Abstract: A method of acidizing a geological formation is provided. A method of determining an effectiveness of the acidizing with NMR spectroscopy is also provided. Various embodiments of the method of acidizing and the method of determining the effectiveness of the acidizing are specified.

Abstract: A sparse DOA estimation is based on a multi-level prime arrays (MLPAs) as a general structure for coprime arrays. The array uses multiple uniform subarrays “or levels” where the number of antenna elements of the subarrays are pairwise coprime integers. The subarrays overlap only at their first antenna element by adjusting the inter-element spacing. By selecting the number of antennas of the subarrays and controlling the inter-element spacing, various MLPAs of different features can be constructed. The configuration that realizes the maximum number of unique lags is recommended because the DOF is upper bounded by the number of lags.

Abstract: A two or particularly three-phase process, and corresponding apparatus, desulfurizes sour hydrocarbon gas, e.g., natural gas, generally better than known, using a fixed-bed, two-phase processes in terms of the amount of H2S scavenged and the breakthrough time of H2S. The three-phase process is effective in scavenging H2S at ambient temperature and pressure, using a copper salt catalyst impregnated on alumina or other generally inert support, which is regenerable.

Abstract: A hybrid membrane, particularly of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/graphene oxide (GO)/SiO2, separates oil and water even from emulsions. The membrane can be made by one-step electrospinning, adding GO and SiO2 nanofillers in PAN in various concentrations. The nanofillers may be uniformly embedded in the nanofibrous structure of the electrospun hybrid membrane, with GO mainly embedded inside the PAN nanofibers and may cause knots, and/or SiO2 nanoparticles embedded on the nanofiber surface and may form micro-nano fiber surface protrusions. Hierarchical structures formed can have enhanced hydrophilicity due to oxygen-containing groups on both SiO2 and GO, and have >99% oil rejection from oil-water emulsions. Separation flux and phase rejection of gravity separation may be enhanced by incorporation of nanofillers, which may also enhance membrane mechanical properties. Separated water flux may be enhanced from 2600 (pure PAN) to 3151 Lm?2h?1 for the hybrid.

Abstract: A method of acidizing a geological formation is provided. A method of determining an effectiveness of the acidizing with NMR spectroscopy is also provided. Various embodiments of the method of acidizing and the method of determining the effectiveness of the acidizing are specified.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for machine translation between Arabic language and Arabic Sign Language are described.

Abstract: Oxidative dehydrogenation catalysts comprising bismuth and nickel oxides impregnated on mesoporous silica supports such as SBA-15 and mesoporous silica foam. Methods of preparing and characterizing the catalysts as well as processes for oxidatively dehydrogenating n-butane to butadiene using the catalysts are also described. The disclosed catalysts demonstrate higher n-butane conversion and butadiene selectivity than catalysts supported by conventional silica.

Abstract: Detection and correction of technical and non-technical errors in smart grid power distribution are described. A system, method and non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored therein that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform a method for detecting and correcting technical and non-technical power losses in a smart grid that feature the following functions: remotely characterizing and updating the cables impedances, detecting and classifying the types of losses, estimating the technical and non-technical power losses when a check or smart meter is in error, estimating losses due to tapping a power cable by a registered or an unregistered user, and estimating losses due to a cyber attack. Technical errors corrected are impedance and reactance losses in the power distribution. Non-technical errors identified and corrected are no error, check meter in error, smart meter in error, tapping service cables, or cyber attacks.

Abstract: A zinc-based metal organic framework and method of making is described. The zinc-based metal organic framework is in the form of an interpenetrating diamondoid framework where each Zn2+ ion center is linked with four other Zn2+ ion centers in a distorted tetrahedral geometry. The linking occurs through diamine and dicarboxylic acid linkers. The zinc-based metal organic framework may be deposited on a transparent conducting film and used as a photoelectrode for photoelectrochemical water splitting.

Abstract: A photovoltaic (PV) cell health monitoring apparatus includes a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag mounted to the PV cell and having identifying information of the PV cell, and a sensor in communication with the RFID tag for measuring health information of the PV cell. The RFID tag stores the measured health information together with time and locality information of the PV cell and responds to an interrogation signal by transmitting the stored information together with the identifying information. A dust sensor in the form of a comb-like electrode array measures electrical capacitance as an indication of an amount of dust on an exposed surface of the PV cell. An RFID tag antenna arranged as a meander-line patch antenna covered with polyethylene has a dual function as a temperature sensor.

Abstract: A method for producing a fluoride functionalized zeolite catalyst is described, having a F/Si molar ratio of 0.1:1-3:1. The method involves mixing a fluoride salt with zeolite components to form a gel, which is then hydrothermally treated and calcined. The fluoride functionalized zeolite catalyst may be used for cracking an olefin stream into ethylene, propylene, and butylene, with high selectivity towards propylene. The fluoride functionalized zeolite catalyst may be used for 50 or more hours with a stable conversion rate and low coke formation.

Abstract: A biocompatible polymer hybrid nanocomposite coating on a surface of a substrate, such as titanium and its alloys. The coating can be achieved by an electrostatic spray coating, preferably using ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) as a matrix for the coating. For example, up to 2.95 wt. % carbon nanotubes can be used as reinforcement, as can up to 4.95 wt. % hydroxyapatite. A dispersion of CNTs and HA in the coating is substantially uniform. The tribological performance of such coatings include high hardness, improved scratch resistance, excellent wear resistance, and corrosion resistance compared to pure UHMWPE coatings.

Abstract: A reinforcement learning method and apparatus includes storing video frames in a video memory, performing a first preprocessing step of retrieving a sequence of n image frames of the stored video frames, and merging the n image frames in a fading-in fashion by incrementally increasing the intensity of each frame up to the most recent frame having full intensity to obtain a merged frame; and performing a training step of inputting the merged frame to the DQN and training the DQN to learn Q-values for all possible actions from a state represented by the merged frame with only a single forward pass through the network. The learning method and apparatus includes a second preprocessing step of removing the background from the merged frame. The method can be applied to any DQN learning method that uses a convolution neural network as its core value function approximator.

Abstract: A process for making microwave-irradiated nanocomposites comprising graphene nanoplatelets dispersed in a polymer matrix, showing improved structural and electrical properties, is provided. The nanocomposites may be made using a solution casting technique, and may have a bilayer structure comprising a graphene-enriched layer in contact with a polymer-enriched layer. The nanocomposite may be used as a shielding material on electrical devices to decrease electromagnetic interference.

Abstract: A membrane distillation module with a circulating line to circulate a portion of distilled water, which is formed and accumulated in a distillate zone, to enhance a permeate flux of water vapor through a hydrophobic membrane of the membrane distillation module. Various combinations of embodiments of the membrane distillation module are provided.

Abstract: A method of making a structural lightweight and thermal insulating concrete is described. The concrete has a coarse aggregate partly replaced by recycled plastic pieces. This enables the concrete to maintain a high compressive strength, low thermal conductivity, and low weight, while providing a use for waste plastic. The waste plastic pieces may comprise polyethylene in the form of flakes, fibers, or granules. Due to its low unit weight, adequate compressive strength and high thermal resistance the developed concrete can be used as a structural lightweight and thermal insulating concrete. The use of this concrete leads to economic and environmental benefits.

Abstract: A method of making a structural lightweight and thermal insulating concrete is described. The concrete has a coarse aggregate partly replaced by recycled plastic pieces. This enables the concrete to maintain a high compressive strength, low thermal conductivity, and low weight, while providing a use for waste plastic. The waste plastic pieces may comprise polyethylene in the form of flakes, fibers, or granules. Due to its low unit weight, adequate compressive strength and high thermal resistance the developed concrete can be used as a structural lightweight and thermal insulating concrete. The use of this concrete leads to economic and environmental benefits.

Abstract: A heat energy storage system may have a shape-stabilized composite prepared using an easy impregnation method involving a porous Ca2+-doped MgCO3 matrix and PEG as the functional phase. The heat storage capability, microstructures, and interactions with the PEG/CaMgCO3 composite can be characterized by DSC, SEM imaging, FT-IR spectroscopy, and TGA. Likely because of the synergistic phase change effect of CaMgCO3 and PEG, the PEG/CaMgCO3 composites can have high thermal enthalpies, and their enthalpy efficiencies are substantially higher than those of traditional shape stabilized PCMs. The functional material PEG can permeate porous CaMgCO3 matrices under capillary action. Liquid PEG can be stabilized within the porous matrix, and/or the CaMgCO3 matrix can improve the thermal stability of the PEG. The high heat energy storage properties and good thermal stability of such organic-inorganic composites offers utility in a range of applications, including thermal energy storage.

Abstract: A heat energy storage system may have a shape-stabilized composite prepared using an easy impregnation method involving a porous Ca2+-doped MgCO3 matrix and PEG as the functional phase. The heat storage capability, microstructures, and interactions with the PEG/CaMgCO3 composite can be characterized by DSC, SEM imaging, FT-IR spectroscopy, and TGA. Likely because of the synergistic phase change effect of CaMgCO3 and PEG, the PEG/CaMgCO3 composites can have high thermal enthalpies, and their enthalpy efficiencies are substantially higher than those of traditional shape stabilized PCMs. The functional material PEG can permeate porous CaMgCO3 matrices under capillary action. Liquid PEG can be stabilized within the porous matrix, and/or the CaMgCO3 matrix can improve the thermal stability of the PEG. The high heat energy storage properties and good thermal stability of such organic-inorganic composites offers utility in a range of applications, including thermal energy storage.

Abstract: A system, structure and method using radix-1000 (instead of radix-10) are implemented to represent and operate on decimal floating-point numbers. Instead of using a 10-bit declet to encode a DPD, the system, structure and method herein use a declet to encode a BCK (Binary Coded 1000 values), where the letter K is the abbreviation of the number 1000. A skewed representation of the fraction field is then used to avoid the loss of decimal digits in arithmetic operations when shifting and rounding the fraction are required.