiver subsystem of the radar. The computer subsystem which controls the radar system knows when the pulse was transmitted and when the reflected pulse is received. This computer is capable of calculating the round-trip time, t, between the transmitted and received pulses of this electromagnetic energy. These pulses travel at roughly the speed of light, c, which is approximately 186,000 miles/sec (299,999 km/sec). This distance, D, to the detected target is:D=ct/2Examples of current radars and their associated operating frequency bands and uses are as follows:
LowerUpperNominalBandfrequency (GHz)frequency (GHz)wavelength (cm)Ka34380.8Ku12182X8123C485S2410L1220
Airborne radar functionFrequency bandEarly warningUHF and S-bandAltimeterC-bandWeatherC and X-bandFighterX and Ku-bandAttackX and Ku-bandReconnaissanceX and Ku-bandExtremely small, short rangeKa-band and MMW band
The relationship between radar wavelength, λ, and radar frequency, v is:λ=c/v
The strength, or power, of the reflected signal is described very adequately by the Radar Equation which relates radiated power of the transmitting antenna, the size and gain of the antenna and the distance to the target and the apparent size of the target to the radar at the operating frequency of the radar. This equation is as follows:
            P      _        r    =                    P        t                          G        2                          λ        2                  σ                                (                      4                        π                    )                3                          R        4            where:                Pr is the average received power        Pt is the transmitted power        G is the gain for the radar        λ is the radar's wavelength        σ is the target's apparent size        R is the range from the radar to the target
This apparent size of the target, σ, at a given radar wavelength (or frequency) is referred to as the "Radar Cross Section" or RCS. All other things being equal, it is the RCS that dictates the strength of the reflected electromagnetic pulse from a target at a specified distance from the radar transmitter. From a practical standpoint, the RCS is the sole characteristic of the target which dictates whether the target is detected or not.
The current generation of Stealth technologies relies on five elements used in combination to minimize the size of the RCS of a target:                Radar Absorbent Material (RAM)        Internal Radar-Absorbent Construction (IRAC)        External Low Observable Geometry (ELOG)        Infrared Red (IR) Emissions Control        Specialized Mission Profile
The RAM approach to Stealth incorporates the use of coatings containing iron ferrite material which basically transforms the electric component of the incoming radar wave into a magnetic field. Consequently, the energy of the incoming radar wave is allowed to dissipate. This is an undesirable outcome of the RAM approach.
The IRAC approach creates special structure known as "re-entrant triangles" within the outer skin covering the airframe of the Stealth aircraft. These structures capture energy from the incoming radar wave within spaces that approximate the size of the wavelength of a particular radar frequency. The problem with this approach is that the triangles can only protect against a particular radar frequency, so that multiple triangles are required or the aircraft can be detected by different frequencies.
The ELOG approach is what gives Stealth aircraft the characteristic angular geometry clearly visible to even a lay observer. This flat, angled shape allows incoming radar waves to reflect or "skip" off the external geometry in all directions. Such a geometric design limits the design possibilities for the aircraft.
IR emissions control techniques deal with the heat (IR) signature of vehicular engine output but this requires a different control technique for each different engine signature.
The combination of the above four techniques is highly effective in reducing the RCS of Stealth aircraft in their own right. Additionally, each Stealth mission is carefully laid out so as to present only the minimized RCS to threat detection radars which have been identified and located prior to the mission. Thus a very specific and well-choreographed flight profile incorporating altitude, airspeed, angle-of attack and other flight parameters is flown by Stealthy aircraft on each and every mission. This causes complication of the mission so that improvements are desirable.
In addition, there are short failings with existing Stealth technologies such as the use of toxic chemicals in the construction, susceptibility to the effects of weather and abrasive materials such as sand, as well as continued high levels of maintenance.
But most importantly, there are two major flaws with current Stealth technology. First of all, the techniques outlined above are a permanent fixture of the airframe and cannot be altered or removed without adversely affecting the either the Stealthy or the aerodynamic characteristics of the Stealth aircraft. As such, non-Stealthy aircraft and other vehicles can not be made to take on Stealthy characteristics once they are constructed, commissioned and deployed.
Secondly, Stealth technologies currently in use cannot alter, adjust, adapt or modulate the RCS of a particular Stealthy design in response to new, different or varying radar frequencies employed by an adversary. As such, current Stealth techniques are static, not dynamic, once deployed.
This invention seeks to remedy these shortcomings.

Method of agile reduction of radar cross section using electromagnetic channelization


Devices configured to measure a length of rope moving through the device are disclosed. The devices of the present invention employ a sheave mounted for rotating within a housing. A rotation measuring assembly may determine the number of rotations of the sheave, and, thus, information about the length of the rope passing through the device. Information such as net rope length, gross rope length, current rope speed, maximum rope speed, or total rope length displaced during a certain period may be determined and displayed. A signaling device is configured to communicate the information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of measuring the length of an elongated, flexible element such as a rope, line or cable and a device for measuring and communicating the measured length or information determined from such measurement about a rope or other elongated, flexible element passing through the device.
2. State of the Art
Pulleys are used for various applications in many different activities. Pulleys may be used with outdoor recreational activities, such as rock climbing, mountaineering, sailing, caving, and mountain rescue work. However, pulleys are also employed in other applications, such as in rescue work in urban and industrial settings, in safety restraints in urban and industrial settings, in law enforcement work, in tree climbing, and in military applications, among many other applications. The foregoing activities will be referred to herein individually and collectively as "climbing applications."
Generally, a pulley has a frame and a sheave or wheel that rotates on a bearing carried on an axle or pin. A pulley used for hauling a load or rescue conventionally includes an attachment point for a carabiner, facilitating maneuvers and temporary installation. Conventionally, both static ropes and dynamic ropes are used in conjunction with pulleys in climbing applications. Static ropes or "Low Stretch" ropes conventionally stretch less than 4 percent when loaded with a 200 pound load and many will stretch less than 2 percent at this load. Dynamic ropes are designed to stretch and absorb a portion of the impact force in a fall.
The ropes, both static and dynamic, used in climbing applications, conventionally do not include markings for incremental measurement of the rope length. Ropes having a middle marker are available. For example, Sterling Rope Company, Inc. of Scarborough, Me. offers a bi-color rope, changing the color of the rope at the center to aid in finding the middle of the rope, which may be critical in rappelling, or descending, applications.
Knowing the length of a portion of a rope being employed in an indoor or outdoor rock climbing situation, a search and rescue operation, industrial rescue operation, or other situation may be useful. The length of a given rope portion may be used to determine the length of the remaining portion of a rope of a standard or known length, or to determine the distance an object attached to the rope has traveled. For example, in a rescue situation, a rescuer may be lowered down a cliff to a victim, and knowing the distance to the victim may be useful for other rescue team members. In a rock climbing situation, it may be useful for a climber ascending a cliff to know the distance ascended, in order to determine if the same rope, doubled over, may be used to descend, or "rappel," the cliff. Alternatively, it may be useful for a climbing partner on the ground, managing the ropes, or "belaying" to determine if the same rope may be used to lower the climber from his or her high point to the ground, on the same rope. Many climbers have been injured after being lowered off the end of a rope, then plummeting to the ground below.
In view of the foregoing, it appears that a portable device for determining the length of a rope or a portion of a rope would be useful.


The machine comprises a microwave oven (2), a supply system for supplying the products (P) to the oven, a device for expulsing the products from the oven and control means (6); said product supply system comprises a storage and dosage device (3), a device for collecting (4) the products and a device for introducing (5) the products in the oven (2). Conveniently, the device (3) has a plurality of conveyor belts (30) parallel to each other; the device (4) comprises a collector platform (47) mounted with respect to the structure with three degrees of freedom of translation, along three directions orthogonal to each other; the device (5) has a revolving arm with a fork. The production costs are of the machine reduced because it incorporates a conventional oven; the machine is also very versatile since it can dispense different types of packaged products recently prepared.

There exist in the market bags containing grains of maize specially adapted for making popcorn in a microwave oven of the household type, simply by placing the bag in the microwave oven for a certain length of time. The bag inflates as the grains of maize expand to form the popcorn.
Known in the art commercially for the supply of recently made bags of popcorn is a dispensing machine with a simple system of gravity feed for the bags to take them into a microwave oven; this oven is provided with a loading door in its upper part and a finished-product expulsion door or hatch in its lower part.
These known machines nevertheless present a number of major disadvantages. On the one hand, the need to have a microwave oven of special construction increases the cost of the machine unacceptably; and on the other hand, the feed system for this dispensing machine is not entirely reliable, and the bags often become stuck or do not reach the oven correctly.
More specifically, on some machines the feed is implemented by means of vertical channels in which the products are stored in the form of a pile; the last of the products from the pile is driven by a piston and falls by gravity towards the oven. Such systems, similar to those used for cigarette machines and the like, are not suitable for products with irregular packaging, such a popcorn bags, for the bag is often poorly positioned in relation to the piston and blockages occur or the pistons fails to push any of the product; moreover, the bags can be oily and not slide correctly along the ramps which take them to the oven, so that these machines end up presenting undesirable operating defects.
The right cooking time for the popcorn depends on several parameters, such as the type and size of maize grain, humidity, ambient and product temperatures, wear of the magnetron, and others. On the known machine described, cooking control is limited to a timer which switches the oven off after a preset time, so that cooking time cannot be varied; this is a major limitation, for it means that some grains do not burst, some bags may even catch fire, etc.
Another disadvantage of this machine is that it permits the supply of only one specific product, while it would be desirable for one machine to be able to supply several different articles, at the choice of the customer.

Dispensing machine for packaged food products

Avenida Can Amat, 503-504, Urb. Can Amat


An electromagnetic relay, having ON and OFF states, for connecting a source of electrical current to a load, said relay comprising: an armature movable between ON and OFF positions corresponding, respectively, to said ON and OFF states of said relay; a magnetic core surrounded by first windings forming a holding coil to magnetize said core when a first portion of electrical current is passed through said holding coil and consequently to cause said armature to move from said OFF position to said ON position as a result of a magnetic attraction produced between said magnetic core and said armature, resulting in causing a second portion of electrical current to flow through said load; said magnetic core additionally surrounded by second windings forming a load coil through which said second portion of said electrical current flows when said armature is in said ON position, said load coil producing a magnetic field which counteracts a magnetic field produced by said holding coil; and parameters of said load coil being selected such that, when said second portion of said electrical current reaches a predetermined level, a resulting loss in magnetic attraction between said armature and said magnetic core will cause said armature to be released, interrupting flow of said electrical current through said holding coil, and causing said relay to switch from said ON state to said OFF state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to relays generally and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a novel current sensing electromagnetic relay of simple construction.
2. Background Art
Electromagnetic relays are often used for controlling motors and processes in conjunction with a so called "holding circuit" which utilizes one set of the relay's normally open contacts. The objective of the holding circuit is to keep the relay closed after the cessation of a start pulse, for example after a start push-button has been released. The holding circuit incorporates one or several sets of normally closed contacts connected in series. One of these contacts may be operated by a stop push-button, while another may be a timer, a counter, or a limit switch, serving to stop the process at will or automatically, after a work cycle has been completed.
In addition to the functions mentioned above, holding circuits often incorporate current sensors which will stop the motor or process in case of a short circuit or overload, and such current sensors usually utilize contacts operated by separate, magnetic, or thermally operated circuit breaker mechanisms.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a current sensing relay which incorporates a holding circuit and which does not require separate thermally or magnetically operated contacts to open the holding circuit.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such a relay that is simply and economically constructed.
Other objects of the present invention, as well as particular features, elements, and advantages thereof, will be elucidated in, or be apparent from, the following description and the accompanying drawing figures.


A laser power control device for use in an optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus that records data on and/or reproduces data from an optical recording medium by driving a laser diode with a laser diode driver. The device includes: a peak power monitor which monitors a peak power by a sample-and-hold operation, the peak power being output by the laser diode when pits are formed in the optical recording medium; an elimination power monitor which monitors an elimination power by the sample-and-hold operation, the elimination power being output by the laser diode when a space between pits of the optical recording medium is formed; a peak power setter which sets a peak power in the laser diode driver based on a monitoring result of the peak power monitor; an elimination power setter which sets an elimination power in the laser diode driver based on a monitoring result of the elimination power monitor; and a bias power setter which sets a bias power in the laser diode driver based on the monitoring results of the peak power monitor and the elimination power monitor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a laser power control device, and more particularly, to a laser power control device for use in an optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus, which can accurately control peak power of a laser diode.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a laser diode is used as a light source for the optical pick-up device of an optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus such as a CD player, a recordable CD (CD-R) drive, or a rewritable CD (CD-RW) drive. To assure the smooth operation of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus, the power of the laser diode must be maintained at a specified level. Control over the power of the laser diode is needed, since the power of the laser diode may significantly change with changes in the ambient temperature or aging of the laser diode.
In order to control the power of the laser diode, the difference between a present power of the laser diode and a desired power of the laser diode has to be compensated for. A photodiode is used to measure the present power of the laser diode, partially receiving laser light radiated from the laser diode. The photodiode generates a current proportional to the intensity of the received laser light. The generated current is converted into voltage by a monitoring circuit, which functions as a current-to-voltage conversion circuit and is connected to the photodiode. This voltage is used as an input reflecting the present power of the laser diode.
Based on the type of the optical disk, the laser diode uses one of a pulse train method and a single pulse method to radiate light to record data onto an optical disk.
FIGS. 1A-1C relate to the pulse train method used in a CD-RW and a rewritable DVD (DVD-RW) drive. In the pulse train method, the laser diode eliminates previously recorded data from the optical disk by radiating an elimination power Pe on each space part between the pits of the optical disk, and forms a pit in the mark part of the optical disk by alternatively radiating on the optical disk a maximum power, i.e., a peak power Pp, and a minimum power, i.e., a bias power Pb, at high speeds. The first peak interval of each marked part is longer than other intervals in order to appropriately heat dyes coated on the optical disk.
As shown in the waveform of FIG. 1B, (a waveform which represents the output of a monitoring circuit ) the output waveform from the mark part does not accurately keep up with the output power waveform of the laser diode. This is because the output power of the laser diode is modulated at high speeds, while the response characteristic of the monitoring circuit is slower than the modulation of the laser diode.
FIGS. 2A-2B relates to the single pulse method used in a CD-R drive. In the single pulse method, the laser diode radiates bias power Pb on the space part, overdrive power Po on the initial part of the mark part, which helps to heat dyes coated on the optical disk appropriately, and write power Pw on the other part of the mark part, in which Pw<Po. According to the single pulse method of FIGS. 2A-2B, the output waveform of the monitoring circuit keeps up with the output power waveform of the laser diode in the space part and the mark part, in contrast to the pulse train method. This is because the output power of the laser diode is not modulated at high speeds.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a conventional laser power control device that controls the power of the laser diode according to the pulse train method.
A laser diode 15 radiates the laser light onto the optical disk. A photodiode 1 partially receives the laser light radiated from the laser diode 15 and outputs a current proportional to the intensity of the received laser light. A monitoring circuit 2 converts the current output from the photodiode 1 into a voltage. A sample-and-hold circuit 3 samples and holds the output of the monitoring circuit 2. An analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion circuit 4 converts the output of the sample-and-hold circuit 3 into a digital output. A calculation circuit 5 processes the output of the A/D conversion circuit 4. Digital-to-analog (D/A) conversion circuits 6, 7, and 8 convert the output of the calculation circuit 5 into analog outputs. Current sources 9, 10, and 11 are controlled by the outputs of the D/A conversion circuits 6, 7, and 8, respectively. A switch 12 performs a switching operation between the current source 9 and the laser diode 15. A switch 13 performs a switching operation between the current source 10 and the laser diode 15. A switch 14 performs a switching operation between the current source 11 and the laser diode 15.
The current source 9 supplies a laser driving current corresponding to the bias power Pb, i.e., a bias power current Ib, to the laser diode 15. The current source 10 supplies a laser driving current corresponding to the elimination power Pe, i.e., an elimination power current Ie, to the laser diode 15. The current source 11 supplies a laser driving current corresponding to the peak power Pp, i.e., a peak power current Ip, to the laser diode 15.
As shown in FIG. 1, the laser diode 15 alternatively radiates the peak power Pp and the bias power Pb, during a short time interval to form the pit in the mark part of the optical recording medium. The peak power Pp is generated when the switch 14 is switched on, and the switches 12 and 13 are switched off. The bias power Pb is generated when the switch 12 is switched on, and the switches 13 and 14 are switched off. When the laser diode 15 radiates the elimination power Pe on each space part to eliminate recorded data, the switch 13 is switched on, and the switches 12 and 14 are switched off. The switching operations of the switches 12, 13, and 14 are performed in response to input of a control signal SW, which corresponds to the data recording signal input to the laser diode driving integrated circuit (IC) (not shown) of the laser diode 15.
Hereinafter, the operation of the laser power control device of FIG. 3 will be described.
The photodiode 1 partially receives the laser light radiated from the laser diode 15 and outputs a current proportional to the intensity of the received laser light. The monitoring circuit 2 converts the output current into a voltage.
The output signal of the monitoring circuit 2 is input to the sample-and-hold circuit 3 that operates according to the sample-and-hold control signal shown as the third waveform of FIG. 1. As a result, the A/D conversion circuit 4 can detect the level of the present elimination power Pe.
The A/D conversion circuit 4 converts the level of the elimination power Pe into a digital output. The calculation circuit 5 processes the digital output and provides digital outputs to the D/A (Ib) conversion circuit 6, the D/A (Ie) conversion circuit 7, and the D/A (Ip) conversion circuit 8. Thus, the bias power current Ib, the elimination power current Ie, and the peak power current Ip are set to control the bias power Pb, the elimination power Pe, and the peak power Pp.
The D/A (Ib) conversion circuit 6, the D/A (Ie) conversion circuit 7, and the D/A (Ip) conversion circuit 8 control the bias power Pb, the elimination power Pe, and the peak power Pp as follows. The A/D conversion circuit 4 detects the level of the elimination power Pe output from the sample-and-hold circuit 3 and sends output to the calculation circuit 5. Considering the detected digital value of the elimination power Pe, the calculation circuit 5 provides a new digital value to the D/A (Ie) conversion circuit 7 to increase or decrease the output of the D/A (Ie) conversion circuit 7 to generate a desired elimination power. Also, the calculation circuit 5 provides digital output to the D/A (Ib) conversion circuit 6 and the D/A (Ip) conversion circuit 8. The digital output for each of these circuits is obtained by multiplying the digital output provided to the D/A (Ie) conversion circuit 7 by a number. The digital output to be provided to the D/A (Ib) conversion circuit 6 is obtained by multiplying the digital output provided to the D/A (Ie) conversion circuit 7 by a value Pb/Pe. The digital output provided to the D/A (Ip) conversion circuit 8 is obtained by multiplying the digital value provided to the D/A (Ie) conversion circuit 7 by a value Pp/Pe.
However, the conventional laser power control device has problems because, in addition to elimination power current (Ie), bias power (Pb) and peak power (Pp) are also controlled based on the detected level of elimination power (Pe).
Since the detected level of elimination power (Pe) may reflect noise, and thus, a value different from the original level of elimination power (Pe) may be input to the calculation circuit 5. In this case, the digital output provided to the D/A (Ie) conversion circuit 7 and the elimination power current (Ie) generated from the current source 10 may be erroneous. In the case described above, elimination power (Pe) is not significantly affected because noise is minimal. Yet, the digital output provided to the D/A (Ip) conversion circuit 8, obtained by multiplying the digital value provided to the D/A (Ie) conversion circuit 7 by the value Pp/Pe, may have an error multiplied by the value Pp/Pe. As a result, this error significantly affects the elimination power Pe, which prevents normal control of the peak power Pp.
In the conventional laser power control device, it is assumed that the current sources 10 and 11 have the same characteristic. That is, if the inputs to the current sources 10 and 11 are the same, the outputs thereof are assumed to be the same. In other words, it is assumed that if a current, obtained by multiplying the input to the current source 10 by the value Pp/Pe, is provided to the current source 11, peak power Pp, which is Pp/Pe times the elimination power Pe, is obtained. However, variations among the current sources 9, 10, and 11 exist, such that the current sources 9, 10, and 11 output different currents even if the same input is provided thereto. As a result, even if the input to the current source 10 multiplied by the value Pp/Pe is input to the current source 11, the ratio of the peak power Pp output from the current source 11 is not equal to the input elimination power Pe, which prevents normal control of the peak power Pp.
If no strict requirement exists for the range of the peak power Pp, the conventional laser power control device does not exhibit any problem. However, with the advent of new optical recording media such as DVD-RWs, the requirement for the range of the peak power Pp becomes stricter, and the conventional laser power control device cannot satisfy such strict requirements.


A generic product finder system that provides the capability of managing and performing searches on configurable products in a J2EE application. The generic product finder system includes a manager component for performing searches in response to a search query; a product component for persisting a plurality of product information and interacting with the manger component in conducting searches of the product information; a product metadata component that interacts with the manager component for defining a product; and a search configuration component that interacts with the manager component for constructing a set of search rules in a product search configuration. Internally, the product finder system represents products with a specification divided into parameters representing characteristics and optional attributes. This specification exists in a generic state by the use of Java objects. Multiple product specifications may co-exist and their information is persisted by the use of entity beans. The generic product also contains a session bean that acts as manager and single point-of-entry to the product information. Since the products are maintained in a generic form, search rules can be constructed and applied to the product set to perform complex queries.

The field the of the invention relates generally to data processing, and more specifically to methods and systems for managing and performing searches on configurable products.
Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) is a set of technologies and specifications developed by Sun Microsystems and supported by many computer and software vendors. J2EE is an environment for developing and deploying enterprise applications. The J2EE platform includes a set of services, application programming interfaces and protocols that provide the functionality for developing multi-tiered, web-based applications.
J2EE applications are made up of components. A J2EE component is a self-contained, functional software unit that is assembled into a J2EE application with its related classes and files and that communicates with other components. The J2EE specification defines the following J2EE components: (1) application clients and applets that run on the client; (2) Java Servlet and JavaServer Pages (JSP) technology components that run on the server; and (3) Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) components that run on the server.
J2EE components are assembled into a J2EE application verified to be well-formed (i.e., syntactically correct) and in compliance with the J2EE specification, and deployed to production, where they are run and managed by the J2EE server. Deployment is the process whereby software is installed into an operational environment. Deployment descriptors (DDs) are XML files provided with each application that describes how the application should be deployed. DDs are used by the J2EE runtime execution environment to provide and enforce the quality of service attributes described in the DD.
An enterprise bean is a component that implements a business task or business entity and resides in an EJB container, either as an entity bean, a session bean, or a message-driven bean. A container is a standardize runtime environment that provides specific component services. An entity bean represents persistent data maintained in a database. An entity bean can manage its own persistence or delegate this function to its container. An entity bean is identified by a primary key. A primary key in an EJB is the subset of its attributes that are guaranteed to be unique. Persistence mechanisms in EJB containers are closely tied to databases. Entity beans map cleanly to tables. Each column maps to an attribute and each row maps to an entity. If the container hosting the entity bean crashes, the entity bean, its primary key and any remote references survive the crash. A message-driven bean is an asynchronous message consumer. A message-driven bean has no state for a specific client, but its instance variables may contain state across the handling of client messages, including an open database connection and an object reference to a EJB object. A client accesses a message-driven bean by sending messages to the destination for which the bean is a message listener. A session bean is created by the client and usually exists only for the duration of a single client-server session. A session bean performs operations such as calculations or accessing a database for the client. Although a session bean may be transactional, it is not recoverable should a system crash occur. Session bean objects can be either stateless or can maintain conversational state across methods and transactions. If a session bean manages state, then the EJB container manages this state if the object must be removed from memory. However, the session bean object itself must manage its own persistent data.
Extensible Markup Language (XML) enables definition of the tags (markups) needed to identify the content, data, and text in XML documents. It differs from HTML, in that HTML has fixed tags that deal mainly with style or presentation. XML tags use angle brackets as delimiters and identify the data rather than specifying how to display it. The XML approach is to wrap each data item in start/end tags; i.e., <start tag name> data <end tag name>. XML documents are well-formed with every tag having an identical closing tag, and with all tags completely nested. Attributes are bundled in with the start tag and take the form attribute-name="attribute-value". XML documents undergo a transformation into a language with style tags under the control of a stylesheet before it can be presented by a browser or other presentation mechanism. Typically, XML is transformed into HTML for presentation. J2EE deployment descriptors are expressed in XML with schemas defining allowed elements.
XML Schema Definition (XSD) specifies a formal description for the elements in an XML document. An XML schema represents the interrelationship between the attributes and elements of an XML object. The XSD description can be used to verify that each item of content in a document adheres to the description of the element in which the content is to be placed. XSD is written in XML and therefore does not require intermediate processing by a parser. Elements are defined within a set of tags as in XML or HTML. XSD is also self-documenting. XML schema provide two basic kinds of datatypes: primitive and derived. A primitive datatype is not defined in terms of other types. Examples of primitive datatypes are string, Boolean, float, double, decimal, binary, ID, IDREF. A derived datatype is defined in terms of existing datatypes. Examples of derived datatypes built into the XML schema are language, integer, date, time.
An XML schema includes a preamble followed by declarations. The preamble is a group of at least three attributes within the <schema> element. The different possible attributes are name, ref, type, use, value, id and form. The declarations allow the description of datatypes, element types, element attributes and content models. XML schema provide two types of datatype definitions. Simple definitions are used to create derived datatypes; complex definitions are used to describe content models. A simple type definition is a set of constraints on the value space and lexical space of a datatype. A complex type definition is a set of attribute declarations and a content type that pertain to the attributes and children of the element that is being specified. An <attribute> declaration associates an attribute name with a specific simple datatype. An <element> declaration provides a description that can be used for validation, provides value constraints, establishes constraining relationships between related elements and attributes. An element may contain annotation elements, datatype declarations (simple of complex), and related child elements. An element has a number of different possible attributes including name, ref, type, minOccurs, maxOccurs, default, fixed and id. The attributes minOccurs and maxOccurs describe the cardinality of child elements. The attribute minOccurs represents the minimum number of occurrences allowed; maxOccurs represents the maximum number of occurrences allowed with the default value the same as the value of minOccurs if no value is specified.

Generic product finder system and method


The present invention provides a method and system for converting an input code into an output code. The method includes: determining a plurality of input code subsets of the input code; converting the input code subsets into a plurality of output code subsets, respectively; and merging the output code subsets to generate the output code. The system includes a splitter, for determining a plurality of input code subsets of the input code; a mapper, coupled to the splitter, for converting the input code subsets into a plurality of output code subsets, respectively; and a merger, coupled to the mapper, for merging the output code subsets to generate the output code.

The high-density digital-versatile disc (HD-DVD) uses an eight to twelve modulation (ETM) technique. That is, 8-bit symbols (i.e., user bytes or data words) are converted into 12-bit code words that are stored on the disc.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a related art modulating and demodulating method. As shown in FIG. 1, an input code IC (for example, a data word) is converted into an output code OD (for example, a code word) according to a table 101. A factor Sn called state or case is also determined according to the input code IC, the output code OD, and the table 101. For HD-DVD modulation, input code IC represents an 8-bit data word, output code represents a 12-bit code word, and table 101 is a preset modulation table; however, for HD-DVD demodulation, input code IC represents a 12-bit code word, output code represents an 8-bit data word, and table 101 is a preset demodulation table.
Taking HD-DVD encoding for example, this modulation table requires 256 (8-bit)×3 (12-bit) entries. FIG. 2 illustrates a portion of a related art modulation table. As shown in FIG. 2, if a data word needs to be transformed to a code word, the location of the data word in the modulation table must first be confirmed, and then the code word corresponding to the data word is determined in view of the state value. Taking data word 1D (hex) for example, if the state is 0, then the codeword is 100010 000101(binary); if the state is 1, the codeword is 010000 000101(binary); and if the state is 2, the codeword is 010000 000101(binary).
The bit asterisk "*" in the code conversion table FIG. 2 shows that the bit is a merging-bit. Some code words of the conversion table have merging-bit in their LSB. The merging-bit is set to 0(binary) or 1(binary) by code connector according to channel bit following itself. If the following channel bit is 0b, the merging-bit shall be set to 1b. If the following channel bit is 1b, the merging-bit shall be set to 0b.
The bit sharp "#" in the conversion table FIG. 2 shows that the bit is a DSV (Digital Sum Values) control bit. The DSV control bit is determined by executing DC component suppression control by DSV controller. The purpose is to minimize the absolute value of the accumulated DSV.
For HD-DVD decoding, the demodulation table requires 355 (12-bit)×3 (8-bit) entries. FIG. 3 illustrates a portion of a related art demodulation table. As shown in FIG. 3, if a code word needs to be transformed to a data word. The location of the code word must first be confirmed, and then the data word corresponding to the code word is determined in view of the case value. Taking code word 000010 000000 for example, if the case is 1, then the data word is C0; if the case is 2, then the data word is E; if the case is 3, then the data word is C1.
However, the modulation table shown in FIG. 2 and the demodulation table shown in FIG. 3 are not complete. The actual modulation table and demodulation table dimensions are many times greater than that shown in the modulation table in FIG. 2 and the demodulation table in FIG. 3. Thus, the modulation and demodulation tables are difficult to implement and consume a large space because of a high channel bit rate. Therefore, a system or method for solving this problem is needed.

System and method for modulation and demodulation using code subset conversion


A passive assembly for operating two cleaning chambers using a single filtration system having a flow diverter assembly is disclosed. The flow diverter assembly is actuated by a fuel assembly when a fuel assembly is inserted into the cleaning chamber. The flow diverter assembly acts so that each cleaning chamber is supplied with suction flow whenever there is a fuel assembly in the cleaning chamber. When a cleaning chamber is empty, the flow diverter acts to block the suction flow from the filtration system, forcing suction flow through the opposite cleaning chamber. The flow diverter only provides suction head to a cleaning chamber when there is a fuel assembly in the cleaning chamber. When both cleaning chambers are empty, suction pressure from the pump increases to the point that the flow diverters in both chambers open sufficiently to maintain flow through the pumps and prevent the pumps from cavitating.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements on previous systems for ultrasonically cleaning irradiated nuclear fuel assemblies.
2. Description of Related Art
Ultrasonic energy cleaning has been successfully employed to remove crud deposits from irradiated nuclear fuel assemblies. The initial commercial motivation for removing these deposits from pressurized water reactor (PWR) fuel has been to mitigate crud induced power shift (CIPS), also sometimes referred to as axial offset (AO) or axial offset anomaly (AOA). CIPS is a phenomenon in which deposits form on the fuel rod cladding due to the combination of local thermal and hydraulic conditions and primary side fluid impurities characteristic of the reactor and primary system. Certain compounds residing in these deposits act as a poison to the nuclear reaction and, because the deposits are typically thicker in the top portion of the core, cause an abnormal power distribution along the axis of the core, reducing available margin for certain types of operating conditions. As a result of CIPS, some power plants have been forced to reduce their reactor power level and hence electrical output for extended periods, which has been expensive for the operating utilities.
In addition to mitigating CIPS, removal of crud deposits from irradiated fuel assemblies produces some other favorable results in nuclear plants of any design, including but not limited to (1) reducing the total crud inventory ("source term reduction") of plant primary systems, which leads to lower radiation dose rates for plant personnel (ALARA), (2) improving fuel inspectability, and (3) reducing potential for spread of radioactive contamination during fuel transport, storage, and reprocessing.
Electrical generation at power plants is routinely interrupted to perform certain tasks that cannot be performed online, such as certain maintenance tasks, inspections, and reactor refueling. During the refueling of a main reactor, the fuel assemblies are removed from the reactor core and stored underwater near the reactor or in the plant's spent fuel pool. Later in the outage, some of the irradiated fuel assemblies are put back into the reactor core, while others are left in the spent fuel pool so that fresh assemblies can be loaded in their place. Existing ultrasonic fuel cleaning systems operate in the window when the fuel assemblies are in the spent fuel pool and available for cleaning. Because fuel offload is generally performed during critical path outage time, it has been more economical to offload fuel first, then go back and clean it after the offload is complete.
Efforts by owners and operators of power plants to reduce outage lengths are resulting in a reduced amount of time available for cleaning fuel assemblies for those plants which perform a full core offload as part of refueling. Furthermore, it has become standard practice in the boiling water reactor (BWR) community to keep a significant percentage of the fuel in the reactor vessel throughout the refueling outage, in practice known as "fuel shuffling." It would be beneficial if a fuel cleaning system were capable of cleaning fuel assemblies during the fuel movements without a significant impact on the time required to move (shuffle or offload) fuel. Such is the case with the invention presented herein.

High throughput ultrasonic cleaner for irradiated nuclear fuel assemblies


This invention is an indica transfer and method for its use to impart indica to polyolefin objects during rotational molding. The transfer is a laminate of at least two coats on a carrier sheet, which is preferably a flexible, transparent polymer sheet. The coats, as successive layers on the carrier sheet are: an indica coat of indica material in a graphic or alphanumerical array and a top coat of a top-coat pressure sensitive adhesive. Preferably the transfer also includes a backing coat of a backing-coat pressure sensitive adhesive between the carrier sheet and the indica coat, The pressure sensitive adhesive used for the top coat has a transition temperature less than the mold surface temperature onto which the transfer is applied to enable transfer of the coats to the interior surface of a rotational mold. The pressure sensitive adhesive used for the backing coat has a transition temperature greater than the surface temperature of the mold to which the transfer is to be applied, and both pressure sensitive adhesives have transition temperatures which are below the molding temperature and preferably below the melt temperature of the molding polyolefin used to form the molded part.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to rotational molding of plastics and, in particular, to transfers useful to impart printed matter, including graphic and alphanumerical information to rotational molded parts.
2. Brief Statement of the Prior Art
Rotational molding is traditionally used for fabrication of hollow form objects from plastics, particularly from polyethylene. Polyolefin surfaces, particularly polyethylene surfaces, however, resist acceptance of coats. A prevalent method of imparting coats of materials such as printed matter or decoration has been to oxidize the polyethylene surface by flame treatment to improve adhesion of subsequently applied materials. A less destructive method is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,352,762 in which decorative or alphanumerical indicia are applied as a viscous oil suspension to the interior mold surface by silk screen printing for transfer to the molded part during molding. Further developments of this approach have included transferring indicia from a carrier sheet by burnishing the indicia onto the interior surface of the mold; see U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,972. These developments spurned other developments such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,648,030 and 5,498,307. Commercial practice with such graphics transfers developed a technique of spraying the interior surfaces of the mold with an adhesive to enhance bonding, and hence transfer, of the graphics indicia to the mold surfaces from a carrier sheet. In practice, however, the adhesives are often not applied uniformly and frequently are used in excess, causing product discoloration and adhesive buildup on the mold surfaces. The adhesives sprays also use volatile solvents which present environmental concerns during use, shipment and storage. If not completely expelled prior to application of the transfer, any residual solvent will damage the indicia of the transfer. The application of an adhesive to the mold surface prior to application of the transfer molding operation, prolonging the molding cycle time.

Graphics transfers for use in rotational molding


The subject invention concerns materials and methods for increasing and/or improving photosynthetic efficiency in plants, and in particular, C3 plants. In particular, the subject invention provides for means to increase the number of bundle sheath (BS) cells in plants, to improve the efficiency of photosynthesis in BS cells, and to increase channels between BS and mesophyll (M) cells. In one embodiment, a method of the invention concerns altering the expression level or pattern of one or more of SHR, SCR, and/or SCL23 in a plant. The subject invention also pertains to genetically modified plants, and in particular, C3 plants, that exhibit increased expression of one or more of SHR, SCR, and/or SCL23. Transformed and transgenic plants are contemplated within the scope of the invention. The subject invention also concerns methods for increasing expression of photosynthetically important genes in a plant, wherein one or more genes of interest are operably linked with a plant SHR, SCR or SCL23 promoter sequence and expressed in a plant.

With a rapidly growing world population and dwindling natural resources, we are facing an enormous challenge of increasing crop yields while simultaneously improving the efficiency of resource utilization. In C3 plants, a 3-carbon molecule is the first product of carbon fixation, whereas in C4 plants, a 4-carbon molecule is the first product. Because C4 plants are much more efficient than C3 plants in photosynthesis as well as water and nitrogen usage, particularly in hot climates (Langdale (2011)), tremendous efforts are being taken to introduce C4 photosynthesis into economically important C3 crops (Sage and Zhu (2011)), such as rice (Hibberd et al. (2008)). It is estimated that yields can be increased by 50% if rice is transformed into a C4 plant (Hibberd et al. (2008)).
Evidence indicates that C4 plants have evolved multiple times from C3 plants (Brown et al. (2011)), but all C4 plants share some common features that make them perform better. A critical innovation is the deployment of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxylase as the enzyme for the initial fixation of CO2 in C4 plants. Unlike RUBISCO, the enzyme used for the initial fixation of CO2 in C3 plants, PEP carboxylase does not have an oxygenase activity and therefore can maintain a high rate of photosynthesis even under conditions of low CO2 (stomates partially closed) and high temperature (RUBISCO's oxygenase activity is stimulated at high temperatures (Spreitzer et al. (2002)). Another critical feature of C4 plants is the separation of the two phases of photosynthesis, namely CO2 fixation and carbohydrate biosynthesis, into the mesophyll and bundle sheath cells, respectively. To sustain a high rate of photosynthesis, C4 plants also have numerous plasmodesmata and various types of nutrient transporters distributed along the cell wall between the mesophyll and bundle sheath cells (Haritatos et al. (2000); Takahashi et al. (2000)), which ensure efficient transport of the primary products from the CO2 fixation process. In the bundle sheath cells, CO2 is released from the primary photosynthetic product and is then utilized in a standard C3-type photosynthesis involving RUBISCO. RUBISCO is expressed only in the bundle sheath cells, whereas PEP carboxylase is mesophyll cell specific. Due to the spatial separation of the photosynthetic processes along with the active transport system, CO2 is effectively concentrated in the bundle sheath cells, which in turn leads to the repression of the oxygenase activity of RUBISCO. Last but not least, each bundle sheath cell layer is associated with a central cylinder of vascular tissue, which provides water and inorganic nutrients, and is surrounded by a single layer of mesophyll cells, a feature characteristic of C4 plants called the Kranz anatomy (Wang et al. (2011)).
Attempts to increase yield by expressing PEP carboxylase in both mesophyll and bundle sheath cells in rice have failed (Taniguchi et al. (2008)), suggesting that the mesophyll and bundle sheath cells must be engineered separately (Kajala et al. (2011)).
Despite the pivotal role of bundle sheath cells in C4 photosynthesis, the mechanisms that determine their cell identity and patterning are still unknown. Extensive mutant screening efforts in the past decades have identified several maize and Arabidopsis mutants defective in chloroplast development in the bundle sheath cells (Nelson (2011); Brutnell et al. (1999); Hall et al. (1998); Kinsman and Pyke (1998); Petricka et al. (2008); Rossini et al. (2001)), but none of these mutants affects bundle sheath cell identity.
Bundle sheath cells are a leaf cell type that forms a single cell layer between the mesophyll cells and the central vascular tissue. In C3 plants, both the mesophyll cells and BS cells are photosynthetic, but the BS cells are small with fewer chloroplasts. In contrast, the BS cells are the major sites of photosynthesis in most C4 plants, whereas the mesophyll cells are involved in CO2 fixation only. Accordingly, the BS cells are much larger in size. The spatial separation of the two phases of photosynthesis into mesophyll and BS cells is one of the features that make C4 plants significantly more efficient photosynthetically. Another feature that improves the photosynthetic efficiency in C4 plants is the Kranz anatomy, characterized by an approximately 1:1 ratio between mesophyll and BS cells. The close association between the two cell types facilitates metabolite transport, which is critical for the C4 mechanism. In C3 plants, this ratio is greater than 2:1.
Many important crops, such as rice (Oryza sativa) and wheat (Triticum aestivum), are C3 plants. To meet the needs for food of a rapidly growing population, tremendous efforts are being undertaken to introduce the C4 mechanism into C3 crops (Langdale, 2011). For example, millions of dollars have been invested at the C4 rice consortium to convert this important crop into a C4 plant (von Caemmerer et al., 2012). Although the input is huge and the risk is high, the potential reward is enormous. It is estimated that a 10% increase in the photosynthetic efficiency would increase the yield by 50% (Langdale, 2011). However, to achieve C4 photosynthesis in C3 plants requires engineering of the BS and mesophyll cells at many levels, including an increase in the density of BS cells and modification of the physiology in the BS and mesophyll cells. This in turn demands a good understanding of the mechanisms that control BS and mesophyll cell fate. However, at present, the molecular basis of BS cell-fate specification is still unclear (Nelson, 2011).
There is evidence that the development of BS cells is determined by a signal from the vascular tissue (Langdale et al., 1988; Langdale et al., 1991; Jankovsky et al., 2001), but nothing is known about the nature of this positional information. Although several factors with a role in chloroplast development in BS cells have been reported, none of these appears to control BS cell fate. In maize (Zea mays), for example, mutations in the genes encoding GOLDEN2 and related transcription factors (Hall et al., 1998; Rossini et al., 2001), as well as BSD2 (BUNDLE SHEATH DEFECTIVE 2), a DnaJ-like protein (Brutnell et al., 1999), disrupt chloroplast development in the BS cells but do not affect BS cell fate. Mutants defective in chloroplast development in BS cells (Kinsman and Pyke, 1998) and vein patterning (Petricka et al., 2008) have also been isolated in Arabidopsis, but these mutants have a normal layer of BS cells.
SCARECROW (SCR, AT3G54220) and SHORT-ROOT (SHR, AT4G37650) are key regulators of radial patterning in the Arabidopsis root (Di Laurenzio et al., 1996; Helariutta et al., 2000). In the scr and shr mutants, the cortex/endodermis initial fails to divide longitudinally, resulting in loss of one cell layer (Di Laurenzio et al., 1996). Unlike SCR, which is expressed specifically in the endodermis and cortex/endodermis initial cells (Di Laurenzio et al., 1996), SHR is expressed exclusively in the central vascular tissue (Helariutta et al., 2000). However, the SHR protein moves into the adjacent cell layer (Nakajima et al., 2001), where it activates transcription of SCR (Levesque et al., 2006). SCR in turn restricts SHR movement by physical interaction and nuclear sequestration, thus defining a single layer of endodermis (Cui et al., 2007).
SHR and SCR are also expressed in the shoot (Wysocka-Diller et al., 2000; Dhondt et al., 2010; Gardiner et al., 2010). In addition to the shoot apical meristem and young leaf primordia, SCR is also expressed in BS cells (Wysocka-Diller et al., 2000). Although BS cells and the endodermis are produced from different groups of stem cells (the shoot apical meristem and the root apical meristem, respectively), and at different stages of plant development (during and after embryogenesis, respectively) (Kangasjarvi et al., 2009), they are considered as analogous cell types (Bosabalidis et al., 1984).

Materials and methods for controlling bundle sheath cell fate and function in plants

Florida State University Research Foundation, Inc.


A mechanism for caching Web services requests and responses, including testing an incoming request against the cached requests and associated responses is provided. The requests are selectively tested against the cached data in accordance with a set of policies. If a request selected hits in the cache, the response is served up from the cache. Otherwise, the request is passed to the corresponding Web-services server/application. Additionally, a set of predetermined cache specifications for generating request identifiers may be provided. The identifier specification may be autonomically adjusted by determining cache hit/cache miss ratios over the set of identifier specifications and over a set of sample requests. The set of specifications may then be sorted to reflect the performance of the respective cache specification algorithms for the current mix of requests.

The advent of networked data processing systems, and particularly the network of networks referred to as the Internet, has spurred the introduction of distributed data processing services. In such systems, a client, typically remotely connected to the service provider via one or more networks, accesses data processing services which are implemented on the remote data processing system which then returns the results of the data processing activity to the client.
It has become common to use the services represented by the World Wide Web (WWW) with it's graphical user interface (GUI) orientation to provide the interface to such distributed data processing services. Typically, in such data processing systems, the client sends a request to a server. On the server side, the system builds a Web page for returning the response to the requesting client. The Web page includes code that may be interpreted on a Web browser running on the client machine which, in response to the code, displays the page on a conventional display such as a CRT or LCD monitor connected to the client machine. The Web page may include dynamic data, that is, data that is changing in time, indeed, may be continuously changing in time; stock quotations are an example. This dynamic data may be generated by server-side application software. This application software need not reside on the same hardware as the page server, but may be deployed on other systems that may be remote from both the client and the page server. Such distributed, application-to-application data processing implementations, which are typically XML-based request responses may, generically, be referred to as web services.
The dynamic data is generated in response to a Web services request issued by the client application based on information included in the code for the web page being executed. Typically, Web services requests are XML-based (XML refers to the eXtensible Markup language) requests encoded in SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) and use HTTP (HyperText Transport Protocol) as the transport mechanism. However, Web services requests are not required to use either XML, SOAP or HTTP.
To reduce traffic on the network, caching of Web service requests responses may be used. In this way, subsequent requests for the same web service may be served up from the cache. To associate cached information with an incoming request, an identifier is generated from the information in the incoming request to uniquely identify it.
The servicing of such a request may be understood by referring to FIG. 1 illustrating an exemplary process 100 for responding to a Web service request. In step 102, the incoming request is received. From the information in the request, an identifier is calculated in accordance with a predetermined algorithm.
If the identifier is in the cache, the associated response stored in the cache is served up, step 108. Otherwise, the request is issued to the Web services server. The response may then be cached along with the identifier from the original request, step 112.
The selection of information used to formulate an identifier affects the performance of a system in responding to end-user requests. The system may expend a significant fraction of its resources calculating identifiers and, if the selection criteria are poor, the hit rate will be low. Consequently, system resources are expended in fruitless calculations of identifiers and, particularly during peak periods, the response time to end-users may be adversely impacted.
Consequently, there is a need in the art for mechanisms to automatically adjust to caching utilization and, to autonomically adjust cache identifier specifications.

Systems and methods for adjusting caching policies for web service requests

International Business Machines Corporation


An interface circuit in a device, e.g., an access point, may perform link adaptation. During operation, the interface circuit may provide a wake-up frame, e.g., a LP-WUR packet, associated with a channel in a band of frequencies, where the wake-up frame is intended for a wake-up radio in a recipient device. Then, the interface circuit may receive, from the recipient device, feedback information associated with a second channel in a second band of frequencies, where the feedback information is associated with a main radio in the recipient device. Based at least in part on the feedback information, the interface circuit may estimate one or more communication metrics associated with the channel in the band of frequencies. Moreover, based at least in part on the one or more communication metrics, the interface circuit may determine a data rate for use in communication via the channel in the band of frequencies.

Many electronic devices communicate with each other using wireless local area networks (WLANs), such as those based on a communication protocol that is compatible with an IEEE 802.11 standard (which is sometimes referred to as 'Wi-Fi'). However, a radio in an electronic device that communicates using wireless communication in a WLAN may consume a significant amount of power.
In order to address this challenge, a new radio technology called Low Power Wake Up Radio (LP-WUR) is being considered. The LP-WUR may be a companion to the main Wi-Fi radio in the electronic device. Notably, by using the LP-WUR, the electronic device may turn off its main radio and may wake up the main radio in response to the LP-WUR receiving an LP-WUR packet from an access point. For example, the access point may send the LP-WUR packet when there is a down-link packet for the electronic device.


An improved method of arc welding uses a single power supply connected to opposed welding torches placed on both sides of a workpiece. Each torch is connected to a different polarity lead of the power supply and forms a separate arc with the workpiece. When a current is supplied to the first torch, it is guided from the first electrode, through the first arc, the workpiece, the second arc, and to the electrode of the second torch. This guiding function improves the penetration, concentration, as well as the directional stability of the arc. This permits the effective and efficient welding of relatively thick workpieces using existing equipment at low current levels.

The joining of metal components plays a critical role in modern manufacturing and industrial processes. Of the different forms of metal joining, arc welding is widely used to produce a variety of high quality bonds. This is because for many applications, arc welding has proven to be the most cost effective manner of metal joining. However, conventional methods of arc welding suffer from several drawbacks, the most prevalent of which is the inability to penetrate relatively thick workpieces. As a result, such thick workpieces often require multiple passes, which increases welding time, and/or beveling of the edges of the weld seam, which increases preparation time.
Of course, improving penetration reduces the number of passes and the workpiece preparation costs, both of which are important in increasing manufacturing efficiency. In this regard, gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) (also commonly referred to as tungsten-inert gas (TIG) welding) and the related plasma arc welding (PAW) have gained widespread acceptance as providing greater arc penetration than conventional arc welding methods.
In conventional gas tungsten arc welding, a current is supplied to a non-consumable tungsten or tungsten alloy electrode to form an arc with a workpiece. A special nozzle provides a gas to shield the arc and the weld pool from contamination. The weld bead may be purely autogenous or a filler metal compatible with the base metal may be added, depending on the requirements of the particular operation. While GTAW results in quality welds, like conventional arc welding, the unconstricted arc prevents deep penetration due to the current dissipation.
Plasma arc welding involves the use of a non-consumable electrode which may also be comprised of tungsten or tungsten alloys. However, in addition to a shielding gas, a specialized PAW nozzle is provided which feeds a plasma gas into a chamber surrounding the electrode. Current supplied to the electrode forms an arc with the workpiece(s) adjacent to the weld seam. Heat created by the electric arc ionizes the plasma gas to form electrically conductive plasma, which issues forth from the narrow orifice in the nozzle and carries the arc to the workpiece. This narrow orifice constricts the flow of the plasma gas towards the workpiece into a plasma jet. The arc and plasma jet, collectively referred to as the "plasma arc," generally reach temperatures in excess of 30,000.degree. F. As should be appreciated, the combined constricted arc and high temperature serve to provide greater penetration of the workpiece(s), improved directional stability, and a smaller heat-affected zone than possible with GTAW and other arc welding processes.
In operation, as the PAW torch traverses the weld seam, the heat of the plasma arc melts the base metal and forms an autogenous weld pool. Depending on the thickness of the workpiece(s) being joined and the welding parameters utilized (i.e. the selected arc voltage and current), the extension of the plasma arc may create a small hole extending entirely through the workpiece(s). This hole is termed the "keyhole" and is known to provide several beneficial characteristics, such as reducing porosity and transverse distortion in the bead. As the torch travels along the surface of the workpiece(s) above the weld seam, the keyhole is continuously created and filled. More specifically, the base metal melts upon encountering the plasma arc or the plasma jet and flows from the front of the arc, to the sides, and around to the rear where solidification occurs. Of course, the solidified metal forms the weld bead which is essential to the metal joining operation.
PAW generally provides the deepest penetration of all known arc welding methods, but even with the improved characteristics described above, limitations remain. Even with the constricted arc provided by the PAW torch and the benefits provided by the unique keyhole, proper welding of thicker workpieces remains a problem. More particularly, it is known that during the PAW process, the current required to form the arc generally disperses laterally along the surface of the workpiece(s). As a result of this dispersion, the arc does not extend into the keyhole due to the absence of current. The plasma arc, which is actually the plasma gas jet once it is ionized and heated by the arc, becomes the major heat flux that directly heats the base metal around the keyhole, rather than the arc. However, the plasma jet loses energy as it penetrates into the workpiece, which decreases its penetration capability. This may prevent the keyhole from extending entirely through the workpiece. Furthermore, increasing the current simply increases the weld width and the heat affected zone and, thus, does not significantly improve penetration.
Conventional solutions to overcome these limitations include: (1) machining beveled grooves in the weld seam prior to PAW; or (2) conducting multiple passes with the PAW torch. While both alternatives provide deeper weld penetration, it should be appreciated both require significant additional expense and increase fabrication time. These are factors which are critical in evaluating the comparative efficiency of modern manufacturing processes.
Other non-arc type alternatives for welding thicker workpiece(s) include laser beam and electron welding. These methods permit deeper penetration than both GTAW and PAW. However, the complexity and significant cost of the equipment required renders each method impractical for implementation in many manufacturing applications or for small operations.
Accordingly, a need is identified for an improved method of arc welding for increasing the current penetration through the workpieces, thereby allowing high quality welds to be formed in or on relatively thick workpieces at low current levels. The method would utilize existing welding equipment and, thus, would be inexpensive to operate, as compared to modern types of deep penetration welding, such as laser beam or electron welding. Moreover, the method would be easy to implement and adapt to a wide variety of welding environments.

Method of arc welding using dual serial opposed torches

University of Kentucky Research Founadtion


A hydraulic fluid control valve (18) for a power steering gear (10) includes first and second relatively rotatable valve members (60, 62) which direct hydraulic fluid to flow between the valve members (60, 62) from inlet ports (78) to return ports (108). The valve members (60, 62) define a plurality of orifices (110) that enlarge and a plurality of orifices (110) that constrict upon relative rotation of the valve members (60, 62). A pair of the constricting orifices (110b, 110c) are located in parallel between the inlet ports (78) and the return ports (108). Those orifices (110b, 110c) begin to constrict at the same time, and subsequently reach fully constricted conditions at staggered times, upon relative rotation of the valve members (60, 62) from neutral positions.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a hydraulic fluid control valve for a power steering gear.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A known hydraulic fluid control valve for a power steering gear includes a valve core rotatable within a valve sleeve. The core and the sleeve control the pressure of hydraulic fluid flowing through the valve between a pump, a reservoir, and a pair of opposed fluid chambers in a hydraulic motor. When the core and the sleeve are in neutral positions, the hydraulic fluid pressures in the opposed fluid chambers are equal. When the core and the sleeve are rotated from the neutral positions, a plurality of lands and grooves on the core and the sleeve cooperate to increase the hydraulic fluid pressure in one of the opposed fluid chambers, and thereby to provide hydraulic power steering assist in the steering gear.


Disclosed is an integrally combined electrical current carrier, circulation chamber and frame (CCF) formed as a single or double part (CCF) for use in unipolar electrochemical devices, such as a filter press electrolyser apparatus. The CCF is structured to define an internal circulation chamber for circulation of electrolyte, products, and reactants as well as apertures which form flow passageways when the filter press device is assembled. Affixed on opposed surfaces of the CCFs are electrically conductive planar electroactive structures which are in electrical contact with the CCF. The circulation chamber is formed by the depth of the CCF itself between opposing electroactive structures. Multiple CCFs are assembled and compressed together to form the filter press electrolyser apparatus. The flow passageway apertures within the assembled filter press electrolyser are aligned to form flow pathways, located above and below the circulation chambers. Reactants and electrolyte are input along the bottom flow pathways. When power is applied to the CCFs and electroactive structures, the reactants, once they flow into the circulation chamber with the electrolyte, undergo redox reactions to produce the products which are then collected and exit the electrolyser in the upper flow pathways.

Electrochemical cell technology is designed such that an applied electric current induces reactions within a cell, converting available reactants into desired products. An electrolytic cell, or electrolysis cell, is one preferred method of accomplishing this conversion. Electrolysis cells require the conduction of electricity, typically direct current, from an external source to a polarized electrode. They further require conduction away from an electrode of the opposite polarity, either external to or within the electrochemical cell, to generate products.
One desirable configuration of an electrochemical cell is that of the filter press-type electrolyser. Filter press electrolyser electrochemical cells require: mechanical frames with sufficient rigidity, the ability to be connected to (and removed from) an external current source, a "current carrier" to provide a current flow path for electricity to be conducted to the electroactive area, a circulation chamber to provide space for gaseous product generation at the electroactive area, passageways that allow the input and output of reactants and products, and finally a capability to form an external seal that prevents fluids leaking from the interior of the cell to the external atmosphere.
Filter press electrolyser electrochemical cells generally come in three configurations, driven by the design of their sub-components: a bipolar cell design, a unipolar cell design, or a monopolar cell design.
Monopolar Cell Design
A "monopolar" cell design or configuration refers to an electrochemical device based upon a current carrying configuration as shown by the exemplary positive half-cell in FIG. 1B. This monopolar configuration comprises a current carrying structure, and further provides an electroactive structure of a singular polarity (either anodic or cathodic) on one side of the current carrying structure. As a result, a region of one polarity is provided on the side of the current carrying structure that possesses the electroactive structure. Current is provided into the configuration by a power source and flows in across the current carrier and to the electroactive structure. Typically, the current flows in a parallel direction to the electroactive structure. The half-cell in FIG. 1B creates the base current carrying unit for a monopolar electrochemical filter press device constructed of positive and negative (anodic and cathodic) half-cell pairs. All monopolar base current carrying units are configured electrically in parallel within a single filter press arrangement, such that one electrochemical cell is formed within a single filter press stack.
Bipolar Cell Design
The phrase "bipolar configuration" or "bipolar cell configuration" refers to an electrochemical device based upon a current carrying configuration as shown in FIG. 1C. This bipolar configuration comprises a bipolar wall, defining electroactive areas of opposite polarity on opposing sides of the current carrying structure. Regions of opposite polarity are provided on the opposing sides of the bipolar wall. Current is provided into the configuration by a power source and flows through the bipolar wall orthogonally, creating the base current carrying unit for a bipolar electrochemical filter press device. Multiple electrochemical cells within a bipolar filter press are electrically connected in series, with each individual current carrier typically comprising one anodic and one cathodic side connected by a conductive bipolar wall. The current path in bipolar cells between electroactive structures of different polarities is typically shorter than the equivalent current path in traditional monopolar designs, and unipolar designs as described later.
In bipolar cells, the current must only travel through one bipolar wall to reach an electroactive structure of the opposing polarity, whereas in traditional unipolar and monopolar cells additional components are required to connect current to opposite polarity electroactive structures. A shorter current path generally creates lower resistance parameters within the conductive surfaces of a singular cell. This has traditionally led to higher voltage losses due to higher electronic resistance voltage loss, and thus lower efficiency, for unipolar and monopolar cells as compared to bipolar cells for similar current densities and similar electroactive structures.
Historically, the contribution of electronic resistance to cell voltage losses in traditional unipolar and monopolar designs presented the greatest barrier to the continued commercialization of these technologies. When choosing which direction to take electrolysis technologies in recent decades, leaders in the electrolysis field focused heavily on the advancement of "zero-gap" bipolar cell designs as they reduced the contribution of electronic resistance to cell voltage losses and consequently, for similar current densities and similar electroactive structures, improved plant energy efficiency. Zero-gap designs also allowed bipolar cells to utilize higher current densities. The focus on zero-gap bipolar technology lead to an industrial preference for bipolar technology as a whole over monopolar and unipolar technology. However, the utilization of higher current densities does not in itself lead to improved efficiency or improved plant economics. Unipolar and monopolar technologies present many complementary advantages in these areas, which will be discussed further.
Unipolar Cell Design
A unipolar cell design or configuration refers to an electrochemical device based upon a current carrying configuration as shown by the exemplary positive half-cell in FIG. 1A. This unipolar configuration comprises a current carrying structure that provides multiple electroactive structures of the same polarity (either anodic or cathodic) on opposing sides of the current carrying structure. As a result, regions of the same universal polarity are provided on the opposing sides of the current carrying structure. Current is then provided by a power source and flows in across the current carrier and to the electroactive structures. Typically, the current flows in a parallel direction to the electroactive structures. The half-cell in FIG. 1A creates the base current carrying unit for a unipolar electrochemical filter press device constructed of positive and negative (anodic and cathodic) half-cell pairs. Like the previously described monopolar base current carrying unit, all unipolar base current carrying units are configured electrically in parallel within a single filter press arrangement, such that one electrochemical cell is formed within a single filter press stack. Unipolar designs are distinguished from monopolar designs by the presence and positioning of their electroactive area(s) among other things.
Historically, only "tank type" unipolar cells have had current carriers comprising a single chamber bordered by two electroactive structures of the same polarity, enabling a single channel for electrochemical reactants and products to flow between the electroactive structures. An early tank type unipolar electrolyser is described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,597,552A Electrolytic Cell, Alexander T. Stuart, 1923. Tank type unipolar designs do not require a frame as part of a single unipolar current carrying electrode. Rather, unipolar electrodes are connected electrically in parallel and mounted as a single structure within a tank. A major advancement in tank type unipolar electrode design as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,482,448A Electrode Structure for Electrolyser Cells, Bowen et al, 1981 introduced the world to the first large scale hydrogen production, which was configured to allow large total surfaces areas and currents of 120,000 amperes per cell, from non-fossil energy. However, despite the advancements that enabled the industrial scaling of this technology, these tank type unipolar cells required separate tanks, cover plates, penetrations for electrochemical connections, and the use of additional parts to form a suitable passageway for electrochemical reactants and products to pass through the electrochemically active regions. "Tank type" configurations in general were replaced by "filter press type" configurations because of the large quantity of their parts, the complexity of their assembly, and the difficulty in changing the surface area per cell.
The additional components required by unipolar tank type cells yielded a longer current path between electroactive structures of opposing polarities than bipolar designs, and consequently higher resistance within the conductive pathways required for a single cell. A double plated monopolar filter press frame design was created which reduced part count and current path lengths as compared to unipolar tank type cells, while affording many of the commercial benefits of unipolar technology in U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,290A Mono-polar electrochemical system with a double electrode plate, A. T. B. Stuart et al., 1997.
However, the monopolar double plate design of U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,290A possessed features that were challenging to manufacture. In addition, the monopolar plate design of U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,290A necessitated that non-conductive chamber-creating sealing gasket(s) be positioned between monopolar plates of the same polarity; which were positioned back to back, with the chamber-creating sealing gaskets between them. Further, should a thick electroactive structure have been employed to enable increases in this design's lateral width (thus increasing its surface area in the direction current travels), even further use of the chamber-creating "spacer gaskets" would have been necessitated. Overall, the requirement to provide such spacer gaskets with each monopolar plate addition imposed mechanical and structural limitations to the filter press design, specifically: limited ability to seal a large quantity of monopolar plates within a single filter press, limited ability to operate at elevated internal pressure, and limits on the methods to support the separator within the filter press. Further, providing additional gaskets required more parts be manufactured, slowed construction of the cell, and imposed restrictions on the compression methods used for the filter press stack.
A unipolar filter press cell stack is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,231 Electrolytic cell of the filter press type, Boulton, 1982, however its design imposes similar advantages and limitations to the monopolar filter press design of U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,290A. Like the monopolar filter press design of U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,290A the limitations of U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,231 include: the need to use additional spacer gaskets to form a chamber, limited ability to seal a large quantity of plates within a single filter press (because of the soft materials being used to form a chamber), limited ability to operate at elevated internal pressure, limits on the method used to support the separator in the filter press, and finally limitations on the ability to expand electroactive structure length in the direction current travels (to increase electroactive surface area for the purpose of conducting greater electricity over longer distances).
To elaborate on the latter limitation, for the filter press of U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,231 to expand the electroactive structure in the direction current travels while maintaining the same specified resistive loss, it would require a thicker current carrying structure, as its main current carrying structure is provided from the same part as its electroactive structure. This is disadvantageous because: forming the electroactive structure of U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,231 involves cutting and bending (which would become increasingly expensive as the current carrier grew thicker), applying extra electrocatalysis to the expanded current carrier would increase costs, and finally the thickness of the required spacer-gasket becomes larger, which exacerbates the associated limitations listed above. Additionally, the short and wide rectangular shape of the unipolar filter press of U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,231 does not minimize the potential footprint of the electrochemical device, as the tall and narrow monopolar plate embodiment does in U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,290A.
In summary, the monopolar filter press U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,290A overcomes some of the disadvantages of tank type unipolar cells, by providing shorter current paths which allow for lower ohmic resistance losses. In addition, the monopolar filter press has a lower part count and much lower construction costs than the unipolar tank type cell. Furthermore, the unipolar filter press of U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,231 does not have a generally tall and narrow geometry, and it combines its current carrier and electroactive structure in one part, thus limiting the design choices available for its thickness and manufacturing method.
It should be noted that both the filter press electrolysers of U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,080,290A and 4,490,231 orient their electroactive structures such that they are in parallel with the direction of current flow. Consequently, these designs allow for multiple electrode structures to be placed within the same electrochemical cell. In view of this, the individual electrochemical cell can expand its surface area by extending the filter press longitudinally to its physical limit. This leads to very high current being able to flow through a monopolar or unipolar cell.
In contrast, bipolar filter press arrangements incorporate a number of cells longitudinally within one filter press stack. Further, in a bipolar filter press, the electrode structure of a bipolar cell remains perpendicular to the direction of current flow. With this construction, there are practical limits on the surface area of a single bipolar cell. Practical surface area limits are imposed as the electrolytic reactants and products need to distribute throughout the bipolar electrode structure, while balancing limits in practical manufacturing techniques as well as transportation of a filter press from its point of fabrication to the operating site. Limits on practical surface area leads to lower limits on the amount of current that can flow through a bipolar filter press, as compared with a monopolar or unipolar filter press. For example, in water electrolysis processes over the past 40 years, current has ranged typically up to 10,000 amperes in a bipolar filter press as compared with 120,000 amperes in a unipolar cell. Furthermore, multiple bipolar filter presses are not practically employed in parallel with each other to increase this amperage, due to the differences in resistivity between each filter press. Therefore, for the purpose of creating large surface area electrolysis cells, bipolar cells are not practical.
By the year 2020, the cost of implementing renewable forms of electricity production through technologies such as wind turbines and photovoltaics has dramatically fallen from historical levels. Rather than being one of the most expensive sources of electricity, as they were in the 1970's and 1980's, photovoltaics and wind turbines are now some of the world's lowest-cost electricity sources, and are indigenous to every country across the globe. Integrating these renewable energy technologies with large scale water electrolysis cells can produce renewably made hydrogen at historically low costs. These costs in many cases can be lower than the cost of hydrogen produced from fossil fuels, and have the potential to enable the long-term replacement of fossil energy with renewable energy.
However, in order to replace fossil-based hydrogen with renewable-based hydrogen, water electrolysers are required on the order of 100 to 1000 times larger than what has generally been used in industry over the past 20 years. For example, one large-scale ammonia production facility, which would source its hydrogen from renewable energy sources and water electrolysis units, would need approximately 2,000 MW of power. Therefore, the water electrolysers are required to have, among other features, very high individual cell currents (for example 50,000 to 500,000 amperes) in order to minimize the quantity of small-scale power conditioning systems required to provide DC current to the electrolysers.
Looking to other electrolysis fields, high current electrolysis technology with a minimum number of high current power conditioning systems represents the state of the art for large power electrochemical processes, such as electrolysis for chlorine production and aluminium production. Thus, to advance renewable hydrogen systems at scale, unipolar electrolysers with maximized surface areas that consequently allow maximized electrical currents are highly desired.
It would be particularly desirable for a unipolar filter press electrolyser design to be configured in a tall rectangular shape, wherein (as compared to both US4490231 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,290A) the part count is reduced, conductivity is increased, the number of chamber-forming gaskets is reduced, the ability to operate under elevated pressures is provided, the ability to expand the electroactive structures in the direction of the current flow is provided, and additional incremental electrode plates within the filter press can be readily provided while still successfully sealing the filter press.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Integrally combined current carrier circulation chamber and frame for use in unipolar electrochemical devices