This disclosure includes various embodiments of apparatuses for encapsulating and stopping a flowing mass of fluid (e.g., liquid such as water, or gas such as air) to extract the kinetic energy from the mass, and for exhausting the mass once stopped (spent mass, from which kinetic energy has been extracted). This disclosure also includes various embodiments of systems comprising a plurality of the present apparatuses coupled together and/or one or more of the present apparatuses in combination with one or more flow resistance modifiers (FRMs). This disclosure also includes various embodiments of methods of extracting kinetic energy from a flowing mass of fluid (e.g., liquid such as water, or gas such as air) by stopping the mass, and for exhausting the mass once stopped (spent mass, from which kinetic energy has been extracted). This disclosure also includes embodiments of mechanical energy-storage or accumulation devices.

This disclosure includes various embodiments of apparatuses for encapsulating and stopping a flowing mass of fluid (e.g., liquid such as water, or gas such as air) to extract the kinetic energy from the mass, and for exhausting the mass once stopped (spent mass, from which kinetic energy has been extracted). This disclosure also includes various embodiments of systems comprising a plurality of the present apparatuses coupled together and/or one or more of the present apparatuses in combination with one or more flow resistance modifiers (FRMs). This disclosure also includes various embodiments of methods of extracting kinetic energy from a flowing mass of fluid (e.g., liquid such as water, or gas such as air) by stopping the mass, and for exhausting the mass once stopped (spent mass, from which kinetic energy has been extracted). This disclosure also includes embodiments of mechanical energy-storage or accumulation devices.

An electrochemical device includes: an electrolyte membrane; an anode disposed on a first main surface of the electrolyte membrane; a cathode disposed on a second main surface of the electrolyte membrane; an anode separator disposed on the anode; and a cathode separator disposed on the cathode and including a first conductive layer on a surface adjacent to the cathode. The cathode includes a cathode gas diffusion layer. The cathode separator has a recess for storing the cathode gas diffusion layer. The first conductive layer is disposed only on a bottom surface of the recess.

The application provides a light expander/contractor device and method of using same, the light expander/contractor device comprising: a faceted quartz structure comprising a lateral surface communicating with a light processing surface at one end and communicating with a planar surface at an opposed end; the light processing surface comprising an initial surface extending from the lateral surface substantially parallel to the planar surface and having a distal end spaced from the lateral surface, the light processing surface further comprising multiple levels of facets comprising quartz-air interfaces: each level of facets comprising (a) a proximal facet surface relative to the lateral surface, the proximal facet surface extending away from the initial surface and toward the lateral surface at a 45° angle relative to the initial surface to communicate with (b) a facet planar surface spaced apart from and parallel to the initial surface to communicate with (c) a distal facet surface adjacent and substantially parallel to the proximal facet surface.

The application provides a light expander/contractor device and method of using same, the light expander/contractor device comprising: a faceted quartz structure comprising a lateral surface communicating with a light processing surface at one end and communicating with a planar surface at an opposed end; the light processing surface comprising an initial surface extending from the lateral surface substantially parallel to the planar surface and having a distal end spaced from the lateral surface, the light processing surface further comprising multiple levels of facets comprising quartz-air interfaces: each level of facets comprising (a) a proximal facet surface relative to the lateral surface, the proximal facet surface extending away from the initial surface and toward the lateral surface at a 45° angle relative to the initial surface to communicate with (b) a facet planar surface spaced apart from and parallel to the initial surface to communicate with (c) a distal facet surface adjacent and substantially parallel to the proximal facet surface.

An energy collecting device is disclosed. For example, the energy collecting device comprises a plate layer having a plurality of perforations for receiving a plurality of molecules, a molecular energy collecting layer, coupled to the plate layer, having an impacting structure for receiving the plurality of molecules, and a substrate layer, coupled to the molecular energy collecting layer, having a conductor wire coil for collecting electrons that are generated when the plurality of molecules impacts the impacting structure.

Techniques, devices and systems are disclosed for implementing acoustically triggered propulsion of nano- and micro-scale structures. In one aspect, an ultrasound responsive propulsion device includes a tube that includes one or more layers including an inner layer having an electrostatic surface, and an ultrasound-responsive substance coupled to the inner layer and configured to form gaseous bubbles in a fluid in response to an ultrasound pulse, in which the bubbles exit the tube to propel the tube to move in the fluid.

An actuator device (21) comprises an electroactive polymer (EAP) and a driver (20) for generating a electrical drive signals which give opposite polarity voltages and thus electrical field within the electroactive polymer at different times. In this way, charge build-up can be reduced or avoided, while prolonged activation times are still possible. This improves the performance and/or lifetime of the device.

A heat/acoustic wave conversion component includes a partition wall that defines a plurality of cells extending from a first end face to a second end face and mutually converts heat exchanged between the partition wall and the working fluid and energy of acoustic waves resulting from oscillations of the working fluid. Hydraulic diameter HD of the heat/acoustic wave conversion component is 0.4 mm or less, where the hydraulic diameter HD is defined as HD=4×S/C, where S denotes an area of a cross-section of each cell perpendicular to the cell extending direction and C denotes a perimeter of the cross section. The heat/acoustic wave conversion component has an open frontal area at each end face of 60% or more and 93% or less. The partition wall has arithmetic surface roughness (Ra) at the surface of 3 μm or more and 20 μm or less.

A heat/acoustic wave conversion component includes a partition wall that defines a plurality of cells extending from a first end face to a second end face and mutually converts heat exchanged between the partition wall and the working fluid and energy of acoustic waves resulting from oscillations of the working fluid. Hydraulic diameter HD of the heat/acoustic wave conversion component is 0.4 mm or less, where the hydraulic diameter HD is defined as HD=4×S/C, where S denotes an area of a cross-section of each cell perpendicular to the cell extending direction and C denotes a perimeter of the cross section. The heat/acoustic wave conversion component has an open frontal area at each end face of 60% or more and 93% or less. The partition wall has arithmetic surface roughness (Ra) at the surface of 3 μm or more and 20 μm or less.