A self-cleaning transfer gear pump for transferring molten metal includes the following features: a transfer conduit extends upward from an outlet of a base, two rotatable gears are formed of refractory material and disposed in the gear chamber and engage each other during rotation. A boss functioning as a bearing extends from the drive gear and is adapted to be received in an opening in the base. A shaft is fastened at a lower end to the drive gear. A filter is fastened to the base so as to cover the inlet and prevents particles and objects in the molten metal from entering the gear chamber. In operational mode, a motor rotates the shaft and the drive gear whereby the drive gear and the second gear engage each other while being rotated so as to positively displace molten metal from the inlet to the outlet and along the transfer conduit to the remote location. In self-cleaning mode, the motor rotates the shaft and the drive gear effectively to draw molten metal from the transfer conduit by positive displacement, through the outlet, and toward the inlet therefore cleaning the filter by removing the particles adhering to the filter. Also included are a system with optional filter and optional self-cleaning mode but including an inlet portion of a die casting machine, and a method for operating the gear pump. A flow sensor may be used to transmit pulses into and from the transfer conduit so as to enable determination of a volume of molten metal being charged. The control of the molten metal volume being charged is not solely controlled by the flow sensor.

The pump includes a pumping chamber within a sealed internal chamber, a pump inlet connected to the pumping chamber, a pump outlet connected to the pumping chamber, and a rotational pumping element configured to pump the corrosive fluid from the pump inlet to the pump outlet. The rotational pumping element is within the pumping chamber. The pump includes a drive shaft for driving the rotational pumping element. The drive shaft is completely within the sealed internal chamber. The drive shaft is configured for magnetically coupling to an external motor. A pump housing forms the sealed internal chamber. The rotational element, the pumping chamber, and the pump housing are formed from any one a conductive plastic, a non-conducting plastic with conducting particles, a semi-conducing ceramic, and combinations thereof. The drive shaft is formed from the semi-conducting ceramic.

The pump includes a pumping chamber within a sealed internal chamber, a pump inlet connected to the pumping chamber, a pump outlet connected to the pumping chamber, and a rotational pumping element configured to pump the corrosive fluid from the pump inlet to the pump outlet. The rotational pumping element is within the pumping chamber. The pump includes a drive shaft for driving the rotational pumping element. The drive shaft is completely within the sealed internal chamber. The drive shaft is configured for magnetically coupling to an external motor. A pump housing forms the sealed internal chamber. The rotational element, the pumping chamber, and the pump housing are formed from any one a conductive plastic, a non-conducting plastic with conducting particles, a semi-conducing ceramic, and combinations thereof. The drive shaft is formed from the semi-conducting ceramic.

A refrigerant compressor reserves lubricating oil in a sealed container, and accommodates therein an electric component, and a compression component which is driven by the electric component and compresses a refrigerant. At least one of slide members included in the compression component is made of an iron-based material, and an oxide coating film comprising a composition A portion, a composition B portion, and a composition C portion is provided on a slide surface of the iron-based material. The composition A portion is a portion containing diiron trioxide (Fe.sub.2O.sub.3) which is more in quantity than other substances, and is, for example, an outermost portion (160a). The composition B portion is a portion containing triiron tetraoxide (Fe.sub.3O.sub.4) which is more in quantity than other substances and containing a silicon (Si) compound, and is, for example, an intermediate portion (160b). The composition C portion is a portion containing triiron tetraoxide (Fe.sub.3O.sub.4) which is more in quantity than other substances and containing silicon (Si) which is more in quantity than silicon (Si) of the composition B portion, and is, for example, an inner portion (160c).

A refrigerant compressor comprises an electric component; and a compression component which is driven by the electric component and compresses a refrigerant. At least one of slide members included in the compression component is made of an iron-based material. An oxide coating film (150) is provided on a slide surface of the iron-based material, the oxide coating film including a first portion (151), a second portion (152), and/or a third portion (153). The first portion (151) contains at least fine crystals (155). The second portion (152) contains columnar grains (156). The third portion (153) contains layered grains (157).

Valve and/or port plates incorporating or formed entirely of ceramic can each be provided with a reinforcing band. The band, which can optionally be metal, can be placed around the plate to provide additional strength to the plate, thereby allowing for a reduction in the overall diameter and/or thickness of the plates and, thus, the use of less ceramic material. The band can hold the plate in compression and/or be glued to hold the band in place.

Engines, systems, devices, software, and methods of the present invention provide increased fuel efficiency and emission performance. The engine may include a magnesium alloy cast engine block cast as a mono-block with or without a ceramic inner core and including one or more cylinders designed to provide compression ratio of 10:1 to 14:1. Each cylinder may include one or more laser igniters, one or more supercritical fuel injectors configured to inject the fuel near or in a supercritical state, and carbon dioxide, which may be in the form of engine exhaust gas. The fuel may be diesel, gasoline, or other suitable hydrocarbons that may be cracked into smaller molecules prior to be injected into the cylinder.

A housing assembly for a rotary engine, has: a rotor housing extending around an axis, the rotor housing having an inner face facing a rotor cavity; side housings secured to opposite sides of the rotor housing, the rotor cavity bounded axially between the side housings; and a seal received within a groove at an interface between the rotor housing and a first side housing, the groove annularly extending around the axis, located outwardly of the inner face, and overlapping a peripheral section of the first side housing, the seal having: an elastomeric member compressed between the peripheral section and the rotor housing; and a shield disposed inwardly of the elastomeric member, the shield having a melting point above a temperature of combustion gases, the shield in contact with both of the peripheral section of the first side housing and the rotor housing.

A rotary internal combustion engine is provided that includes a housing and a rotor. The housing includes first and second side housings and a center housing. The center housing is disposed between and attached to the first and second side housings. The rotor is disposed within a rotor chamber and is engaged with a rotor shaft that extends between the first and second side housings. The rotor has a peripheral side wall that extends between a pair of end face surfaces. At least one of the first side housing or the second side housing includes a side plate having a seal surface, an interior surface, and a core disposed between the seal surface and the interior surface. The core comprises a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) material. The seal surface of the side plate engages in a sealing arrangement with a respective rotor end face surface.

A refrigerant compressor reserves lubricating oil with a viscosity of VG2 to VG100 in a sealed container, and accommodates therein an electric component and a compression component which is driven by the electric component and compresses a refrigerant. The compression component includes at least one slide member comprising a base material 171 made of an iron-based material and an oxide coating film 170 provided on a surface of the base material 171. The oxide coating film 170 includes: a portion containing diiron trioxide (Fe.sub.2O.sub.3), in a region which is closer to an outermost surface of the oxide coating film; and a silicon containing portion containing silicon (Si) which is more in quantity than silicon (Si) of the base material 171, in a region which is closer to the base material 171.