Abstract: Aromatic compositions useful in various applications, such as aromatic fluid solvents and high temperature heat transfer fluids, are provided herein. Also provided are advantageous methods for obtaining the aromatic compositions, utilizing hydroalkylation of precursor aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, xylene, and the like. Particularly preferred aromatic compositions include one or more of cycloalkylaromatic, dicycloalkylaromatic, biphenyl, terphenyl, and diphenyl oxide compounds. The aromatic compositions may be blended with an aromatic solvent or other aromatic fluid comprising one or more of alkylnaphthalenes, alkylbenzenes, and naphthalene, e.g., to form a useful aromatic fluid solvent, or the aromatic compositions may be utilized as high temperature heat transfer fluids (with or without additional blend components).

Abstract: A catalyst for the conversion of methane to higher hydrocarbons including aromatic hydrocarbons comprises molybdenum or a compound thereof dispersed on an aluminosilicate zeolite, wherein the amount of aluminum present as aluminum molybdate in the catalyst is less than 2700 ppm by weight.

Abstract: A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for transferring data from a source tier to a target tier. In some embodiments, this may include dividing an object stored in the source tier into a plurality of segments, determining if the target tier is missing at least one of the segments, writing the missing segments to the target tier, and deleting the object from the source tier. In some embodiments, the object's metadata is updated to indicate that the object is in the target tier.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide a process for upgrading a hydrocarbon feed. The process includes providing a hydrocarbon feed and a utility fluid. Then selectively extracting from the feed at least a portion of particulates to produce a raffinate and an extract. Third hydroprocessing at least a portion of the raffinate.

Abstract: A process is provided for determining the suitability of pyrolysis tar, such as steam cracker tar, for upgrading using hydroprocessing without long term fouling of the hydroprocessing reactor. The process includes heating a sample of the tar, quenching the sample, and measuring the total free radical content of the quenched sample. A pyrolysis tar can be blended with one having a lesser total free radical content to produce a blend that can be hydroprocessed with decreased fouling.

Abstract: A process for upgrading pyrolysis tar to higher value products. More particularly, this invention relates to the upgrading of steam cracker tar using relatively small amounts of a transition metal sulfide-containing particulate catalyst dispersed throughout the tar chargestock and in the presence of hydrogen, at relatively mild hydroconversion conditions.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for upgrading blends of catalytic slurry oil and steam cracker tar to form fuel and/or fuel blending products. The steam cracker tar can optionally correspond to a fluxed steam cracker tar that includes steam cracker gas oil and/or another type of gas oil or other diluent. It has been unexpectedly discovered that blends of catalytic slurry oil and steam cracker tar can be hydroprocessed under fixed bed conditions while reducing or minimizing the amount of coke formation on the hydroprocessing catalyst and/or while reducing or minimizing plugging of the fixed bed, as would be conventionally expected during fixed bed processing of a feed containing a substantial portion of steam cracker tar. Additionally or alternately, it has been unexpectedly discovered that formation of coke fines within steam cracker tar can be reduced or minimized by blending steam cracker tar with catalytic slurry oil.

Abstract: A process is described for upgrading pyrolysis tar, such as steam cracker tar, by hydroprocessing in the presence of a utility fluid. The hydroprocessing conditions comprise a pressure >8 MPa and a weight hourly space velocity of combined pyrolysis tar and utility fluid >0.3 hr?1 and are selected so that the hydrogen consumption rate is in the range of 270 to 445 standard cubic meters/cubic meter (S m3/m3) of pyrolysis tar.

Abstract: The invention relates to pyrolysis tar upgrading processes, and in particular for decreasing reactor pressure drop when the upgrading includes converting pyrolysis tar in a reactor. The invention also relates to upgraded pyrolysis tar, and the use of upgraded pyrolysis tar, e.g., as a fuel oil blending component.

Abstract: The invention relates to catalytic aromatization, e.g., for the conversion of non-aromatic hydrocarbon to higher-value aromatic hydrocarbon, to catalysts useful for such aromatization, to methods for making such catalysts, and to systems and apparatus for carrying out aromatization in the presence of the catalyst.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved catalyst and a method for its manufacture. The catalyst comprises an acidic, porous crystalline material and has a Proton Density Index of greater than about 1.0, for example from greater than 1.0 to about 2.0, e.g. from about 1.01 to about 1.85. This catalyst may be used to effect conversion in chemical reactions, and is particularly useful in a process for selectively producing a monoalkylated aromatic compound comprising the step of contacting an alkylatable aromatic compound with an alkylating agent under at least partial liquid phase conditions. The acidic, porous crystalline material of the catalyst may comprise an acidic, crystalline molecular sieve having the structure of zeolite Beta, an MWW structure type material, e.g. MCM-22, MCM-36, MCM-49 MCM-56, or a mixture thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to a utility fluid, such as a fluid containing aromatic and non-aromatic ringed molecules, useful as a diluent when hydroprocessing pyrolysis tar, such as steam cracker tar. The specified utility fluid comprises ?10.0 wt % aromatic and non-aromatic ring compounds and each of the following: (a) ?1.0 wt % of 1.0 ring class compounds; (b) ?5.0 wt % of 1.5 ring class compounds; (c) ?5.0 wt % of 2.0 ring class compounds; and (d) ?0.1 wt % of 5.0 ring class compounds. The invention also relates to methods for producing such a utility fluid and to processes for hydroprocessing pyrolysis tar.

Abstract: Methods for upgrading a hydrocarbon feed are disclosed. The methods include a hydrocarbon feed having an insolubility number, Ifeed, with at least a first fluid to form a fluid-feed mixture; and inducing a centrifugal force to the fluid-feed mixture sufficient to form at least a higher density portion and a lower density portion, said lower density portion having an insolubility number, ILD, wherein ILD/Ifeed?0.95. Methods and apparatus for hydroprocessing the treated feed and blending with a fuel oil blend-stock are also described.

Abstract: Techniques for data migration of a storage system are described herein. According to one embodiment, for at least one of segments of a file to be migrated from a source storage tier to a target storage tier, a fingerprint of the segment is transmitted to the target storage tier. In response to a response received from the target storage tier indicating that the segment has not been stored in the target tier based on the fingerprint, a storage space of the target tier estimated for migrating the file is incremented. One or more segments of the file that have not been stored in the target tier are migrated if the one or more segments of the file fit in the target storage tier based on the estimated storage space of the target tier.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for automatically assigning weights to attributes of media content based in part on how many users actually viewed or listened to the content, as well as how many users “liked” or otherwise indicated a preference for the content. The content items can be any type of audio or visual media content, such as songs, videos, or movies, as well as written content, such as books, articles, journals, advertisements, or magazines. A first similarity score is determined based on a similarity between user preferences for content items. A second similarity score is determined based on a similarity between one or more common attributes of the content items. These attributes are assigned ratings that represent the number of users who consumed the corresponding content. Next, weights are assigned to each of the attributes based on the first and second similarity scores using, for example, linear equation regression techniques.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for upgrading pyrolysis tar in the presence of a utility fluid. The utility fluid contains 1-ring and/or 2-ring aromatics and has a final boiling point ?430° C. The invention also relates to the upgraded pyrolysis tar, and to the use of the upgraded pyrolysis tar, e.g., for fuel oil blending.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for upgrading pyrolysis tar, such as steam cracker tar, in the presence of a utility fluid. The utility fluid contains 2-ring and/or 3-ring aromatics and has solubility blending number (SBN)?120. The invention also relates to the upgraded pyrolysis tar and to the use of the upgraded pyrolysis tar, for example, for fuel oil blending.

Abstract: Techniques for incorporating social-network connections information into estimated user-ratings of videos for video recommendations are described. A user-rating that a user is likely to assign to a video is predicted based on first and second predictions. The first prediction is based on ratings assigned to the video by a first set of users who have rated other videos with ratings substantially similar to the user's ratings of the other videos. The second prediction is based on ratings assigned to the video by a second set of users who have established social-network connections with the user and who have rated at least one same video that the user has previously rated. Additionally, the estimated user-rating is added to additional estimated user-ratings of other videos for comparison, and top-rated videos are identified. Then, a notification is communicated via a client device of the user to recommend the top-rated videos to the user.

Abstract: A hydroalkylation catalyst comprising a molecular sieve and a compound of a hydrogenation metal is activated by treating the catalyst at a temperature of less than about 250° C. in the presence of hydrogen.

Abstract: A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for transferring data from a source tier to a target tier. In some embodiments, this may include dividing an object stored in the source tier into a plurality of segments, determining if the target tier is missing at least one of the segments, writing the missing segments to the target tier, and deleting the object from the source tier. In some embodiments, the object's metadata is updated to indicate that the object is in the target tier.