The invention relates to a device and a method for preventing floods in the event of a river carrying floodwater. At least one mainline is provided which leads from the region of the floodplain to a collection basin and has one or more pumps in order to pump part of the floodwater through said mainline to the aforementioned collection basin in the event of floodwater, the base of said collection basin lying at a higher level than the riverbed such that electric energy is converted into potential energy of the water during the operation of the at least one pump. According to the method, the electric energy for operating the at least one pump is drawn from a local energy store or is converted in situ from a third energy form which differs from electric energy and hydropower. This is achieved using a device for drawing the electric energy for operating the at least one pump from a local energy store or converting the electric energy in situ from a third energy form which differs from electric energy and hydropower.

A foamable composition includes a blowing agent, a foamable polymer or a precursor composition thereof, and a nucleating agent. The nucleating agent includes a compound having structural formula (I) R.sup.1SO.sub.2R.sup.2(SO.sub.2R.sup.3).sub.n (I) where R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 are each independently a fluoroalkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms that is linear, branched, or cyclic and optionally contain at least one catenated ether oxygen atom or a trivalent nitrogen atom, and n is 0 or 1.

A foamable composition includes a blowing agent, a foamable polymer or a precursor composition thereof, and a nucleating agent. The nucleating agent includes a compound having structural formula (I) R.sup.1SO.sub.2R.sup.2(SO.sub.2R.sup.3).sub.n (I) where R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 are each independently a fluoroalkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms that is linear, branched, or cyclic and optionally contain at least one catenated ether oxygen atom or a trivalent nitrogen atom, and n is 0 or 1.

The present application pertains to novel methods to generate power. In a representative embodiment, power is generated by warming a body of air having a temperature lower than the freezing point of liquid water by contacting the body of air with liquid water. The liquid water has a temperature greater than the freezing point of liquid water. Liquid water freezes thereby generating latent heat from freezing and thereby warming the body of air. The warmed body of air may be passed through an air turbine to generate power. Other methods and systems are described that use similar principles.

A magnetic motor apparatus provides increased mechanical output. The apparatus includes a propulsion unit positioned in a guide sleeve adjacent a stabilizer section. A stabilizer section frame houses a drive gear and gearbox positioned on opposite interior surfaces of the frame. The gear and gearbox receive mechanical input from a drive shaft rotationally disposed in the gear and gearboxes. The mechanical input is then transferred to first and second threaded gears of the propulsion unit. Each of the first and second threaded gears are affixed to a respective one of a first and second translatable cylinder. Sets of magnets each impregnated on faces of the first and second translatable cylinders are disposed facing one another. Rotation of the drive shaft provides a mechanical input to the first and second translatable cylinders that are configured to actuate continuous propulsion from the interactions of the magnets while travelling along a threaded shaft.

An artificial muscle includes an electrode pair including a first electrode and a second electrode. One or both of the first electrode and the second electrode includes a central opening. The first electrode and the second electrode each include two or more fan portions and two or more bridge portions. Each fan portion includes a first end having an inner length, a second end having an outer length, a first side edge extending from the second end, and a second side edge extending from the second end. The outer length is greater than the inner length. Each bridge portion interconnecting adjacent fan portions at the first end.

A method for producing electrical energy. An electrolyte solution having a first concentration C.sub.A of a solute is placed in a first vessel having an electrode arranged so the electrode is contacted with the electrolyte solution of concentration C.sub.A. An electrolyte solution having a concentration C.sub.B of the same solute is placed in a second vessel having an electrode arranged so the electrode comes in contact with the electrolyte solution of concentration C.sub.B, the concentration C.sub.B being lower than the concentration C.sub.A. The first and the second vessels are separated by a membrane, the membrane having at least one nanochannel arranged to allow diffusion of the electrolyte solution from the first vessel to the second vessel through the at least one nanochannel. An inner surface of the at least one nanochannel is formed of at least one titanium oxide. Electrical energy generated by a potential difference existing between the electrodes is captured using a device having the first and second vessels.

A thermoacoustic transducer apparatus is disclosed including at least one thermal converter operable to provide power conversion between acoustic power and thermal power in a pressurized working gas contained within a working volume, a portion of which extends through the thermal converter. The thermoacoustic transducer is operable to cause a periodic flow in the working gas during operation. The apparatus also includes a reservoir volume in fluid communication with the working volume through a conduit having a working volume end in fluid communication with the working volume and a reservoir volume end in fluid communication with the reservoir volume. The conduit has a bore size and length operable to cause pressure oscillations at the working volume end to be converted to flow oscillations at the reservoir volume end such that periodic fluid flow at the reservoir volume end is at least twice as large as periodic fluid flow at the working volume end thereby facilitating a steady fluid flow along the conduit for equalization of working gas static pressures between the working volume and the reservoir volume while providing a sufficiently high acoustic impedance at the working volume end to minimize losses due to periodic flows of working gas within the conduit.

An electrochemical hydrogen pump includes an electrolyte membrane, an anode on a first primary surface of the electrolyte membrane, a cathode on a second primary surface of the electrolyte membrane, and an anode separator on the anode. The anode includes an anode catalyst layer on the first primary surface of the electrolyte membrane and an anode gas diffusion layer on the anode catalyst layer. The anode gas diffusion layer includes a porous carbon sheet that is a powder molded body.

The present application pertains to novel methods to generate power. In a representative embodiment, power is generated by warming a body of air having a temperature lower than the freezing point of liquid water by contacting the body of air with liquid water. The liquid water has a temperature greater than the freezing point of liquid water. Liquid water freezes thereby generating latent heat from freezing and thereby warming the body of air. The warmed body of air may be passed through an air turbine to generate power. Other methods and systems are described that use similar principles.