Brushless dc motors are gradually becoming competitive with the convential dc motor. In this invention the rotor is an electromagnet energized through a transformer having its primary winding stationary on the stator, and its secondary winding mounted on the rotor. Controlled dc current applied to the motor is converted to ac current for inductive coupling to the rotating secondary winding. The ac current in the secondary winding is rectified to provide dc current to the rotor field coil. While the invention of NASA Case No. NPO-13342 does provide hydrogen rich gases, it also has a tendency to form carbon. Since one of the purposes of the hydrogen generator is to provide hydrogen gas to be used in an internal combustion engine, the presence of the carbon which is generated is undesirable since it tends to clog up the induction system of the internal combustion engine. This invention minimizes the carbon output of a hydrogen rich generator by preheating the input air, then injecting atomized water into the preheated air stream and after some more preheating, the resulting steam-air mixture is introduced into the flame zone. An alternate method is to atomize the water and introduce it directly into the flame zone. Extensive research is being conducted to find more efficient solar cells. One such effort is the use of GaAs and this invention is a Schottky barrier solar cell consisting of a layer of wide band gap semiconductor material such as AlGaAs on which a very thin film of semi-transparent metal is deposited to form a Schottky barrier. The layer of the wide band gap semiconductor material is on top of a layer of narrow band gap semiconductor material. The first layer is very efficient for converting the energy of high energy photons and the second layer is efficient in converting the energy of the lower energy photons. 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. |