121 results about "Joule effect" patented technology

An appliance for drying laundry (100) comprises an appliance cabinet (110), a laundry treatment chamber (105) inside the cabinet, and a drying air recirculation path (245) for causing recirculation of the drying air into / out from the laundry treatment chamber. The drying air recirculation path is at least partly external to the laundry treatment chamber. A drying air moisture condensing and heating system (215,220,225) located in the drying air recirculation path for dehydrating the moisture-laden drying air leaving the laundry treatment chamber and heating the dehydrated drying air before it re-enters into the laundry treatment chamber. The drying air moisture condensing and heating system comprises a first heat exchanger (215) and a second heat exchanger (220) of a heat pump (215,220,225,210), and further comprising a drying air propeller (250) inside the drying air recirculation path and a Joule-effect drying air heater (255), downstream the second heat exchanger, energizable for contributing to the heating of the drying air. The appliance includes a user interface (121) comprising a laundry treatment cycle selector (305) operable by a user for selecting a laundry treatment cycle, and a control unit (265) adapted to control the machine operation. The user interface comprises a command input means (315) operable by the user for imparting to the appliance an energization command to energize the Joule-effect heater. During the execution of the laundry treatment cycle selected by the user, the control unit causes the selective energization of the Joule-effect drying air heater based on the energization command imparted by the user.

An Appliance for drying laundry (100) includes a drying-air moisture-condensing system (215,220, 225) comprising a heat pump system with a first heat exchanger (215) for cooling the drying air and a second heat exchanger (220) for re-heating said drying air, and a variable-output compressor (210). At least one Joule-effect heater (255) is located downstream of the heat pump heat exchangers for boosting the heating of the drying air. The appliance can perform at least one drying cycle in: at least a first drying mode, wherein the heater is kept de-energized and the compressor is driven to a first compressor mode having a compressor power consumption course and / or a compressor rotational speed course and / or a frequency course of the supply current / voltage of the compressor motor, and at least a second drying mode, wherein the heater is kept energized for at least an initial portion of the drying cycle and thereafter it is kept de-energized, and the compressor is driven to a second compressor mode comprising a compressor power consumption course and / or a compressor rotational speed course and / or a frequency course of the supply current / voltage of the compressor motor. For at least a portion of the drying cycle after the electric heater has been de-energized, a compressor power consumption and / or a compressor rotational speed and / or a frequency of the supply current / voltage the compressor of the second compressor mode is / are higher than the one / s of the first compressor mode.

The invention relates to acoustic lining for an aircraft, which can cover a leading edge, such as an air inlet in the nacelle of a propulsion unit, said lining comprising: from the inside outwards, a reflective layer (28), at least one cellular structure (30) and an acoustically resistive structure (32) having a pre-determined proportion of open surface; and at least one frost treatment system in the form of at least one heating layer (46) comprising open zones through which acoustic waves can pass, which co-operate at least partially with the open zones in the acoustically resistive structure. The invention is characterized in that the acoustically resistive structure (32) includes at least one structural layer (36) with openings (38) and in that said at least one heating layer (46) is disposed under the structural layer (36).

Systems and methods related to the determination of one or more mechanical characteristics of a structural element are generally described. In some embodiments, a mechanical characteristic (e.g., a crack, a deformation, an inclusion, etc.) can be determined based at least in part upon the determination of a temperature generated, for example, by passing a current through a network of structures within the structural element. For example, in some embodiments, the structural element can comprise a network of electrically conductive nanostructures and, in some cases, a primary structural material that is not substantially electrically conductive. An electrical current can be passed through the network of electrically conductive nanostructures (e.g., by passing current through an electrical circuit comprising the network of electrically conductive nanostructures). This may result in resistive heating (also known as Joule-effect heating) of the nanostructure network. In some embodiments, a first temperature of the network and / or structural elements can be determined (e.g., via a sensor associated with the electrical circuit). This first temperature can be, in some cases, indicative of a mechanical characteristic of the structural element. In some embodiments, one or more mechanical characteristics of the structural element can be determined based at least in part upon the determination of the first temperature of the structural element.

An apparatus and process are provided for multi-frequency induction heat treatment of workpieces including gears. High frequency power is applied to an induction coil that surrounds the workpiece so that a high frequency magnetic field couples with the workpiece to inductively heat the workpiece. A C-core inductor is coupled to a coil that has low frequency power applied to it. The workpiece is inserted in a gap in the C-core inductor magnetic circuit so that it experiences low frequency Joule effect heating when the low frequency current is applied to the coil coupled with the C-core inductor. Alternatively the workpiece may be inserted around the C-core inductor when the workpiece has an opening.