The invention provides a novel composition comprising cis-1,2-difluoroethylene. The invention provides the following: a composition comprising cis-1,2-difluoroethylene (HFO-1132(Z)) and at least one additional compound; the composition that is an azeotropic or azeotrope-like composition; and use of the composition as a heat transfer medium, a foaming agent, or a propellant.

Heat transfer/storage fluids that are resistant to oxidation in air at elevated temperatures, and systems that utilize such heat transfer/storage fluids, for example, as part of a concentrating solar power (CSP) system or other electricity-generating systems. The heat transfer/storage fluid is a molten chloride solution comprising two or more chlorides selected from the group consisting of CaCl.sub.2, SrCl.sub.2, BaCl.sub.2, NaCl, and KCl.

Heat transfer/storage fluids that are resistant to oxidation in air at elevated temperatures, and systems that utilize such heat transfer/storage fluids, for example, as part of a concentrating solar power (CSP) system or other electricity-generating systems. The heat transfer/storage fluid is a molten chloride solution comprising two or more chlorides selected from the group consisting of CaCl.sub.2, SrCl.sub.2, BaCl.sub.2, NaCl, and KCl.

Microcapsules encapsulating oily core materials have a shell material of hybrid polyurea and poly(beta-amino esters) (PU/PBAE). The microcapsules may have a single shell of hybrid PU/PBAE, dual shells including hybrid PU/PBAE in an inner shell and PBAE in an outer shell crosslinked and deposited to the inner shell, or multiple shells including PU in an inner shell, hybrid PU/PBAE in a transitioning shell, and PBAE in an outer shell. Formation of the microcapsules includes polymerization between multifunctional amine and multifunctional acrylate to produce a water soluble PBAE; polymerization between polyisocyanate in oil phase and multifunctional amine in aqueous solution to produce PU microcapsule, polymerization between polyisocyanate and the amine moiety of PBAE prepolymer to produce hybrid PU/PBAE microcapsule wall; and polymerization between multifunctional acrylate and primary or secondary amine moiety of the PBAE prepolymer to form a PBAE outer shell.

Apparatus and associated methods relate to cooling hot biochar based on applying cool gas directly to the hot biochar. The gas may be steam comprising water vapor. Biochar may be cooled in a cooling chamber by cool steam injected into a steam loop configured to cool the steam. The biochar cooled with steam may be dried in a drying chamber by dry gas injected from a gas loop. The gas may be hydrocarbon gas. Biochar may be heated in a processing chamber. Heated biochar may be cooled in a cooling chamber by cool hydrocarbon gas injected to the cooling chamber. Biochar in the processing chamber may be heated with heat recovered from cooling. Filtered byproducts and tail gas may be recovered from the cooling chamber. Tail gas may be recycled. Various direct biochar cooling implementations may produce biochar having enhanced carbon content, increased surface area, and a hydrogen stream byproduct.

Apparatus and associated methods relate to cooling hot biochar based on applying cool gas directly to the hot biochar. The gas may be steam comprising water vapor. Biochar may be cooled in a cooling chamber by cool steam injected into a steam loop configured to cool the steam. The biochar cooled with steam may be dried in a drying chamber by dry gas injected from a gas loop. The gas may be hydrocarbon gas. Biochar may be heated in a processing chamber. Heated biochar may be cooled in a cooling chamber by cool hydrocarbon gas injected to the cooling chamber. Biochar in the processing chamber may be heated with heat recovered from cooling. Filtered byproducts and tail gas may be recovered from the cooling chamber. Tail gas may be recycled. Various direct biochar cooling implementations may produce biochar having enhanced carbon content, increased surface area, and a hydrogen stream byproduct.

Apparatus and associated methods relate to cooling hot biochar based on applying cool gas directly to the hot biochar. The gas may be steam comprising water vapor. Biochar may be cooled in a cooling chamber by cool steam injected into a steam loop configured to cool the steam. The biochar cooled with steam may be dried in a drying chamber by dry gas injected from a gas loop. The gas may be hydrocarbon gas. Biochar may be heated in a processing chamber. Heated biochar may be cooled in a cooling chamber by cool hydrocarbon gas injected to the cooling chamber. Biochar in the processing chamber may be heated with heat recovered from cooling. Filtered byproducts and tail gas may be recovered from the cooling chamber. Tail gas may be recycled. Various direct biochar cooling implementations may produce biochar having enhanced carbon content, increased surface area, and a hydrogen stream byproduct.

Heat pump 10 has heat-absorbing section 12 that receives heat from an outside and heat-releasing section 13 that releases heat to the outside, for transferring heat between heat-absorbing section 12 and heat-releasing sectioning 13 by reinforcing and reducing a magnetic field applied to a primary working fluid circulating between heat-absorbing section 12 and heat-releasing section 13, wherein the primary working fluid is magnetic particle dispersion 11 containing magnetic particles 11 dispersed in a dispersion medium.

Heat pump 10 has heat-absorbing section 12 that receives heat from an outside and heat-releasing section 13 that releases heat to the outside, for transferring heat between heat-absorbing section 12 and heat-releasing sectioning 13 by reinforcing and reducing a magnetic field applied to a primary working fluid circulating between heat-absorbing section 12 and heat-releasing section 13, wherein the primary working fluid is magnetic particle dispersion 11 containing magnetic particles 11 dispersed in a dispersion medium.

A highly thermally conductive composition is provided, such composition comprising: (A) An organopolysiloxane composition; (B) a filler treating agent; (C) a thermal stabilizer; and (D) thermally conductive filler mixture, comprising: (D-1) a small-particulate thermally conductive filler having a mean size of up to 3 μm, (D-2) spherical aluminum nitride having a mean size of from 50 to 150 μm, (D-3) boron nitride having a mean size of from 20 to 200 μm.