Abstract: A method for quantitative evaluation of emulsion stability using Critical Electric Field (CEF) determinations over a range of conditions, such as a range of temperatures, demulsifier compositions, or demulsifier concentrations. The method includes determining the CEF for a series of emulsions that differ substantially only in their internal phase volume ratio. A plot of CEF values as a function of the inverse of the internal phase volume ratio is characterized by a linear slope. Using the slope, a theoretical CEF value can be determined by extrapolating to where the inverse of the internal phase volume ratio is about one. The slope for a given emulsion series is associated with the relative energy barrier to flocculation and the theoretical critical electric field for a given emulsion series is associated with the relative energy barrier to coalescence. Comparative studies are performed using this method.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for installing control lines and pipe into a well. The pipe-holding spider that is normally mounted on the rig floor is supported by a table elevated above the rig floor. Supporting the spider on an elevated table provides personnel with access to a portion of the length of the pipe string below the elevated spider and above the rig floor for applying a fastener to secure the control line to the pipe string. The control line is supplied from above the spider and is positioned by a control line guide supported on the spider or a sleeve to pass through the spider outside the path of the pipe gripping members, such as slips.

Abstract: An apparatus to align and dock or undock a first electronic circuit board with a first connector with a second electronic circuit board with a second connector. The apparatus comprises a guide plate with a linkage to connect to a mounting plate. The first electronic circuit board is secured to the mounting plate. The guide plate is inserted into a chassis comprising a guide to receive the guide plate. The guide aligns the first connector to be received in the second connector. The linkage is actuated by displacing a positioning handle. The linkage translates the motion in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of displacement of the positioning handle. The mounting plate is translated in the generally perpendicular direction, and the first connector is received into the second connector. The operation may be reversed to remove the first connector from the second connector.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for connecting servers within a rack-mounted server system. In one embodiment, a plurality of servers are positioned in respective bays of a rack. The bays generally constrain adjacent servers in a generally fixed spacing and in face-to-face alignment. A first server is moved within its bay relative to a second server until a connector on the first server is aligned with a mating connector on the second server. Alignment of the two mating connectors is detected by a position sensor, such as an LED-photodiode pair. A signal from the position sensor causes or at least allows the first and second connectors to be moved toward one another, either using a motor or a hand-actuated mechanism, to provide power and data communication between the servers. Once the connection is established, data is optionally transmitted via the optical sensor.

Abstract: The capability to transfer files to and edit files in an integrated development environment is disclosed. The source files may be located on a remote computer system across a network, such as the Internet. The local system upon which the integrated development environment is executing and the remote system having the source files may have different operating systems, different geographical locations with different human languages, and/or different programming languages. The disclosure herein requests the source file on the remote system and then encodes the differences between the languages and/or the operating system by reading the extension of the source file. These encoded differences are translated when the remote file is opened in the local integrated development environment with an editor. The editor may be a LPEX editor if the files are members of an OS/400 operating system, or the editor may be an operating system editor for a file having the source file's extension, or a default text editor.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a system and method for delegated page specialization based on a page layer concept. A page consist of a set of layers. Except the first layer each layer represents a delta (container, frames) in its layout to its previous layer introduced on the corresponding level of administration. Administrators can modify the previous layers by defining new immutable and optional containers or frames on the page (delta). Only the deltas to the previous layers are stored with assignments to their parent layers. Immutable containers or frames of previous layers cannot be modified. The final page is automatically constructed as an union of deltas being stored in a so called tree-structure. The delegated page specialization is preferably accomplished via a GUI-component which supports the administrators.

Abstract: Detecting, predicting, and diagnosing faults in a cooling system. According to one embodiment, a heat sink is in thermal contact with a heat-generating electronic component. When a temperature differential between the electronic component and the heat sink exceeds a set point, a fault signal is generated. The set point may be empirically or theoretically determined. The set point may be a static set point, or it may be a dynamic set point determined according to real-time operational parameters of the system. The system may be implemented with predictive failure analysis (PFA) to provide a more reliable, efficient, inexpensive, and robust computer system.

Abstract: Volatile vapors are removed from a storage vessel by establishing a flow of a stream of volatile vapors from the storage vessel and directing the stream through a first low temperature condenser for condensing a portion of the stream flowing through the first low temperature condenser. Since a portion of the condensed condensate freezes and causes a pressure drop in the first low temperature condenser, further steps may include directing the stream from the first low temperature condenser through a second low temperature condenser after the pressure drop exceeds a setpoint, stopping the flow of the refrigerant through the first low temperature condenser and using the heat of the volatile vapor stream to melt the frozen condensate in the first low temperature condenser. The stream is switched between the condensers as necessary to prevent excessive plugging due to frozen condensate formation. The system includes the means for implementing the method.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for installing control lines and pipe into a well. The pipe-holding spider that is normally mounted on the rig floor is supportably retained in a vertically movable retainer. The retainer is adapted for controllably elevating the spider above the rig floor when the pipe slips within the spider are not engaged with the outer surface of the pipe string, thereby providing personnel access to a portion of the length of the pipe string below the elevated spider and above the rig floor. Personnel are provided with access to the pipe string for applying a fastener to secure the control line to the pipe string. The control line is supplied from above the spider and is positioned by a control line guide supported on the spider or retainer to pass through the spider outside the path of pipe gripping members within the spider.

Abstract: Radioisotope generators comprising inorganic layered hydroxide composition, such as magnesium aluminates and lithium aluminates. These inorganic layered hydroxides form anion exchange materials that exhibit surprisingly high selective affinities for certain radioisotopes. Inorganic layered hydroxides have been prepared and shown to have high affinity for tungstate anions, the anion form of tungsten-188, yet low affinity for perrhenate anions, the anion form of rhenium-188.

Abstract: A device for the transdermal delivery of a therapeutic agent to a biological subject that includes a first electrode comprising a first array of electrically conductive microprojections for providing electrical communication through a skin portion of the subject to a second electrode comprising a second array of electrically conductive microprojections. Additionally, a reservoir for holding the therapeutic agent surrounding the first electrode and a pulse generator for providing an exponential decay pulse between the first and second electrodes may be provided.

Abstract: The method for separating ferrate salts from a solution comprising providing contact between the solution of essentially of aqueous hydroxide and the ferrate salts and a surface having a magnetic attraction, magnetically securing the ferrate salts to the surface; and eliminating contact between the solution and the surface. Contact is provided by immersing the surface in the solution, passing the liquid ferrate mixture over the surface, or combinations thereof. The magnetic attraction may be induced by permanent magnets, electromagnets, and combinations thereof. The apparatus for ferrate production comprises an electrochemical cell having an iron-containing anode, cathode, and an aqueous hydroxide solution in fluid communication with both the anode and the cathode, and a magnetic separator in fluid communication with the aqueous hydroxide solution for separating ferrate salts from the aqueous hydroxide solution.

Abstract: A method for the anodic electrochemical synthesis of ammonia gas. The method comprises providing an electrolyte between an anode and a cathode, providing nitrogen and hydrogen gases to the cathode, oxidizing negatively charged nitrogen-containing species and negatively charged hydrogen-containing species present in the electrolyte at the anode to form adsorbed nitrogen species and adsorbed hydrogen species, respectively, and reacting the adsorbed nitrogen species with the adsorbed hydrogen species to form ammonia. Nitrogen and hydrogen gases may be provided through a porous cathode substrate. The negatively charged nitrogen-containing species in the electrolyte may be produced by reducing nitrogen gas at the cathode and/or by supplying a nitrogen-containing salt, such as lithium nitride, into the molten salt electrolyte.

Abstract: Composite coating compositions, composite metallic coatings derived from these compositions, and methods of forming the composite coating compositions and composite metallic coatings, wherein the compositions and coatings comprise particles of at least one quasicrystalline metal alloy and at least one elemental metal. The methods include electrocodepositing suspended quasicrystalline metal alloy particles and dissolved metal ions onto a substrate. Preferably, the substrate is disposed in an aqueous bath containing at least one dissolved metal ion species and at least one suspended quasicrystalline metal alloy powder species. The compositions and coatings enhance the wear, friction, hardness, corrosion, and non-stick characteristics of the substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a guide plate selectively securable in a position adjacent a first electronic connector, wherein the guide plate includes a linear slot. A mounting plate is positioned generally parallel to the guide plate, wherein the mounting plate comprises two or more mounting pins, and is vertically slidably secured to the guide plate by the pins extending through the linear slot. Between the guide plate and the mounting plate, a rotatable plate is pivotally coupled, wherein the rotatable plate includes one or more cam slots slidably receiving a mounting pin. An electronic circuit board is coupled to the mounting plate, the electronic circuit board having a second electronic connector selectively mateable with the first electronic connector. The rotatable plate is actuated so that the cam slots cause the mounting plate and circuit board to move vertically to insert and remove the second connector relative to the first connector.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for connecting servers within a rack-mounted server system. In one embodiment, a plurality of servers are positioned in respective bays of a rack. The bays generally constrain adjacent servers in a generally fixed spacing and in face-to-face alignment. A first server is moved within its bay relative to a second server until a connector on the first server is aligned with a mating connector on the second server. Alignment of the two mating connectors is detected by a position sensor, such as an LED-photodiode pair. A signal from the position sensor causes or at least allows the first and second connectors to be moved toward one another, either using a motor or a hand-actuated mechanism, to provide power and data communication between the servers. Once the connection is established, data is optionally transmitted via the optical sensor.

Abstract: A spray apparatus includes a housing having a fluid inlet and a plurality of fluid outlets, and a turbine carried for rotary movement within the housing under fluid flow from the fluid inlet to one or more of the fluid outlets. An integrating member is preferably operatively coupled to the turbine for oscillatory movement relative to the housing under rotary movement of the turbine, and a plurality of tubes are each disposed in one of the fluid outlets for dispensing fluid from the housing. At least a subset of the plurality of tubes are operatively-coupled to the integrating member for coordinated movement of the coupled tubes in the respective plurality of fluid outlets.