Solar Thermochemical Processing System and Method (iEdison No. 0685901-11-0013)
The purpose of the invention is to capture concentrated solar radiation, converting the energy to chemical energy. This is accomplished by operating a high temperature endothermic reaction such as methane steam reforming where the heat of reaction is largely or completely provided by solar energy.
DEVICES AND METHODS FOR PERFORMING SHEAR-ASSISTED EXTRUSION AND EXTRUSION PROCESSES
A process for forming extruded products using a device having a scroll face configured to apply a rotational shearing force and an axial extrusion force to the same preselected location on material wherein a combination of the rotational shearing force and the axial extrusion force upon the same location cause a portion of the material to plasticize, flow and recombine in desired configurations. This process provides for a significant number of advantages and industrial applications, including but not limited to extruding tubes used for vehicle components with 50 to 100 percent greater ductility and energy absorption over conventional extrusion technologies, while dramatically reducing manufacturing costs.
GENE-MATCHED ENRICHMENT AND POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION FOR RAPID DETECTION OF MICROORGANISMS
A method for amplifying and detecting microorganisms, such as species of Listeria, is described. The method utilizes gene-matched enrichment media and PCR-based detection. The enrichment media is spent media produced using a modified microorganism containing a plurality of mutations in a selected gene such that the modified microorganism does not contain the PCR signature. Thus, PCR detects only the amplified microorganism of interest, not the modified microorganism. Exemplary methods and kits for amplification and detection of Listeria species are described
METHODS AND DATA STRUCTURES FOR EFFICIENT CROSS-REFERENCING OF PHYSICAL-ASSET SPATIAL IDENTIFIERS
The invention is the reference implementation of the Unique Building Identifier (UBID) specification [1]. The reference implementation includes the "buildingid" command-line executable that supports comma-separated values (CSV) files and Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) Shapefiles and provides UBID encoding and decoding, UBID cross-reference and CSV file to/from ESRI Shapefile conversion capabilities. A UBID is a short string of characters (typically, less than 24 characters) that encodes of the center of mass (i.e., centroid) and cardinal direction extents of a land lot on the surface of the Earth. Examples of land lots include building footprints. The input for encoding a UBID is 6 numbers: the latitude and longitude coordinates of the centroid of the land lot and the latitude and longitude coordinates of the south-west and north-east corners of the minimal bounding box of the land lot. In the UBID specification, latitude and longitude coordinates are encoded as short strings using the Open Location Code (OLC) grid reference system [2]. The OLC grid is a recursively-subdivided, rectangular grid. At each level of the recursion, the grid has higher resolution. For example, in the 5th layer, the area of each OLC grid cell is approximately 14x14 meters (at the Equator). The OLC grid also has a "refinement" capability. For example, in the 5th layer with 1 refinement, the area of each OLC grid cell is approximately 2x3 meters (at the Equator). The inventive feature of UBID is that the extents of the OLC grid cell are used to measure the cardinal direction extents of the land lot. In the UBID specification, each extent is the smallest number of OLC grid cells that are required to completely cover a given line. For example, the line from the northern edge of the OLC grid cell to the northern edge of the minimal bounding box of the land lot. (In fact, the selection of OLC is arbitrary. The UBID methodology being applicable to any rectangular grid reference system with a string representation for latitude and longitude coordinates.) Since extents are measured "OLC grid cell units," the UBID specification is robust with respect to the underlying geographic coordinate system (in this case, WGS-84) and its behavior with respect to the position of a given land lot on the surface of the Earth (e.g., at the poles). UBIDs can be assigned to any land lot. (In fact, UBIDs can be assigned at any location rectangle, including those at sea!) One land lot can be assigned multiple UBIDs, where each UBID is dependent upon the OLC resolution. Hence, the OLC resolution itself can be selected with respect to the requirements of each use case. The UBID cross-reference capability of the "buildingid" command-line executable can be used to decide if two UBIDs are assigned to the same land lot or if two UBIDs have an "intersects" and/or "contains"/"within" relationship. [1] https://github.com/pnnl/buildingid [2] https://github.com/google/open-location-code
Method for Forming Hollow Profile Non-Circular Extrusions Using Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion (ShAPE) (iEdison No. 0685901-13-0018)
A process for forming extruded products using a device having a scroll face configured to apply a rotational shearing force and an axial extrusion force to the same preselected location on material wherein a combination of the rotational shearing force and the axial extrusion force upon the same location cause a portion of the material to plasticize, flow and recombine in desired configurations. This process provides for a significant number of advantages and industrial applications, including but not limited to extruding tubes used for vehicle components with 50 to 100 percent greater ductility and energy absorption over conventional extrusion technologies, while dramatically reducing manufacturing costs.
FUNCTIONALLY GRADED COATINGS AND CLADDINGS
A shear assisted extrusion process for producing cladded materials wherein a cladding material and a material to be cladded are placed in sequence with the cladded material positioned to contact a rotating scroll face first and the material to be cladded second. The two materials are fed through a shear assisted extrusion device at a preselected feed rate and impacted by a rotating scroll face to generate a cladded extrusion product. This process allows for increased through wall strength and decreases the brittleness in formed structures as compared to the prior art.
SENSOR ASSEMBLIES AND METHODS FOR EMULATING INTERACTION OF ENTITIES WITHIN WATER SYSTEMS (iEdison No. 0685901-18-0023)
This is a continuation of Patent 10,067,112 (Autonomous Sensor Fish to Support Advanced Hydropower Development). We developed a smaller version which can be used for other applications.
SHEAR-ASSISTED EXTRUSION ASSEMBLIES AND METHODS (iEdison No. 0685901-21-0123)
This invention is about creating a co-extruded bi-metallic tubes where two distinct properties are required at the outer and inner part of a tube in a single step and with a minimal billet preparation. Co-extrusion of 6061 (shell) and 7075 (core), 1100 (shell) and 7075 (core), and 1100 (shell) and 2024 (core) Al alloys were completed and a sound bonding at the interface was noted. Furthermore, thickness of the sleeve and core can be controlled via the area ratio of the constituent billet material.
SHEAR-ASSISTED EXTRUSION ASSEMBLIES AND METHODS (iEdison No. 0685901-21-0123)
This invention is about creating a co-extruded bi-metallic tubes where two distinct properties are required at the outer and inner part of a tube in a single step and with a minimal billet preparation. Co-extrusion of 6061 (shell) and 7075 (core), 1100 (shell) and 7075 (core), and 1100 (shell) and 2024 (core) Al alloys were completed and a sound bonding at the interface was noted. Furthermore, thickness of the sleeve and core can be controlled via the area ratio of the constituent billet material.
Friction Stir Welding Tool and Process for Welding Dissimilar Materials
This tool design provides a hardened or abrasive surface to essentially scratch the stronger material of a dissimilar metal joint. The abrasive tip is located on the pin of a traditional friction stir tool, such that the temperature and pressure of the FSW process allows the softer material from the dissimilar stack to flow into and around the roughened surface of the harder base material.