Plastic microfluidic structures having a substantially rigid diaphragm that actuates between a relaxed state wherein the diaphragm sits against the surface of a substrate and an actuated state wherein the diaphragm is moved away from the substrate. As will be seen from the following description, the microfluidic structures formed with this diaphragm provide easy to manufacture and robust systems, as well readily made components such as valves and pumps.

A method for controlling fluid ratio accuracy during a dual flow injection with a powered injection system is described. The method includes predicting a first capacitance volume of a first syringe comprising a first medical fluid and a second capacitance volume of a second syringe comprising a second medical fluid with a first capacitance correction factor and a second capacitance correction factor, respectively, selecting a ratio of the first medical fluid and the second medical fluid to be administered to a patient in the dual flow injection, determining a relative acceleration ratio of a first piston of the first syringe and a second piston of a second syringe based on the predicted first capacitance volume and the predicted second capacitance volume, wherein the relative acceleration ratio is selected to maintain the selected ratio of the first medical fluid and the second medical fluid during the dual flow injection, and injecting a mixture of a first medical fluid and a second medical fluid having the selected ratio with the powered injection system.

A mixer assembly for mixing an injected reductant with an exhaust gas output from a combustion engine comprises a mixer housing including a wall defining an exhaust passageway having a longitudinal axis. A tubular swirling device housing extends along a first axis substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis. The tubular swirling device includes a plurality of openings through which exhaust gas enters. The exhaust gas within the tubular swirling device swirls about the first axis and exits at an outlet end of the tubular swirling device. A mixing plate is positioned immediately downstream of the tubular swirling device. The mixing plate swirls the exhaust about a second axis extending parallel to the longitudinal axis.

An exhaust aftertreatment system may include a housing, an aftertreatment device, and a cantilevered flow distributing element. The housing receives exhaust gas output from an engine and has a main body and an exhaust gas inlet that is angled relative to the main body. The flow distributing element is disposed within the housing upstream of the exhaust aftertreatment device and includes a baffle plate and a collar. The baffle plate is attached to an inner wall of the main body. The collar may include a plurality of first apertures, a downstream axial edge and an upstream axial edge. A portion of the downstream axial edge may abut an upstream-facing surface of the baffle plate. The baffle plate may have a plurality of second apertures extending through the upstream-facing surface. The collar may extend across and partially block at least some of the second apertures.

A process for extracting carbohydrates from biomass and creating bioalcohol from the extracted carbohydrates. Subjecting the biomass to acid or alkali hydrolysis in a first hydrodynamic cavitation process. Filtering the first cavitated biomass to separate a first filtrate containing extracted carbohydrates. Fermenting the first filtrate to create a bioalcohol and separating the bioalcohol by distillation or similar process. Subjecting the biomass to enzymatic hydrolysis in a second hydrodynamic cavitation process. Filtering the second cavitated biomass to separate a second filtrate containing extracted carbohydrates. Fermenting the second filtrate to create a bioalcohol and separating the bioalcohol by distillation or similar process. The first and second filtrates may be combined and fermented in a single step.

Dehydrator systems having a core dehydrator and a mixing unit are described herein and methods of using the same. The core dehydrator comprises a turbulent flow mixing compartment the turbulent flow mixing compartment with plate openings having a turbulent flow transition zone where linear speed of fluid flow is reduced, a clarifying sediment chamber, where fluid flow is substantially laminar) comprising a plurality of small deflector plaques and a plurality of large deflector plaques and a flocculation pipe. In the turbulent flow transition zone, fluid flow transitions from turbulent flow to laminar flow. The mixing unit comprises a plurality of vertical flocculators. The mixing unit further comprises a rapid mixing manifold. The rapid mixing manifold contains drilling fluids and flocculant polymers.

A mixing system for an exhaust aftertreatment system includes a first mixing device having a plurality of first auger blades and an inlet having a first cross-sectional area. A second mixing device is separate and downstream from the first mixing device and includes a second auger blade. The second mixing device includes an inlet having a second cross-sectional area greater than the first cross-sectional area. A plurality of flow paths created by the first mixing device are recombined into a single flow path between the first and second mixing devices. A longitudinal center line of the first mixing device is offset from a longitudinal center line of the second mixing device.

A washing machine includes a cabinet; an outer basket in the cabinet and configured to contain wash water; an inner basket in the outer basket and configured to accommodate laundry; a water supply valve unit in the cabinet and connected to an external water supply source to receive wash water; a cabinet cover on an upper side of the cabinet and having an input hole for the laundry; and a micro-bubble generator configured to receive wash water from the water supply valve unit, generate micro-bubbles, and supply the micro-bubbles to a washing space. The micro-bubble generator includes a nozzle unit at or near the input hole and configured to generate micro-bubbles by receive wash water in which gas is dissolved or mixed and discharge wash water having the micro-bubbles therein into the inner basket after the micro-bubbles are generated.

A fuel filter system that does not require the periodic draining of a water sump. The system includes a fuel tank for storing fuel and a fuel filter fluidly coupled to the fuel tank for separating water from the fuel. A fuel pump has a suction side and a high pressure side. The high pressure side of the fuel pump is fluidly coupled to the fuel filter for pumping fuel to the fuel filter. A water emulsifier, such as an orifice, is fluidly coupled to the fuel filter to receive water and fuel from the fuel filter and form a water-fuel emulsion. The water-fuel emulsion is supplied to any point in the system on the suction side of the fuel pump, such that the water-fuel emulsion passes through the fuel pump and fuel filter.

A washing machine includes a cabinet; an outer basket in the cabinet and configured to contain wash water; an inner basket in the outer basket and configured to accommodate laundry; a water supply valve unit in the cabinet and connected to an external water supply source to receive wash water; a cabinet cover on an upper side of the cabinet and having an input hole for the laundry; and a micro-bubble generator configured to receive wash water from the water supply valve unit, generate micro-bubbles, and supply the micro-bubbles to a washing space. The micro-bubble generator includes a nozzle unit at or near the input hole and configured to generate micro-bubbles by receive wash water in which gas is dissolved or mixed and discharge wash water having the micro-bubbles therein into the inner basket after the micro-bubbles are generated.