Abstract: The invention relates to a process for reducing boron levels in water comprising the steps of passing the water with boron through an inlet manifold, adding basic or alkaline additives, treating the water from the previous step with clays, removing the water from the previous step through an outlet manifold and washing the clays.

Abstract: A medical device is sterilized or sanitized by at least partially submerging it within liquid nitrogen and imparting ultrasonic energy to it.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the improved adhesion between a patterned conductive metal layer, usually a copper layer, and a patterned barrier dielectric layer. The structure with the improved adhesion comprises an adhesion layer between a patterned barrier dielectric layer and a patterned conductive metal layer. The adhesion layer improves adhesion between the metal layer and the barrier layer without increasing the copper bulk electrical resistance. The method of making the structure with the improved adhesion comprises steps of thermal expositing the patterned conductive metal layer to an organometallic precursor to deposit an adhesion layer at least on the top of the patterned conductive metal layer.

Abstract: The invention proposes utilizing the known geometry of the measurements in order to assign them to one another and to resolve ambiguities, wherein the 3D position of an object (3) in space is determined by a spatial section at the same time.

Abstract: An apparatus for rotary dumping of rail cars, including a material receiving pit. A rotary rail car dumper includes a rotational frame supporting at least one baffle. The rotational frame is configured to dump a load from a rail car during rotational motion of the rotational frame between an upright position wherein the entire load is in the rail car and a dumping position wherein the load can exit the rail car. A backside airflow diverter is located beneath the rotational frame and includes a curved upper surface. A lower margin of the at least one baffle contacts the curved upper surface during at least part of the rotational motion of the rotational frame. A backside hood is located beneath the backside airflow diverter on the back side of the pit.

Abstract: An apparatus for rotary dumping of rail cars, including a backside airflow diverter, a backside hood for removing contaminated air from the back side of the pit and at least two baffles on a rotational frame, the baffles each presenting a leading edge that contacts the backside airflow diverter during at least a portion of rotational motion. At least one air intake is positioned to pass through the upper surface of the backside diverter into the backside hood at a location where pressure in the backside hood is maintained at a substantially neutral or negative level even when pressure in the material receiving pit is increased by a down rush of air caused by the exit of the load from the railcar.

Abstract: An apparatus for cooling an enclosure provided. The enclosure has at least one opening for receiving cool air and discharging heated air. The apparatus includes a vortex tube with a first end for discharging warm air and a second end for discharging cool air. The apparatus further includes an inlet between the ends of the vortex tube for directing compressed air tangentially into the interior of the vortex tube. A first housing covers the first end of the vortex tube and creates a space through which warm air is channelled to the exterior. The vortex tube is connected by an attachment to the opening of the enclosure so that the vortex tube can discharge cool air into the interior of the enclosure. The apparatus further includes an air outlet conduit at an end of the attachment to facilitate discharge of heated air for the enclosure.

Abstract: A method for forming metal-containing films by atomic layer deposition using precursors of the formula: M(OR1)(OR2)(R3C(O)C(R4)C(O)XR5y)2 wherein M is Group 4 metals; wherein R1 and R2 can be same or different selected from the group consisting of a linear or branched C1-10 alkyl and a C6-12 aryl; R3 can be selected from the group consisting of linear or branched C1-10 alkyls, preferably C1-3 alkyls and a C6-12 aryl; R4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-10 alkyls, and a C6-12 aryl, preferably hydrogen; R5 is selected from the group consisting of C1-10 linear or branched alkyls, and a C6-12 aryl, preferably a methyl or ethyl group; X?O or N wherein when X?O, y=1 and R1, 2 and 5 are the same, when X?N, y=2 and each R5 can be the same or different.

Abstract: A method of removing trace levels of arsenic-containing impurities from raw triethylphosphate (TEPO) is disclosed. The method uses adsorption, or adsorption followed by a flash distillation. The method comprises contacting raw triethylphosphate (TEPO) with an adsorbent which selectively adsorbs the arsenic-containing impurities in the raw triethylphosphate (TEPO). The adsorbent is a base promoted alumina containing adsorbent represented by a formula: ZxWy; where x is the weight percentage of Z in the adsorbent ranging from 30% to 99.999%; y is the weight percentage of W in the adsorbent, and x+y=100%; Z is selected from the group consisting of alumina (Al2O3), magnesium-alumina based layered double hydroxide (MgO—Al2O3), alumina-zeolite, and mixtures thereof; and W is selected from the group consisting of at least one basic metal oxide, at least one basic metal carbonate, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A method to maximize the coupling efficiency between a collimated, free-space optical signal and a fiber optic waveguide using an active optical element to steer and focus the collimated beam driven by an adaptive controller that periodically auto-calibrates the active optical element's parameters to maximize the measured power received by the waveguide using a gradient ascent optimization algorithm.

Abstract: A method for preparing an amine borane from an alkali metal borohydride and an amine salt. The alkali metal borohydride is allowed to react with 0.95 to 1.05 equivalents of the amine salt in a solvent which contains water and an amine.

Abstract: Complex metal oxide-containing pellets and their use for producing hydrogen. The complex metal oxide-containing pellets are suitable for use in a fixed bed reactor due to sufficient crush strength. The complex metal oxide-containing pellets comprise one or more complex metal oxides and at least one of in-situ formed calcium titanate and calcium aluminate. calcium titanate and calcium aluminate are formed by reaction of suitable precursors in a mixture with one or more complex metal carbonates. The complex metal oxide-containing pellets optionally comprise at least one precious metal.

Abstract: A method for rapid processing of large sets of hyperspectral data. A hyperspectral image, with hundreds of thousands to millions of pixels measured at hundreds of wavelengths, can contain over a gigabyte of data. Even modern computers can be quite slow when performing involved calculations on data sets of this size. An algorithm requiring a minimal amount of floating point calculations that still yielded useful results is disclosed.

Abstract: A UV module of this invention has connection block (optional), connection end cap, shutter, and exhaust end cap assemblies. The connection block has doweled or tapered bayonets for facilitated installation and removal of the UV module. The connection end cap has a drive train with sleeve bearings and/or torque limiting clutches. Each of the sleeve bearing cooperates with a poppet valve in the connection block assembly to assure fluid-tight integrity during assembly and disassembly. Each of the clutches allows for facilitated shutter synchronization and helps prevent drive train breakdown. The shutter assembly may include a novel coolant flow path cross over and/or improved positive and negative positive and negative retainers to eliminate or greatly reduce shutter binding. The shutter end caps may include coolant flow paths and mate with the shutters to achieve a fluid-tight integrity.

Abstract: Disclosed are titanium-containing precursors and methods of synthesizing the same. The compounds may be used to deposit titanium, titanium oxide, strontium-titanium oxide, and barium strontium titanate containing layers using vapor deposition methods such as chemical vapor deposition or atomic layer deposition.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a family of Group 4 metal precursors represented by the formula: M(OR1)2(R2C(O)C(R3)C(O)OR1)2 wherein M is a Group 4 metals of Ti, Zr, or Hf; wherein R1 is selected from the group consisting of a linear or branched C1-10 alkyl and a C6-12 aryl, preferably methyl, ethyl or n-propyl; R2 is selected from the group consisting of branched C3-10 alkyls, preferably iso-propyl, tert-butyl, sec-butyl, iso-butyl, or tert-amyl and a C6-12 aryl; R3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-10 alkyls, and a C6-12 aryl, preferably hydrogen. In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the precursor is a liquid or a solid with a melting point below 60° C.

Abstract: Provided is a process and apparatus for separating a multi-component feed stream wherein a porous separator is used to effectively create, via permeation and phase change, at least three fractions of differing compositions.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for managing certain aspects of a large industrial operation (such as a pipeline). A commodity materials invoice system may allow a user to model a commodity invoice as a template and subsequently use that template to model commodity usage for different periods of time. Costs for a given billing period may be estimated based on actual commodity consumption. For example, data from a SCADA system monitoring different aspects of a pipeline may be used to estimate invoice costs for retail commodity consumption. The commodity materials invoice system may be configured to present both estimated and actualized invoice data side-by-side, allowing users to make a direct comparison of the estimated and actualized invoice data.

Abstract: A packaging apparatus wherein each product is packaged by enveloping the product in flexible packaging material. A programmed microprocessor calculates the length of flexible packaging material needed to package the product based on the physical dimensions of the product, calculates the weight of the flexible packaging material needed, and calculates a total package weight as the sum of the weight of the product and the calculated weight of the flexible packaging material. A printer prints information specific to the product that is being packaged onto a label that is then affixed to the flexible packaging material prior to the product being packaged. The information can be a function of the package weight, and the calculated total package weight can be communicated from the microprocessor to the printer. Finally, the product is packaged in the flexible packaging material having the label already affixed thereto.