The development and chemical composition of a substance to prevent fogging of windows, mirrors, glasses, space suit visors, and similar optical equipment are discussed. The materials consists of an alkyl glyceral sulfonate, water, and a time extender in the form of an oil. The materials is expected to prevent fogging of visual surfaces for periods of five hours or more during maximum metabolic loads. MODIFICATION OF THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF FREEZE-DRIED RICE NASA Case No. MSC-13540-1 Great Britain, France, Canada, Address inquiries to: Johnson Space Center [Corresponding to U.S. Patent No. 3,692,533] The method steps include first cooking rice over a low simmering heat until it is tender and edible. Then it is frozen and thawed for two complete cycles. Thereafter, the rice is again frozen and freeze dried in a vacuum sufficient to remove water from the rice by sublimation. Rehydration is accomplished by placing the rice in water at an elevated temperature and normally requires only a minute or so. The cycle of first freezing and then thawing appears to change grain porosity and permits easy and rapid sublimation of the water vapor. The inventions of NASA Case Nos. NPO-13342, NPO-13402 and NPO-13464 all require pure water and a consequent water tank. The inherent problems of maintaining a water tank in an automobile, such as finding sources of pure water and preventing freezing of the water, can be obviated with this invention which is a means for generating a soot-free hydrogen-rich gas from liquid hydrocarbon fuel. In this invention, the hydrocarbon fuel is vaporized and is then mixed with preheated air. Thereafter, the mixture is ignited and partial oxidation is permitted. Finally, the products of the combustion chamber in the hydrogen reactor are passed through a nickel catalyst bed where flameless partial oxidation of the fuel takes place on the surface of the catalyst to produce a hydrogen-rich gas. METHOD OF FLUXLESS BRAZING AND DIFFUSION BONDING OF ALUMINUM CONTAINING COMPONENTS Aluminum and its alloys are extremely attractive for fabrication into certain components. Among these is the fabrication of radiator panels for use in orbiting satellites. This invention discloses a new welding technique for aluminum alloys namely diffusion bonding or brazing. The salient step of the invention is the use of a polymeric sealer which is applied to clean the surface and which leaves no residue when thermally removed. AIR CUSHION LIFT PAD NASA Case No. MFS-14685 Canada Address inquiries to: Huntsville, AL 35812 [Corresponding to U. S. Patent No. 3,534,826] An air cushion lift pad has been developed which utilizes an air cushion of pressurized air to support a device above a surface. The pad includes an upper wall which slopes upwardly from a center portion. Should the pad tend to tilt, the vertical lift force component acting on the inner wall will tend to decrease on the high side and increase on the low side, thereby producing a torque tending to stabilize the pad along the horizontal. A plurality of pads may be used and the design achieves a very stable device with no flutter, vibration, heaving or pitching. The lift pad may be employed to support an object, vehicle, etc. above a surface. Although the surface may be rough or unprepared, stability is achieved. |