111results about How to "Minimizes gradient" patented technology

A method, apparatus and assembly related to solid oxide fuel cell interconnects is disclosed. In its broadest embodiment, the invention contemplates a multi-layered ceramic interconnect having integrated flow fields and electrical connections. The method of making this interconnect includes judicious selection of materials, formation of appropriate apertures for the flow fields and electrical connectors, and the joining of the layers through a firing and / or sealing process.

A two-stage high pressure turbine comprises a second stage vane having an airfoil with a profile substantially in accordance with at least an intermediate portion of the Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in Table 2. The X and Y values are distances, which when smoothly connected by an appropriate continuing curve, define airfoil profile sections at each distance Z. The profile sections at each distance Z are joined smoothly to one another to form a complete airfoil shape.

Apparatus for permanent placement across an ostium of a left atrial appendage in a patient, which includes a filtering membrane configured to extend across the ostium of the left atrial appendage. The filtering membrane has a permeable structure which allows blood to flow through but substantially inhibits thrombus from passing therethrough. The apparatus also includes a support structure attached to the filtering membrane which retains the filtering membrane in position across the ostium of the left atrial appendage by permanently engaging a portion of the interior wall of the left atrial appendage. The support structure may be radially expandable from a first configuration to a second configuration which engages the ostium or the interior wall of the left atrial appendage. The filtering membrane may define an opening therethrough that is configured to expand from a first size which inhibits the passage of thrombus therethrough to a second size which allows an interventional device, e.g., an expansion balloon, to pass therethrough, and wherein the opening is resiliently biased towards the first size.

A two-stage high pressure turbine includes a first stage vane having an airfoil with a profile substantially in accordance with at least an intermediate portion of the Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in Table 2. The X and Y values are distances, which when smoothly connected by an appropriate continuing curve, define airfoil profile sections at each distance Z. The profile sections at each distance Z are joined smoothly to one another to form a complete airfoil shape.

A single stage high pressure turbine vane includes an airfoil having a profile substantially in accordance with at least an intermediate portion of the Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in Table 2. The X and Y values are distances, which when smoothly connected by an appropriate continuing curve, define airfoil profile sections at each distance Z. The profile sections at each distance Z are joined smoothly to one another to form a complete airfoil shape.

The present invention relates generally to tuning the flow of cooling air across converter and inverter heat sinks in a motor drive system. More specifically, present techniques relate to motor drive duct systems having parallel cooling air duct channels dedicated to providing cooling air for a converter heat sink and an inverter heat sink, respectively. In particular, a first duct channel through an inverter duct and a converter duct is dedicated to providing cooling air to the converter heat sink without cooling the inverter heat sink, whereas a second duct channel through the inverter duct and the converter duct is dedicated to providing cooling air to the inverter heat sink without cooling the converter heat sink.

A turbine engine component, such as a turbine blade, has an airfoil portion having a pressure side wall and a suction side wall, a first cooling circuit embedded within the pressure side wall, which first cooling circuit has at least two passageways embedded within the pressure side wall, a second cooling circuit embedded within the suction side wall, which second cooling circuit has at least two passageways embedded within the suction side wall, at least one cooling fluid supply cavity located between the pressure and suction side walls, each cooling fluid supply cavity having at least one projecting portion extending between adjacent ones of the embedded passageways in the first cooling circuit or adjacent ones of the embedded passageways in the second cooling circuit, and each projecting portion communicating with at least one film cooling hole. A method for forming the turbine blade component is also described.

A method of subsurface exploration includes generating a representation of a portional volume of the Earth from a seismic measurement of a physical parameter. The method includes providing observed seismic dataset having three distinct nonzero data values derived from three distinct nonzero seismic measured values of said portional volume of the Earth, generating a predicted seismic dataset having three distinct nonzero data values, generating a nontrivial convolutional filter including three nonzero filter coefficients, generating a convolved observed dataset by convolving the convolutional filter with said observed seismic dataset, generating primary objective functions to measure the similarity between said convolved observed dataset and said predicted dataset, maximizing and / or minimizing said primary objective functions by modifying at least one filter coefficient of the convolutional filter, generating predetermined reference filters having at least three reference coefficients generating secondary objective functions to measure the similarity between filter coefficients for the nontrivial filter and reference coefficients for the predetermined reference filters, and minimizing and / or maximizing said secondary objective functions by modifying a model coefficient of a subsurface model of a portion of the Earth to produce an updated subsurface model of a portion of the Earth.

A thermal mass flow controller or mass flow meter having a novel sensor housing that reduces heat conduction from the housing mounting plate or base to the sensor itself. The housing also greatly minimizes the thermal gradient that can result from the uneven application of heat to the housing base. This reduction is accomplished in part by the use of one or more thermal isolation slots to isolate the upper portion of the housing (which holds the sensor) from the lower portion of the housing. Heat transfer to the sensor housing is also minimized by raising the middle portion of the bottom of the housing so that thermal contact is made between the base and the housing only at the two ends of the housing.

A tympanic thermometer includes a thermally conductive nozzle extending from a distal end of the thermometer. A base of a sensor can is thermally connected to the nozzle to define a path of conductive heat transfer from the nozzle to the base of the can thereby minimizing a thermal gradient between proximal and distal ends of the sensor can when temperature is measured in the ear.

The present invention provides a method for conveniently manufacturing a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) at a cost that is less than five-hundred dollars per kilowatt of electricity. The method comprises forming an electrode layer and depositing an electrolyte material on the surface of the electrode. The formed structure is an electrode-electrolyte bi-layer. A second electrode is deposited onto this bi-layer to form a multilayer fuel cell structure comprising an electrolyte positioned between two electrodes. This multilayer structure is then heated and fired in a single thermal cycle to remove any binder materials and sinter, respectively, the fuel cell. This thermal cycle can be performed in a furnace having one or more chambers. The chamber(s) preferably contains a variable or multiple frequency microwave source for heating the cell and removing binder materials in the electrolyte and electrode structures. The chamber(s) also preferably include a convection and / or radiation source for sintering the fuel cell. In addition, the method of the invention harmonizes and minimizes the deviation among the thermophysical properties of the electrolyte and electrode structures. This harmonization reduces and minimizes the temperature gradient within the cell such that the structure can be uniformly heated and fired during the thermal cycle. The multilayer structure is also unlikely to distort and fracture by minimizing the temperature gradient in the cell. An SOFC can also be manufactured by the present method in an order of magnitude less time than standard processes.