Abstract: An antenna system and a method for fabricating an antenna system are disclosed. The antenna system includes a substrate having a top side and a bottom side, a single straight microstrip line on the top side of the substrate, a microstrip power divider (PD) on the top side of the substrate, and a ground plane on the bottom side. An input end of the single straight microstrip line is adjacent and vertical to a first edge of the substrate, and an output end of the single straight microstrip line is open. An input end of the microstrip PD is adjacent and vertical to a second edge of the substrate, and eight output ends of the microstrip PD are open. The first edge is parallel to the second edge. Further, three concentric square slots are etched on the ground plane.

Abstract: Capacitor balancing of a dual three-level (3L) T-type converter based on silicon carbide (SiC) discrete semiconductors was performed with the converter feeding an open-ends induction motor (OEIM). A model predictive control (MPC) using a two step cost function calculation was developed to balance the DC link capacitors and control the machine torque simultaneously. The number of redundant switching states used was reduced without affecting the operating voltage vectors, which substantially reduced the computational time. A simulation and experimental results are in good agreement.

Abstract: A method for determining space allocation and signal timing of an isolated signalized intersection consists of at least one remote server and a processing module that is communicably coupled with the at least one remote server. A plurality of traffic-related data, wherein the plurality of traffic-related data reflects activity at the isolated signalized intersection, is received through the processing module. A space determination process is performed on the plurality of traffic-related data through the processing module. Next, a timing determination process is performed on the plurality of traffic-related data through the processing module in order to minimize the average intersection delay at the isolated signalized intersection. Based upon the results from the space determination process and the timing determination process a cycle length is determined for the isolated signalized intersection.

Abstract: A method for making an electrocatalyst containing manganese oxide nanoparticles present on carbon obtained from Albizia procera (MnOxNPs-C) for electrochemical water oxidation. The method includes a thermal decomposition and forms a product with specific morphological variations, including crystalline structure, elemental composition, and chemical compatibility. The manganese oxide nanoparticles are well dispersed over the carbon. The amount of manganese oxide nanoparticles increases by increasing the amount of precursor. Single-phase formation of the Mn3O4, and Mn3O4 along with MnO phase occurs at low and high amount of the precursor materials, respectively. The electrocatalyst can be used for the purpose electrolytic water splitting.

Abstract: A low voltage single supply, ultra-low power sub hertz timer using a CMOS Schmitt trigger operating in sub-threshold region is presented. Sub-Hertz operation is achieved by controlling the amount of current for charging and discharging a capacitor at the control input of the Schmitt rather than by using large passive components. Pulse width modulation is achieved choosing the width per unit length parameters of transistors used in charging and discharging control blocks for the capacitor. The circuit uses a low supply voltage and can be designed for the higher voltages if required by specific applications. The circuit can produce sub-hertz oscillation with pulse width modulation. The capacitor has a small footprint compatible with integrated circuits. Power consumption is small with short ON times.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses are provided for permeability prediction. The method acquires data associated with one or more geological formations, calculates, using processing circuitry and a trained Hidden Markov model, log-likelihood values to group the data into a plurality of clusters, and trains an artificial neural network for each of the plurality of clusters when the mode of operation is training mode. Further, the method acquires one or more formation properties corresponding to a geological formation, determines using the trained Hidden Markov model, a log-likelihood score associated with the one or more formation properties, identifies a cluster associated with the one or more formation properties as a function of the log-likelihood score, and predicts a permeability based at least in part on the one or more formation properties and a trained artificial neural network associated with the identified cluster when the mode of operation is forecasting mode.

Abstract: A fiber optic ring laser, and non-transitory computer readable medium for using a fiber optic ring laser are disclosed. The disclosed fiber optic ring laser includes a semiconductor booster optical amplifier (BOA), as a gain medium; a Fiber Fabry Perot Tunable Filter (FFP-TF), as a wavelength selection element; an optical isolator (ISO) to insure unidirectional operation of the fiber optic ring laser; and a polarization controller (PC) for attaining an optimized polarization state in order to achieve a stable-generated output in terms of output power and wavelength, wherein the BOA, the FFP-TF, the ISO and the PC are coupled to form a ring configuration that implements a continuously tunable booster amplifier-based fiber ring laser.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to processes for aromatizing hydrocarbons includes contacting the hydrocarbons with a catalyst including at least two different metal modifiers dispersed on surfaces of a hydrogen-form medium-pore zeolite support. Each of the at least two different metal modifiers comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of IUPAC Groups 3-12, and lanthanide metals, and the catalyst is substantially free of gallium. Contacting the hydrocarbons with the catalyst causes a least a portion of the hydrocarbons to undergo a chemical reaction to form aromatic hydrocarbons.

Abstract: A method of making a nanostructured palladium thin film electrode is described. The method involves contacting a substrate with an aerosol comprising a solvent and a Pd(II) compound. The substrate is heated, and no hydrogen gas or an additional reducing agent is required to reduce the Pd(II) to form the deposited thin film. The nanostructured palladium thin film electrode is capable of detecting compounds such as hydrazine in an aqueous sample with a 10 nM limit of detection.

Abstract: Cementing compositions containing a hydraulic cement, halloysite nanoparticles, and silica flour. The cementing compositions may optionally include other additives such as a friction reducer, a defoamer, and a fluid loss additive. Cement samples made therefrom and methods of producing such cement samples are also specified. The addition of halloysite nanoparticles and silica flour provides enhanced mechanical strength (e.g. compressive strength, flexural strength) and improved durability (e.g. resistance to CO2 and salinity) to the cement, making them suitable cementing material for oil and gas wells.

Abstract: A robotic device and method for inspecting a pipeline to assess metal loss, the presence of defects and corrosion effects. The robotic device is an inline inspection tool that can establish a positional address in the pipeline using known positional benchmarks. The robotic device comprises flexible electronic caliper sensors measuring pipe diameter and an elastic foam body to prevent seizing within the pipeline. A removable PCB enables interchangeable operation with in-kind devices of different diameters and/or with the computers, extracting and plotting the data. The method of measurement may use data fusion between different instruments and measurement methodologies.

Abstract: New carbon nanomaterials, preferably titanium carbide-derived carbon (CDC) nanoparticles, were embedded into a polyamide film to give CDC/polyamide mixed matrix membranes by the interfacial polymerization reaction of an aliphatic diamine, e.g., piperazine, and an activated aromatic dicarboxylate, e.g., isophthaloyl chloride, supported on a sulfone-containing polymer, e.g., polysulfone (PSF), layer, which is preferably previously prepared by dry/wet phase inversion. The inventive membranes can separate CO2 (or other gases) from mixtures of CO2 and further gases, esp. CH4, based upon the generally selective nanocomposite layer(s) of CDC/polyamide.

Abstract: A mortar composition, which includes (i) a treated palm oil fuel ash, wherein the treated palm oil fuel ash is the only binder present, (ii) a fine aggregate, (iii) an alkali activator containing an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate, and (iv) aluminum hydroxide as a strength enhancer. A cured mortar made from the mortar composition is also disclosed with advantageous compressive strength properties.

Abstract: A method of measuring a concentration of NO2 in a gaseous mixture using a multimode laser beam that covers a tunable spectral range with a width of no more than 5 nm, wherein the multimode laser beam provides a high resolution transmittance spectrum at an absorption cross section of NO2 molecules, and a system for measuring the concentration of NO2 in the gaseous mixture. Various combinations of embodiments of the system and the method are provided.

Abstract: A membrane distillation apparatus includes a housing and an impeller. The housing includes a hot medium compartment, a cold medium compartment, an air gap compartment, a membrane, and a thermally conductive plate. The hot medium compartment includes a hot medium inlet configured to receive a hot medium stream including water. The cold medium compartment includes a cold medium inlet configured to receive a cold medium stream. The membrane defines pores that are sized to allow water vapor originating from the hot medium stream to pass from the hot medium compartment through the membrane to the air gap compartment. The thermally conductive plate and the cold medium stream are cooperatively configured to condense the water vapor from the hot medium stream. The air gap compartment is substantially filled with air and includes a permeate outlet configured to discharge the condensed water vapor. The impeller is disposed within the air gap compartment.

Abstract: A heat exchanger network retrofit method including analysis, targeting and retrofitting an existing heat exchange network (HEN) to lower the annual operating cost. The revamped/retrofit design is based on one of two mathematical techniques: Simulated Annealing (SA) and Fixed Structure.

Abstract: A heating and cooling system powered by renewable energy and assisted with geothermal energy includes a solar cycling unit, a supercritical carbon dioxide (S—CO2) unit, and a refrigerant cycling unit. Solar energy obtained at the solar cycling unit may be used to power the S—CO2 cycling unit. To do so, the solar cycling unit utilizes a solar collector, a thermal energy storage, and a heat exchanger along with a first working fluid which is preferably molten salt or Therminol. Next, the energy generated at the S—CO2 cycling unit, which preferably circulates S—CO2 as a second working fluid, may be used to operate the refrigerant cycling unit. In the refrigerant cycling unit, Tetrafluroethene is preferably used as the third working fluid to produce required cooling effects. Additionally, geothermal heat exchangers may be integrated into the system for use during varying weather conditions.

Abstract: A fracturing fluid may include a first surfactant and a second surfactant. The first surfactant may have a structure represented by formula (I): wherein m is an integer ranging from 2 to 3, and n, o, and k are each, independently, integers ranging from 2 to 10. The second surfactant having a structure represented by Formula (II): wherein R2 is a C15-C27 hydrocarbon group or a C15-C29 substituted hydrocarbon group, R3 is a C1-C10 hydrocarbon group, and p and q are each, independently, an integer ranging from 1 to 4. Methods of treating a hydrocarbon-bearing formation include injecting the fracturing fluid in the hydrocarbon-bearing formation, the fracturing fluid being configured to transport a proppant in fractures of the hydrocarbon-bearing formation.

Abstract: A method for making an improved fuel cell using a porosity gradient design for gas diffusion layers in a hydrogen fuel cell, a gas diffusion layer made by the method and a fuel cell containing the gas diffusion layer.

Abstract: A well cleanup process involves removing an impermeable filter cake from a formation face with thermochemical and chelating agents to allow formation fluids to flow from a reservoir to a wellbore. The method may be used with oil and water-based drilling fluids with varied weighting agents, e.g., bentonite, calcium carbonate, or barite. Such thermochemical agents may involve two salts, e.g., NO2? and NH4+, which, when mixed together, can generate pressure and heat, in addition to hot H2O and/or N2. For example, the thermochemical agents may comprise Na+, K+, Li+, Cs+, Mg2+, Ca2+, and/or Ba2+ with NO2? and NH4+ with F?, Cl?, Br?, I?, CO32?, NO3?, ClO4?, and/or ?OH.