Abstract:
High-shear treated materials are passed through a high-shear treatment zone which allows the coexistence of free supra-Kolmogoroff eddies larger than the smallest possible Kolmogoroff eddy diameter and forced sub-Kolmogoroff eddies smaller than this diameter. This zone includes a subsidiary higher-shear zone for suppressing these free eddies. The passage walls (40, 44, 102, 108) move relative to one another transverse to the flow to force the simultaneous development of supra-Kolmogoroff and sub-Kolmogoroff eddies while maintaining liquid films adherent to the passage surfaces. The movement produces only forced sub-Kolmogoroff eddies in the susidiary zone while maintaining a non-turbulent flow. Ultrasonic oscillations (52) may be applied to cause elastohydrodynamic pressure and viscosity increases and/or production of smaller sub-Kolmogoroff eddies. One apparatus includes an inner cylinder rotatable (46) inside a hollow outer cylinder (38), another consists of two circular coaxial plates, and the rotational axis can be vertical or horizontal.
Abstract:
New methods of operating surface reactors, and such reactors, particularly spinning disk reactors, require that a first reactant is fed to a reactor surface (20) and forms a thin radially outward moving film (60) thereon in a reaction passage (42) formed between the reaction surface (20) and a parallel, closely spaced (less than 1 mm) retaining surface (40). The passage thickness is precisely controllable and the surfaces (20, 40) move relative to one another so that strong shear is applied to the material between them. A second reactant is fed to the surface (20) as a second thin film (65) that as it enters the first film (60), preferably perpendicularly, it is immediately merged therewith along a correspondingly very narrow interaction line (66) by the shear at a rate such as to break up molecular clusters in the films, so that their molecules can aggressively and completely interact by forced interdiffusion. In spinning disk (18) apparatus the first film (60) is fed along the spin axis (14), while subsequent films (65, etc.) are fed at respective distances from the axis (14) such that there is adequate shear for the molecular cluster disruption. Preferably each film (65, etc.)after the first (60) is fed into the reaction passage (42) through a respective thin annular nozzle producing a thin circular film (65) that simultaneously merges with the first film (60) along its entire length.
Abstract:
A micro-optical switch including a flexureless magnetic micromirror hinged centrally over a pin, cone or the like. The pin, cone or the like allows the micromirror to rapidly switch or tilt into a plurality of predefined positions as accurately controlled by an microelectromagnetic assembly. A liquid surrounds the pin or cone, connects the bottom of the surface of the mirror with the substrate supporting the pin or cone, and provides a capillary force holding the mirror onto the pin or cone. The liquid low vapor pressure also dissipates heat generated by the fiberoptic beam reflecting off the top surface of the micromirror.
Abstract:
Composite materials comprising at least 70 volume % of particles of finely powdered inorganic material in a matrix of polymer material are made by forming separate mixtures of the components in respective liquid dispersion media, mixing the mixtures to produce thorough dispersion of the components together, dewatering the mixture and forming green articles therefrom. The green articles are heated and pressed to a temperature sufficient to melt the polymer and to a pressure sufficient to disperse the melted polymer into the interstices between the inorganic particles. Mixtures of different inorganic materials may be used to tailor the electrical and physical properties of the final materials. The inorganic materials may be obtained in finely divided form by precipitation or coprecipitation. The articles preferably comprise substrates for use in electronic circuits. The invention also comprises apparatus for carrying out the method and the composite materials that result. Polymer particles of required small size are made by cooling a strip or rod to a brittle fracture temperature and feeding it against a moving grinding surface of coarseness to produce the particles.
Abstract:
In apparatus for heat exchange to and from a body surface using a heat transfer liquid a heat exchanger comprises a plurality of elements (30) within a casing (10) connected axially against one another with spacer tube elements. Each element (30) has its periphery spaced from the body surface to provide a flow gap (50) for heat transfer fluid in heat exchange contact with the surface. The element (30) have plenums (41, 42) separating each from one another forming connecting flow spaces (36, 37) for the heat transfer liquid between the heat transfer flow gap and inlet and outlet passages (38, 39) passing through the body. A preferred apparatus is a cylindrical rotor (16) within a cylindrical stator (10) with an annular processing space (20) between them, the rotor containing a stack of heat exchange elements (30) of the respective shape permitting high heat flux rates and uniform temperature distribution over the total rotor heat transfer surface.
Abstract:
Composite materials comprising at least 60 volume %, preferably 70 volume %, of particles of finely powdered filler material in a matrix of poly(arylene ether) polymer material are made by forming a mixture of the components, forming the required bodies therefrom, and then heating and pressing the bodies to a temperature sufficient to melt the polymer and to a pressure sufficient to disperse the melted polymer into the interstices between the filler particles. Surprisingly these polymer materials can only be effective as bonding materials when the solids content is as high as that specified, since with lower contents the resultant bodies are too friable. This is completely contrary to accepted prior art practice which considers that composites are progressively weakened as the solids content is increased, so that such content must be limited. In processes to obtain as complete a dispersion of the components as possible they are individually dispersed in a liquid dispersion medium containing the polymer together with necessary additives, each mixture being ground if required to obtain a desired particles size, the mixtures are mixed, again ground to produce thorough dispersion, are separated from the liquid dispersion medium and green articles formed from the resulting pasty mixture. The green articles are then heated and pressed as described above. Mixtures of different filler materials may be used to tailor the electrical and physical properties of the final materials. The articles preferably comprise substrates for use in electronic circuits.
Abstract:
Methods and apparatus for high shear reacting and/or mixing of moving fluid streams of materials employ an interdiffusing and reacting zone formed in the space between two stationary surfaces (30, 32), the surfaces being spaced (22, 22B) apart a maximum distance of the sum of the thicknesses of the back-to-back boundary layers of the materials and/or resulting materials on the surfaces, to a value such that any third layer between the two boundary layers is too thin to support agitation characterized by turbulent convection and/or to cause channeling. The materials are interdiffused by high speed laminar shear produced by the flow of the materials rather than mixed by macroscopic convection, the materials being driven by high velocity inlet feeds (24, 26), auxiliary high pressure gas flow pumped into the reaction/mixing zone, or auxiliary high-pressure gas flow created as an evolving gaseous by product of any chemical reaction that may occur.
Abstract:
Pasty materials from which green parts are molded before sintering, and which otherwise are difficult or impossible to mix while in the pasty state, are mixed and homogenised by forming a lump, placing it between two parallel flat platens, and pressing the platens together until the lump becomes a thin flat pancake; thereafter the pancake is remade into a lump or ball by moving its circumferential edges inwards. This press-mixing cycle is repeated until the process is sufficiently complete, typically involving from 10 to 50 repetitions, usually about 20 to 30. Molded ceramic articles with 'mirror-finish' surfaces are produced economically by employment of small amounts, 5 % or less, of superplastic shear deformation produced by molding the articles with the surfaces to be finsihed in contact with mold surfaces of the required finish. The starting powdered ceramic materials are of particle size one micrometer or less, and molded green parts are formed using slurrying, grinding, and mixing techniques that maintain material uniformity and keep the particle size below one micrometer. The green parts sintered using rate controlled sintering to maintain grain size below the one micrometer value critical for superplastic forging. The sintered parts are then molded as described at a temperature above the minimum superplastic tmeperature of 0.5 M, where M is the melting temperature of the ceramic material.
Abstract:
New methods of operating surface reactors, and such reactors, particularly spinning disk reactors, require that a first reactant is fed to a reactor surface (20) and forms a thin radially outward moving film (60) thereon in a reaction passage (42) formed between the reaction surface (20) and a parallel, closely spaced (less than 1 mm) retaining surface (40). The passage thickness is precisely controllable and the surfaces (20, 40) move relative to one another so that strong shear is applied to the material between them. A second reactant is fed to the surface (20) as a second thin film (65) that as it enters the first film (60), preferably perpendicularly, it is immediately merged therewith along a correspondingly very narrow interaction line (66) by the shear at a rate such as to break up molecular clusters in the films, so that their molecules can aggressively and completely interact by forced interdiffusion. In spinning disk (18) apparatus the first film (60) is fed along the spin axis (14), while subsequent films (65, etc.) are fed at respective distances from the axis (14) such that there is adequate shear for the molecular cluster disruption. Preferably each film (65, etc.) after the first (60) is fed into the reaction passage (42) through a respective thin annular nozzle producing a thin circular film (65) that simultaneously merges with the first film (60) along its entire length.
Abstract:
New methods of operating surface reactors, and such reactors, particularly spinning disk reactors, require that a first reactant is fed to a reactor surface (20) and forms a thin radially outward moving film (60) thereon in a reaction passage (42) formed between the reaction surface (20) and a parallel, closely spaced (less than 1 mm) retaining surface (40). The passage thickness is precisely controllable and the surfaces (20, 40) move relative to one another so that strong shear is applied to the material between them. A second reactant is fed to the surface (20) as a second thin film (65) that as it enters the first film (60), preferably perpendicularly, it is immediately merged therewith along a correspondingly very narrow interaction line (66) by the shear at a rate such as to break up molecular clusters in the films, so that their molecules can aggressively and completely interact by forced interdiffusion. In spinning disk (18) apparatus the first film (60) is fed along the spin axis (14), while subsequent films (65, etc.) are fed at respective distances from the axis (14) such that there is adequate shear for the molecular cluster disruption. Preferably each film (65, etc.) after the first (60) is fed into the reaction passage (42) through a respective thin annular nozzle producing a thin circular film (65) that simultaneously merges with the first film (60) along its entire length.