Disclosed is a silicon-based anode active material for a lithium secondary battery. The silicon-based anode active material imparts high capacity and high power to the lithium secondary battery, can be used for a long time, and has good thermal stability. Also disclosed is a method for preparing the silicon-based anode active material. The method includes (A) binding metal oxide particles to the entire surface of silicon particles or portions thereof to form a silicon-metal oxide composite, (B) coating the surface of the silicon-metal oxide composite with a polymeric material to form a silicon-metal oxide-polymeric material composite, and (C) heat treating the silicon-metal oxide-polymeric material composite under an inert gas atmosphere to convert the coated polymeric material layer into a carbon coating layer.

Disclosed are an LED illumination apparatus and its manufacturing method. A metal sheet is stamped to form a conductive plate with 3D space, and the conductive plate includes an illumination circuit, and a support frame for supporting the conductive plate to form different types of illumination apparatuses. The support frame is provided for supporting and fixing the conductive plate to facilitate the conductive plate to form a 3D curved surface, and an LED chip soldering point protection mechanism is provided for protecting each LED chip soldering point, so that the illumination apparatus is applicable for mass production to improve the yield rate and meet the high heat dissipation efficiency, large-range illumination, material saving, lightweight and/or environmental protection requirements.

A method for pushing information proactively includes: receiving updated data; querying search records that match the updated data; determining search records that meet a push condition, and obtaining user information corresponding to the search records that meet the push condition; pushing, according to the user information, the updated data to all or part of users corresponding to the user information. In the embodiments of the present invention, after receiving updated data, the server proactively obtains the search records of users, screens the users according to the push condition, and pushes the updated data to the screened users. In this way, the information is proactively pushed, which shortens the time interval of providing information for the users, and improves the efficiency of obtaining needed information by the users.

A method and apparatus for generating a sphere-like mobile user interface is described including receiving search terms and search results, generating a sphere and blobs of the sphere and expanding a touched or swiped blob of the sphere.

Described herein is an extensible extract, transform and load (ETL) framework. In accordance with one aspect of the framework, a file location object and a corresponding file format object are retrieved from a repository. The file location object stores file location parameters that specify a remote file system directory and a local file system directory, while the file format object stores location configuration parameters that specify a data file and the file location object. The data file may be transferred from the remote file system directory to the local file system directory according to the file location parameters and the location configuration parameters. An extract, transform and load (ETL) job may then be performed on the data file to generate an output file.

Disclosed are a Chinese website classification method and system based on characteristic analysis of a website homepage. The method specifically comprises the following steps: S1, crawling website content; S2, labeling a website type; S3, extracting website information; S4, calculating a weight and representing the weight in the form of a characteristic vector; and S5, classifying the website by comparing the characteristic vector. By utilizing the above Chinese website classification method and system, the noise interference can be alleviated to the greatest extent by only extracting a title and meta-information of the website; by means of pre-processing and characteristic vector expression, the characteristics of the website are accurately expressed with the vector, so that the accuracy of classification is increased; and since only the title and meta-information of the website need to be processed, the quantity of data to be processed is small, and the processing speed is high.

A content management system aggregates and provides users' interaction with a content item for display in an activity feed. Events corresponding to the users' interaction with the content item are provided in conjunction with a user interface of a native application displaying the content item. Though provided in conjunction with the native application, the events are maintained separate from the content data of the content item and displayed in the activity feed by an application separate from the native application of the content item. The activity feed permits users to exchange chat messages and retrieve information for multiple versions of the content item.

A device for extraction of pollutants by multichannel tubular membrane containing at least one fluid channel allowing the fluid to go through a feed inlet to an outlet end characterized in that membrane comprises at least an extraction channel filled with molten salt in order to adsorb said pollutants having to be extracted from the said fluid. Advantageously, the membrane is a ceramic membrane. An application is for the treatment of traces of pollutants in a liquid or gaseous fluid. For example, the removal of small pollutants as volatile organic compounds from an aqueous stream in industrial wastewater treatment or other water treatment applications, or the separation of aromatic compounds form an hydrocarbon feed in petrochemical applications. Another application is in the removal of water traces in products of high added value as pharmaceutical, cosmetic or biocarburant for example.

A filter system and method use a filter housing that defines an interior chamber and that includes an inlet opening extending into the interior chamber. The outer air flow housing has an outlet conduit through which a flow of air having particles is directed toward the inlet opening of the filter housing along a flow direction toward the interior chamber of the filter housing. The outer air flow housing engages the filter housing such that the filter housing is separated from the outer air flow housing along the flow direction to permit at least some of the air to pass around an exterior of the filter housing and exit the outer air flow housing while the particles in the at least some of the air pass into the interior chamber of the filter housing through the inlet opening.

Aspects of the disclosure are directed to apparatuses and methods involving filters and detection of operation thereof. As may be consistent with one or more embodiments, an apparatus includes a fixture having mechanical components that hold a filter. Gas flow componentry operates with the fixture to eject particles from the filter by subjecting the filter to gas flow. A flow metering circuit meters the gas flow, and a particulate counter detects the ejected particles.

A staged complementary pressure swing adsorption system and method for low energy fractionation of a mixed fluid. Two beds in a four-column PSA system are selective for component A, and another two columns are selective for component B. The cycle creates an intermittent A and B product, using the purge effluent from the complementary product fed at an intermediate pressure. This intermittent product is used as purge gas for low-pressure purged elsewhere in the cycle using appropriate storage tanks. The use of an intermediate pressure in this cycle enables continuous production of purified component A and B without the use of compressors. Columns may also be configured to enable pressure to equalize between complementary columns.

Systems and methods for dehydrating a natural gas stream are provided herein. The system includes a lean solvent feed system, including a line from a topsides facility, wherein the line is configured to divide a lean solvent stream to feed lean solvent to each of a number of co-current contacting systems in parallel. The co-current contacting systems are placed in series along a wet natural gas stream, wherein each of the co-current contacting systems is configured to contact the lean solvent stream with the wet natural gas stream to adsorb at least a portion of the water from the wet natural gas stream to form a dry natural gas stream. A rich solvent return system includes a line to combine rich solvent from each of the plurality of co-current contacting systems and return a rich solvent stream to the topsides facility.

An additive manufacturing device includes at least one liquefier assembly that receives filament material from at least one feedstock and extrudes the material in a flowable form. A thermal drying system removes water vapor and heats compressed air to a preselected temperature set point to form conditioned air. At least one enclosed filament path houses and guides the filament material from a supply to the at least one liquefier assembly. The enclosed filament path is exposed to the conditioned air from the thermal drying system so as to keep the filament material dry as it is fed to the at least one liquefier assembly.

Example embodiments include systems for use in a wellhead platform. The system may comprise a separator subsystem, a scrubber subsystem, a first stage compressor subsystem, and a second stage compressor subsystem. The separator subsystem may comprise a separator inlet section for receiving multi-phase raw mixtures, a separator container body for housing the received multi-phase raw mixture, and a separator gas outlet section for separating gas. The scrubber subsystem may comprise a scrubber inlet section connected to the separator gas outlet section, a scrubber container body, and a scrubber gas outlet section for separating gas. The first stage compressor subsystem may be operable to receive gas separated from the scrubber subsystem, compress the received gas, and output the compressed gas. The second stage compressor subsystem may be operable to receive compressed gas from the first stage compressor subsystem, further compress the received compressed gas, and output the further compressed gas.

Systems and methods for selectively extracting hydrogen gas dissolved in oil are provided. In one embodiment, a system includes a selectively permeable membrane provided at a point of contact between oil and a sensor chamber. The selectively permeable membrane has a hydrogen specificity and a thickness selected to minimize detection of further gasses dissolved in the oil by a hydrogen gas sensor cross-sensitive to the further gasses. The selectively permeable membrane can include polyimide. The further gasses include carbon monoxide, acetylene, and ethylene. The system can include a further membrane and a porous metal disc. The porous metal disc is bound to the selectively permeable membrane by using the further membrane as an adhesive layer and by applying pressure and temperature. The porous metal disc supports the selectively permeable membrane and the further membrane against pressure of the oil when exposed to a vacuum. The further membrane includes fluorohydrocarbons.

Disclosed herein is a system and method for condensing moisture in a gas stream entering or leaving a bioreactor, the system comprising: a contact condenser container fluidically coupled to the bioreactor through an exhaust line; a condensate accumulator fluidically coupled to the contact condenser container through at least a first condensate line and a second condensate line; the condensate accumulator further fluidically coupled to the bioreactor through a condensate overflow line; a first condensate control device disposed on the first condensate line and configured to control a flow of condensate leaving the contact condenser container and entering the condensate accumulator; and a second condensate control device disposed on the second condensate line and configured to control a flow of condensate leaving the condensate accumulator to be mixed with the gas stream.

The present invention corresponds to a device for extracting water from the environment by means of a liquid desiccant. The device comprises a means for capturing water from the environment using a liquid desiccant, an extraction chamber, a first duct through which liquid desiccant with water flows from the capture means to the extraction chamber, a second duct through which liquid desiccant flows from the extraction chamber to the capture means, a reservoir for depositing water extracted from the liquid desiccant in the extraction chamber, a third duct through which water flows from the extraction chamber to the reservoir, a means to create a vacuum within the extraction chamber, and a control device that controls the heating element. The extraction chamber comprises a container located at the bottom of the extraction chamber, in which the water captured by the liquid desiccant is extracted and a heating element located within the container

A combination tractor and baler is provided to automate tractor stopping and baler wrapping while incorporating operator interaction to improve the efficiency of the tractor and baler combination in operation. Automated control systems and manual operator devices are utilized to improve the timing of the tractor stop and baler wrapping time sequences. Various methods to improve efficiency, including methods to synchronize tractor stop with wrapping activation are provided.

A semiconductor device includes a first moisture-resistant ring disposed in a peripheral region surrounding a circuit region on a semiconductor substrate in such a way as to surround the circuit region and a second moisture-resistant ring disposed in the peripheral region in such a way as to surround the first moisture-resistant ring.

A manufacturing method of a package substrate is provided. The method includes forming a first circuit layer on a carrier. A passive component is disposed on the first circuit layer and the carrier. A dielectric layer is formed on the carrier to embed the passive component and the first circuit layer in the dielectric layer. A second circuit layer is formed on the dielectric layer. The carrier is removed from the dielectric layer. A manufacturing method of a chip package is also provided.

A semiconductor mounting apparatus includes a storing unit that stores a liquid or a gas, a contact unit that comes into contact with a semiconductor chip when the storing unit is filled with the liquid or the gas, and a sucking unit that sucks up the semiconductor chip to bring the semiconductor chip into close contact with the contact unit.

A semiconductor device includes a substrate comprising a trench; a gate dielectric layer formed over a surface of the trench; a gate electrode positioned at a level lower than a top surface of the substrate, and comprising a lower buried portion embedded in a lower portion of the trench over the gate dielectric layer and an upper buried portion positioned over the lower buried portion; and a dielectric work function adjusting liner positioned between the lower buried portion and the gate dielectric layer; and a dipole formed between the dielectric work function adjusting liner and the gate dielectric layer.

Embodiments of the inventive concepts provide a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method includes forming a stack structure including insulating layers and sacrificial layers which are alternately and repeatedly stacked on a substrate. A first photoresist pattern is formed on the stack structure. A first part of the stack structure is etched to form a stepwise structure using the first photoresist pattern as an etch mask. The first photoresist pattern includes a copolymer including a plurality of units represented by at least one of the following chemical formulas 1 to 3, wherein “R1”, “R2”, “R3”, “p”, “q” and “r” are the same as defined in the description.

A performance of a semiconductor device is improved. A film, which is made of silicon, is formed in a resistance element formation region on a semiconductor substrate, and an impurity, which is at least one type of elements selected from a group including a group 14 element and a group 18 element, is ion-implanted into the film, and a film portion which is formed of the film of a portion into which the impurity is ion-implanted is formed. Next, an insulating film with a charge storage portion therein is formed in a memory formation region on the semiconductor substrate, and a conductive film is formed on the insulating film.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to one embodiment includes forming a first film including a first metal above a processing target member. The method includes forming a second film including two or more types of element out of a second metal, carbon, and boron above the first film. The method includes forming a third film including the first metal above the second film. The method includes forming a mask film by providing an opening part to a stacked film including the first film, the second film and the third film. The method includes processing the processing target member by performing etching using the mask film as a mask.

Embodiments of the inventive concept provide a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method includes forming a stack structure by alternately and repeatedly stacking insulating layers and sacrificial layers on a substrate, sequentially forming a first lower layer and a first photoresist pattern on the stack structure, etching the first lower layer using the first photoresist pattern as an etch mask to form a first lower pattern. A first part of the stack structure is etched to form a stepwise structure using the first lower pattern as an etch mask. The first lower layer includes a novolac-based organic polymer, and the first photoresist pattern includes a polymer including silicon.

The present invention provides a method for manufacturing the N-type TFT, which includes subjecting a light shielding layer to a grating like patternization treatment for controlling different zones of a poly-silicon layer to induce difference of crystallization so as to have different zones of the poly-silicon layer forming crystalline grains having different sizes, whereby through just one operation of ion doping, different zones of the poly-silicon layer have differences in electrical resistivity due to difference of grain size generated under the condition of identical doping concentration to provide an effect equivalent to an LDD structure for providing the TFT with a relatively low leakage current and improved reliability. Further, since only one operation of ion injection is involved, the manufacturing time and manufacturing cost can be saved, damages of the poly-silicon layer can be reduced, the activation time can be shortened, thereby facilitating the manufacture of flexible display devices.

A method of manufacturing a thin film transistor is disclosed. The method of manufacturing the thin film transistor includes: manufacturing a substrate; forming an oxide semiconductor layer on the substrate; forming a pattern including an active layer through a patterning process; forming a source and drain metal layer on the active layer; and forming a pattern including a source electrode and a drain electrode through a patterning process, an opening being formed between the source electrode and the drain electrode at a position corresponding to a region of the active layer used as a channel, wherein the step of forming the pattern including the source electrode and the drain electrode through a patterning process includes: removing a portion of the source and drain metal layer corresponding to the position of the opening through dry etching. The method may also be used to manufacturing a thin film transistor.

A first photoresist pattern and a second photoresist pattern are formed over a substrate. The first photoresist pattern is separated from the second photoresist pattern by a gap. A chemical mixture is coated on the first and second photoresist patterns. The chemical mixture contains a chemical material and surfactant particles mixed into the chemical material. The chemical mixture fills the gap. A baking process is performed on the first and second photoresist patterns, the baking process causing the gap to shrink. At least some surfactant particles are disposed at sidewall boundaries of the gap. A developing process is performed on the first and second photoresist patterns. The developing process removes the chemical mixture in the gap and over the photoresist patterns. The surfactant particles disposed at sidewall boundaries of the gap reduce a capillary effect during the developing process.

A TFT and manufacturing method thereof, an array substrate and manufacturing method thereof, an X-ray detector and a display device are disclosed. The manufacturing method includes: forming a gate-insulating-layer thin film (3'), a semiconductor-layer thin film (4') and a passivation-shielding-layer thin film (5') successively; forming a pattern (5') that includes a passivation shielding layer through one patterning process, so that a portion, sheltered by the passivation shielding layer, of the semiconductor-layer thin film forms a pattern of an active layer (4a'); and performing an ion doping process to a portion, not sheltered by the passivation shielding layer, of the semiconductor-layer thin film to form a pattern comprising a source electrode (4c') and a drain electrode (4b'). The source electrode (4c') and the drain electrode (4b') are disposed on two sides of the active layer (4a') respectively and in a same layer as the active layer (4a'). The manufacturing method can reduce the number of patterning processes and improve the performance of the thin film transistor in the array substrate.

Manufacturing methods of JFET-type compact three-dimensional memory (3D-MC) are disclosed. In a memory level stacked above the substrate, an x-line extends from a memory array to an above-substrate decoding stage. A JFET-type transistor is formed on the x-line as a decoding device for the above-substrate decoding stage, where the overlap portion of the x-line with the control-line (c-line) is semi-conductive.

To provide a semiconductor device having improved reliability. After formation of an n+ type semiconductor region for source/drain, a first insulating film is formed on a semiconductor substrate so as to cover a gate electrode and a sidewall spacer. After heat treatment, a second insulating film is formed on the first insulating film and a resist pattern is formed on the second insulating film. Then, these insulating films are etched with the resist pattern as an etching mask. The resist pattern is removed, followed by wet washing treatment. A metal silicide layer is then formed by the salicide process.

A method for manufacturing an LDMOS device includes: providing a semiconductor substrate (200), forming a drift region (201) in the semiconductor substrate (200), forming a gate material layer on the semiconductor substrate (200), and forming a negative photoresist layer (204) on the gate material layer; patterning the negative photoresist layer (204), and etching the gate material layer by using the patterned negative photoresist layer (204) as a mask so as to form a gate (203); forming a photoresist layer having an opening on the semiconductor substrate (200) and the patterned negative photoresist layer (204), the opening corresponding to a predetermined position for forming a body region (206); and injecting the body region (206) by using the gate (203) and the negative photoresist layer (204) located above the gate (203) as a self-alignment layer, so as to form a channel region.

An organic layer deposition assembly for depositing a deposition material on a substrate includes a deposition source configured to spray the deposition material, a deposition source nozzle arranged in one side of the deposition source and including deposition source nozzles arranged in a first direction, a patterning slit sheet arranged to face the deposition source nozzle and having patterning slits in a second direction that crosses the first direction, and a correction sheet arranged between the deposition source nozzle and the patterning slit sheet and configured to block at least a part of the deposition material sprayed from the deposition source.

A method of forming microelectronic systems on a flexible substrate includes depositing a plurality of layers on one side of the flexible substrate. Each of the plurality of layers is deposited from one of a plurality of sources. A vertical projection of a perimeter of each one of the plurality of sources does not intersect the flexible substrate. The flexible substrate is in motion during the depositing the plurality of layers via a roll to roll feed and retrieval system.

A fastening strap and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The fastening strap includes a first band and a second band. The first band has a first surface and a second surface. The first surface has a plurality of hooks of special configuration. The second band has a third surface and a fourth surface. The third surface is directly adhered to the second surface of the first band, and the fourth surface has a plurality of loops for being mechanically latched by the hooks on the first surface. The second surface and/or the third surface is printed with at least one pattern. After the first band and the second band are adhered together, the pattern can be seen from the first surface of the first band.

Embodiments of a loop clip used with a golf bag and methods to manufacture a golf bag are generally described herein. Other embodiments of the loop clip may be described and claimed.

A method is used to prepare a body for burial. The method includes placing the body inside a vessel. The body includes bones and tissue. The method further includes subjecting the body to a flow of steam until the bones are free of tissue. In one implementation, the flow of steam has a temperature of about 212 degrees Fahrenheit and a mass flow rate of at least 1000 pounds per hour. The method may further include removing the bones from the vessel.

A modular casket made of lightweight materials is structurally reinforced using a structural sealant along at least the inner surfaces of the side panels, and optionally along at least side edge portions of a base panel to which the side panels are coupled, to stiffen and rigidize the casket against flexion along longitudinal and lateral axes, as well as torsional flexion. The structurally reinforced casket is sealed or more readily sealed against leakage and provides other benefits of structural stiffness and rigidity with relatively small cost and weight penalties.

Disclosed is a hinge having a rigid portion integral with a flexible portion suitable to be bent with respect to the rigid portion, wherein the rigid portion has a substrate in a rigid composite material and the flexible portion has a first flexible sheet, wherein a first portion of the first flexible sheet is joined at least partially to the substrate by means of at least one first layer of resin for composite materials, wherein the flexible portion also has a second flexible sheet joined at least partially by means of at least one second layer of resin for composite materials both to the first portion of the first flexible sheet and to at least one second portion of the first flexible sheet which is not joined to the substrate.

The invention relates to a device (10) for actuating the closure of a movable part (12) of a motor vehicle, in particular a door, or hatchback, or similar, comprising a support (11) that can be fixed to the inner face of the movable part (12), a bearing unit (20) that can be pivoted about a first axis (13) provided on the support (11) and a handle element (40) with a first (41) and a second end (42), the second end (42) being fixed to the bearing unit (20), whereby the handle element (40) can be pivoted together with the bearing unit (20). According to the invention, the first end (41) is pivotally mounted on the first axis (13) and at least one bearing element (22, 22a, 22b) is provided for the horizontal bearing of the first end (41), said bearing element being located in the region of the first axis (13).

A brake caliper is provided with a timing and retraction controller, a brake pad and a lock-connection comprising an engaging component and a locking component. The timing and retraction controller adjusts brake timing, eliminates parasitic brake losses and dampens out-of-plane vibration between the brake pad and rotor. The brake caliper includes a housing disposed over a brake rotor; first and second opposing brake pads extendably and retractably mounted on opposite sides of the caliper housing, brake pistons that extend and retract the brake pads into and out of frictional engagement with the rotor, and brake pad timing and retraction controllers disposed on opposite sides of the caliper housing. Each controller includes a Belleville spring or other resilient member with a short compression travel limited to between about 1.50 mm and 0.025 mm. The short stroke Belleville spring of each controller applies a hold-off force against the extension force of the brake pistons that slightly delays brake pad extension and slightly reduces brake pad clamping force against the rotor, thereby advantageously providing a front wheel braking bias when applied to the rear wheels of a vehicle. The restorative force applied by the short stroke Belleville forcefully and uniformly retracts the brake pad from the rotor, eliminating parasitic brake losses, and dampening out-of-plane vibration between the brake pad and rotor.

The present disclosure provides systems for mitigating brake vibration. In various embodiments, a brake force distribution arrangement may comprise: a member in operable communication with an actuator having at least two contact surfaces such that as one of the at least two contact surfaces moves in a direction of actuation of the actuator the other moves in a direction opposite to the direction of actuation of the actuator.

A piston manufacturing device includes a first forming device (42) configured to form an annular groove (61) in a piston (11), and a second forming device (52) configured to press an edge (15) of an opening (14) of the piston (11) toward other end side in an axial direction of the piston (11) and to form a thick section (65) extruded from an inner circumferential surface (12b) arranged between the edge (15) and the groove (61) toward an axial center side of the piston (11), wherein a recessed section (53) is formed at a portion of the second forming device (52) that is arranged to abut the edge (15) so that an inner circumferential side of the edge (15) is plastically deformed toward the other end side in an axial direction of the piston (11).

Solid carboniferous fuels contain varying quantities of moisture, mercury, chlorine, nitrogen, sulfur, heavy metals and other materials that attain vapor pressure at elevated temperatures. The cost effective removal of these degrading and sometimes hazardous materials is important to the further use of the fuel for combustion as a solid, liquid, or gas. The solid fuel is cut, shredded, ground or sieved to appropriate size, and heated in a chamber that can exclude oxygen and air thus preventing ignition. The unwanted materials are driven in the gaseous state and extracted for disposal. The solid fuel cleaned of pollutants exits the chamber and is cooled below ignition temperature prior to contact with oxygen. The solid fuel thus purified is more appropriate for combustion, liquefaction or gasification due to the reduced costs in use as a fuel or in the post combustion clean up.

Various processes and apparatus are discussed for an ultra-high heat flux chemical reactor. A thermal receiver and the reactor tubes are aligned to 1) absorb and re-emit radiant energy, 2) highly reflect radiant energy, and 3) any combination of these, to maintain an operational temperature of the enclosed ultra-high heat flux chemical reactor. Particles of biomass are gasified in the presence of a steam carrier gas and methane in a simultaneous steam reformation and steam biomass gasification reaction to produce reaction products that include hydrogen and carbon monoxide gas using the ultra-high heat flux thermal energy radiated from the inner wall and then into the multiple reactor tubes. The multiple reactor tubes and cavity walls of the receiver transfer energy primarily by radiation absorption and re-radiation, rather than by convection or conduction, to the reactants in the chemical reaction to drive the endothermic chemical reaction flowing in the reactor tubes.

A solids circulation system receives a gas stream containing char or other reacting solids from a first reactor. The solids circulation system includes a cyclone configured to receive the gas stream from the first reactor, a dipleg from the cyclone to a second reactor, and a riser from the second reactor which merges with the gas stream received by the cyclone. The second reactor has a dense fluid bed and converts the received materials to gaseous products. A conveying fluid transports a portion of the bed media from the second reactor through the riser to mix with the gas stream prior to cyclone entry. The bed media helps manipulate the solids that is received by the cyclone to facilitate flow of solids down the dipleg into the second reactor. The second reactor provides additional residence time, mixing and gas-solid contact for efficient conversion of char or reacting solids.

The present invention provides a reformer tube apparatus, including: an axially aligned tubular structure including a flange section, a top section, a middle section, and a bottom section; wherein the top section of the axially aligned tubular structure includes a first portion having a first wall thickness; wherein the top section of the axially aligned tubular structure includes a second portion having a second wall thickness; and wherein the top section of the axially aligned tubular structure includes a third portion having a transitioning wall thickness that joins the first portion to the second portion. The flange section includes a concentric flange disposed about a top portion thereof. The bottom section of the tubular structure includes a plurality of concentric wedge structures disposed about the interior thereof. The bottom section of the tubular structure also includes a recess disposed about the exterior thereof. The axially aligned tubular structure further includes a secondary flange section coupled to the flange section, wherein the secondary flange section includes a concentric flange disposed about a top portion thereof. Optionally, the reformer tube apparatus is disposed within a reformer used in a direct reduction process.

A method for producing a chemical reaction is provided. This method includes providing at least two helical tubes, wherein the helical tubes comprise: a first axis and a second axis; wherein the first axis and the second axis are normal to each other; a cross-sectional shape of a predetermined contour; and an inlet end and an outlet end. The method includes reforming a first gas stream and a second gas stream into a third gas stream in the presence of a catalyst. The method includes surrounding a heat source with the helical tubes are, and operating the tube with an average catalyst temperature of above 500 F. An apparatus for producing a chemical reaction is also provided. This apparatus comprises at least two helical tubes, wherein the helical tubes comprise: a first axis and a second axis; wherein the first axis and the second axis are normal to each other; a cross-sectional shape of a predetermined contour; an inlet end and an outlet end, wherein the helical tubes contain a catalyst capable of reforming a first gas stream and a second gas stream into a third gas stream. The helical tubes are designed to surround a heat source, and the tube operates with an average catalyst temperature of above 500 F.

An example apparatus for connecting linear edge cards includes a housing to hold at least one set of conductive contacts facing perpendicularly towards a mating plane. The apparatus further includes an activator bar coupled to the housing, the activator bar to hold two parts of the housing apart via two opposing normal forces. The apparatus also includes a contact load spring coupled to the housing, the contact load spring to apply two forces parallel to the direction of the conductive contacts and against the two opposing normal forces of the activator bar. The apparatus further includes an ejector spring coupled to the contact load spring and the activator bar. The ejector spring is to apply a force perpendicular to the two opposing normal forces of the activator bar and in a direction of an opening of the housing.