Apparatus and methods for selectively separating a volatile constituent of a particle from a gas stream for analysis. Particles are separated from bulk flow by inertia and impacted in a cavity containing a small but stable vortex or eddy. Heat is applied to volatilize constituents of the particles. The gas entrained within the vortex, which exchanges only slowly with the bulk flow, is withdrawn for analysis. In this way, a high volume flow containing particles of interest is reduced to a low volume flow containing a vapor concentrate. Advantageously, the apparatus may be operated at very low pressure drops in fully continuous, semi-continuous or batch mode according to the requirements of the downstream analytical unit. The apparatus finds use in active surveillance, such as in use of aerosols to detect explosives or chemical residues on persons, vehicles or luggage in real time.

An actuator for a separator for separating contaminants from a fluid stream which includes entrained contaminants. The actuator is arranged to move along an actuator axis to adjust an open cross-sectional area of at least one aperture of the separator, and comprises a flexible diaphragm, and a support assembly for the flexible diaphragm. The support assembly is movable along the actuator axis carrying the flexible diaphragm and has an upper support member mounted on a lower support member. A portion of the flexible diaphragm is located between the upper and lower support members. The lower support member comprises an axially extending support portion coupled to a radially extending support portion. The upper support member comprises a diaphragm anti-inversion feature coupled to a radially extending support portion. The diaphragm anti-inversion feature extends such that it axially overlaps at least part of the axially extending support portion of the lower support member.

An actuator for a separator for separating contaminants from a fluid stream which includes entrained contaminants. The actuator is arranged to move along an actuator axis to adjust an open cross-sectional area of at least one aperture of the separator, and comprises a flexible diaphragm, and a support assembly for the flexible diaphragm. The support assembly is movable along the actuator axis carrying the flexible diaphragm and has an upper support member mounted on a lower support member. A portion of the flexible diaphragm is located between the upper and lower support members. The lower support member comprises an axially extending support portion coupled to a radially extending support portion. The upper support member comprises a diaphragm anti-inversion feature coupled to a radially extending support portion. The diaphragm anti-inversion feature extends such that it axially overlaps at least part of the axially extending support portion of the lower support member.

A demister apparatus for machine tools having an enclosure booth for confining mist in which a varying outflow of air is drawn from the booth and directed to a remote demister apparatus from a minimum when the access doors to the enclosure are closed to a maximum when one or more of the doors are opened. The air flow may also be varied with the number of machine tools in operation as well with the state of filters in the remote demister apparatus. A cyclonic separator is also provided adjacent to the booth which functions well in a vertical up flow mode over a range of air outflow rates of flow.

A gas-liquid separator comprises a housing having an inlet for receiving a gas-liquid stream and an outlet for discharging a gas stream. An impactor nozzle structure is supported by the housing and situated downstream of the inlet. The impactor nozzle structure receives the gas-liquid stream and accelerates the gas-liquid stream through an orifice that extends through the impactor nozzle structure. An impaction surface is supported by the housing and situated downstream of the orifice. The impaction surface receives the accelerated gas-liquid stream and causes separation of liquid particles from the gas-liquid stream so as to produce the gas stream, and a baffle situated downstream of the impaction surface modifies a flow of the gas stream so as to reduce carryover of liquid particles in the gas stream. A shroud for an inertial impactor gas-liquid separator is disclosed. A method for separating liquid particles from a gas-liquid stream is disclosed.

A gas-liquid separator comprises a housing having an inlet for receiving a gas-liquid stream and an outlet for discharging a gas stream. An impactor nozzle structure is supported by the housing and situated downstream of the inlet. The impactor nozzle structure receives the gas-liquid stream and accelerates the gas-liquid stream through an orifice that extends through the impactor nozzle structure. An impaction surface is supported by the housing and situated downstream of the orifice. The impaction surface receives the accelerated gas-liquid stream and causes separation of liquid particles from the gas-liquid stream so as to produce the gas stream, and a baffle situated downstream of the impaction surface modifies a flow of the gas stream so as to reduce carryover of liquid particles in the gas stream. A shroud for an inertial impactor gas-liquid separator is disclosed. A method for separating liquid particles from a gas-liquid stream is disclosed.

A method of encoding video including: writing a plurality of predetermined buffer descriptions into a sequence parameter set of a coded video bitstream; writing a plurality of updating parameters into a slice header of the coded video bitstream for selecting and modifying one buffer description out of the plurality of buffer descriptions; and encoding a slice into the coded video bitstream using the slice header and the modified buffer description.

A method of encoding video including: writing a plurality of predetermined buffer descriptions into a sequence parameter set of a coded video bitstream; writing a plurality of updating parameters into a slice header of the coded video bitstream for selecting and modifying one buffer description out of the plurality of buffer descriptions; and encoding a slice into the coded video bitstream using the slice header and the modified buffer description.

The specification and drawings present a new apparatus and method for continuously providing an oxygen-enriched gas/air using a relative motion of selected surface(s) of an apparatus (such as fossil-fueled combustion device/vehicle) relative to an atmospheric air with a speed exceeding a threshold value for, e.g., improving combustion, exhaust and related properties of the apparatus. An oxygen-enriched gas/air layer can be formed along/near each aforementioned surface from the atmospheric air due to pushing the atmospheric air along the surface(s) during that relative motion and collected by corresponding collector gate(s) located inside the apparatus near/adjacent to the corresponding surface. The apparatus can be an object (e.g., a vehicle) moving through the atmospheric air with a relative speed exceeding the threshold value. Alternatively, the apparatus can be a stationary object (e.g., a power generator) while the atmospheric air, having a desired speed exceeding the threshold value, is moved/blown toward the stationary object.

An external fuel pump and a valve seat for the fuel pump are provided. The valve seat includes a valve body. One side of the valve seat body is provided with an installation chamber for installing a valve body, and the other side of the valve seat body is an oil separator. The oil separator is connected to an outer wall of the installation chamber. The external fuel pump includes the valve seat and a fuel chamber constituted by a housing and a cover. The valve seat body is located in the fuel chamber, the oil separator of the valve seat body is located at a lower portion of an exhaust port provided on the cover. An anti-flip mechanism is provided between the exhaust port and the oil separator. The valve seat is multi-functional and convenient to install with less space and fewer components, which reduces costs.