A fuel cell having a distributed fuel feed in which the heat generation profile can be better controlled. Fuel channel stack and system... Show moreA fuel cell having a distributed fuel feed in which the heat generation profile can be better controlled. Fuel channel stack and system efficiency improvements are achieved. Sponsorship: Illinois Institute of Technology United States Patent Show less
Hafnium tantalum alloy containing about 15 and about 35 weight percent tantalum, between about 0.03 and about 2.0 weight percent boron, and at... Show moreHafnium tantalum alloy containing about 15 and about 35 weight percent tantalum, between about 0.03 and about 2.0 weight percent boron, and at least one additional alloying agent selected from chromium, silicon and aluminum. Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute United States Patent Show less
The invention disclosed is a process to allocate channels in a sectorized cellular network. A system of allocating cellular frequencies ... Show moreThe invention disclosed is a process to allocate channels in a sectorized cellular network. A system of allocating cellular frequencies (channels) to the sectors among the cells within a tile is disclosed which maximizes channel set usage within the tile while avoiding co-channel interference between cells. According to the present system, no infrastructure rebuild is required. The disclosed approach further supports all currently used cellular technology. By alternating and rotating the channel assignments across sectors, what is a seemingly locally poor algorithm utilizing additional local channels is actually a globally good algorithm which is efficient in terms of the total number of channels used owing to short reuse distance and low number of cell types. Sponsorship: Illinois Institute of Technology United States Patent Show less
The disclosure describes a technique for uniform heating of relatively large blocks of hydrocarbonaceous formations in situ using radio... Show moreThe disclosure describes a technique for uniform heating of relatively large blocks of hydrocarbonaceous formations in situ using radio frequency (RF) electrical energy that is substantially confined to the volume to be heated and effects of dielectric heating of the formations. An important aspect of the disclosure relates to the fact that certain hydrocarbonaceous earth formations, for example raw unheated oil shale, exhibit dielectric absorption characteristics in the radio frequency range. In accordance with the system of the invention, a plurality of conductors are inserted in the formations and bound a particular volume of the formations. The phrase "bounding a particular volume" is intended to mean that the volume is enclosed on at least two sides thereof. Electrical excitation is provided for establishing alternating electric fields in the volume. The frequency of the excitation is selected as a function of the dimensions of the volume so as to establish a substantially non-radiating electric field which is substantially confined in the volume. In this manner, volumetric dielectric heating of the formations will occur to effect approximately uniform controlled heating of the volume Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute United States Patent Show less
The synthesis of a carbon-based catalyst from sludge materials such as produced by the paper mill industry and the like is described wherein... Show moreThe synthesis of a carbon-based catalyst from sludge materials such as produced by the paper mill industry and the like is described wherein the treated material is subjected to processing including chemical activation with an appropriate metal-based activating agent, light and humidity treatment, and pyrolysis to result in a desired carbon-based catalyst. Sponsorship: Illinois Institute of Technology United States Patent Show less
A method is provided for microbial enhanced oil recovery, wherein a combination of microorganisms is empirically formulated based on... Show moreA method is provided for microbial enhanced oil recovery, wherein a combination of microorganisms is empirically formulated based on survivability under reservoir conditions and oil recovery efficiency, such that injection of the microbial combination may be made, in the presence of essentially only nutrient solution, directly into an injection well of an oil bearing reservoir having oil present at waterflood residual oil saturation concentration. The microbial combination is capable of displacing residual oil from reservoir rock, which oil may be recovered by waterflooding without causing plugging of the reservoir rock. Further, the microorganisms are capable of being transported through the pores of the reservoir rock between said injection well and associated production wells, during waterflooding, which results in a larger area of the reservoir being covered by the oil-mobilizing microorganisms. Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute United States Patent Show less