Emission control system

Methods and apparatus utilizing hydrogen peroxide are useful to reduce NOx, SOx and mercury (or other heavy metal) emissions from combustion flue gas streams. Continuous concentration of hydrogen peroxide to levels approaching or exceeding propellant-grade hydrogen peroxide facilitates increased system efficiency. In this manner, combustion flue gas streams can be treated for the removal of NOx, SOx and heavy metals, while isolating useful by-products streams of sulfuric acid and nitric acid as well as solids for the recovery of the heavy metals

High Performance Immobilized Liquid Membrane for Carbon Dioxide Separations

An immobilized liquid membrane has a substrate. A plurality of capsules is disposed on the substrate. Each of the capsules is permeable to a first gas of a mixture of gases comprising the st gas and a second gas. Each of the capsules is substantially impermeable to the second gas. A liquid is disposed in each of the capsules that is permeable to the first gas and substantially impermeable to the second gas

High temperature decomposition of hydrogen peroxide

Nitric oxide (NO) is oxidized into nitrogen dioxide (NO.sub.2) by the high temperature decomposition of a hydrogen peroxide solution to produce the oxidative free radicals, hydroxyl and hydroperoxyl. The hydrogen peroxide solution is impinged upon a heated surface in a stream of nitric oxide where it decomposes to produce the oxidative free radicals. Because the decomposition of the hydrogen peroxide solution occurs within the stream of the nitric oxide, rapid gas-phase oxidation of nitric oxide into nitrogen dioxide occurs

Process for self-repair of insulation material

A self-healing system for an insulation material initiates a self-repair process by rupturing a plurality of microcapsules disposed on the insulation material. When the plurality of microcapsules are ruptured reactants within the plurality of microcapsules react to form a replacement polymer in a break of the insulation material. This self-healing system has the ability to repair multiple breaks in a length of insulation material without exhausting the repair properties of the material

Concentration of Hydrogen Peroxide

Methods for concentrating hydrogen peroxide solutions have been described. The methods utilize a polymeric membrane separating a hydrogen peroxide solution from a sweep gas or permeate. The membrane is selective to the permeability of water over the permeability of hydrogen peroxide, thereby facilitating the concentration of the hydrogen peroxide solution through the transport of water through the membrane to the permeate. By utilizing methods in accordance with the invention, hydrogen peroxide solutions of up to 85% by volume or higher may be generated at a point of use without storing substantial quantities of the highly concentrated solutions and without requiring temperatures that would produce explosive mixtures of hydrogen peroxide vapors

Hydrogen peroxide catalytic decomposition

Nitric oxide in a gaseous stream is converted to nitrogen dioxide using oxidizing species generated through the use of concentrated hydrogen peroxide fed as a monopropellant into a catalyzed thruster assembly. The hydrogen peroxide is preferably stored at stable concentration levels, i.e., approximately 50%-70% by volume, and may be increased in concentration in a continuous process preceding decomposition in the thruster assembly. The exhaust of the thruster assembly, rich in hydroxyl and/or hydroperoxy radicals, may be fed into a stream containing oxidizable components, such as nitric oxide, to facilitate their oxidation

Phenotypic Characteristics of Mucosally Transmitted HIV-1

Mucosal transmission accounts for the majority of new human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infections and results in a genetically and phenotypically homogenous founder virus population in 60-80 percent of cases. Biological properties common to these transmitted and founder (T/F) viruses but not chronic control (CC) viruses would define key targets for microbicides and vaccines. To identify such properties, we tested 45 T/F and 52 CC envelope glycoproteins (Envs) from the best studied and most prevalent HIV-1 subtypes (B and C, respectively) in various pseudotype assays to determine their receptor and coreceptor interaction, tropism for primary CD4+ T cell subsets, and sensitivity to neutralizing antibodies. T/F Envs were unable to mediate entry into cells expressing low amounts of CD4, thus macrophages and other CD4low cells likely do not support their replication during mucosal transmission. In contrast, T/F Env pseudoviruses efficiently infected primary memory CD4+ T cells with a preference for the effector rather than central memory subset, as did CC pseudoviruses. There was a trend towards increased sensitivity of T/F viruses to neutralization by antibodies targeting the CD4 binding site. All T/F Envs were able to use the coreceptor CCR5 for cell entry, whereas some CC Envs used CXCR4 alone. However, one bona fide T/F virus entered and replicated very poorly in CCR5+ cells in vitro, so efficient use of CCR5 as tested is not absolutely required for transmission. To extend these studies beyond intrinsic Env functions, we characterized the Env content, infectivity, dendritic cell interaction, and interferon alpha (IFN-α) sensitivity of 27 T/F and 14 CC infectious molecular clones from subtypes B and C. T/F viruses contained more Env and were more infectious than CC viruses. T/F viruses also readily attached to DCs and were effectively transferred to CD4+ T cells. T/F viruses were more resistant to the inhibitory effect of IFN-α on virus spread than CC viruses, suggesting that selective pressure imposed by the innate immune response may in part mediate the bottleneck associated with mucosal transmission. Future work is needed to define the mechanistic basis of these phenomena in order to target them to prevent HIV-1 transmission

Flame Suppression Agent, System and Uses

Aqueous droplets encapsulated in a flame retardant polymer are useful in suppressing combustion. Upon exposure to a flame, the encapsulated aqueous droplets rupture and vaporize, removing heat and displacing oxygen to retard the combustion process. The polymer encapsulant, through decomposition, may further add free radicals to the combustion atmosphere, thereby further retarding the combustion process. The encapsulated aqueous droplets may be used as a replacement to halon, water mist and dry powder flame suppression systems

Hydrogen Peroxide Concentrator

A relatively simple and economical process and apparatus for concentrating hydrogen peroxide from aqueous solution at the point of use have been invented. The heart of the apparatus is a vessel comprising an outer shell containing tubular membranes made of a polymer that is significantly more permeable by water than by hydrogen peroxide. The aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide to be concentrated is fed through the interstitial spaces between the tubular membranes. An initially dry sweep gas is pumped through the interiors of the tubular membranes. Water diffuses through the membranes and is carried away as water vapor mixed into the sweep gas. Because of the removal of water, the hydrogen peroxide solution flowing from the vessel at the outlet end is more concentrated than that fed into the vessel at the inlet end. The sweep gas can be air, nitrogen, or any other gas that can be conveniently supplied in dry form and does not react chemically with hydrogen peroxide

Electronic control/display interface technology

An effort to produce a representative workstation for the Space Station Data Management Test Bed that provides man/machine interface design options for consolidating, automating, and integrating the space station work station, and hardware/software technology demonstrations of space station applications is discussed. The workstation will emphasize the technologies of advanced graphics engines, advanced display/control medias, image management techniques, multifunction controls, and video disk utilizations