Abstract: Systems and methods for attenuating residual acoustic energy in marine seismic data are disclosed. In one aspect, a number of gathers are recorded for consecutive activations of a marine source. Each recorded gather contains a record of acoustic reflections from a subterranean formation after activation of the source and residual acoustic energy from one or more previous activations of the source. The gathers are aligned to generate aligned gathers with the residual acoustic energy coherent between the aligned gathers and the reflections incoherent between the aligned gathers. A set of model gathers of the residual acoustic energy is generated from the aligned gathers. The model gathers are subtracted from one or more of the corresponding recorded gathers to generate one or more gathers with attenuated residual acoustic energy.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for generating image data for output to a display device such as a HUD or HMD for display and for the validating image data being output to an applicable standard. The image generator comprises an interfacing component, an image rendering component implementing at least one image rendering function and an integrity monitor. The interfacing component receives drawing commands from external systems defining an image to be displayed and derives rendering and other control commands according to a predefined command set recognisable by the image rendering component. The image rendering component generates a set of image data from received rendering commands in the predefined set. The integrity monitor includes a rendering simulator arranged to simulate the at least one image rendering function to generate a nominally identical set of image data from received drawing or rendering commands.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for generating image data for output to a display device such as an HUD or HMD defining pixels of an image for display. The image data for each pixel defines a predetermined background colour or a non-background colour. In an example implementation, the image generator comprises at least one image rendering module and a memory accessible by the at least one rendering module providing at least one frame buffer in which image data may be assembled. The at least one rendering module is arranged to process or to generate image data using a tile representation of an image for display, each tile comprising image data defining each of a predetermined number of pixels of the image.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to methods and systems to evaluate noise contend of seismic data received during a marine survey. The seismic data includes pressure and particle motion data generated by collocated pressure and particle motion sensors of a seismic data acquisition system. The pressure and particle motion data are cross ghosted and temporal and spatial wavelet transforms are applied to the cross-ghosted pressure and particle motion data in order to compute pressure energies and particle motion energies in temporal and spatial scales of a temporal and spatial scale domain. The pressure and particle motion energies may be compared to evaluate noise content in the pressure and particle motion data, evaluate changes in the noise content during the marine survey, and adjust marine survey parameters to reduce the noise content.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the continuous impregnation of wood elements, such as wood chips. The method comprises the subsequent steps of subjecting the wood elements to vacuum, to contact with acetylation fluid, and to impregnation pressure. Preferably, the process is conducted in a plant having conveyors, such as transportation screws, in suitable positions between the zones in which the subsequent process steps are conducted. The impregnation method is used in connection with the acetylation of the wood elements, and preferably is followed by a continuous acetylation process conducted in an acetylation reaction zone downstream of the zone where the impregnation is conducted.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for generating image data for output to a display device such as an HUD or HMD defining pixels of an image for display. The image data for each pixel defines a predetermined background colour or a non-background colour. In an example implementation, the image generator comprises at least one image rendering module and a memory accessible by the at least one rendering module providing at least one frame buffer in which image data may be assembled. The at least one rendering module is arranged to process or to generate image data using a tile representation of an image for display, each tile comprising image data defining each of a predetermined number of pixels of the image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for generating image data for output to a display device such as a HUD or HMD for display and for the validating image data being output to an applicable standard. The image generator comprises an interfacing component, an image rendering component implementing at least one image rendering function and an integrity monitor. The interfacing component receives drawing commands from external systems defining an image to be displayed and derives rendering and other control commands according to a predefined command set recognisable by the image rendering component. The image rendering component generates a set of image data from received rendering commands in the predefined set. The integrity monitor includes a rendering simulator arranged to simulate the at least one image rendering function to generate a nominally identical set of image data from received drawing or rendering commands.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to methods and systems to evaluate noise contend of seismic data received during a marine survey. The seismic data includes pressure and particle motion data generated by collocated pressure and particle motion sensors of a seismic data acquisition system. The pressure and particle motion data are cross ghosted and temporal and spatial wavelet transforms are applied to the cross-ghosted pressure and particle motion data in order to compute pressure energies and particle motion energies in temporal and spatial scales of a temporal and spatial scale domain. The pressure and particle motion energies may be compared to evaluate noise content in the pressure and particle motion data, evaluate changes in the noise content during the marine survey, and adjust marine survey parameters to reduce the noise content.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the continuous impregnation of wood elements, such as wood chips. The method comprises the subsequent steps of subjecting the wood elements to vacuum, to contact with acetylation fluid, and to impregnation pressure. Preferably, the process is conducted in a plant having conveyors, such as transportation screws, in suitable positions between the zones in which the subsequent process steps are conducted. The impregnation method is used in connection with the acetylation of the wood elements, and preferably is followed by a continuous acetylation process conducted in an acetylation reaction zone downstream of the zone where the impregnation is conducted.

Abstract: Method of producing ethylene and, optionally, propylene by subjecting a feedstock to steam cracking to produce a first olefin containing stream; heating an ethanol containing stream with heat from a steam cracker; passing the heated ethanol containing stream over a dehydration catalyst at a temperature between 200 C to 500 C preferably 250 C to 450 C to produce a second olefin containing stream; and combining the first and second olefin containing streams to give an initial product stream containing ethylene and optionally propylene. The initial product stream is subjected to purification including at least i) water content reduction ii) hydrogen content reduction iii) reduction of content of molecules containing 4 or more carbon atoms and iv) ethane content reduction.

Abstract: Systems and methods for attenuating residual acoustic energy in marine seismic data are disclosed. In one aspect, a number of gathers are recorded for consecutive activations of a marine source. Each recorded gather contains a record of acoustic reflections from a subterranean formation after activation of the source and residual acoustic energy from one or more previous activations of the source. The gathers are aligned to generate aligned gathers with the residual acoustic energy coherent between the aligned gathers and the reflections incoherent between the aligned gathers. A set of model gathers of the residual acoustic energy is generated from the aligned gathers. The model gathers are subtracted from one or more of the corresponding recorded gathers to generate one or more gathers with attenuated residual acoustic energy.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of ethanol and butanol from biomass, and in particular to a process for the production of ethanol and butanol using two separate fermentation step subjecting the biomass feedstock to anaerobic fermentation at a pH below 6.0 and at a temperature in the range 20 to 700° C. and so as to convert the biomass to a product predominantly comprising acetic acid and butyric acid with at least a 2:1 ratio by weight of acetic acid to butyric acid, c) treating the product of stream of step (b) to separate a solution comprising the acetic acid and butyric acid by: (i) separating a solution comprising the acetic acid and butyric acid from any residual solids and (ii) separating bacteria and/or pasteurizing or sterilizing the solution from the first fermentation step, and d) in a second fermentation step fermenting the solution comprising the acetic acid and butyric acid from the step (c) to form ethanol and butanol.

Abstract: A method of producing ethylene and, optionally, propylene comprising: a) subjecting a feedstock to steam cracking to produce a first olefin containing stream; b) heating an ethanol containing stream with heat from a steam cracker; c) passing the heated ethanol containing stream over a dehydration catalyst at a temperature between 200 C to 500 C preferably 250 C to 450 C to produce a second olefin containing stream; d) combining the first and second olefin containing streams to give an initial product stream comprising ethylene and optionally propylene; and e) subjecting the initial product stream to purification comprising at least i) water content reduction ii) hydrogen content reduction iii) reduction of content of molecules containing 4 or more carbon atoms and iv) ethane content reduction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of ethanol comprising both gasification and fermentation of feedstocks, and, in particular to a process for the production of ethanol comprising: a) passing a biomass feedstock to a first fermentation step wherein it is subjected to anaerobic fermentation at a pH below 6.0 and at a temperature in the range 20 to 700C to convert the biomass to a solution comprising acetic acid as the predominant product, b) passing a gasifiable feedstock to a gasification step wherein it is subjected to gasification to produce a gaseous mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen, and c) passing the solution comprising acetic acid from step (a) and the gaseous mixture from step (b) to one or more further fermentation steps wherein they are subject to fermentation to produce ethanol.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of ethanol and butanol from biomass, and in particular to a process for the production of ethanol and butanol using two separate fermentation step subjecting the biomass feedstock to anaerobic fermentation at a pH below 6.0 and at a temperature in the range 20 to 700° C. and so as to convert the biomass to a product predominantly comprising acetic acid and butyric acid with at least a 2:1 ratio by weight of acetic acid to butyric acid, c) treating the product of stream of step (b) to separate a solution comprising the acetic acid and butyric acid by: (i) separating a solution comprising the acetic acid and butyric acid from any residual solids and (ii) separating bacteria and/or pasteurizing or sterilizing the solution from the first fermentation step, and d) in a second fermentation step fermenting the solution comprising the acetic acid and butyric acid from the step (c) to form ethanol and butanol.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of ethanol and butanol from biomass, and in particular to a process for the production of ethanol and butanol using two separate fermentation steps, said process comprising: a) passing a biomass feedstock to a first fermentation step, b) in said first fermentation step subjecting the biomass feedstock to anaerobic fermentation at a pH below 6.0 and at a temperature in the range 20 to 700° C.

Abstract: A process for the production of C2? alcohols from a methane-containing feedstock which process comprises a) optionally reacting in a pre-reformer the methane-containing feedstock in the presence of steam, where the steam plus C02 to methane molar ratio is less than 5:1; b) reforming at least a portion of the methane-containing feedstock in a first reformer optionally in the presence of steam, where the steam plus C02 to methane molar ratio is less than 5:1 to produce a first product stream comprising CO, H2 and C02; c) optionally subjecting at least a portion of the first product stream and/or a portion of the methane containing feedstock to a reforming process in a second reformer in the presence of steam and oxygen to produce a second product stream comprising CO, H2 and C02 d) subjecting the product streams to a bacterial fermentation process in a fermenter to produce a third product stream comprising an aqueous solution of at least one C2? alcohol, nutrients and reaction intermediates and a fourth product

Abstract: A process for producing ethylene from a carbonaceous containing feedstock the process comprising the steps of a) reforming the carbonaceous containing feedstock into a first product stream comprising carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and hydrogen; b) fermenting the first product stream with an acetogenic anaerobic bacteria to produce a second product stream comprising ethanol; c) concentrating ethanol from the second product stream into a third product stream and; d) dehydrating ethanol in the third product stream to produce ethylene.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of ethanol and butanol from biomass, and in particular to a process for the production of ethanol and butanol using two separate fermentation steps, said process comprising: a) passing a biomass feedstock to a first fermentation step, b) in said first fermentation step subjecting the biomass feedstock to anaerobic fermentation at a pH below 6.0 and at a temperature in the range 20 to 700° C.

Abstract: A calculated vertical velocity sensor signal is determined from a recorded pressure sensor signal. A constructed vertical velocity sensor signal is determined as a linear combination of the calculated vertical velocity sensor signal and a recorded vertical velocity sensor signal in dual-sensor seismic streamer data, using a mixture coefficient as a proportionality constant. An upgoing pressure wavefield component is determined as one half of a difference of the recorded pressure sensor signal and the constructed vertical velocity sensor signal, as a function of the mixture coefficient. An error in the upgoing pressure wavefield component is determined by propagating errors in the recorded pressure sensor signal and constructed vertical velocity sensor signal terms. A value of the mixture coefficient is determined that minimizes the error in the upgoing pressure wavefield component.