Author: claimsbot

1. A method for determining a wind turbine layout in a wind power plant wherein a plurality of wind turbines generate a combined power output, said method comprising:
identifying constraints of a power plant site and defining at least one region in the site for placement of a plurality of wind turbines;
determining wind state at the region in the site;
determining actual wind conditions at possible locations in the region by modeling the wind state with wake effects at the respective locations with a wake modeling program executed on a computing device, the wake effects resulting from cumulative placement of other wind turbines at various locations in the region; and
selecting individual wind turbine configuration and location within the region as a function of actual wind conditions at each individual location to enhance power output of the individual wind turbines, the selection of turbine configuration including selection of a turbine hub height that minimizes wake loss of the individual wind turbines as a function of the actual wind conditions at the turbine locations to increase the power output of the individual wind turbines; and
generating a wind turbine layout plan based on individual wind turbine configuration and location.
2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the step of identifying constraints of the site comprises consideration of factors that define exclusion areas within the site for placement of wind turbines.
3. The method as in claim 1, wherein the step of determining wind state at the region comprises assessment of any combination of wind speed, wind direction, wind shear, wind turbulence intensity, air density, and meteorological conditions.
4. The method as in claim 1, wherein the number of wind turbines within the region is determined as a function of any combination of minimum required spacing between individual turbines, design load margins of the selected turbine configurations, power output requirements for the region, and cost constraints.
5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the step of selecting turbine configuration further comprises selection of any combination of rotor area, rotor blade profile, rotor blade pitch, turbine controls, and design load margins.
6. The method as in claim 1, further comprising applying additional design criteria to the wind turbine layout after selection of the individual turbine locations and configurations for further refinement of the power plant.
7. The method as in claim 1, wherein a plurality of different regions are identified in the site, and the steps of determining wind state at the region, determining actual wind conditions at the turbine locations, and selecting individual wind turbine configuration and location within the region as a function of actual wind conditions at each individual location are performed in each of the regions.
8. The method as in claim 7, wherein the step of determining actual wind conditions comprises modeling the wake effects resulting from turbines in other regions in the site that affect actual wind conditions at a different respective region.
9. The method as in claim 1, further comprising using the selected wind turbine locations and configurations as an initial wind turbine layout in a subsequent power plant enhancement.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. A catalyst composition comprising a mixture of: (a) ceria having a weighted numerical average particle size of not greater than about 100 m and (b) a catalytically effective amount of a platinum-group metal catalytic component disposed on a refractory metal oxide support, said catalyst composition containing substantially no organic compounds nor substantially any zirconia in the form of a composite or a solid solution with said ceria.
2. The catalyst composition of claim 1 which is disposed on a carrier.
3. The catalyst composition of claim 2 wherein the carrier is a monolithic carrier comprising a refractory ceramic or metal having a honeycomb structure.
4. The catalyst composition of claim 3 wherein the carrier comprises cordierite.
5. The catalyst composition of claim 1 wherein the ceria has a weighted numerical average particle size of about 1 to about 30 nm.
6. The catalyst composition of claim 5 wherein the ceria has a weighted numerical average particle size of 3 to 20 nm.
7. The catalyst composition of claim 2 wherein the ceria is present in an amount of about 0.01 to about 1 gin3of the carrier.
8. The catalyst composition of claim 7 wherein the ceria is present in an amount of 0.04 to 0.5 gin3 of the carrier.
9. The catalyst composition of claim 2 wherein the platinum-group metal catalytic component comprises a palladium metal catalytic component.
10. The catalyst composition of claim 9 wherein the palladium metal catalytic component is present in an amount of about 20 to about 300 gft3 of the carrier.
11. The catalyst composition of claim 10 wherein the palladium metal catalytic component is present in an amount of 50 to 200 gft2 of the carrier.
12. The catalyst composition of claim 2 wherein the refractory metal oxide support is selected from the group consisting of activated alumina, silica, titania, silica-alumina, alumina-silicates, aluminum-zirconium oxide, alumina-chromia, alumina-cerium oxide and mixtures thereof.
13. The catalyst composition of claim 12 wherein the refractory metal oxide support comprises activated alumina.
14. The catalyst composition of claim 13 wherein the activated alumina is present in an amount of about 0.1 to about 4.0 gin3 of the carrier.
15. The catalyst composition of claim 13 wherein the activated alumina is stabilized with a lanthanum component.
16. The catalyst composition of claim 15 wherein the lanthanum component is present in an amount of about 0.02 to about 0.5 gin3 of the carrier.
17. The catalyst composition of claim 2 further including a binder comprising zirconia.
18. The catalyst composition of claim 17 wherein the zirconia is present in an amount of about 0.02 to about 1.5 gin3 of the carrier.
19. The catalyst composition of claim 2 further including a promoter comprising an alkaline earth metal compound.
20. The catalyst composition of claim 19 wherein the alkaline earth metal compound is selected from the group consisting of oxides of magnesium, barium, calcium, strontium and mixtures thereof.
21. The catalyst composition of claim 20 wherein the alkaline earth metal compound is present in an amount of about 0.02 to about 0.5 gin3 of the carrier.
22. An apparatus for abating pollutants contained in the exhaust of an engine comprising a catalyst member comprising a catalytic composition effective for simultaneously substantially catalyzing the oxidation of hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide and the reduction of nitrogen oxides, said catalytic composition comprising a mixture of (a) ceria having a weighted numerical average particle size of not greater than about 100 nm and (b) a catalytically effective amount of a platinum-group metal catalytic component disposed on a first refractory metal oxide support, said catalyst composition containing substantially no organic compounds nor substantially any zirconia in the form of a composite or a solid solution with said carrier.
23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the catalytic composition is disposed on a carrier.
24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the carrier is a monolithic carrier comprising a refractory ceramic or metal having a honeycomb structure.
25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the carrier comprises cordierite.
26. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the ceria has a weighted numerical average particle size of about 1 to about 30 nm.
27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the ceria has a weighted numerical average particle size of 3 to 20 nm.
28. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the ceria is present in an amount of about 0.01 to about 1 gn3 of the carrier.
29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the ceria is present in an amount of 0.04 to 0.5 gin3 of the carrier.
30. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the refractory metal oxide support is selected from the group consisting of activated alumina, silica, titania, silica-alumina, alumina-silicates, aluminum-zirconium oxide, alumina-chromia, alumina-cerium oxide and mixtures thereof.
31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the refractory metal oxide comprises activated alumina.
32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the activated alumina is present in an amount of about 0.1 to about 4.0 gin3 of the carrier.
33. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the activated alumina is stabilized with a lanthanum component.
34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the lanthanum component is present in an amount of about 0.02 to about 0.5 gin3 of the carrier.
35. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the catalyst composition further includes a binder comprising zirconia.
36. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the zirconia is present in an amount of about 0.02 to about 1.5 gin3 of the carrier.
37. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the catalytic composition includes a promoter comprising an alkaline earth metal compound.
38. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein the alkaline earth metal compound is selected from the group consisting of oxides of magnesium, barium, calcium, strontium and mixtures thereof.
39. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the alkaline earth metal compound is present in an amount of about 0.02 to about 0.5 gin3 of the carrier.
40. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the exhaust emanates from a passenger vehicle or thick gasoline engine manifold, the catalyst member is present in a close-coupled or medium-coupled mode and the platinum-group metal catalytic component comprises a palladium metal catalytic component.
41. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the catalyst member is present in a close-coupled mode and the palladium metal catalytic component is present in an amount of about 20 to about 300 gft3 of the carrier.
42. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the palladium metal catalytic component is present in an amount of 50 to 200 gft3 of the carrier.
43. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the catalyst member comprises one or more upstream containers present in a close-coupled andor medium-coupled mode and the catalyst composition is present in said containers in the form of a single brick, multiple bricks or pellets.
44. The apparatus of claim 43 further comprising one or more downstream containers located downstream of the upstream containers, said downstream containers containing a catalytic material effective at least for the oxidation of hydrocarbons and comprising one or more catalytic metal components disposed on a refractory metal oxide support and further comprising an oxygen storage component.
45. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the catalytic material is present in the downstream containers in the form of a single brick, multiple bricks or pellets.
46. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the catalytic metal component comprises rhodium.
47. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the catalytic metal component comprises palladium.
48. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the oxygen storage component comprises ceria.
49. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising an underfloor catalyst member comprising a catalytic material effective at least for the oxidation of hydrocarbons and comprising one or more catalytic metal components disposed on a second refractory metal oxide support and further comprising an oxygen storage component.7
50. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein the catalytic metal component comprises rhodium.
51. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein the catalytic metal component comprises palladium.
52. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein the oxygen storage component comprises ceria.
53. A method for treating a gas comprising hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides which comprises flowing the gas to a catalyst member comprising a catalyst composition comprising a mixture of (a) ceria having a weighted numerical average particle size of not greater than about 100 nm and (b) a catalytically effective amount of a platinum-group metal catalytic component disposed on a refractory metal oxide support and catalytically oxidizing the hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide and catalytically reducing the nitrogen oxides in the gas in the presence of the catalyst member, said catalyst composition containing substantially no organic compounds nor substantially any zirconia in the form of a composite or a solid solution with said ceria.
54. The method of claim 53 wherein the catalyst composition is disposed on a carrier.
55. The method of claim 54 wherein the carrier is a monolithic carrier comprising a refractory ceramic or metal having a honeycomb structure.
56. The method of claim 55 wherein the carrier comprises cordierite.
57. The method of claim 53 wherein the ceria has a weighted numerical average particle size of about 1 to about 30 nm.
58. The method of claim 57 wherein the ceria has a weighted numerical average particle size of 3 to 20 nm.
59. The method of claim 54 wherein the ceria is present in an amount of about 0.01 to about 1 gin3of the carrier.
60. The method of claim 59 wherein the ceria is present in an amount of 0.04 to 0.5 gin3 of the carrier.
61. The method of claim 54 wherein the refractory metal oxide support is selected from the group consisting of activated alumina, silica, titania, silica-alumina, alumina-silicates, aluminum-zirconium oxide, alumina-chromia, alumina-cerium oxide and mixtures thereof.
62. The method of claim 61 wherein the refractory metal oxide comprises activated alumina.
63. The method of claim 62 wherein the activated alumina is present in an amount of about 0.1 to about 4.0 gin3 of the carrier.
64. The method of claim 63 wherein the activated alumina is stabilized with a lanthanum component.
65. The method of claim 64 wherein the lanthanum component is present in an amount of about 0.02 to about 0.5 gin3 of the carrier.
66. The method of claim 54 wherein the catalytic composition further includes a binder comprising zirconia.
67. The method of claim 66 wherein the zirconia is present in an amount of about 0.02 to about 1.5 gin3 of the carrier.
68. The method of claim 54 wherein the catalytic composition includes a promoter comprising an alkaline earth metal compound.
69. The method of claim 68 wherein the alkaline earth metal compound is selected from the group consisting of oxides of magnesium, barium, calcium, strontium and mixtures thereof.
70. The method of claim 69 wherein the alkaline earth metal compound is present in an amount of about 0.02 to about 0.5 gin3 of the carrier.
71. The method of claim 54 wherein the gas comprises an exhaust gas which emanates from a passenger vehicle or truck gasoline engine manifold, the catalyst member is present in a close-coupled or medium-coupled mode and the platinum-group metal catalytic component comprises a palladium metal catalytic component.
72. The method of claim 71 wherein the catalyst member is present in a close-coupled mode and the palladium metal catalytic component is present in an amount of about 20 to about 300 gft3 of the carrier.
73. The method of claim 72 wherein the palladium metal catalytic component is present in an amount of 50 to 200 gft3 of the carrier.
74. The method of claim 71 wherein the catalyst member comprises one or more upstream containers present in a close-coupled andor medium-coupled mode and the catalyst composition is present in said containers in the form of a single brick, multiple bricks or pellets.
75. The method of claim 74 wherein the catalyst member further comprises one or more downstream containers located downstream of the upstream containers, said downstream containers containing a catalytic material effective at least for the oxidation of hydrocarbons and comprising one or more catalytic metal components disposed on a refractory metal oxide support and further comprising an oxygen storage component.
76. The method of claim 75 wherein the catalytic material is present in the downstream containers in the form of a single brick, multiple bricks or pellets.
77. The method of claim 75 wherein the catalytic metal component comprises rhodium.
78. The method of claim 75 wherein the catalytic metal component comprises palladium.
79. The method of claim 75 wherein the oxygen storage component comprises ceria.
80. The method of claim 77 further comprising an underfloor catalyst member comprising a catalytic material effective at least for the oxidation of hydrocarbons and comprising one or more catalytic metal components disposed on a refractory metal oxide support and further comprising an oxygen storage component.
81. The method of claim 80 wherein the catalytic metal component comprises rhodium.
82. The method of claim 80 wherein the catalytic metal component comprises palladium.
83. The method of claim 80 wherein the oxygen storage component comprises ceria.

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid-cooled circuit device, comprising:
a module comprising a module base plate and a circuit element mounted on the module base plate;
a circuit case for housing the module;
a cooling case through which cooling liquid flows, said cooling liquid being in contact with a back face of the module base plate; and
a module supporting having an opening for accommodating the module base plate therein;
wherein said module base plate is placed into said opening of said module supporting plate, edges of the opening and the module base plate are joined by welding to each other without a gap therebetween;
said circuit case is formed with an opening smaller than said module supporting plate;
said module supporting plate is fixed to the circuit case so as to block said opening in said circuit case from outside the circuit case and to cause said circuit element of said module mounted on the module supporting plate to be positioned within the circuit case;
said cooling case is formed with a recess forming a cooling liquid chamber through which the cooling liquid flows; and
said cooling case is fixed to said circuit case so that said recess faces said module supporting plate.
2. A liquid-cooled circuit device, comprising:
a module comprising a module base plate and a circuit element mounted on the module base plate;
a circuit case for housing the module; and
a cooling case through which cooling liquid flows, said cooling liquid being in contact with a back face of the module base plate;
wherein said circuit case is formed with an opening;
said cooling case is formed with a recess forming a cooling liquid chamber through which said cooling liquid passes;
the module base plate is arranged so that the circuit element of the module be positioned inside the circuit case, and joined by welding to either an edge of the opening in said circuit case or an edge of an opening of said recess of said cooling case without a gap therebetween; and
said cooling case is fixed to the circuit case so that said recess faces toward said opening in said circuit case.
3. A liquid-cooled circuit device, comprising:
a module comprising a module base plate and a circuit element mounted on the module base plate; and
a circuit case for housing the module;
wherein: the module base plate is placed within said circuit case so as to partition inside of the circuit case into two chambers, and is joined to an inner face of the circuit case by welding without a gap therebetween;
one of the two chambers formed in said circuit case, on the side where the circuit element of the module is present, forms a circuit accommodating chamber and the other forms a cooling liquid chamber; and
said cooling liquid chamber is formed with an inlet and outlet for cooling liquid flowing in contact with a back face of the module base plate of the module.
4. The liquid-cooled circuit device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cooling case is detachably fixed to said circuit case.
5. The liquid-cooled circuit device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cooling liquid chamber has channels formed so that said cooling liquid abuts said back faces of said module base plates substantially vertically.
6. The liquid-cooled circuit device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said cooling liquid chamber has channels formed so that said cooling liquid abuts said back faces of said module base plates substantially vertically.
7. The liquid-cooled circuit device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said cooling liquid chamber has channels formed so that said cooling liquid abuts said back faces of said module base plates substantially vertically.
8. The liquid-cooled circuit device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said cooling liquid chamber has channels formed so that said cooling liquid abuts said back faces of said module base plates substantially vertically.
9. The liquid-cooled circuit device as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least a part of welded portion between said module base plate and mating member is welded by a friction stir welding method utilizing a plastic flow due to friction heat generated by rotation of a rotary tool.
10. The liquid-cooled circuit device as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least a part of welded portion between said module base plate and mating member is welded by a friction stir welding method utilizing a plastic flow due to friction heat generated by rotation of a rotary tool.
11. The liquid-cooled circuit device as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least a part of welded portion between said module base plate and mating member is welded by a friction stir welding method utilizing a plastic flow due to friction heat generated by rotation of a rotary tool.
12. The liquid-cooled circuit device as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least a part of welded portion between said module base plate and mating member is welded by a friction stir welding method utilizing a plastic flow due to friction heat generated by rotation of a rotary tool.
13. A method for manufacturing a circuit device in which circuit elements are mounted on base plates and the base plates are fixed to other members of the circuit device, wherein said base plates and said other members are joined to each other by welding, using a friction stir welding method utilizing a plastic flow due to friction heat generated by rotation of a rotary tool.
14. The method for manufacturing a circuit device as claimed in claim 13, wherein all of said base plates and said other members contain the same metallic element.
15. A circuit device in which circuit elements are mounted on base plates and the base plates are fixed to other members of the circuit device, wherein said base plates and said other members are joined to each other by welding, and crystal grains in portions joined by welding are smaller than original crystal grains of the respective members.
16. A liquid-cooled circuit device comprising: a module having a circuit element and a module base plate on surface of which the circuit element is mounted; a circuit case for accommodating said module; and a cooling liquid chamber for flowing a cooling liquid in contact with a back face of said module base plate of said module, wherein said module base plate of said module is fitted into an opening provided in a member forming said cooling liquid chamber and welded without a gap.
17. The liquid-cooled circuit device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the welding of said module base plate to the opening provided in the member forming said cooling liquid chamber is accomplished via a module supporting plate.
18. The liquid-cooled circuit device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said cooling liquid chamber is formed by a recess in said circuit case isolated by said welding from said circuit case.
19. The liquid-cooled circuit device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said cooling liquid chamber is formed by said cooling case fixed in liquid-tight to said circuit case.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A nitride semiconductor device comprising:
a substrate being capable of epitaxially growing a nitride semiconductor layer thereon;
a semiconductor lamination layer formed on said substrate, and including a channel layer of nitride semiconductor;
a source electrode and a drain electrode formed on said semiconductor lamination layer in ohmic contact with said channel layer;
an insulating layer formed on said semiconductor lamination layer, and having an opening in a gate electrode contact area, a total thickness portion having a flat surface and a total thickness in an area spaced apart from said opening, and a transient portion between said opening and said total thickness portion, a sidewall of said insulating layer facing said opening rising steeply to a partial thickness of the total thickness; and
a T-shaped gate electrode contacting said semiconductor lamination layer in said opening and extending on said insulating film to opposing portions with increased thickness thicker than said partial thickness.
2. The nitride semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the partial thickness of said total thickness is in a range of 20% to 80% of said total thickness.
3. The nitride semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a thickness at the opening edge of said insulating film is 5 nm or thicker.
4. The nitride semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said increased thickness is said total thickness.
5. The nitride semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor lamination layer includes an i-type GaN layer, an n-type AlGaN layer formed on said i-type GaN layer, and an n-type GaN layer formed on said n-type AlGaN layer, said source electrode and said drain electrode are in ohmic contact with said n-type AlGaN layer, and said gate electrodes is in Schottky contact with said n-type GaN layer.
6. The nitride semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor lamination layer includes an n-type GaN layer, said source electrode and said drain electrode are in ohmic contact with said n-type GaN layer, and said gate electrodes is in Schottky contact with said n-type GaN layer.
7-12. (canceled)