Paul M. Then

Design and performance of a ceramic preconverter system

Abstract The preconverter is an essential element of exhaust gas treatment to help meet the tighter emission stnadards of TLEV and LEV levels. Its design must be so chosen as to meet the simultaneous requirements of compactness, faster light-off, low back pressure, high temperature durability and low cost. This paper presents design options and performance data for a ceramic preconverter system which meets the above requriements. In addition, the high temperature physical durability data for selected preconverter systems are presented. These durability back pressure, light-off and aging data presented here clearly demonstrate that a propertly designed ceramic preconverter system is a viable and cost-effective approach to meeting TLVE and LEV emission standards.

Novel light diffusing fiber for use in medical applications

Fiber-based cylindrical light diffusers are often used in photodynamic therapy to illuminate a luminal organ, such as the esophagus. The diffusers are often made of plastic and suffer from short diffusion lengths and low transmission efficiencies over a broad spectrum. We have developed FibranceTM, a glass-based fiber optic cylindrical diffuser which can illuminate a fiber from 0.5 cm to 10 meters over a broad wavelength range. With these longer illumination lengths, a variety of other medical applications are possible beyond photodynamic therapy. We present a number of applications for Fibrance ranging from in situ controllable illumination for Photodynamic Therapy to light guided anatomy highlighting for minimally invasive surgery to mitigating hospital acquired infections and more.