A method is illustrated and described for reducing unwanted substances by injecting a reactant into a flue gas of a steam generator. In order that the reactant can also be used in larger steam generators and/or combustion chambers, a method is proposed, in which the reactant is injected into the combustion chamber of the steam generator via a reactant opening of a multi-component nozzle, in which an enveloping medium is injected into the combustion chamber through at least one enveloping medium opening arranged outside the reactant opening, and in which the enveloping medium at least partly envelops the reactant in the combustion chamber and in this way at least partly shields the reactant from the flue gas.

An apparatus for synergistically combining a plasma with a comminution means such as a fluid kinetic energy mill (jet mill), preferably in a single reactor and/or in a single process step is provided by the present invention. Within the apparatus of the invention potential energy is converted into kinetic energy and subsequently into angular momentum by means of wave energy, for comminuting, reacting and separation of feed materials. Apparatuss of use of the apparatus in the practice of various processes are also provided by the present invention.

Apparatus and methods are disclosed for rapidly counteracting a transient low-pressure condition, that can occur intermittently in the exhaust section of a power plant or other such industrial facility upstream of exhaust fans as a result of an event that interrupts the generation and/or flow of exhaust gases, using jet nozzles disposed in the exhaust section and connected to a source of pressurized air or other suitable momentum material. By orienting the jet nozzles in a direction generally opposite to the flow of exhaust gas and actuating the system to release a burst of compressed air, for example in the event of a power plant interruption, the low-pressure condition can be ameliorated preventing damage to the exhaust section.

A coal nozzle assembly for a pulverized coal burner includes a diffuser. A flow conditioner also may be used with the assembly. The assembly conditions the coal/air flow before the coal/air flow is introduced to the furnace. The flow conditioner directs the coal into the diffuser where it is swirled to form a fuel rich outer ring disposed about an air rich inner portion before the fuel is delivered to the coal nozzle.

Methods of combustion include metering a substantially explosible powder into an oxidizing gas using a positive displacement powder dispersion device to suspend the powder in the gas and directing the powder in the gas to form a controlled stream of a moving explosible powder dispersion. In some embodiments, the method further includes igniting the dispersion with an ignition source to produce a stationary deflagrating combustion wave and sustaining combustion by continuing to meter the powder into the gas. In other embodiments, the method further includes adjusting a nozzle velocity of the dispersion to reflect properties of the dispersion to create a sustainable flame and igniting the dispersion to produce a stationary deflagrating wave of the dispersion. In other embodiments, the method further includes igniting the dispersion in a combustion area to produce a stationary deflagrating wave such that a conductive heat transfer from combustion brings the powder to combustion temperature.

A hydrogen vacuum furnace (100) is provided with a process chamber (1) wherein a subject (10) to be heated is stored; a heating chamber (2) wherein a heater lamp (25) is stored; and a crystal board (3) for separating the subject (10) and the heater lamp (25) one from the other. In the hydrogen vacuum furnace (100), the subject (10) is heated by a radiant ray applied from the heater lamp (25). The process chamber (1) and the heating chamber (2) are provided with gas feed ports (11, 21) and exhaust ports (12, 22), respectively, for feeding and exhausting a gas. When the subject (10) is being heated, atmospheric pressure in each chamber is adjusted so that the heating chamber (2) is under positive pressure to the process chamber (1) by feeding or exhausting the gas.

A grate bar for an incinerator having a grate bar base body and a high temperature resistant cover plate covering the grate bar base body at least on a surface portion which in operation points to a combustion chamber. The cover plate is separated from the grate bar base body by a thermal insulating material. In the grate bar base body a cavity is inserted in a side pointing to the cover plate and/or in the cover plate in the side pointing to the grate bar base body, which cavity is at least partially filled with a ceramic fiber insulating material. The invention further relates to a method for producing such a grate bar.

The burner preferably exclusively burns substantially explosible solid fuels and preferably has instant ON-OFF thermostat control, wastes no energy preheating the enclosure or external air supply, achieves stable combustion the moment the powder-air mix is ignited in our burner, is used in the upward vertical mode except for oil burner retrofits, burns a solid fuel in a single-phase regime as if it were a vaporized liquid or gas, is designed to complete combustion within the burner housing itself rather than in a large, high temperature furnace enclosure which it feeds, has an ultra-short residence time requirement, is a recycle consuming burner with self-contained management of initially unburned particles, is much smaller, simpler and lower cost, has a wider dynamic range/turndown ratio, is more efficient in combustion completeness and thermal efficiency, and operates with air-fuel mix approximately at the flame speed.

A gasification reactor for processing organic waste in batches comprises a primary gasification reactor (62) that includes a primary gasification chamber (18) and a surrounding combustion chamber (19), a secondary gasification chamber (21), a synthesis gas decontamination unit (42) and a combustible gas selector (41). The waste is loaded into the primary gasification chamber through a latched opening and heated from the combustion of a fuel in the combustion chamber (19) to convert the waste to a synthesis gas. The gasification chamber (18) has an intake (20) for introducing pre-heated process air (1) therein. The combustion chamber operates either with a conventional fuel (9) or with the produced synthesis gas (6). The secondary gasification chamber (21) thermally treats the synthesis gas (2) to eliminate tars. The decontamination unit (42) scrubs the synthesis gas of contaminants including particulates and acid gases. The clean synthesis gas (6) is directed to the combustible gas selector (41) which selectively feeds either the combustible fluid (9) or the synthesis gas (6) to the burner (40).

Disclosed is a photovoltaic device. The photovoltaic device includes: a substrate; a first electrode placed on the substrate; a second electrode which is placed opposite to the first electrode and which light is incident on; a first unit cell being placed between the first electrode and the second electrode, and including an intrinsic semiconductor layer including crystalline silicon grains making the surface of the intrinsic semiconductor layer toward the second electrode textured; and a second unit cell placed between the first unit cell and the second electrode.

A photoelectric conversion element comprising a substrate, a first electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer comprising a semiconductor and a sensitizing dye, a hole transport layer and a second electrode, wherein the hole transport layer comprises a polymer having a repeat unit represented by Formula (1) or (2),

Accordingly, a method of forming a metal chalcogenide material may comprise introducing at least one metal precursor and at least one chalcogen precursor into a chamber comprising a substrate, the at least one metal precursor comprising an amine or imine compound of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, a transition metal, a post-transition metal, or a metalloid, and the at least one chalcogen precursor comprising a hydride, alkyl, or aryl compound of sulfur, selenium, or tellurium. The at least one metal precursor and the at least one chalcogen precursor may be reacted to form a metal chalcogenide material over the substrate. A method of forming a metal telluride material, a method of forming a semiconductor device structure, and a semiconductor device structure are also described.

A resin composition, a multi-layered film, a backsheet for photovoltaic modules, a method thereof, and a photovoltaic module are provided. The multi-layered film including a coating layer including a fluorine-based polymer has an excellent durability and weather resistance, and also exhibits high interfacial adhesive strength to a substrate since the multi-layered film is formed by coating a cured product of the resin composition including the fluorine-based polymer, an acrylic polymer including a thermosetting functional group, and a heat-curing agent on the substrate. In addition, drying can be performed at a low temperature during the manufacture of the multi-layered film so that the manufacturing costs can be decreased, productivity can be increased, and the deterioration of the product due to heat modification, heat shock, and the like, can be prevented. The multi-layered film can be effectively used as a backsheet for various photovoltaic modules.

Disclosed are molecular and polymeric compounds having desirable properties as semiconducting materials. Such compounds can exhibit desirable electronic properties and possess processing advantages including solution-processability and/or good stability.

An organic compound and a photoelectric conversion device containing the organic compound are disclosed. The organic compound and device realize high photoelectric conversion efficiency, low dark current and high-speed responsivity. It has been found that when this organic compound and an n-type semiconductor are used in combination, high-speed responsivity can be realized while maintaining high heat resistance, an aspect of which has not been seen when the connection part between a donor part and an acceptor part is a phenylene group.

An improved method and apparatus for thermal-to-electric conversion involving relatively hot and cold juxtaposed surfaces separated by a small vacuum gap wherein the cold surface provides an array of single charge carrier converter elements along the surface and the hot surface transfers excitation energy to the opposing cold surface across the gap through Coulomb electrostatic coupling interaction.

A layered compound-metal particle composite 3 is obtained by the addition, to an organically modified layered compound 1 formed by the intercalation of organic ions between layers of a layered compound, of both an aqueous colloidal metal solution 2 in which metal particles are dispersed as a metal colloid in water, and a nonaqueous solvent which is a poor solvent for the metal colloid and has an excellent ability to swell the organically modified layered compound 1.

A back electrode type solar cell in which a no-electrode-formed region where no electrode is placed is provided in a part of a peripheral portion of a back surface of the back electrode type solar cell such that a line connecting end portions of a plurality of electrodes to one another includes a partially inwardly recessed region and the no-electrode-formed region is located adjacent to each of an electrode for n-type and an electrode for p-type adjacent to each other, a solar cell module, a method of manufacturing a back electrode type solar cell with interconnection sheet, and a method of manufacturing a solar cell module are provided.

A light guide apparatus includes a light guide layer having a top surface and a bottom surface, and a transversely oriented side-end surface that forms an output aperture of the light guide, characterized by an index of refraction, n1, and further characterized by a length dimension in an intended light propagation direction towards the output aperture, where the intended light propagation direction is a z-axis direction of a Cartesian coordinate system; and a plurality of light injection elements disposed in the form of at least one linear strip in at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of the light guide layer, wherein some of the plurality of light injection elements are disposed on one lateral side of the strip and some other of the plurality of light injection elements are disposed on an opposing lateral side of the strip at a rotation angle Δz about the y-axis.

The present disclosure relates to gel-type polymer electrolyte for a dye-sensitized solar cell, a dye-sensitized solar cell comprising the gel-type polymer electrolyte, and a method for manufacturing the dye-sensitized solar cell.

A conductive paste may include a conductive component and an organic vehicle. The conductive component may include an amorphous metal. The amorphous metal may have a lower resistivity after a crystallization process than before the crystallization process, and at least one of a weight gain of about 4 mg/cm2 or less and a thickness increase of about 30 μm or less after being heated in a process furnace at a firing temperature.

According to example embodiments, a conductive paste includes a conductive component that contains a conductive powder and a titanium (Ti)-based metallic glass. The titanium-based metallic glass has a supercooled liquid region of about 5K or more, a resistivity after crystallization that is less than a resistivity before crystallization by about 50% or more, and a weight increase by about 0.5 mg/cm2 or less after being heated in a process furnace at a firing temperature. According to example embodiments, an electronic device and a solar cell may include at least one electrode formed using the conductive paste according to example embodiments.

A method for fabricating a photovoltaic device includes depositing a p-type layer at a first temperature and depositing an intrinsic layer while gradually increasing a deposition temperature to a final temperature. The intrinsic layer deposition is completed at the final temperature. An n-type layer is formed on the intrinsic layer.

A photovoltaic cell comprises a top subcell having a first band gap; a middle subcell comprising a substrate and having a second band gap, wherein the substrate comprises a first side and a second side opposite to the first side; and a bottom subcell having a third band gap, wherein the top subcell is grown on the first side of the substrate and the bottom subcell is grown on the second side of the substrate, wherein the first band gap is larger than the second band gap and the second band gap is larger than the third band gap.

Hemispheres and spheres are formed and employed for a plurality of applications. Hemispheres are employed to form a substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface. The upper surface includes peaks of pillars which have a base attached to the lower surface. The peaks have a density defined at the upper surface by an array of hemispherical metal structures that act as a mask during an etch to remove substrate material down to the lower surface during formation of the pillars. The pillars are dense and uniform and include a microscale average diameter. The spheres are formed as independent metal spheres or nanoparticles for other applications.

The present invention is that of a solar energy system that uses a light-guide solar panel (LGSP) to trap light inside a dielectric or other transparent panel and propagates the light to one of the panel edges for harvesting by a solar energy collector such as a photovoltaic cell. This allows for very thin modules whose thickness is comparable to the height of the solar energy collector. This eliminates eliminating the depth requirements inherent in traditional concentrated photovoltaic solar energy systems. A light guide solar panel has a deflecting layer, a light guide layer and a solar cell in optical communication with the light guide layer. The deflecting layer receives light at a first surface and inputs the light into the light guide layer. The light guide layer propagates the light to the solar cell, which is aligned generally parallel to the input surface.

A nano power cell and method of use are described wherein the nano power cell absorbs electromagnetic energy is nano particles in an optical fluid that flow in microchannels of the nano power cell.

A solar-cell sealant that has excellent properties such as transparency, flexibility, adhesiveness, heat resistance, appearance, cross-linking characteristics, electrical characteristics, and calenderability. A solar-cell sealant that contains an ethylene/α-olefin/unconjugated-polyene copolymer satisfying requirements (a1) through (a3). Requirement (a1) is that constituent units derived from ethylene constitute 80-90 mol %, constituent units derived from C3-20 α-olefin constitute 9.99-19.99 mol %, and constituent units derived from an unconjugated polyene constitute 0.01-5.0 mol % of said copolymer. Requirement (a2) is that the MFR of said copolymer, as measured in accordance with ASTM D1238 at 190° C. under a 2.16 kg load, be at least 2 g/10 min. and less than 10 g/10 min. Requirement (a3) is that the Shore A hardness of said copolymer, as measured in accordance with ASTM D2240, be 60 to 85.

A photovoltaic device including a substrate; a first electrode placed on the substrate; a second electrode which is placed opposite to the first electrode and which light is incident on; a first unit cell being placed between the first electrode and the second electrode, and including an intrinsic semiconductor layer including crystalline silicon grains making the surface of the intrinsic semiconductor layer toward the second electrode textured; and a second unit cell placed between the first unit cell and the second electrode.

A thin-film solar cell includes a cell having a transparent electrode layer, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a back electrode layer stacked on a transparent insulation substrate. A plurality of cells are connected in series to constitute a cell string. A bus bar is arranged on the back electrode layer of an end cell constituting the cell string. The thin-film solar cell has a photoelectric conversion layer on a series-connection direction end of the transparent electrode layer. In plan view, a series-connection direction end of the back electrode layer at an end of the cell string and the series-connection direction end of the transparent electrode layer at the end of the cell string do not overlap, while the bus bar and the transparent electrode layer at the end cell constituting the cell string overlap at least partially. A method of fabricating the thin-film solar cell is provided.

Methods of forming a photovoltaic structures including nanoparticles are disclosed. The method includes electrospray deposition of nanoparticles. The nanoparticles can include TiO2 nanoparticles and quantum dots. In an example, the nanoparticles are formed on a flexible substrate. In various examples, the flexible substrate is light transparent. Photovoltaic structures and apparatus for forming photovoltaic structures are disclosed.

A multi-junction solar cell having a Ge or GaAs substrate, as well as a solar cell structure having several subcells deposited on the substrate, the substrate having peripheral side faces, and the solar cell structure having a peripheral circumferential surface, which runs spaced apart from the side faces. To prevent oxidation and penetration of moisture, the circumferential surface of the solar cell structure is coated with a protective, electrically insulating first coating under essential exclusion of the upper surface facing the rays, or that without encroaching on the solar cell structure, the side faces of the substrate are coated with a protective, electrically insulating second coating or that both the side faces of the substrate as well as the circumferential surface of the solar cell structure are coated with a third coating by essential exclusion of the upper surface facing the rays.

A conveying device includes a first feeder that rotatably supports a roll sheet and feeds the roll sheet to a conveying path, a second feeder that feeds a cut sheet to the conveying path, and a controller that determines whether a sheet fed to the conveying path is the roll sheet or the cut sheet based on the relationship between movement of the sheet fed to the conveying path and rotation of the roll sheet.

A continuous multi-layer film includes a support layer having a first film surface, and a hard coat layer, formed on the support layer, having a second film surface, and having a curling tendency in an inward direction. In the decurling method, the multi-layer film is transported. A first transition of the support layer in the multi-layer film being transported into a rubber phase is induced by supplying fluid vapor on the support layer. After supplying the fluid vapor, a second transition of the support layer from the rubber phase into a glass phase is induced. The multi-layer film is transported while a portion of the support layer in the rubber phase is prevented from contacting a solid object. The hard coat layer is formed from a polymer produced from an ultraviolet curable compound, and the support layer is formed from cellulose acylate.

A method of adjusting a lateral position of an endless belt that is passed around at least two rollers, comprising the steps of: controlling a tilt position of a first roller of the at least two rollers; and adjusting a lateral position of the first roller, wherein the lateral position of the first roller is adjusted in combination with controlling the tilt position of the first roller.

An image recording apparatus includes: a heating section which is located further on the downstream side of a transport pathway than an image recording area, but further on the upstream side of the transport pathway than a transport roller which is rotated by a motor; and a control section which lowers the suction power of a suction section to a medium from a first suction power to a second suction power lower than the first suction power during a recording operation and makes a first torque which is generated at the motor in a period which is during the recording operation and in which the suction power of the suction section is a suction power lower than the first suction power, be lower than a second torque which is generated at the motor during a transport operation.

A conveyor system pre-inserts a portion of the web into a first belt before the portion is gripped between the first belt and a second belt. In one exemplary embodiment, a pair of lips of a web are inserted into a corresponding first pair of belts and then the pair of lips are secured in the first pair of belts by inserting a second pair of belts into the first pair of belts over the pair of lips.

An apparatus of correcting belt-meandering for a secondary battery is disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes i) upper and lower rollers configured to receive a base material therebetween, wherein the base material comprises positive and negative electrode materials and an insulating material interposed between the electrode materials and ii) a driver portion configured to rotate the upper and lower rollers such that the base material is transferred in a first direction during the rotation. The apparatus may also include i) a support portion configured to support shafts of the driver portion and the upper and lower rollers and ii) a transverse moving mechanism configured to move the support portion in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

In a case where components such as side flaps and crotch portions are arranged on multiple webs which are being conveyed while being arranged side by side in the width direction of the webs, articles in various sizes can be handled easily by a web conveying step of conveying a front waistline web 11A and a back waistline web 11B the webs being arranged side by side in a width direction of the webs, a flap attaching step of attaching side flaps 30 onto the web 11 of the front waistline web 11A or the back waistline web, a web gap changing step of changing a gap between the front waistline web 11A and the back waistline web 11B by a web gap changing mechanism 500 and a crotch member attaching step of attaching a crotch member 20 between the front waistline web 11A and the back waistline web 11B, wherein the web gap changing step is performed between the flap attaching step and the crotch member attaching step.

A feeding and reversing mechanism for a strapping machine includes a forward-reverse wheel assembly and a tension wheel assembly which are mounted on a base and arranged in such a way to provide larger contact areas between a strapping band and the two wheel assemblies. The feeding and reversing mechanism further includes first and second spring units. The first spring unit helps to keep a suitable gap between an active wheel and a passive wheel of the tension wheel assembly for the strapping band to pass through. The second spring unit helps to move the passive wheel toward the active wheel of the tension wheel assembly, so that the strapping band can be clamped between the passive wheel and the active wheel tightly to facilitate reversing and tightening of the strapping band.

A tape feeder includes a guide part that guides a carrier tape and is detachably attached to a main body. The guide part includes: a lower member guiding the carrier tape and attached to and detached from the main body; an upper member pressing down the carrier tape from above; a tape introduction part guiding the carrier tape into the upper member at an upstream side thereof in a tape feed direction; a confirmation opening part disposed in the upper member for visually confirming that the carrier tape arrives at a pin engagement range; an open/close mechanism opening and closing the upper member with respect to the lower member; and a positioning mechanism fitting a positioning pin into a feed hole of the carrier tape in the guide part, thereby positioning the carrier tape relative to the guide part in the tape feed direction.

A vacuum roller for a web handling system comprises a hollow, cylindrical, rotably driven drum and an end cap threadingly mounted onto the rear end of the drum. Together, the drum and the end cap define a plurality of individual, externally communicable vacuum paths. A spherical, metal movable element is internally disposed within each vacuum path and regulates the passage of air therethrough. A plurality of magnetic elements is fixedly mounted on a stationary annular holder. In use, each magnetic element selectively displaces each movable element when disposed in close proximity thereto to the extent necessary so as to permit the passage of air through its corresponding vacuum path. As such, the vacuum roller is provided with a predefined range of suction, or vacuum zone, about the outer surface of its rotating drum that directly corresponds to the angular arrangement of the plurality of stationary magnetic elements.

A printing device (100,101) has a first print engine (103, 303, 603, 703), a second print engine (105, 305, 605, 705), and a buffer device (107, 307, 609, 709, 711) disposed between the first (103, 303, 603, 703) and second print engines (105, 305, 605, 705). The buffer (107, 307, 609, 709, 711) is configured to store a variable amount of web substrate (106, 301, 713) received from the first print engine (103, 303, 603, 703) and feed the substrate (106, 301, 713) to the second print engine (105, 305, 605, 705).

A web conveying apparatus that conveys a web, includes: a transverse position displacement detection unit that detects a transverse position displacement of the web; a transverse position correction unit that corrects a transverse position of the web by a guide roller; width detection units that detect a width size in a left-right direction of the web; and a control unit that controls the transverse position correction unit in accordance with the transverse position displacement detected by the transverse position displacement detection unit and performs feedback control to position the web in a target position. The control unit changes a correction amount in the feedback control in accordance with the width size of the web detected by the width detection units.

A tape feeder includes a guide part that guides a carrier tape and is detachably attached to a main body. The guide part includes: a lower member guiding the carrier tape and attached to and detached from the main body; an upper member pressing down the carrier tape from above; a tape introduction part guiding the carrier tape into the upper member at an upstream side thereof in a tape feed direction; a confirmation opening part disposed in the upper member for visually confirming that the carrier tape arrives at a pin engagement range; an open/close mechanism opening and closing the upper member with respect to the lower member; and a positioning mechanism fitting a positioning pin into a feed hole of the carrier tape in the guide part, thereby positioning the carrier tape relative to the guide part in the tape feed direction.

In a multiple endless belt type band sheet coiling tension applying apparatus in which a coiling tension is applied to slit band sheets a by a frictional force generated by slippage between belt pressing surfaces 4a, 5a and internal belt surfaces 1a of endless belts 1, a friction plate 8 made of a thin metallic sheet having heat conductivity equal to or better than that of the belt pressing units 4a, 5a is detachably installed on a front surface of each of the belt pressing units 4a, 5a.

A film transport apparatus includes: an edge sensor that detects a lateral position deviation of a film; a lateral position correction device that corrects a lateral position of the film with a guide roll; a tension sensor that detects tensions applied respectively near left and right ends of the film; and a control unit that executes feedback control such that the lateral position correction device is controlled on the basis of the lateral position deviation detected by the edge sensor so that the film is located at a target position. The control unit changes the feedback control based on a left and right tension difference, which is a difference between the tension applied near the left end of the film and the tension applied near the right end of the film, the tensions being detected by the tension sensor.

A printing apparatus includes: a motor which drives a shaft of a roll body around which a medium is wound, in the feeding direction of the medium; a transport roller which transports the medium fed from the roll body; and a control section which supplies electric power for rotating the roll body to the motor, wherein the electric power that the control section supplies to the motor at the time of the start of the feeding of the medium is larger when the diameter of the medium that is wound around the roll body is R2 (

In the separation of a cover tape 15e from a carrier tape 15 performed by a cover tape separating mechanism 50, a cover tape 15e, which is separated from a base tape 15a by a separating blade edge 51f, comes into contact with a concave conical surface 52c, so that one side portion of a cover tape 15e is bent toward the other side portion; and the bent cover tape 15e is pressed against a guide surface 32s from below while the carrier tape 15 is guided to a pick-up position. Accordingly, the cover tape 15e is folded on the base tape 15a in a flat shape.

A debris sweep and dry assist device is for use with a strapping machine. The debris sweep and dry assist device is positioned between the strapping machine and an associated strap supply. The device includes a body having a strap inlet and a strap outlet and defining a strap path therethrough. The body has a first wall at about the strap inlet and a second wall at about the strap outlet. The body has a first manifold and a plurality of first branches extending between the first manifold and the first wall to provide a plurality of flow paths from the first manifold to the environs through the first branches. A compressed is gas directed into the first manifold and flows out of the first branches, and is directed onto strap material at a location at about the strap inlet.