Inductrack III Configuration—A Maglev System for High Loads
Richard F. Post
U.S. Patent 8,578,860 B2
November 12, 2013
Inductrack III configurations are suited for use in transporting heavy freight loads. Inductrack III addresses a problem associated with the cantilevered track of the Inductrack II configuration, which could present mechanical design problems in track systems that support heavy loads. In Inductrack III, the levitating Halbach array on the moving vehicle is single-sided and thus does not require the cantilevered track used with Inductrack II. As a result, the levitating portion of the Inductrack III track can be supported uniformly from below.
Melt-Castable Energetic Compounds Comprising Oxadiazoles and Methods of Production Thereof
Philip F. Pagoria, Mao X. Zhang
U.S. Patent 8,580,054 B2
November 12, 2013
In one embodiment, a melt-castable energetic material comprises at least one of two compounds: 3,5-bis(4-nitro-1,2,5-oxadiazol-3-yl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole (DNFO) or 3-(4-amino-1,2,5-oxadiazol-3-yl)-5-(4-nitro-1,2,5-oxadiazol-3-yl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole (ANFO). In another embodiment, a method for forming a melt-castable energetic material includes reacting 3,5-bis(4-amino-1,2,5-oxadiazol-3-yl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole (DAFO) with oxygen or an oxygen-containing compound to form a mixture of at least DNFO or ANFO.
Barium Iodide and Strontium Iodide Crystals and Scintillators Implementing the Same
Stephen A. Payne, Nerine J. Cherepy, Giulia E. Hull, Alexander D. Drobshoff, Arnold Burger
U.S. Patent 8,580,149 B2
November 12, 2013
In one embodiment, a material comprising a crystal of strontium iodide (SrI2) provides at least 50,000 photons per megaelectronvolt (MeV). In another embodiment, a scintillator radiation detector includes a scintillator optic made of europium- (Eu-) doped strontium iodide, which provides at least 50,000 photons per MeV. Another radiation detector design includes a scintillator optic of SrI2 and barium iodide (BaI2), wherein the ratio of SrI2 to BaI2 is in the range of 0:1. The method for manufacturing a suitable crystal for the scintillator involves mixing SrI2-containing crystals with a source of Eu2+, heating the mixture above a melting point of the SrI2-containing crystals, and cooling the heated mixture near the seed crystal for growing a crystal. Additional materials, systems, and methods are presented.
Corrosion Resistant Neutron Absorbing Coatings
Jor-Shan Choi, Joseph C. Farmer, Chuck K. Lee, Jeffrey Walker, Paige Russell, Jon Kirkwood, Nancy Yang, Victor Champagne
U.S. Patent 8,580,350 B2
November 12, 2013
With this method, a corrosion-resistant, neutron-absorbing coating is applied to a material by a spray, deposition, sputtering, or welding process to form a composite material. A corrosion-resistant, neutron-absorbing coating comprising a composite material can also be made of a spray, deposition, sputtering, or welding material and a neutron-absorbing material.
Monolithic Three-Dimensional Electrochemical Energy Storage System on Aerogel or Nanotube Scaffold
Joseph C. Farmer, Michael Stadermann
U.S. Patent 8,580,438 B2
November 12, 2013
A monolithic three-dimensional electrochemical energy storage system is provided on an aerogel or nanotube scaffold. An anode, separator, cathode, and cathodic current collector are deposited on the aerogel or nanotube scaffold.
Magnetic Bearing Element with Adjustable Stiffness
Richard F. Post
U.S. Patent 8,581,463 B2
November 12, 2013
A compact magnetic bearing element is made of permanent magnet discs configured such that bearing stiffness and levitation force can be varied over a wide range.
Methods of Detection and Identification of Carbon- and Nitrogen-Containing Materials
Alexander Ivanovich Karev, Valery Georgievich Raevsky, Leonid Zavenovich Dzhilavyan, Louis Joseph Brothers, Larry K. Wilhide
U.S. Patent 8,582,712 B2
November 12, 2013
Methods for detecting and identifying carbon- and/or nitrogen-containing materials are disclosed. The methods may detect photonuclear reaction products of nitrogen and carbon to identify the carbon- and/or nitrogen-containing materials.
Separating and Combining Single-Mode and Multimode Optical Beams
Anthony J. Ruggiero, Donald A. Masquelier, Jeffery B. Cooke, Jeffery S. Kallman
U.S. Patent 8,582,936 B2
November 12, 2013
These techniques can be used to combine initially separate single-mode and multimode optical beams into a single dual-mode fiber optic. Bidirectional propagation of two beams that are differentiated only by their mode profiles (that is, by wavefront conditions) is provided. The beams can be different wavelengths and have different modulation information but still share a common aperture. This method allows the use of conventional micro-optics and hybrid photonic packaging techniques to produce small rugged packages suitable for industrial or military environments.
Physics-Based Signal Processing Algorithms for Micromachined Cantilever Arrays
James V. Candy, David S. Clague, Christopher L. Lee, Robert E. Rudd, Alan K. Burnham, Joseph W. Tringe
U.S. Patent 8,584,506 B2
November 19, 2013
This method uses physics-based signal-processing algorithms for micromachined cantilever arrays. With this approach, the deflection of a micromachined cantilever represents the chemical, biological, or physical element being detected. One embodiment includes steps for modeling the cantilever deflection, sensing the deflection of the micromachined cantilever, and producing a signal that represents this deflection. The deflection signal is then compared with the deflection model to identify the element.
Low Temperature Sodium-Beta Battery
Joseph C. Farmer
U.S. Patent 8,586,227 B2
November 19, 2013
A battery designed to operate at ambient temperature or lower has a current collector, a sodium eutectic anode, and a low-melting ion liquid cathode within an enclosure and a separator and electrolyte between the anode and cathode. The anode and cathode are made of materials that are in a liquid state at ambient temperature or lower and thus will operate at these low temperatures.