Abstract: The present invention provides a proppant or proppant mixture having insert materials configured for providing a mechanical or physical function in a well to hold open fissures or pathways created in formations caused by well fracking to allow a release of a hydrocarbon from the well, the insert materials being configured at least partly with beads having a functionalized polymer so as to form functionalized polymer proppants that are configured to respond to the hydrocarbon or other composition of matter released from the well, including water, and provide at least one chemical taggant containing an indication about the hydrocarbon or other composition of matter released from the well. The functionalized polymer may include a dual-monomer structure.

Abstract: The present invention provides a proppant or proppant mixture having insert materials configured for providing a mechanical or physical function in a well to hold open fissures or pathways created in formations caused by well fracking to allow a release of a hydrocarbon from the well, the insert materials being configured at least partly with beads having a functionalized polymer so as to form functionalized polymer proppants that are configured to respond to the hydrocarbon or other composition of matter released from the well, including water, and provide at least one chemical taggant containing an indication about the hydrocarbon or other composition of matter released from the well. The functionalized polymer may include a dual-monomer structure.

Abstract: The present invention provides a proppant or proppant mixture having insert materials configured for providing a mechanical or physical function in a well to hold open fissures or pathways created in formations caused by well fracking to allow a release of a hydrocarbon from the well, the insert materials being configured at least partly with beads having a functionalized polymer so as to form functionalized polymer proppants that are configured to respond to the hydrocarbon or other composition of matter released from the well, including water, and provide at least one chemical taggant containing an indication about the hydrocarbon or other composition of matter released from the well. The functionalized polymer may include a dual-monomer structure.

Abstract: A system features an acoustic sensor configured to mount on a wall of a mixing drum, sense an acoustic characteristic of a mixture of a slurry, including concrete, contained in a mixing drum when rotating, and provide acoustic sensor signaling containing information about the acoustic characteristic sensed; and a signal processor configured to receive the acoustic sensor signaling, and determine corresponding signaling containing information about a slump characteristic of the mixture of concrete contained in the mixing drum, based upon the signaling received.

Abstract: The present invention provides a proppant or proppant mixture having insert materials configured for providing a mechanical or physical function in a well to hold open fissures or pathways created in formations caused by well fracking to allow a release of a hydrocarbon from the well, the insert materials being configured at least partly with beads having a functionalized polymer so as to form functionalized polymer proppants that are configured to respond to the hydrocarbon or other composition of matter released from the well, including water, and provide at least one chemical taggant containing an indication about the hydrocarbon or other composition of matter released from the well. The functionalized polymer may include a dual-monomer structure.

Abstract: A system features an acoustic sensor configured to mount on a wall of a mixing drum, sense an acoustic characteristic of a mixture of a slurry, including concrete, contained in a mixing drum when rotating, and provide acoustic sensor signaling containing information about the acoustic characteristic sensed; and a signal processor configured to receive the acoustic sensor signaling, and determine corresponding signaling containing information about a slump characteristic of the mixture of concrete contained in the mixing drum, based upon the signaling received.

Abstract: A system features an acoustic sensor configured to mount on a wall of a mixing drum, sense an acoustic characteristic of a mixture of a slurry, including concrete, contained in a mixing drum when rotating, and provide acoustic sensor signaling containing information about the acoustic characteristic sensed; and a signal processor configured to receive the acoustic sensor signaling, and determine corresponding signaling containing information about a slump characteristic of the mixture of concrete contained in the mixing drum, based upon the signaling received.

Abstract: The present invention provides new techniques related to magnetically controllable and/or steerable froth for use in separation processes of mineral-bearing ore and bitumen. Apparatus is provided featuring a processor configured to contain a fluidic medium having a material-of-interest and also having a surfactant with magnetic properties so as to cause the formation of a froth layer that contains at least some of the material-of-interest and is magnetically responsive; and a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field and provide non-mechanical mixing and steering/driving of the froth layer in the processor. The material-of-interest may be mineral-bearing ore particles or bitumen. The processor includes a flotation tank, a primary separation vessel (PSV), or a pipe, including a tailings pipeline.

Abstract: The present invention provides a proppant or proppant mixture having insert materials configured for providing a mechanical or physical function in a well to hold open fissures or pathways created in formations caused by well fracking to allow a release of a hydrocarbon from the well, the insert materials being configured at least partly with beads having a functionalized polymer so as to form functionalized polymer proppants that are configured to respond to the hydrocarbon or other composition of matter released from the well, including water, and provide at least one chemical taggant containing an indication about the hydrocarbon or other composition of matter released from the well. The functionalized polymer may include a dual-monomer structure.

Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting a biological tissue uses a pH-sensitive coating material to determine whether the tissue is normal or cancerous. The coating material is placed in contact with the tissue to be excited by an excitation light. The coating material is arranged to provide a response signal indicative of the pH value of the tissue. Using a fiber bundle having a plurality of optical fibers forming a linear array or a two-dimensional array adjacent the coating material, the imaging of localized surface pH in the biological tissue can be achieved using the response signal through each of the optical fibers. The fiber bundle can be arranged as a probe to examine the tissue for providing direct mapping of the tumor margin via a display, so that a surgeon can inspect the tissue in real-time.

Abstract: Apparatus uses hydrophobic synthetic beads to recover mineral particles in a slurry. The synthetic beads and the slurry are mixed into a mixture for processing. The apparatus has an interaction vessel installed in a section of pipeline. The interaction vessel is made from a pipeline folded or coiled into a compact struction having a continuous flow path. The interaction vessel has an input to receive the mixture of slurry and synthetic beads. The folded or coiled structure is used to increase the residence time of the mixture in the flow path, allowing more time for the mineral particles in the slurry to attach to the surface of the synthetic bead, while maintaining a small footprint. The interaction vessel may be formed from a number of loops of pipe section. The interaction vessel may be formed from one or more folded structures.

Abstract: Apparatus uses hydrophobic synthetic beads to recover mineral particles in a slurry. The synthetic beads and the slurry are mixed into a mixture for processing. The apparatus has an interaction vessel installed in a section of pipeline. The interaction vessel is made from a pipeline folded or coiled into a compact struction having a continuous flow path. The interaction vessel has an input to receive the mixture of slurry and synthetic beads. The folded or coiled structure is used to increase the residence time of the mixture in the flow path, allowing more time for the mineral particles in the slurry to attach to the surface of the synthetic bead, while maintaining a small footprint. The interaction vessel may be formed from a number of loops of pipe section. The interaction vessel may be formed from one or more folded structures.

Abstract: Apparatus for use in, or forming part of, a separation process to be implemented in separation processor technology, the apparatus comprising synthetic bubbles or beads configured with a polymer or polymer-based material functionalized to attach to a valuable material in a mixture so as to form an enriched synthetic bubbles or beads having the valuable material attached thereto, and also configured to be separated from the mixture based at least partly on a difference in a physical property between the enriched synthetic bubbles or beads having the valuable material attached thereto and the mixture.

Abstract: The invention provides a signal processor that receives a signal containing information about an acoustic signal that is generated by at least one acoustic transmitter, that travels through an aerated fluid in a container, and that is received by at least one acoustic receiver arranged in relation to the container, including inside the container; and determines the gas volume fraction of the aerated fluid based at least partly on the speed of sound measurement of the acoustic signal that travels through the aerated fluid in the container. The signal processor also sends an output signal containing information about the gas volume fraction of the aerated fluid. The signal processor may be configured together with at least one acoustic transmitter, the at least one acoustic receiver, or both.

Abstract: The invention provides a signal processor that receives a signal containing information about an acoustic signal that is generated by at least one acoustic transmitter, that travels through an aerated fluid in a container, and that is received by at least one acoustic receiver arranged in relation to the container, including inside the container; and determines the gas volume fraction of the aerated fluid based at least partly on the speed of sound measurement of the acoustic signal that travels through the aerated fluid in the container. The signal processor also sends an output signal containing information about the gas volume fraction of the aerated fluid. The signal processor may be configured together with at least one acoustic transmitter, the at least one acoustic receiver, or both.

Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting a biological tissue uses a pH-sensitive coating material to determine whether the tissue is normal or cancerous. The coating materials placed in contact with the tissue to be excited by an excitation light. The coating material is arranged to provide a response signal indicative of the pH value of the tissue. Using a fiber bundle having a plurality of optical fibers forming a linear array or a two-dimensional array adjacent the coating material, the imaging of localized surface pH in the biological tissue can be achieved using the response signal through each of the optical fibers. The fiber bundle can be arranged as a probe to examine the tissue for providing direct mapping of the tumor margin via a display, so that a surgeon can inspect the tissue in real-time.

Abstract: Apparatus features an acoustic comb filter module configured to receive signaling containing information about different frequencies F1 and F2 to create a selected comb spacing D to capture certain particles having a selected size X in a flow stream in a flow pipe, and to provide an acoustic standing wave via ultrasonic excitation based at least partly on the two different frequencies F1 and F2 to create the selected comb spacing D to capture the certain particles having the selected size X in the flow stream in the flow pipe. The apparatus may also include a particle size or distribution determination module configured to receive the certain particles for off-stream analysis via a detection port that forms part of the flow pipe and determine the particle size or distribution of the certain particles in the flow stream in the flow pipe.

Abstract: A flotation tank has an input to receive a slurry from a pipeline section. The slurry contains finer mineral particles and coarser mineral particles. The pipeline section has one or more loops or coiled sections arranged to perform partial centrifugal separation on the finer and coarser mineral particles. As the mineral particles are moved tangentially into the lower part of the flotation tank, the coarser mineral particles tend to be near the tank wall while the finer mineral particles tend to move into the central part of the tank. Air bubbles or lightweight synthetic bubbles are used to collect and lift the finer mineral particles to the upper part of the tank. The coarser mineral particles are recovered by using collection surfaces coated with a hydrophobic material.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided featuring a signal processor or processing module configured at least to: receive signaling containing information about coded and multiplexed voltages measured across pairs of electrodes in an array of electrodes configured in relation to a fluid processing structure, including a pipe, tank, vessel, vat or container, having a process fluid therein; and determine using a tomographic signal processing algorithm a tomographic indication of the process fluid, based at least partly on the signaling received. The signal processor module may be configured to provide corresponding signaling containing information about the tomographic indication of the process fluid. The tomographic indication includes a 2D or 3D image or visualization of the process fluid, including an analysis of mixing in multiphase flows, liquid interfaces or liquid-froth layers detected in the process fluid.

Abstract: A system features an acoustic sensor configured to mount on a wall of a mixing drum, sense an acoustic characteristic of a mixture of a slurry, including concrete, contained in a mixing drum when rotating, and provide acoustic sensor signaling containing information about the acoustic characteristic sensed; and a signal processor configured to receive the acoustic sensor signaling, and determine corresponding signaling containing information about a slump characteristic of the mixture of concrete contained in the mixing drum, based upon the signaling received.