A microfluidic apparatus has a microchannel that includes at least one vertically oriented segment with a top section having a relatively wide opening and a bottom section having a relatively narrow opening. The top section is larger in volume relative to the bottom sections, and the middle sections taper down in at least one dimension from the top section to the bottom section. One or tens or hundreds of vertically-oriented segments may be provided, and they are fluidly coupled to each other. Each segment acts as a pressure-volume-temperature (PVT) cell, and the microchannel apparatus may be used to determine a parameter of a fluid containing hydrocarbons such as the dew point of the fluid or the liquid drop-out as a function of pressure.

An automatic system and method to detect moisture in a compressed gas cylinder is faster, less labor intensive and has increased accuracy, including the ability to detect free moisture, over prior methods and devices. This device and method avoid the need to individually invert cylinders. A system to detect moisture level in a compressed gas cylinder includes a gas vent/fill line that is in fluid communication with a compressed gas cylinder; a vacuum system with a vacuum line and a vacuum pump connected to the vacuum line; and a dewpoint monitor connected to a dewpoint line and the vacuum line. When a compressed gas cylinder is connected to the gas vent/fill line, the vacuum pump draws gas from the gas vent/fill line into the vacuum line and the dewpoint line, and into the dewpoint monitor, where the dewpoint monitor measures moisture content in compressed gas.

An automatic system and method to detect moisture in a compressed gas cylinder is faster, less labor intensive and has increased accuracy, including the ability to detect free moisture, over prior methods and devices. This device and method avoid the need to individually invert cylinders. A system to detect moisture level in a compressed gas cylinder includes a gas vent/fill line that is in fluid communication with a compressed gas cylinder; a vacuum system with a vacuum line and a vacuum pump connected to the vacuum line; and a dewpoint monitor connected to a dewpoint line and the vacuum line. When a compressed gas cylinder is connected to the gas vent/fill line, the vacuum pump draws gas from the gas vent/fill line into the vacuum line and the dewpoint line, and into the dewpoint monitor, where the dewpoint monitor measures moisture content in compressed gas.

An internal combustion engine includes a control unit determining the occurrence or non-occurrence of dew condensation in a tip portion of a nozzle based on a nozzle heat receiving amount of an injector and a nozzle tip temperature of the injector at a point in time when ignition is turned OFF and performing nozzle corrosion prevention control when the dew condensation is determined to occur in the nozzle tip portion. The control unit calculates a nozzle tip temperature reduction rate based on the nozzle heat receiving amount, calculates a dew point arrival time based on the reduction rate, and determines the occurrence or non-occurrence of the dew condensation in the nozzle tip portion based on the dew point arrival time.

An internal combustion engine includes a control unit determining the occurrence or non-occurrence of dew condensation in a tip portion of a nozzle based on a nozzle heat receiving amount of an injector and a nozzle tip temperature of the injector at a point in time when ignition is turned OFF and performing nozzle corrosion prevention control when the dew condensation is determined to occur in the nozzle tip portion. The control unit calculates a nozzle tip temperature reduction rate based on the nozzle heat receiving amount, calculates a dew point arrival time based on the reduction rate, and determines the occurrence or non-occurrence of the dew condensation in the nozzle tip portion based on the dew point arrival time.

Dew point sensor system contains-a controller with dew point calculator, ambient temperature sensor, air pathway, heater plate, external wire. Ambient temperature sensor generates ambient temperature data, operatively-connected to controller. Air pathway contains blower within air pathway, air flow sensor within air pathway, liquid reservoir operatively-connected to air pathway, and component may be air pathway temperature sensor and/or breathing circuit heating element. Blower causes air to move in air pathway (52), air flow sensor generates air flow data about air moving in air pathway. The heater plate contains heater plate temperature sensor, and heater plate temperature sensor generates heater plate temperature data. External wire is operatively-connected to controller and component. Ambient temperature sensor located on the external wire. Heater plate and the heater plate temperature sensor operatively-connected to the controller receiving ambient temperature data, air flow data, and heater plate temperature data to calculate target heater plate temperature, based on dew point temperature.

A vertical farming layer structure comprising: an underlying support for supporting a plurality of farmed plants; a light-reflective upper surface positioned above and facing the underlying support, the light-reflective upper surface being adapted to reflect light by diffuse reflection; and a plurality of light-emitting devices positioned between the underlying support and the light-reflective upper surface, each light-emitting device being positioned to emit light along a respective optical axis oriented towards the light-reflective upper surface such that light emitted from the light-emitting device is at least partially diffusely reflected off of the light-reflective upper surface to reach the plants supported on the underlying support.

A vertical farming layer structure comprising: an underlying support for supporting a plurality of farmed plants; a light-reflective upper surface positioned above and facing the underlying support, the light-reflective upper surface being adapted to reflect light by diffuse reflection; and a plurality of light-emitting devices positioned between the underlying support and the light-reflective upper surface, each light-emitting device being positioned to emit light along a respective optical axis oriented towards the light-reflective upper surface such that light emitted from the light-emitting device is at least partially diffusely reflected off of the light-reflective upper surface to reach the plants supported on the underlying support.

A condensation detection element comprises a condensation detection unit, the condensation detection unit being formed on a first substrate unit, and a peripheral circuit unit, the peripheral circuit unit being formed on a second substrate unit. The condensation detection unit comprises a thin wire electrode of a first metal and a thin wire electrode of a second metal. The condensation detection unit is configured to detect the presence or absence of water droplet that comes into contact with the thin wire electrode of the first metal and the thin wire electrode of the second metal by a current flowing between the thin wire electrode of the first metal and the thin wire electrode of the second metal. The first substrate unit has a higher thermal conductivity and a lower heat capacity than the second substrate unit.

A condensation detection element comprises a condensation detection unit, the condensation detection unit being formed on a first substrate unit, and a peripheral circuit unit, the peripheral circuit unit being formed on a second substrate unit. The condensation detection unit comprises a thin wire electrode of a first metal and a thin wire electrode of a second metal. The condensation detection unit is configured to detect the presence or absence of water droplet that comes into contact with the thin wire electrode of the first metal and the thin wire electrode of the second metal by a current flowing between the thin wire electrode of the first metal and the thin wire electrode of the second metal. The first substrate unit has a higher thermal conductivity and a lower heat capacity than the second substrate unit.