Invention Disclosure最新文献

Metal Industry and Machine Technology Development Enterprise is Ethiopia's leading manufacturing industry, producing a diverse range of industrial machinery and products. The main welding process used to join the products is MIG welding, which has several flaws, including low weld-metal toughness, spatter formation, undercut formation, and finally poor tensile strength and toughness. The company also uses TIG welding, which uses an inert gas to produce less smoke and fumes. While this technology produces precise welds, it is a time-consuming operation with a lower production rate. As a result, a special type of welding process is required that incorporates the properties of both types of welding processes. As a result, the hybrid TIG-MIG welding configuration was proposed. The optimization of process parameters of EN24 mild steel material for TIGMIG hybrid welding is presented in this paper. The test was carried out on a 6 mm EN24 mild steel plate. The butt joint configuration was used. MIG welding current, TIG welding current, MIG welding voltage, TIG welding voltage, and welding gun travel speed were used as process parameters. A single-level L27 orthogonal array is used to optimize process parameters. Tensile and hardness tests are used to evaluate the mechanical properties of the weld joint. The optimum level setting of the test, according to the mean effect plot of GRG, is MIG welding current of 200 A, MIG welding voltage of 15 V, TIG welding current of 200 A, TIG welding voltage of 18 V, and welding gun travel speed of 5 mm/s. The significant process parameters were investigated using ANOVA. MIG welding current and MIG welding voltage were significant factors in the ANOVA, with percentage contributions of 44.19 % and 49.20 %, respectively. Five confirmation tests were performed, and the results show that the mean grey relational grade of the conformation test was 0.7594, which falls within the 90 % confidence interval, indicating that the experiment is reliable. Finally, MIG welding, TIG welding, and TIG-MIG hybrid welding processes were compared, with the results indicating that TIG-MIG hybrid welding has the highest hardness and tensile strength of all. Based on the findings, it is possible to conclude that the company should use the hybrid welding method to improve the weld joint's hardness and tensile strength.

This invention describes a steel joint used for connecting two precast concrete driven energy pile (DEP) segments which is known as DEP joint. Precast concrete DEPs are cast in segments with a maximum length of 12 m at a concrete factory. DEPs are typically driven into the ground until bedrock; hence, in places where the bedrock is deeper than 12 m, two or more segments must be connected using a joint to produce longer energy piles. DEPs have not been frequently used because no suitable joint existed that could maintain structural integrity and provide leak-proof coupling between the pipes at the joint interface. The present invention addresses this problem by designing a steel joint that can meet the structural and hydraulic requirements of a suitable steel joint for DEPs. Each quadratic concrete energy pile segment is prefabricated in a concrete factory, where the heat transfer pipes are embedded inside the steel cage of each segment. The steel DEP joint is installed at one or both ends of each concrete segment, and has two or four sidewall channels, depending upon its size. Heat transfer pipes are coupled between every two segments, inside the sidewall channels, while the energy piles are installed at a construction site. The sidewall channels are protected using steel shielding plates that are riveted to the joint so that the pipes and the coupling inside the sidewall channels are protected against harsh frictions during the installation of the DEPs in the ground. The steel joint facilitates the installation of longer precast concrete energy piles up to the bedrock depth, especially in sites where the bedrock is deeper than a single segment length. The main advantages of precast concrete energy piles compared to cast-in-place piles are that they enable better quality control and quality assurance, as well as being easier, faster, and cheaper to install. The invented DEP joint has passed structural integrity tests as required according to the BS EN 12794 standard, and also passed hydraulic pressure tests according to the ASTM F2164 – 21; hence, it is certified to be used in construction projects. We are now looking for potential licensees to start manufacturing the joints and using them in the energy pile industry.

This invention refers to an innovative treatment capable of forming a coating on metallic lithium. This coating is able to solve the problem of dendritic growth, which represents a safety risk for batteries in terms of overheating or even catching fire. It is a process for the surface fluorination of metallic lithium using elemental fluorine. In this way, a uniform and impurity-free surface layer of lithium fluoride is formed on the whole surface of metallic lithium. This highly reproducible treatment can also be carried out on a large scale; it allows the creation of a material that can be advantageously used as anode in lithium batteries, since it guarantees significantly higher performances than those obtained by using bare metallic lithium anodes, and also those with lithium metal anodes equipped with a lithium fluoride layer, in which the creation of a lithium fluoride layer is achieved in situ by organic or other inorganic fluorinating agents.

The present invention relates to a geotextile of the geogrid type manufactured with fibers from the Typha domingensis plant, known as cumbungi, recognized for its remarkable tensile strength. This geotextile is developed to mitigate erosive processes and is produced from natural fibers arranged in a mat configuration. This product fit in with the technical fields of civil engineering and textile materials. The central innovation of this geotextile lies in the provision of a natural alternative featuring biodegradable fibers and high tensile strength. Its applications in environmental engineering include erosion prevention, slope stabilization, and reinforcement of road structures, with the fundamental goal of preserving the soil against degradation and erosion. This high-strength geotextile is composed of Typha domingensis fibers skillfully interwoven and connected to form a grid structure, with each unit covering approximately 0.25 m²s. Furthermore, a double layer of waterproofing material is incorporated to provide greater cohesion, environmental durability, and tensile strength. In practical applications, this geotextile demonstrates a remarkable ability to withstand mass movements even before local vegetation develops. This makes it a technological alternative that synergistically combines technological and ecological processes, incorporating the principles of soil bioengineering while offering a sustainable alternative to synthetic geotextiles. The use of this geotextile in the field is preferably combined with living components such as seeds, plant stakes, wood, or rocks for slope or embankment stabilization, with a primary focus on effective erosion control and the promotion of environmental sustainability.

The patented integrated Thermoelectric Generator (TEG) cooling system efficiently and space-savingly removes heat from solar cells during periods of high solar radiation. Unlike existing products that utilise the Peltier and Seebeck effect, in the patented system the Seebeck effect occurs internally in the heat sink itself, which acts entirely as a carrier for the cells, and only a small part of the removed heat is used to provide the required temperature difference. The invention results in a clear simplification of solar cell cooling and thermoelectric conversion technology. This also leads to cascading economic advantages in terms of overall system costs. We have started extensive research into new innovative and efficient materials to further improve the efficiency of the system and provide an increasingly competitive product for the market..We are looking for collaborators, joint-venturers and investors.

This experiment used the electrospinning method to synthesize polysulfone nanofibers composited with TiO2, ZnO, and SiO2 nanoparticles. The goal was to prepare a nanofiber with super hydrophobic, self-cleaning, and antibacterial properties. Polysulfones are widely applied industrial polymers due to their low costs and high resistance; hence, various nanoparticles can be used to add unique features to this type of polymer. TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles are each characterized by specific photocatalytic properties. In the presence of light and moisture, these nanoparticles degrade contamination and organic compounds and prevent surfaces from getting dirty. In addition, ZnO is antibacterial and the SiO2 nanoparticle is a hydrophilic substance, which can be made highly hydrophobic if its surface is modified with organic chains. A combination of these three nanoparticles in a good medium can create self-cleaning, anti-bacterial, and super-hydrophobic properties. In this research, a DMF solvent and the said nanoparticles were used to synthesize a SiO2/ZnO/TiO2-PS nanofiber with an average diameter.

The drop-stick test system (DTS) invention has the capability to measure reaction accurately for sideline mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) assessment. The reaction time (RT) measurements showed moderate to good inter-instrument reliability with an overall ICC of 0.82 (95 % CI 0.78–0.85). RT is a useful biomarker of mTBI or concussion, but existing technologies in controlled laboratory environments are not feasible for assessments in the field. With wearable technologies and wireless connection with smartphones, it is now easier to conduct RT assessments on the field. The purpose was to develop a portable DTS involving wearable inertial sensors translatable from the laboratory to the sideline assessments on athletic fields. This project investigated if RT measurements using sensors are reliable metrics when compared to the gold-standard motion capture laboratory-test. The intent was to invent and assess the reliability of a clinical DTS using sensors in conjunction with an easy RT measurement protocol. The integrated inertial sensors in the DTS have the potential to reliably capture RT, allowing it to more easily translate into the training room or field environment.

Alkylene oxides of low molecular weight, ethylene, and propylene oxides, have a widespread use in industry. They are used to produce other chemicals and products such as solvents, surfactants, antifreeze, adhesives, polyurethane foams, and pharmaceuticals. They are also used as fumigants in agricultural products and as sterilant for medical equipment and supplies. Unfortunately, it is worth noting that alkylene oxides also possess several physical and health hazards that merit special attention. They are flammable,explosive and their storage and transportation warrant stringent safety rules. The obvious solution to reduce the risk is to generate them from intermediate safety materials only when and only where they are necessary. The literature suggests that correspondent carbonates are very stable precursors. The scope of our study is that of identifying the optimal conditions to generate ethylene and propylene oxide in the moment just before their reaction and uses. The patent deals with some equipment and process conditions that guarantee a fast and reliable dissociation of carbonates in their correspondent oxides. The natural output of the patent is a unit able to provide the dangerous material in situ, under controlled conditions . As a results, all the risks related to transportation and storage are eliminated.