Abstract: Disclosed herein are certain embodiments of systems and methods for inventory management of digital gift cards purchased from a variety of merchants, stored on a server database and resold indirectly to customers. A server would obtain an economic order quantity of gift cards from assorted merchants to generate a digital inventory. These codes may remain entirely private between the server and the merchant from which they were bought. The server would additionally sell merchant credits to customers using a web application. The digital inventory would be used to fulfill sales of merchant credit to customers.

Abstract: An air-cooled heat exchanger (ACHE) for cooling process fluids used in an industrial process. In one embodiment, the ACHE is configured as a forced-draft ACHE. A support structure supports the forced draft ACHE above grade. A tube bundle is supported by the structure and is configured to receive process fluids used in an industrial process. A plenum is connected to the support structure, positioned beneath the tube bundle and configured to direct air-flow through the tube bundle. A fan is supported by the support structure and positioned beneath the plenum. Rotation of the fan produces an air-flow that is directed through the tube bundle by the plenum. A fan drive system is supported by the support structure, positioned beneath the fan and comprises a permanent magnet motor comprising a motor casing, a stator and a rotatable shaft, the rotatable shaft being connected to the fan.

Abstract: A drive system for driving a fan in a wet cooling tower, wherein the fan has a fan hub and fan blades attached to the fan hub. The drive system has a high-torque, low speed permanent magnet motor having a motor casing, a stator and a rotatable shaft, wherein the rotatable shaft is configured for connection to the fan hub. The drive system includes a variable frequency drive device to generate electrical signals that effect rotation of the rotatable shaft of the motor in order to rotate the fan.

Abstract: A bath or basin waste having a plug in which the upper face of the cap is substantially below the upper face of the bottom of the bath or basin to which it is fitted when in the closed position and substantially flush with the upper face of the bottom of the bath or basin when in the open position.

Abstract: Interaction between a 3D animation and a corresponding script includes: displaying a user interface that includes at least a 3D animation area and a script area, the 3D animation area including (i) a 3D view area for creating and playing a 3D animation and (ii) a timeline area for visualizing actions by one or more 3D animation characters, the script area comprising one or more objects representing lines from a script having one or more script characters; receiving a first user input corresponding to a user selecting at least one of the objects from the script area for assignment to a location in the timeline area; generating a timeline object at the location in response to the first user input, the timeline object corresponding to the selected object; and associating audio data with the generated timeline object, the audio data corresponding to a line represented by the selected object.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a direct-drive fan system and a variable process control system for efficiently managing the operation of fans in a cooling system such a as wet-cooling tower or air-cooled heat exchanger (ACHE), HVAC systems, mechanical towers or chiller systems. The present invention is based on the integration of key features and characteristics such as tower thermal performance, fan speed and airflow, motor torque, fan pitch, fan speed, fan aerodynamic properties, and pump flow. The variable process control system processes feedback signals from multiple locations in order control a high torque, variable speed, permanent magnet motor to drive the fan. Such feedback signals represent certain operating conditions including motor temperature, basin temperature, vibrations, and pump flow rates. Other data processed by the variable process control system in order to control the motor include turbine back pressure set-point, condenser temperature set-point and plant part-load setting.

Abstract: An air-cooled heat exchanger (ACHE) for cooling process fluids used in an industrial process. In one embodiment, the ACHE is configured as a forced-draft ACHE. A support structure supports the forced draft ACHE above grade. A tube bundle is supported by the structure and is configured to receive process fluids used in an industrial process. A plenum is connected to the support structure, positioned beneath the tube bundle and configured to direct air-flow through the tube bundle. A fan is supported by the support structure and positioned beneath the plenum. Rotation of the fan produces an air-flow that is directed through the tube bundle by the plenum. A fan drive system is supported by the support structure, positioned beneath the fan and comprises a permanent magnet motor comprising a motor casing, a stator and a rotatable shaft, the rotatable shaft being connected to the fan.

Abstract: A drive system for driving a fan in a wet cooling tower, wherein the fan has a fan hub and fan blades attached to the fan hub. The drive system has a high-torque, low speed permanent magnet motor having a motor casing, a stator and a rotatable shaft, wherein the rotatable shaft is configured for connection to the fan hub. The drive system includes a variable frequency drive device to generate electrical signals that effect rotation of the rotatable shaft of the motor in order to rotate the fan.

Abstract: An air-cooled heat exchanger (ACHE) for cooling process fluids used in an industrial process. In one embodiment, the ACHE is configured as a forced-draft ACHE. A support structure supports the forced draft ACHE above grade. A tube bundle is supported by the structure and is configured to receive process fluids used in an industrial process. A plenum is connected to the support structure, positioned beneath the tube bundle and configured to direct air-flow through the tube bundle. A fan is supported by the support structure and positioned beneath the plenum. Rotation of the fan produces an air-flow that is directed through the tube bundle by the plenum. A fan drive system is supported by the support structure, positioned beneath the fan and comprises a permanent magnet motor comprising a motor casing, a stator and a rotatable shaft, the rotatable shaft being connected to the fan.

Abstract: A drive system for driving a fan in a wet cooling tower, wherein the fan has a fan hub and fan blades attached to the fan hub. The drive system has a high-torque, low speed permanent magnet motor having a motor casing, a stator and a rotatable shaft, wherein the rotatable shaft is configured for connection to the fan hub. The drive system includes a variable frequency drive device to generate electrical signals that effect rotation of the rotatable shaft of the motor in order to rotate the fan.

Abstract: A 3D animation environment that includes an animation object is generated. A movement speed is assigned to object the 3D animation environment. An animation path containing at least first and second waypoints is generated. An animation sequence is generated by identifying a first section of the animation path connected to the first waypoint. A first animation of the animation object is generated in which the animation object moves along the first section of the path at the movement speed. A spatial gap in the animation path is identified between the first and second waypoints. A second animation of the animation object is generated in which the animation object moves, by keyframe animation, from the first waypoint to the second waypoint. A third animation of the animation object is generated in which the animation object moves along at least a second portion of the path at the movement speed.

Abstract: Interaction between a 3D animation and a corresponding script includes: displaying a user interface that includes at least a 3D animation area and a script area, the 3D animation area including (i) a 3D view area for creating and playing a 3D animation and (ii) a timeline area for visualizing actions by one or more 3D animation characters, the script area comprising one or more objects representing lines from a script having one or more script characters; receiving a first user input corresponding to a user selecting at least one of the objects from the script area for assignment to a location in the timeline area; generating a timeline object at the location in response to the first user input, the timeline object corresponding to the selected object; and associating audio data with the generated timeline object, the audio data corresponding to a line represented by the selected object.

Abstract: A drive system for driving a fan in a wet cooling tower, wherein the fan has a fan hub and fan blades attached to the fan hub. The drive system has a high-torque, low speed permanent magnet motor having a motor casing, a stator and a rotatable shaft, wherein the rotatable shaft is configured for connection to the fan hub. The drive system includes a variable frequency drive device to generate electrical signals that effect rotation of the rotatable shaft of the motor in order to rotate the fan.

Abstract: An air-cooled heat exchanger (ACHE) for cooling process fluids used in an industrial process. In one embodiment, the ACHE is configured as a forced-draft ACHE. A support structure supports the forced draft ACHE above grade. A tube bundle is supported by the structure and is configured to receive process fluids used in an industrial process. A plenum is connected to the support structure, positioned beneath the tube bundle and configured to direct air-flow through the tube bundle. A fan is supported by the support structure and positioned beneath the plenum. Rotation of the fan produces an air-flow that is directed through the tube bundle by the plenum. A fan drive system is supported by the support structure, positioned beneath the fan and comprises a permanent magnet motor comprising a motor casing, a stator and a rotatable shaft, the rotatable shaft being connected to the fan.

Abstract: An integrated fan drive system for air-cooled heat exchangers. The integrated fan drive system has a high-torque, low speed permanent magnet motor having a rotatable shaft, a fan that is directly connected to the rotatable shaft, and a variable frequency drive device in electrical signal communication with the permanent magnet motor to control the rotational speed of the permanent magnet motor. The high-torque, permanent magnet motor comprises no more than two bearings in operative association with the shaft. The variable frequency drive device has a variable frequency controller that has an input for receiving AC power and an output for providing electrical signals that control the operational speed of high-torque, permanent magnet motor. The variable frequency drive device also includes a user interface in electronic data signal communication with the variable frequency controller to allow a user to input motor speed control data. Other embodiments of the invention are described herein.

Abstract: A bath or basin waste having a plug in which the upper face of the cap is substantially below the upper face of the bottom of the bath or basin to which it is fitted when in the closed position and substantially flush with the upper face of the bottom of the bath or basin when in the open position.

Abstract: An integrated fan drive system for a cooling tower comprising a high-torque, low speed permanent magnet motor having a rotatable shaft, a fan comprising a hub that is directly connected to the rotatable shaft and a plurality of fan blades that are attached to the hub, and a variable frequency drive device in electrical signal communication with the permanent magnet motor to control the rotational speed of the permanent magnet motor. The high-torque, permanent magnet motor comprises no more than two bearings in operative association with the shaft. The variable frequency drive device has a variable frequency controller that has an input for receiving AC power and an output for providing electrical signals that control the operational speed of high-torque, permanent magnet motor. The variable frequency drive device also includes a user interface in electronic data signal communication with the variable frequency controller to allow a user to input motor speed control data.

Abstract: An integrated fan drive system for air-cooled heat exchangers. The integrated fan drive system has a high-torque, low speed permanent magnet motor having a rotatable shaft, a fan that is directly connected to the rotatable shaft, and a variable frequency drive device in electrical signal communication with the permanent magnet motor to control the rotational speed of the permanent magnet motor. The high-torque, permanent magnet motor comprises no more than two bearings in operative association with the shaft. The variable frequency drive device has a variable frequency controller that has an input for receiving AC power and an output for providing electrical signals that control the operational speed of high-torque, permanent magnet motor. The variable frequency drive device also includes a user interface in electronic data signal communication with the variable frequency controller to allow a user to input motor speed control data. Other embodiments of the invention are described herein.

Abstract: An integrated fan drive system for a cooling tower comprising a high-torque, low speed permanent magnet motor having a rotatable shaft, a fan comprising a hub that is directly connected to the rotatable shaft and a plurality of fan blades that are attached to the hub, and a variable frequency drive device in electrical signal communication with the permanent magnet motor to control the rotational speed of the permanent magnet motor. The high-torque, permanent magnet motor comprises no more than two bearings in operative association with the shaft. The variable frequency drive device has a variable frequency controller that has an input for receiving AC power and an output for providing electrical signals that control the operational speed of high-torque, permanent magnet motor. The variable frequency drive device also includes a user interface in electronic data signal communication with the variable frequency controller to allow a user to input motor speed control data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a tool for thinning bunches of young berries comprising a cutter head for housing a cutter. The cutter head is constructed with guides to permit the user to excise selected laterals from the main stem of the bunch without nicking or scraping the main stem, or coming into physical contact therewith except at the tip thereof. The tool includes a handle for controlling the cutter head. The handle serves a double function in that it is also a measuring device which permits the worker to nip off the tip of the main stem touched by the worker doing the thinning process, at a predetermined length.