Abstract: A system to detect a position of a pipe with respect to a BOP includes a casing disposed around an outer surface of a section of the pipe. The system further includes sensing devices that are disposed on the casing and arranged to form a plurality of arrays and configured to generate position signals. The arrays are disposed circumferentially around the casing and spaced from one another along the length of the casing. The system includes a processing unit configured to compute distance between the pipe and each sensing device. The processing unit generates a first alert when the distance between the pipe and at least one sensing device is different from a reference distance. The processing unit generates a second alert when the distance between the pipe and each sensing device of at least one array of sensing devices is different from the reference distance.

Abstract: An evaporator has a manifold and a plurality of refrigerant tubes extending downward in the direction of gravity from the manifold. The evaporator includes at least one PCM housing engaging the upper portion of the refrigerant tube for storing a phase change material. When operating in a first operating mode, heat is transferred from the phase change material to the refrigerant to freeze and cool the phase change material. When operating in a second operating mode, heat is transferred from the refrigerant to the frozen phase change material to condense the refrigerant. The condensed refrigerant falls downwardly through the tubes and receives heat from a flow of air to cool the air and evaporate the refrigerant. The evaporated refrigerant rises upwardly back to the low pressure of the cold manifold.

Abstract: A method and system including a circumferential seal assembly for sealing between components within a turbine is provided. A circumferential seal assembly is disposed in a slot extending circumferentially about an inner barrel. The seal assembly includes a first shim layer and at least one additional shim layer configured in an overlapping stacked configuration so as to stagger the end portions of each of the shim segments defined by the shim layers, relative to one another and circumferentially about the seal assembly. One or more cloth layers are configured wrapping about the first shim layer and the at least one additional shim layer to define a sealing member having a first sealing surface and a second sealing surface. The assembly further including a base plate, wherein the sealing member is disposed on an upper surface of the base plate to provide for sealing engagement between the components of the turbine.

Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system includes a blower, a fresh-air valve, a bypass duct, and a bypass valve. The blower is configured to urge air to flow from an inlet to an outlet of the blower. The fresh-air valve is operable to provide a mixture of air drawn from an outside-air duct and a recirculated-air duct to the inlet. The fresh-air valve is operable to a recirculate position where the outside-air duct is substantially blocked from communicating with the inlet. The bypass duct is configured to couple the outlet to the outside-air duct. The bypass valve is located in the bypass duct and is operable to a closed position and an open position. The cabin is ventilated when the fresh-air valve is in the recirculate position, the bypass valve is in the open position, and the blower is operated to blow air out of the outside-air duct.

Abstract: An internal heat exchanger assembly for an air conditioning system, having a substantial cylindrical cavity in which a helical coil tube is coaxially disposed within the cylindrical cavity. A bleed valve assembly is incorporated into the helical coiled tube, in which the bleed valve assembly is adapted to open at a predetermined differential pressure between the high pressure side and low pressure side of the internal heat exchanger. The bleed valve selectively bleeds refrigerant from the high pressure side to the low pressure side, thereby increasing the pressure and mass flow rate of the refrigerant to the suction side of a compressor.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a cage and a main plug disposed in the cage. The main plug is movable between a main plug closed position and a main plug open position. A seal assembly disposed on the main plug, the seal assembly having a seal that is configured to contact the cage when the main plug is in the main plug closed position, and configured to reduce contact with the cage when a pressure differential across the seal is reduced. The apparatus includes a pressure balancing assembly movable between a closed position, an overtravel position and an open position. The pressure balancing assembly is configured to balance the pressure differential across the seal when in the overtravel and open position.

Abstract: An evaporator having a manifold and a plurality of refrigerant tubes extending downward in the direction of gravity from the manifold. The evaporator includes at least one PCM housing engaging the upper portion of the refrigerant tube for storing a phase change material. When operating in a first operating mode, heat is transferred from the phase change material to the refrigerant to freeze and cool the phase change material. When operating in a second operating mode, heat is transferred from the refrigerant to the frozen phase change material to condense the refrigerant. The condensed refrigerant falls downwardly through the tubes and receives heat from a flow of air to cool the air and evaporate the refrigerant. The evaporated refrigerant rises upwardly back to the low pressure of the cold manifold.

Abstract: A thermoelectric heat exchanger and a thermoelectric heating, ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC) configured to provide a cooled fluid or air stream and a heated fluid or air stream. The thermoelectric heat exchanger may include a plurality thermoelectric devices (TEDs), also known as thermoelectric coolers (TECs) or Peltier coolers, in thermal communication. The thermoelectric devices may be arranged in a three dimensional array to provide compact packaging for the thermoelectric heat exchanger assembly. The thermoelectric heat exchanger may be configured to transfer thermal energy between a first thermoelectric device and a second thermoelectric device via evaporation and condensation of a working fluid or refrigerant contained within the thermoelectric heat exchanger.

Abstract: A system to detect a position of a pipe with respect to a BOP includes a casing disposed around an outer surface of a section of the pipe. The system further includes sensing devices that are disposed on the casing and arranged to form a plurality of arrays and configured to generate position signals. The arrays are disposed circumferentially around the casing and spaced from one another along the length of the casing. The system includes a processing unit configured to compute distance between the pipe and each sensing device. The processing unit generates a first alert when the distance between the pipe and at least one sensing device is different from a reference distance. The processing unit generates a second alert when the distance between the pipe and each sensing device of at least one array of sensing devices is different from the reference distance.

Abstract: Apparatuses useable in an offshore drilling installation close to the seabed for controlling well influx within a wellbore are provided. An apparatus includes a centralizer and flow constrictor assembly, a sensor and a controller. The centralizer and flow constrictor assembly are configured to centralize a drill string within a drill riser and regulate a return mud flow. The sensor is located close to the centralizer and flow constrictor assembly and configured to acquire values of at least one parameter related to the return mud flow. The controller is coupled to the centralizer and flow constrictor assembly and the sensor. The controller is configured to control the centralizer and flow constrictor assembly to achieve a value of a control parameter close to a predetermined value, based on the values acquired by the sensor.

Abstract: A flow control system for drilling a well comprises a conduit defining a channel configured to accommodate a drill pipe and a flow of a returning drilling fluid, and an acoustic sensor array configured to detect a flow rate of the returning drilling fluid. The flow control system further comprises a flow control device configured to control the flow rate of the returning drilling fluid and to be actuated in response to an event detected by the sensor array, the flow control device being proximate to the sensor array.

Abstract: A bed assembly for providing a place of entertainment and a place to sleep for people of all ages, primarily children. The bed assembly is functional, ornamental, and entertaining. The assembly provides for a frame, body, and wheels. The interior frame and under-carriage assembly is a structure of vertical, horizontal, angled, and transverse support members elevated by columns and truss oriented support members that may be assembled by the consumer. The body of the bed is primarily for ornamental design and is to give shape and dimension to the frame. A tire/wheel assembly consists of a rim/wheel to provide for ornamental design, seating, and entertainment by the consumer, as it attaches and detaches as part of its function. The assembly includes two locations for storing mattresses for use in sleeping, an upper and lower location.

Abstract: A centrifugal compressor comprises at least one stage suited to separate a liquid phase and a gas phase with the aid of at least one of a hydrophobic, super-hydrophobic, hydrophilic or super-hydrophilic surface layer, wherein the hydrophobic and/or super-hydrophobic surface layer is disposed on at least one of an inlet guide vane, impeller, return channel straight hub, or exiting hub bend; and the hydrophilic and/or super-hydrophilic surface is disposed on at least one of the impeller casing, diffuser casing, exiting casing bend, return channel straight hub, exiting hub bend, collection point, or drain.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a cage and a main plug disposed in the cage. The main plug is movable between a main plug closed position and a main plug open position. A seal assembly disposed on the main plug, the seal assembly having a seal that is configured to contact the cage when the main plug is in the main plug closed position, and configured to reduce contact with the cage when a pressure differential across the seal is reduced. The apparatus includes a pressure balancing assembly movable between a closed position, an overtravel position and an open position. The pressure balancing assembly is configured to balance the pressure differential across the seal when in the overtravel and open position.

Abstract: This disclosure details methods and techniques for inhibiting natural gas hydrate formation in gas conduits. In one embodiment, an article is provided which comprises (a) a gas conduit defining a gas flow channel; (b) an interior surface of the gas conduit; (c) a hydrate inhibiting coating on the interior surface, wherein the coating comprises: (i) component A, a one- or two-part room temperature vulcanizable polyorganosiloxane composition comprising a surface-treated filler, a condensation catalyst, and a crosslinking agent; and any reaction products thereof; and optionally (ii) component B, a hydrate release-enhancing proportion of at least one polyorganosiloxane comprising one or more silanol or alkoxy-silyl groups and comprising from about 10 weight percent to about 85 weight percent of at least one hydroxy-terminated or alkoxy-terminated polyoxyalkylenealkyl radical; and optionally (iii) any reaction products thereof.

Abstract: A seal assembly for a rotary machine is provided. The seal assembly includes multiple sealing device segments disposed circumferentially intermediate to a stationary housing and a rotor. Each of the segments includes a shoe plate with a forward-shoe section and an aft-shoe section having one or more labyrinth teeth therebetween facing the rotor. The sealing device includes a stator interface element having a groove or slot for allowing disposal of a spline seal for preventing segment leakages. The sealing device segment also includes multiple bellow springs or flexures connected to the shoe plate and to the stator interface element. Further, the sealing device segments include a secondary seal integrated with the stator interface element at one end and positioned about the multiple bellow springs or flexures and the shoe plate at the other end.

Abstract: Detecting and/or mitigating the presence of particle contaminants in a MEMS device involves converting benign areas in which particles might become trapped undetectably by electric fields during test to field-free regions by extending otherwise non-functional conductive shield and gate layers and placing the same electrical potential on the conductive shield and gate layers. Particle contaminants can then be moved into detection locations remote from the potential trap areas and having particle detection structures by providing some mechanical disturbance.

Abstract: An air conditioning system having an improved internal heat exchanger (IHX) assembly. The IHX assembly includes an elongated cavity for low pressure refrigerant flow from an evaporator and an interior tube disposed within the cavity for high pressure refrigerant flow from a condenser, and a pressure equalization passage between the low and high pressure sides. The passage is large enough to allow pressures to equalize between the condenser and evaporator while the air conditioning system is inactive, so as to prevent the pressure differential that would otherwise enable the loss of refrigerant oil from the compressor, and small enough not to effect the operation of the air conditioning system. The pressure equalization passage may be a by-pass valve assembly having a reed portion that is normally open when the air conditioning system is inactive and closed when the air conditioning system is active for maximum cooling efficiency.

Abstract: A fracturing system is described. The system includes an electric motor-driven pumping sub-system, configured to pump a pressurized fracturing fluid into at least one wellbore, under high pressure conditions sufficient to increase the downhole pressure of the wellbore, to exceed that of the fracture gradient of the solid matter surrounding the wellbore. The system also includes an electric power generation sub-system that provides energy to the pumping sub-system. The electric power generation sub-system includes a multitude of electric motors that are powered by a single electrical feed source. A related process for extracting hydrocarbons from a reservoir rock formation by the fracturing operation is also described.

Abstract: A method of controlling an air conditioning compressor in a heating ventilation and air conditioning system having a evaporator including a phase change material is presented. The method includes the steps of measuring an evaporator output air temperature, determining a state of charge value by calculating a difference between an estimated refrigerant temperature based on the evaporator output air temperature and a phase change material freeze temperature and integrating this difference over time and operating the air conditioning compressor to maintain the state of charge value between an upper and lower limit. A method of recovering braking energy in a vehicle containing a heating ventilation and air conditioning system having the evaporator including the phase change material is also presented.