PATENTS
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United States Patent 6,315,213 / Cordani / November 13, 2001
A method for artificially modifying the weather by seeding rain clouds of a storm with suitable cross-linked aqueous polymer. The polymer is dispersed into the cloud and the wind of the storm agitates the mixture causing the polymer to absorb the rain. This reaction forms a gelatinous substance which precipitate to the surface below. Thus, diminishing the clouds ability to rain.
United States Patent 4,686,605 / Eastlund / August 11, 1987
A method and apparatus for altering at least one selected region which normally exists above the earth's surface. The region is excited by electron cyclotron resonance heating to thereby increase its charged particle density. In one embodiment, circularly polarized electromagnetic radiation is transmitted upward in a direction substantially parallel to and along a field line which extends through the region of plasma to be altered. The radiation is transmitted at a frequency which excites electron cyclotron resonance to heat and accelerate the charged particles. This increase in energy can cause ionization of neutral particles which are then absorbed as part of the region thereby increasing the charged particle density of the region
Liquid atomizing apparatus for aerial spraying
United States Patent / 4,948,050 / Picot / August 14, 1990
A rotary liquid spray atomizer for aerial spraying is driven by a variable speed motor, driven in turn by power from a variable speed AC generator. The generator is driven from a power take-off from the engine of the spraying aircraft, a drive assembly includes a device for controlling the speed of the generator relative to the speed of the engine. The particularly convenient drive assembly between the generator and the power take-off is a hydraulic motor, which drives the generator, driven by a hydraulic pump driven from the power take-off. The speed of the hydraulic motor can be controllably varied. Conveniently the AC motor is a synchronous motor.
Process for absorbing ultraviolet radiation using dispersed melanin
United States Patent / 5,286,979 / Berliner / February 15, 199
This invention is a process for absorbing ultraviolet radiation in the atmosphere by dispersing melanin, its analogs, or derivatives into the atmosphere. By appropriate choice of melanin composition, size of melanin dispersoids, and their concentration, the melanin will absorb some quantity of ultraviolet radiation and thereby lessen its overall effect on the critters who would normally absorb such radiation.
Laminar microjet atomizer and method of aerial spraying of liquids
United States Patent / 4,412,654 Yates / November 1, 1983
A laminar microjet atomizer and method of aerial spraying involve the use of a streamlined body having a slot in the trailing edge thereof to afford a quiescent zone within the wing and into which liquid for spraying is introduced. The liquid flows from a source through a small diameter orifice having a discharge end disposed in the quiet zone well upstream of the trailing edge. The liquid released into the quiet zone in the slot forms drops characteristic of laminar flow. Those drops then flow from the slot at the trailing edge of the streamlined body and discharge into the slipstream for free distribution.
Hughes patent for Stratospheric Seeding
ROCKET HAVING BARIUM RELEASE
SYSTEM TO CREATE ION CLOUDS IN THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE
United States Patent: - US3813875 /
Issued/Filed Dates: June 4, 1974 / April 28, 1972
A chemical system for releasing a good yield of free
barium (Ba°) atoms and barium ions (BA+) to create ion clouds in the
upper atmosphere and interplanetary space for the study of the
geophysical properties of the medium. Inventor(s): Paine; Thomas O.
Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
with respect to an invention of , Hampton, VA 23364
NASA: BARIUM - Chemical
Formulas/Suppliers
------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the "Description of Preferred Embodiments" link in the NASA
Barium Patent listed above. Astounding that this information was
generated in l969 and now,30 years later, there is evidence of
Barium saturation in our atmosphere.
The Barium/Fuel mixtures are listed
below along with the suppliers.
Description of Preferred Embodiments:
Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, there
is shown a segment of a suitable carrier vehicle 10, such for
example a rocket motor. Vehicle 10 is employed to carry fuel tank
11, insulated oxidizer tank 13 and combustion chamber 15, along with
the necessary instrumentation, from earth into the upper atmosphere
or into interplanetary space. Fuel tank 11 is in fluid connection
with combustion chamber 15 and oxidizer tank 13 is in fluid
connection with combustion chamber 15 by way of respective conduits
17 and 19. A pair of valves 21 and 23 are disposed within the
respective conduits 17 and 19. Valves 21 and 23 are adapted to be
selectively and simultaneously opened by a suitable battery-powered
timing mechanism, radio signal, or the like, to release the
pressurized fuel and oxidizer from tanks 11 and 13. The fuel and
oxidizer then flow through conduits 17 and 19 and impinge upon each
other through a centrally positioned manifold and suitable jets (not
shown) in combustion chamber 15 where spontaneous ignition occurs.
The reaction products are then expelled through the open ends of
combustion chamber 15 as plasma which includes the desired barium
neutral atoms and barium ions as individual species.
The fuel utilized in fuel tank 11 is
either hydrazine (N2 H4) or liquid ammonia (NH3) while the oxidizer
employed is selected from the group consisting of liquid fluorine
(F2), chlorine trifluoride (ClF3) and oxygen difluoride (OF2). When
using hydrazine as the fuel, barium may be dissolved therein as
barium chloride, BaCl2, or barium nitrate, Ba(NO3)2, or a
combination of the two. When using liquid ammonia as the fuel,
barium metal may be dissolved therein. The combination found to
produce the highest intensity of Ba° and Ba+ resonance radiation in
ground based tests involved a fuel of 16 percent Ba(NO3)2, 17
percent BaCl2 and 67 percent N2 H4 ; and as the oxidizer, the
cryogenic liquid fluorine F2 and in which an oxidizer to fuel weight
ratio was 1.32.
Other combinations of ingredients tested are set forth in Table I
below:
TABLE I
______________________________________
System Optimum O/F Percent
Ionization
Calculated
______________________________________
16.7% BaCl2 -
83.3% N2 H4 /ClF3
2.36 68.0
26% BaCl2 -
74% N2 H4 /ClF3
2.08 70.0
50% Ba(NO3)2 -
50% NH3 /ClF3
1.52 -
42.9% Ba(NO3)2 -
57.1% N2 H4 /ClF3
1.19 50.0
16.7% BaCl2 -
83.3% N2 H4 /F2
1.95 68.8
26% BaCl2 -
74% N2 H4 /F2
1.71 70.6
21% BaCl2 -
9% Ba(NO3)2 -
70% N2 H4 /F2
1.57 68.5
17% BaCl2 -
16% Ba(NO3)2 -
67% N2 H4 /F2
1.31 68.1
13% BaCl2 -
21.5% Ba(NO3)2 -
65.5% N2 H4 /F2
1.34 63.7
9% BaCl2 -
30% Ba(NO3)2 -
61% N2 H4 /F2
1.04 63.7
42.9% Ba(NO3)2 -
57.1% N2 H4 /F2
0.976 43.0
42.9% Ba(NO3)2 -
57.1% N2 H4 /OF2
0.694 46.9
26% BaCL2 -
74% N2 H4 /OF2
1.22 52.8
______________________________________
The conditions under which each of the combinations listed in Table
I were tested were ambient and the percentage ionization was
calculated by equations set forth in NASA Contract Report CR-1415
published in August 1969.
The chemical supplier and manufacturers stated purity for the
various chemicals employed are set forth in Table II below:
______________________________________
Chemical
Supplier Purity
______________________________________
N2 H4
Olin Mathieson Chemical
Technical Grade
Company, Lake Charles,
97-98% N2 H4
Louisiana (2-3% H2 O)
NH3
Air Products and Chemicals
Technical Grade
Allentown, Pa.
BaCl2
J. T. Baker & Co. Reagent Grade
Phillipsburg, N.J.
Ba(NO3)2
J. T. Baker & Co. Reagent Grade
Phillipsburg, N.J.
F2 Air Products & Chemicals
98%
Allentown, Pa.
ClF3
Allied Chemical Co.
99.5%
Baton Rouge, La.
OF2
Allied Chemical Co.
98%
Baton Rouge, La.
______________________________________
A solubility study of various
mixtures containing Ba(NO3)2, BaCl2 and N2 H4 was made at room
temperature and is shown in the triangular plot of FIG. 2. Seven
solutions that were used in the tests enumerated in Table I are
indicated by reference letters in FIG. 2 as follows:
a. 16.7% BaCl2 - 83.3% N2 H4
b. 26% BaCl2 - 74% N2 H4
c. 21% BaCl2 - 9% Ba(NO3)2 - 70% N2 H4
d. 17% BaCl2 - 16% Ba(NO3)2 - 67% N2 H4
e. 13% BaCl2 -21.5% Ba(NO3)2 -65.5% N2 H4
f. 9% BaCl2 - 30% Ba(NO3)2 - 61% N2 H4
g. 42.9% Ba(NO3)2 - 57.1% N2 H4
A mixture below the Saturation Line,
that is toward the Ba(NO3)2 or BaCl2 corners contained a solid and a
solution phase whereas the salts were in complete solution above the
saturation line.
All fuel mixtures or systems described were easily handled except
the 50 percent Ba(NO3)2 -50 percent NH3 system. This system caused
clogging of the feed valves due to precipitation of the Ba(NO3)2. In
addition the light values obtained using this system was relatively
low.
In testing of each of the fuel mixtures set forth in Table I the Ba°
light was greater than the Ba+ light for a given oxidizer/fuel ratio
in each of the mixtures. The maximum light occurred in all systems
at a point located between the stoichiometric O/F and 3 percent less
than the stoichiometric O/F. The stoichiometric O/F is defined as
being equivalent to the oxidizer to fuel weight ratio in a balanced
equation assuming the salt is converted to free Ba, F to HF, Cl to
HCl and O to H2 O. For example, one system tested had an O/F ratio
of 142 grams oxidizer per 100 grams fuel or 1.42/1.00. If the barium
is assumed to be converted to BaF2 then the stoichiometric O/F is
1.47. Since the greatest light output in all cases occurred with O/F
less than stoichiometric it is apparent that little of the Ba was
combined as BaF2 or BaCl2. This was confirmed by spectrographic
analysis.
In Table II the various systems are listed in decreasing light
output or relative light intensity as measured by phototubes in
millivolts, thereby indicating the relative barium yield.
TABLE III
__________________________________________________________
SYSTEM MAXIMUM RELATIVE
(percent weight for fuel)
INTENSITY, millivolts
Ba° 5535 A
Ba+ 4554 A
___________________________________________________________
17% BaCl2 -16% Ba(NO3)2 -67% N2 H4 /F2
27600
11800
13% BaCl2 -21.5% Ba(NO3)2 -65.5% N2 H4 /F2
23600
8340
21% BaCl2 -9% Ba(NO3)2 -70% N2 H4 /F2
20600
9100
9% BaCl2 -30% Ba(NO3)2 -61% N2 H4 /F2
16600
5970
26% BaCl2 -74% N2 H4 /F2
16600
6520
26% BaCl2 -74% N2 H4 /OF2
11800
2100
16.7% BaCl2 -83.3% N2 H4 /F2
9100 3350
42.9% Ba(NO3)2 -57.1% N2 H4 /F2
9000 1800
42.9% Ba(NO3)2 -57.1% N2 H4 /OF2
7300 1330
42.9% Ba(NO3)2 -57.1% N2 H4 /ClF3
663 94
50% Ba(NO3)2 -50% NH3 /ClF3
221 44
___________________________________________________________
From the above information, it is
readily seen that the 17 percent BaCl2 -16 percent Ba(NO3)2 -67
percent N2 H4 /F2 system gave the greatest amount of light intensity
of the 4554 A Ba+ and 5535 A Ba° spectral lines. Ambient tests
showed that the optimum oxidizer to fuel ratio of this system was
1.32 to 1.00. This system containing 8.52 weight percent barium was
estimated to be 68.1 percent ionized. Also since this system had the
largest relative light intensity it would be expected to give the
greatest amount of Ba° and Ba+ and would appear to be the optimum
system for a barium payload. In all systems tested it was found that
the relative light reached a maximum at the O/F corresponding to the
stoichiometric equation yielding barium as one of the reaction
products and that the relative light output was sensitive to the
O/F. Moving to either side of the optimum O/F caused a sharp
decrease in relative light.
In vacuum tests the ignition of each system tested was smooth and
like the ambient tests, took place in the combustion chamber. The
rapid expansion in vacuum caused a decreased atom and ion density in
the luminous flame which caused the light intensity to be about 1/37
to 1/50 the intensity measured in ambient tests. The percentage
ionization was approximately the same for vacuum and ambient tests.
The operation of the invention is now believed apparent. Initially,
fuel tank 11 is charged with the fuel containing the desired
quantity of dissolved barium salt and pressurized with helium. The
fuel tank pressure may be in the range of 6.89 to 20.06 ¥ 105
Newton/meter2. Oxidizer tank 13 is also charged with the appropriate
oxidizer and pressurized. Cryogenic oxidizers such as OF2 and F2 are
condensed from gases in the closed oxidizer tank which must be
maintained enclosed in a liquid nitrogen bath. The oxidizer feed
valve 23 and conduit 19 must also be maintained at liquid nitrogen
temperature with a liquid nitrogen jacket when employing a cryogenic
oxidizer.
The noncryogenic oxidizer, ClF3, may be pressurized into the closed
oxidizer tank 13 from a supply bottle with super dry nitrogen.
Combustion chamber 15 is formed of stainless steel, aluminum, or the
like F2 compatible metals and is internally partitioned by the
manifold, not shown. The conduits 17 and 19 terminate in a manifold
having injector orifices (not shown) mounted 90° to each other
within each end of chamber 15 and sized for pressure drops of 5.24
to 10.2 ¥ 105 Newton/meter2 across the orifice. Fuel and oxidizer
flows are in the range of 2.05 to 6.82 Kg/sec each. The entire
system is carried into the upper atmosphere or interplanetary space
by rocket vehicle 10 where, in response to a suitable signal, timing
mechanism or the like, valves 21 and 23 may be selectively opened
and closed and the pressurized liquid fuel and oxidizer will flow
through conduits 17 and 19 into combination unit 15. When the
hypergolic liquids impinge upon each other, they spontaneously
ignite to expel reaction product gases or plasma including the
highly luminous barium neutral atoms and barium ions as individual
species. All of the barium reaching the combustion chamber is
vaporized and released through the opposite ends thereof so that a
high yield efficiency is obtained. The resulting high flame
temperature, approximately 4,000°K., and some as yet not determined
chemical activation, produces a relatively large amount of barium
ions in the flame which is a highly desirable condition. It has been
estimated from spectroscopic measurements that the degree of
ionization may be as high as 75 percent in the released plasma in
comparison to being on the order of 1 percent for the previously
used Ba-CuO solid system which depends almost entirely on solar
photoionization, a time-dependent phenomena which further reduces
the usable barium yield of this known system.
Thus, it is readily apparent that the present invention provides an
inherently more efficient process of producing barium clouds wherein
the degree of ionization in the released plasma is much greater. The
selectively opening and closing of valves 21 and 23 gives the
possibility of a payload with multiple releases permitted due to the
start and stop capabilities of the liquid system. Also, the liquid
system of the present invention gives the possibility of controlling
rates so that a trailtype release can be obtained as well as a
point-source type. In addition, the liquid system of the present
invention effects the formation of barium atoms and ions at the time
of combustion and expansion at high temperatures and results in
little opportunity for the barium to condense during release.
There are obviously many variations and modifications to the present
invention that will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art
without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure or from
the scope of the claims.