Abstract: An antenna array for reception of radio waves includes a first leg aligned in a first direction, a second leg aligned in a second direction, a third leg, and a communication module. The elements of the first linear subarray are spaced by a first distance. The elements of the second linear subarray are spaced by a second distance. The first distance is not equal to the second distance. The second direction is orthogonal to the first direction. The third linear subarray is aligned in a third direction that is collinear to the first direction or at an angle of 45 degrees between the first direction and the second direction. The communication module receives the radio waves from the first leg, the second leg and the third leg and determines a two dimensional direction of the source of the radio waves.

Abstract: A device and method for managing power transmission to a power grid from a Hybrid Grid Connected System (HGCS) is presented. The HGCS includes a plurality of energy resources, including of solar photovoltaic cells (PV), wind power generation, a battery energy storage system (BESS) and a fuel cell system paired with an electrolyzer. Energy sources are connected by a DC-link to a power electronic converter which supplies power to the power grid. A controller is configured to calculate the total power, maximize transmission of power to the power grid from the primary sources, supply the net power to the power grid from the fuel cell system and use the power generated by the PV system and the wind power system for charging the BESS and powering the electrolyzer system based on the relative state of charge of the BESS and the voltage of the DC-link.

Abstract: A method for temperature control for magnetic fluid hyperthermia includes delivering therapeutic nanoparticles to a tumor site in a patient, exciting the therapeutic nanoparticles with a magnetic field, and regulating the temperature of the tumor with a controller. The controller is configured to constantly measure the temperature of the tumor site and increase or decrease the strength of the magnetic field to maintain the temperature of the tumor site within a therapeutic temperature range for a therapeutic time period. Further, the controller utilizes a sliding mode nonlinear control technique to regulate temperature. The sliding mode nonlinear control technique is derived from a state space representation of a system.

Abstract: A method of measuring chemical oxygen demand (COD) in seawater including dialyzing the seawater including chloride ions and at least one organic compound with an electrodialysis unit to form a processed seawater having at least 25% less chloride ions than the seawater; mixing the processed seawater with an oxidizing agent to oxidize the at least one organic compound and heating to 100-200° C. for 1-5 hours to form a digested solution. The method further includes cooling the digested solution and adding an indicator to form a titration solution, and further performing a colorimetric titration on the titration solution with a reducing agent so as to reduce any excess of the oxidizing agent and reach an equivalence point based on the indicator. The COD in the seawater is calculated based on an amount of reducing agent used in the colorimetric titration.

Abstract: A membrane-based inverted liquid-liquid extraction method for extracting an analyte from an unsupported aqueous liquid sample includes sealing the unsupported aqueous liquid sample in a porous membrane bag, immersing the porous membrane bag in an organic solvent, and extracting the analyte from the unsupported aqueous liquid sample to produce an extract within the organic solvent. The unsupported aqueous liquid sample is immiscible with the organic solvent. The porous membrane bag does not contain a solid sorbent.

Abstract: A dual port, slot-based multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) antenna is described. The antenna includes a dielectric circuit board, a metallic layer, four tapered feed horns and adjustable voltage sources. A first pentagonal loop slot line and a second pentagonal loop slot line are etched into the metallic layer. The tapered feed horns are located on an opposite side of the dielectric circuit board and are connected to input signal sources. Adjustable voltage sources are connected to varactor diodes of the first and seconds pentagonal loop slot line. The antenna resonates with circular polarization at resonant frequency in an ultra-high frequency sub-GHz range of about 578 MHz to about 929 MHz when an input signal is applied to each feedline. A dual port, slot-based single element antenna is also described.

Abstract: A walker for an animal that includes five expandable shaft members, each of the five expandable shaft members include an inner solid shaft and an outer hollow slider. The five expandable shaft members includes two horizontally configured shaft members and three vertically configured shaft members. A solid support shaft is coupled to the two horizontally configured shaft members. The two horizontally configured shaft members and the solid support shaft form a body frame. Further, the walker includes body support members for the animal to rest thereon, at least one rear wheel coupled to a motor, and two front wheels. The three vertically configured shaft members are coupled to the at least one rear wheel and the two front wheels, respectively.

Abstract: A method for removing hydrogen sulfide (H2S) from a H2S-containing gas composition, including charging an aqueous media to a reactor under continuous agitation, dispersing particles of a composite in the aqueous media to form a composite mixture, continuously agitating the composite mixture, introducing the H2S-containing gas composition to the reactor containing the composite mixture under continuous agitation and passing the H2S-containing gas composition through the composite mixture, and adsorbing and removing H2S from the gas composition by the composite mixture to form a purified gas composition. The composite contains a XMgAl mixed hydroxide, where X is Zn, Co, Mn, or Cu, and a zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8). Particles of the XMgAl mixed hydroxide are dispersed within pores of the ZIF-8.

Abstract: A method for consolidating a subterranean geologic formation is provided. The method includes injecting a first composition, a second composition, and a third composition into the subterranean geologic formation. The first composition includes CaO, the second composition includes MgO, and the third composition includes NH4HF2. The method includes injecting at least one thermochemical fluid into the subterranean geologic formation to raise a temperature of the subterranean geologic formation to at least 120° C. The method includes reacting the third composition respectively with the first composition and the second composition to form CaF2 and MgF2 in the subterranean geologic formation. The method includes precipitating the CaF2 and the MgF2 on sand grains of the subterranean geologic formation to bind the sand grains together into a consolidated matrix in the subterranean geologic formation.

Abstract: A method for consolidating a subterranean geologic formation is provided. The method includes injecting a first composition, a second composition, and a third composition into the subterranean geologic formation. The first composition includes CaO, the second composition includes MgO, and the third composition includes NH4HF2. The method includes injecting at least one thermochemical fluid into the subterranean geologic formation to raise a temperature of the subterranean geologic formation to at least 120° C. The method includes reacting the third composition respectively with the first composition and the second composition to form CaF2 and MgF2 in the subterranean geologic formation. The method includes precipitating the CaF2 and the MgF2 on sand grains of the subterranean geologic formation to bind the sand grains together into a consolidated matrix in the subterranean geologic formation.

Abstract: A method of producing a cooled dry gas is provided. The method includes exposing an input gas to an aqueous saline solution having a temperature of 20 to 80° C. to produce a first intermediate gas. In addition, the method further includes exposing the first intermediate gas to freshwater having a temperature of greater than ?5° C. to less than 20° C. to produce a second intermediate gas. The method also includes cooling the second intermediate gas to a temperature of ?40 to ?5° C. to produce a cooled gas. The method further includes exposing the cooled gas to a chemical adsorbent to produce a saturated adsorbent and the cooled dry gas.

Abstract: A method for consolidating a subterranean geologic formation is provided. The method includes injecting a first composition, a second composition, and a third composition into the subterranean geologic formation. The first composition includes CaO, the second composition includes MgO, and the third composition includes NH4HF2. The method includes injecting at least one thermochemical fluid into the subterranean geologic formation to raise a temperature of the subterranean geologic formation to at least 120° C. The method includes reacting the third composition respectively with the first composition and the second composition to form CaF2 and MgF2 in the subterranean geologic formation. The method includes precipitating the CaF2 and the MgF2 on sand grains of the subterranean geologic formation to bind the sand grains together into a consolidated matrix in the subterranean geologic formation.

Abstract: A thermochemical engine that includes a reaction chamber having a nitrite source inlet, an ammonium source inlet, and a gas outlet, and a gas-driven energy transducer coupled to the reaction chamber such that a gas produced in the reaction chamber moves the gas-driven energy transducer in a process of exiting the reaction chamber via the gas outlet. The thermochemical engine is configured to produce the gas under pressure by reacting in the reaction chamber a nitrite source comprising a nitrite ion and an ammonium source comprising an ammonium ion in the presence of water at a reaction temperature of 50 to 150° C.

Abstract: A field-programmable gate array (FPGA) routing tool within a computer-aided design system. The tool includes an input device for receiving a netlist containing nets with source nodes, sink nodes, and intermediate nodes at fixed positions. The tool further includes a processing circuitry configured with a design router responsible for constructing non-overlapping routing trees for all nets, ensuring connections from source nodes to sink nodes without exceeding fixed routing resource capacity of the FPGA. The design router utilizes incremental routing, which applies deterministic parallel routing to a window of initial iterations with high routing workload and sequential routing to subsequent iterations. Additionally, a display device is provided to continuously exhibit interconnections and routing utilization during the determination of routing trees.

Abstract: A radio frequency to direct current (RF-DC) converter for harvesting radio frequency energy includes an antenna circuit, and a plurality of cross-coupled differential-drive (CCDD) rectifier stage. The antenna circuit receives RF signals and outputs a positive signal at a positive RF terminal and outputs a negative signal output at a negative RF terminal. Each CCDD rectifier stage includes a first NMOS transistor, a first PMOS transistor, a second NMOS transistor and a second PMOS transistor. Each CCDD rectifier stage further includes two flying capacitors and two body capacitors. An input terminal is connected to a connection point between a source terminal of the first NMOS transistor and a source terminal of the second NMOS transistor. An output terminal is connected to a connection point between a source terminal of the first PMOS transistor and a source terminal of the second PMOS transistor.

Abstract: A surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate includes a silicon substrate having a surface having a plurality of silicon nanostructures (Si-NSs). The silicon nanostructures have a plurality of microscale valleys, and a plurality of terraces in the microscale valleys. The SERS substrate also includes a plurality of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) disposed on the terraces of the silicon nanostructures. A method of preparing the SERS substrate, and a method for measuring SERS signal of an analyte.

Abstract: A method of removing hydrogen sulfide from a subterranean geological formation includes mixing a cobalt-imidazolate material with an organic liquid containing one or more unsaturated oil to form a drilling fluid suspension with a pH of 10 or more. The cobalt-imidazolate material is a ZIF-67 and is present in an amount of 0.1 to 2.5 percent by weight of the drilling fluid suspension. The method further includes injecting the drilling fluid suspension in the subterranean geological formation and circulating the drilling fluid suspension in the subterranean geological formation and forming an oil-based mud to scavenge hydrogen sulfide from the subterranean geological formation.

Abstract: A hybrid photovoltaic thermal (PVT) system including flexible integration of spectral splitting optical filtration and thermal management utilities is described. An optical filtration (OF) channel is provided above a PV panel of the hybrid PVT system, wherein an OF fluid in the OF channel transmits a first light that is within a predefined spectral range and absorbs a second light that is outside the predefined spectral range. A cooling fluid (CF) channel is provided below the PV panel, wherein the CF channel contains a cooling fluid. A phase change material (PCM) layer is provided between the PV panel and the CF channel, wherein at least one of the OF fluid in the OF channel, the cooling fluid in the CF channel, or the PCM layer contains nanoparticles.

Abstract: A hematite-based fly ash composition includes a curable component including a fly ash binder material (FFA) and a hematite weighting agent present in an amount of 20 to 80% by weight of the fly ash binder material (BWOB). The composition further includes superplasticizers (SPs) in an amount of 5 to 10% BWOB; retarders in an amount of 5 to 10% BWOB; a defoamer in an amount of 0.01 to 0.02% BWOB; and an aqueous alkaline solution in an amount of 50 to 60% BWOB. The hematite-based fly ash composition has a thickening time of from 80 to 580 minutes at 195° F. and a plastic viscosity of 150 to 350 cP.

Abstract: A system for speed regulation of an induction motor including an induction motor configured to be driven by a 3-phase alternating voltage (AC) signal. The system further includes an encoder configured to measure a shaft speed of the induction motor. Further, the system includes a variable frequency drive (VFD) device configured to generate the 3-phase AC signal to drive the induction motor. The system also includes a controller configured to generate a control voltage signal based on the measured shaft speed of the induction motor and a reference speed, the control voltage signal being input to the VFD device to control a frequency of the 3-phase AC signal.