Abstract: A pyrolysis plant 20 comprises a grinding pyrolyzer 22, being a machine or apparatus in which both particle size reduction and pyrolysis occur simultaneously. Plant 20 also comprises a bin (hopper) 30 for holding wet particulate biomass feedstock. Chute 32 leads from the bin 30 to a biomass dryer 34 which reduces moisture content of the feedstock as low as possible, e.g., to below about 10. Dried feedstock is conveyed from dryer 34 via line 36 to a dried biomass feedstock hopper 38. Dried feedstock is fed from hopper 38 into a chute 40 which leads to an inlet trunnion 42 of grinding pyrolyzer 22. A discharge trunnion 44 of grinding pyrolyzer 22 leads to a char holder 60 for collecting char particles and a condensation train 62 for condensing vapor generated by the pyrolysis to produce oil.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an apparatus for characterizing mechanical properties of a sample. The apparatus comprises a structure for supporting the sample and applying a first pressure in a first direction to the sample and an actuator for modulating the first pressure. The apparatus also comprises a pressure applicator containing a liquid and arranged to apply a second pressure to the sample in a second direction that is transversal to the first direction. Further, the apparatus comprises a pore pressure applicator arranged to apply a flow of a fluid through a porous sample such that a pore pressure is applied to the porous sample. In addition, the apparatus comprises a sensor for sensing a change in the sample in response to a change in a pressure experienced by the sample.

Abstract: A method for determining the density of cement slurry in undersea drilling is disclosed. The method uses the reflection of acoustic waves from the slurry in order to determine its acoustic impedance and thus its density.

Abstract: A method of hydrotreatment is provided. The method includes providing a material that is suitable for undergoing hydrotreatment; mixing the material with a hydrogenation agent to form a feed stream; and heating the feed stream to break chemical bonds of the material in the presence of a catalyst. The feed stream is heated to at least a temperature at which the catalyst can provide activated hydrogen to react with the broken bonds within the material so as to minimize coke formed from the material. A system for conducting the method is also provided.

Abstract: A method of sorting particulate matter comprises creating an unconstrained monolayer feed stream of particulate matter moving with an initial first trajectory in a gaseous medium, and subjecting the monolayer feed stream while in the gaseous medium to a magnetic field of sufficient strength to influence the trajectory of at least some particles in the feed stream to cause a spread of particle trajectories from the first trajectory. The particles are subsequently sorted and/or collected on the basis of their trajectories.

Abstract: The present invention disclosure provides a method of analysing data. In a first step a plurality of data records is provided, each data record having a plurality of data elements and having a property. At least some data elements of each data record are selected. In a next step, the selected data elements are grouped in a plurality of groups such that each group has data elements that are a part of one of the data records and such that for a group that has data elements of more than one data record, each data element or property is similar or identical to at least one of the data elements or properties, respectively, of each other data record of that group. A group of interest and a reference group are determined from the plurality of groups. The group of interest has at least one data element of interest and the reference group has data elements or properties that are similar or identical with data elements or properties, respectively, of the group of interest.

Abstract: The present disclosure concerns methods and/or systems for processing, detecting and/or notifying for the presence of anomalies or infrequent events from data. Some of the disclose methods and/or systems may be used on large-scale data sets. Certain applications are directed to analyzing sensor surveillance records to identify aberrant behavior. The sensor data may be from a number of sensor types including video and/or audio. Certain applications are directed to methods and/or systems that use compressive sensing. Certain applications may be performed in substantially real time.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an apparatus for characterising mechanical properties of a sample. The apparatus comprises a structure for supporting the sample and applying a first pressure in a first direction to the sample and an actuator for modulating the first pressure. The apparatus also comprises a pressure applicator containing a liquid and arranged to apply a second pressure to the sample in a second direction that is transversal to the first direction. Further, the apparatus comprises a pore pressure applicator arranged to apply a flow of a fluid through a porous sample such that a pore pressure is applied to the porous sample. In addition, the apparatus comprises a sensor for sensing a change in the sample in response to a change in a pressure experienced by the sample.

Abstract: This invention concerns the testing of surveillance camera installations. In particular, the invention involves an automatic testing system for surveillance camera installations, and a method for testing. The invention involves receiving test or “probe” images from at least one camera in the installations. Storing a reference image from at least the one camera. Comparison of the probe image with a reference image from the same camera, and production of an output when maintenance is required for that camera. The comparison involves the steps of: Extracting salient features from both the probe and reference images. Calculating matching factors between the salient features extracted from both images. And, computing a decision about whether maintenance is required from the matching factors.

Abstract: A method of sorting particulate matter comprises creating an unconstrained monolayer feed stream of particulate matter moving with an initial first trajectory in a gaseous medium, and subjecting the monolayer feed stream while in the gaseous medium to a magnetic field of sufficient strength to influence the trajectory of at least some particles in the feed stream to cause a spread of particle trajectories from the first trajectory.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to chemical agents useful in the prophylaxis and/or treatment of disease conditions and in particular chronic disease conditions such as inflammatory including allergic diseases, metastatic cancers and infection by pathogenic agents including bacteria, viruses or parasites. More particularly, the chemical agents contemplated by the present invention are selected from glycosaminoglycan (GAG) molecules derived from a larger GAG, GAG-like molecules which resemble GAGs in some of their characteristics but may be derived from a larger non-GAG polysaccharide and molecules having a GAG-like composite structure as well as agents which bind to the same sites as GAGs, GAG-like molecules or GAG-like composite molecules. The present invention also provides assays to identify GAG and GAG-like therapeutic agents including GAG-like composite structures as well as analogs, homologs and orthologs thereof.

Abstract: A sensing device for the determination of ions in a thin layer sample (32) comprising: a first (12) and second (14) ion selective electrode, each having a first (16) and second layer (20); the first layer (16) of the first ion selective electrode (12) being a polymeric membrane layer in electrical contact with the second layer (20) of the first ion selective electrode (12), and the first layer (18) of the second ion selective electrode (14) being a polymeric membrane layer in electrical contact with the second layer (20) of the second ion selective electrode (14); the first and second ion selective electrodes being positioned in opposing arrangement such that, the respective polymeric membrane layers are in direct contact with a thin layer sample (32) containing ions, located between the first and second electrodes; and a detector (28) in electrical connection with the first (12) and second (14) ion selective electrodes.

Abstract: The present disclosure concerns methods and/or systems for processing, detecting and/or notifying for the presence of anomalies or infrequent events from data. Some of the disclose methods and/or systems may be used on large-scale data sets. Certain applications are directed to analyzing sensor surveillance records to identify aberrant behavior. The sensor data may be from a number of sensor types including video and/or audio. Certain applications are directed to methods and/or systems that use compressive sensing. Certain applications may be performed in substantially real time.

Abstract: A power conversion system includes a first converter having a DC side and an AC side and a second converter having a DC side and an AC side. The DC sides of the converters are connected in series with a battery connected in parallel across the DC side of the first converter. The AC sides of the converters are connected in parallel across an AC voltage grid. A DC generating power source is coupled across the DC sides of both converters. The first converter is bi-directional with the second converter being either an inverter providing DC to AC conversion or alternately a bi-directional inverter.

Abstract: The present invention allows routers in a digital communications network, such as the Internet, to be given the time awareness that is necessary for timely transfer of real time signals in the form of digital data packets. Timing information generated at the source of the signal is included in the packets in the form of first and second time stamps, which are used by network routers to establish dispatch deadlines by which the packets must be forwarded to ensure time-faithful reconstruction of the real time signal at the destination. The same timing information can be used at the destination to synchronize the clock for presentation of the real time signal to the source clock. The first and second time stamps (a differential time and a dispatch time) are derived by a transmitter unit (100) from a counter (118) that counts pulses from an oscillator (116) that most advantageously is locked to an integer multiple or a fraction of a universally available time measure.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for examining a body by transmitting the N continuous orthogonal signals, generated in accordance with the disclosed method, into the body and providing receivers for receiving and recording the N signals including reflections of the N continuous signals from one or more reflectors within the body. The travel-time to the reflectors for each of the N signals at each of the receivers is determined by cross correlating each of the N signals with each of the recorded signals at the receivers.

Abstract: A process for producing alumina from bauxite is described in which bauxite is treated with an alkali to form a mixture comprising a solution of aluminum-containing ions and alumina trihydrate is precipitated from the solution. The process comprises treatment of the solution before or after the precipitation step with a layered double hydroxide in order to remove impurities from the solution by intercalation into the layers in the double hydroxide. The double hydroxide may contain layers of the formula: [LiAl2(OH)6]+.

Abstract: A digital frequency detector (10) and method for digitally detecting arbitrarily small phase changes between a signal waveform and a reference waveform. Both the reference waveform and the signal waveform are sampled at a rate related to the clock frequency fc, and separately fed into two arrays of simple frequency detectors (12, 14). Each simple frequency detector in each array has a different starting phase with respect to the reference waveform and the signal waveform respectively. Phase slips between the reference waveform and the sampling frequency and phase slips between the signal waveform and the sampling frequency are measured by the detector arrays (12, 14). These phase slips, called “slip events”, are combined in circuit (16) which produces an output indicative of phase slips between the reference waveform and the signal waveform. Using this phase slip information, the instantaneous frequency difference between the signal and reference waveforms can be determined.

Abstract: A method of controlling the flow of traffic in synchronous transfer mode (ATM) network (10), which brings into possible existence a class (class II) of ATM cells. The ATM network (10) comprises one or more ATM switches (14) coupled by links (20) providing communication channels between the ATM switches (14). The method subjects the class II cells received at an input port of a particular ATM switch (14) to control, originating within the switching element of that ATM switch. The method allows only up to a fixed number of class II cells from a particular input port to be in the switch awaiting onward transfer. Although the control is on class, it nonetheless tends to produce fairness in service among different connections.

Abstract: A communication network for an area such as an underground mine. A plurality of cascaded base stations (13) are serially interconnected in a ring structure (11) to form a network backbone. One of the base stations (13) at one end of the network backbone forms a network controller (15) for controlling the network. A plurality of portables (17) are adapted for communication with any of the base stations via a common air interface. A backbone network protocol (19) is provided for communicating between the network controller (15) and all of the base stations (13) and between the base stations (13) along the network backbone themselves. A common air interface protocol (21) is provided for communicating between a portable (17) and a base station (13). The other base stations (13) function as slaves relative to the network controller (15).