Abstract: An ethane recovery process resulting in a reduction in the amount of carbon dioxide in the recovered NGL stream is provided. To reduce the amount of carbon dioxide, a fractionation tower is provided with a bottom reboiler, and possibly one or more side reboilers higher up in the tower that are integrated with the cooling train. The process disclosed modifies the flow of cold liquid from the separator and tower reboiling to reject some of the more volatile components such as carbon dioxide from the less volatile fraction while maintaining recovery of desirable components such as C2+ hydrocarbon components. The modification includes heating a part of the separator liquid and introducing it at least one stage below the remaining liquid.

Abstract: A first passageway (17) provides a first fluid flow path, in a well between a first zone (9) and a, common region (26). A second passageway (23), outside the first passageway (17), provides a second fluid flow path; between the second zone (10) and the common region (26). The first passageway (17) is provided with a first flow controller (25), for controlling the flow of fluid between the first zone (9) and the common region (26). The second passageway (23) is provided with a second flow controller (28), for controlling the flow of fluid between the second zone (10) and the common region (26).

Abstract: A dense drilling fluid additive used to control lost circulation, fluid loss and/or seepage loss of drilling fluid during drilling operations is disclosed. Such additive is formed from ground base materials, such as inorganic matter, and may be used to manage the rheological properties of drilling fluid.

Abstract: A hard disk drive has an enclosure with disk construction members and is characterized by covering the enclosure with an electrically conductive sheet. The electrically conductive sheet protects the drive regardless of which direction an ESD charge is applied. The electrically conductive sheet does not permit ESD to pass through the disk construction members stored in the enclosure. Therefore, it is possible to form a structure in which a GMR head or the like in an enclosure is not damaged due to ESD even if the enclosure is handled by a general end user. Moreover, the present invention relates to an electrically conductive sheet for covering at least both principal planes of the enclosure of a hard disk drive constituted as described above. Other modes of the invention include at least both principal planes of an enclosure being covered by the electrically conductive sheet in such a way that both sheets on both principal planes are electrically connected.

Abstract: A method is provided for using a woven preform having a base and at least one leg extending from the base. The preform is used to assemble first and second composite laminate components formed from tape or fabric and a resin matrix. Z-pins are inserted into the first component prior to its being cured, forming a stubble extending above a surface of the first component. The uncured preform is placed on the surface of the first component, the stubble extending into the preform. The cured second component is attached to the preform. Over-wrap plies are optionally placed on the outer surfaces of preform. Adhesive is optionally placed between the preform and the first and second components. A vacuum bag and tooling are used while curing the preform to adhere the legs of the preform to the second component and the base of the preform to the first component.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an item of printed indicia is shown. A rubber band is provided which is stretchable between a relaxed state and an extended state and having a first exposed surface. The elastic substrate is stretched to the extended state and placed onto a form to maintain the substrate in the extended state. A primary indicia is then printed upon the first exposed surface of the elastic substrate. The primary indicia is readable to an observer when the substrate is in the extended state but is unreadable when the substrate is returned to the relaxed state. The elastic substrate can then be removed from the form and allowed to return to the relaxed state. The band can be worn about the limb of a user with the primary indicia forming a hidden message which is revealed to an observer when the substrate is stretched to the extended state.

Abstract: There is disclosed an electrostatically charged filter material comprising a blend of polyester fibers and electrostatically chargeable fibers of at least one other kind.

Abstract: A crimping tool has a handle lever portion and a crimp portion with a press and a base housing. The base housing has a placement location with a recessed surface for engaging a jack and a recessed region for a cable. The base housing also has lateral regions that have frictionally engaging surface portions for clamping to wire ends. The press has a plunger and a housing with terminating blades for shearing excess wire from the cable when the tool engages a twisted pair cable to a jack. The blades cut the wires and the excess wire is discarded. The press and the base housing then disengage and the jack is removed from the tool with the cable in communication with the electrical contacts of the jack.

Abstract: A frame is used to land on a base and soft land a connector receptacle on the end of a flowline to a mandrel protruding from the base. After the frame lands on the base, the frame and the receptacle are pushed toward the base, which causes frame latching members to latch the frame to the base. The frame holds the base and the receptacle is still above the mandrel. The frame and receptacle are pushed further towards the base and the connector receptacle abuts the mandrel. The connector receptacle moves relative to the frame as the frame is pushed closer to the base, which causes an actuator on the frame to move dogs on the receptacle to engage the mandrel and lock the receptacle to the mandrel. The frame can move away from the mandrel and continue to be latched to the base while disengaging the receptacle from the mandrel.

Abstract: A method is provided of smoothing the perturbations on a surface, in particular the surface of a magnetic head slider, the method comprising several steps. At least one air-bearing surface to be smoothed is exposed to an ion species generated from a defined source to form a beam of incident radiation. The beam has a linear axis emanating from the source and thus forms an angle of incident radiation with respect to the surface to be smoothed. The at least one surface is smoothed by exposing the surface(s) to be smoothed to the beam of incident radiation, where the angle of incident radiation is less than 90° relative to a vertical axis drawn perpendicular to the surface to be smoothed. To make a corrosion resistant magnetic head slider, the method further comprises coating the smoothed surface with a layer of amorphous carbon.

Abstract: A lapping plate has photolithographically defined patterns that are electroplated to produce lands with well-defined channels. By choosing a particular geometry, the retention force is significantly reduced over prior art options, while still retaining a high land area fraction. In some versions, the material is electroplated onto sufficiently thin substrates to allow conformation to a curved vacuum chuck. This configuration provides a very large reduction in retraction force when compared to smooth, flat lapping plates. In addition, the substrate used to form the lapping plate has reduced thickness, and a vacuum chuck is used to pull the thin, flat lapping plate against it to define the curvature. This allows the lapping plate to be charged by a flat charging ring. The substrate used is typically glass and has been sputter-metallized on both sides. The resist is then patterned, leaving an exposed pattern in the metallization on both sides.

Abstract: A method of deploying a subsea line utilizes a subsea deployment unit. A drum wrapped with the line is mounted to the unit. The unit is lowered on a cable into the sea from a surface vessel. An ROV is lowered on an umbilical into the sea and brought into engagement with the unit. The ROV provides thrust and guidance to move the unit along a desired path above the sea floor. The ROV also supplies power to the motor of the unit to cause the drum to rotate and deploy the line from the drum. The ROV disengages from the unit and connects the ends of the line to subsea components.

Abstract: A tool lands a flowline connector on a base and soft land the connector to a mandrel. After the tool lands on the base, the tool locks to the base and then pushes the connector the mandrel until it abuts locks to the member. The tool has at least one ring assembly with a number of dogs per ring assembly. Each dog moves in unison with a follower relative to a cam ring in a slot. The movement along the slot moves the dogs radially and circumferentially relative to the cam ring. An actuator moves a follower ring that slides relative to the cam ring which moves the follower. Each dog remains in contact with the cam ring after moving radially inward because of protuberances on each dog that slide from a recess as the dog moves circumferentially and radially inward.

Abstract: A dressing block for dressing or finishing a work surface has an abrasive surface with abrasive parallel ribs. The ribs of the dressing block are for slidingly engaging a work surface having a pattern of protuberances separated by intersecting recesses. The abrasive surface of the ribs and the grooves between the ribs slidingly engage the protuberances and the recesses to dress the work surface. The user slides the dressing block relative to the work surface in a first direction to engage a first set of the recesses. The user then slides the dressing block in a second direction to engage the second set of recesses.

Abstract: A method and system for finding a longest matching prefix for an input keyword from among multiple prefixes. The prefixes are data strings of varying lengths wherein prefixes of length n or greater are probabilistically a longest prefix match. The method of the present invention begins by mapping the prefixes of length greater than or equal to n1, that is, in the interval [n1, L], into a first lookup system. Remaining prefixes of length less than n1 but greater than or equal to n2, that is, in the interval [n2, n1−1], are mapped into a second index utilizing a second hash function, wherein n2 is less than n1. Further lookup systems on prefixes having lengths in the intervals [n3, n2−1], [n4, n3−1], and so on, may also be utilized, as determined by optimization studies and the statistics of routing tables.

Abstract: An offshore well platform is towed in an upright condition to a well site by the use of a temporary flotation device. The flotation device mounts to a portion of the platform and is partially submerged, increasing the ability and buoyancy of the platform. At the site, the engagement of the flotation device shifts to a deploying position. In the deploying position, the ballast of the platform is increased to cause it to more deeply submerge. The flotation device remains at least partially surrounding the platform and floating while the platform moves downwardly relative to it. This provides lateral support if needed to prevent heeling while being submerged. The flotation device is disengageable from the platform when the platform is fully submerged.

Abstract: A slider 3a is disposed to face a disk-like recording medium and enabled to support a read/write head. The slider 3a has an air bearing surface formed between a leading edge 10 and a trailing edge 11; side rails 20 and 21 formed on the air bearing surface almost like a U-letter so as to dispose its tip at the trailing edge side 11; a cross rail 22; and a pair of landing pads 30a and 31a formed between the tip of each of the side rails and the cross rail 20 to 22 and the trailing edge 11. One of the pair of landing pads 30a and 31a is formed as a convex surface at its side facing the rail of the landing pad 31a disposed at the outer periphery side of the disk-like recording medium while the slider is disposed so as to face the disk-like recording medium.

Abstract: A disk clamp has a data position in a recording track that is resistant to positional deviations even after temperature cycling is conducted. The distribution of data positions can be centered in the vicinity of the center position. A disk top clamp and hub are made from materials that are stable in terms of chemical properties over a temperature range in which the disk recording apparatus is used and have such a coefficient of elasticity that a clamping force required to clamp the recording disks while the disk recording apparatus is in use can be obtained from the tightening force to tighten the screws. The material of the top clamp and the hub has a thermal expansion coefficient that is close to that of the recording disk.

Abstract: A method, system, program product, and data structure for processing network communication within a communication network from a general processor to a network processor. An informational frame is encapsulated into a packet for transmission within a communication network from a general processor to a network processor having a data processor and a control processor. If the informational frame is a control frame and the control processor is congested and if the control frame only needs message routing services from the locally connected network processor, the encapsulated packet is designated as a data-type packet so that the data processor processes the control frame. The encapsulated packet is then sent from the general processor to the network processor. The data processor decapsulates the encapsulated packet, parses the control frame and processes the control frame.

Abstract: A motor assembly has electrical connectors between them that are shielded from any metallic debris generated in the motors. The motor assembly includes upper and lower motors, each having an adapter coupled together. Each adapter has a wire passage for each phase of the motor. Wires from the motors join electrical connectors, the electrical connectors being mounted to insulators in the adapter passages. A debris seal locates above the upper electrical connector in each upper adapter passage. Another debris seal locates between the overlapping portions of the two insulators of each adapter passage.