Abstract: Methods and systems for re-dispersing platinum on catalysts used in continuous catalyst regeneration reformer systems are disclosed. Some aspects of the disclosure provide, for example, methods of evaluating the platinum re-dispersion of a reforming catalyst in a small-scale reactor for use in a continuous catalyst regeneration reformer system and methods of improving the activity and selectivity of reforming catalysts for use in a continuous catalyst regeneration reformer system by selection of appropriate reaction parameters in a small-scale reactor for use in a continuous catalyst regeneration reformer system.

Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing the processing of hydrocarbons in a FCC unit by introduction of the coked FCC catalyst from the FCC reactor and a renewable feedstock to the FCC regenerator to facilitate regeneration of the coked FCC catalyst. The renewable feedstock can contain biomass-derived pyrolysis oil. The biomass-derived pyrolysis oil and coke from the coked FCC catalyst are oxidized by oxygen to provide a regenerated catalyst that is recycled to the FCC reactor.

Abstract: Systems and methods to activate one or more indicators, positioned on heavy hydraulic-based equipment to provide indication that the heavy hydraulic-based equipment is in an operation are described herein. The system may include a hydraulic initiation lever positioned proximate an operator's seat of the equipment and configured to be actuatable to an inactive position and an active position, the hydraulic initiation lever when in the active position configured to generate an unlock signal to thereby enable hydraulic operation of the heavy hydraulic-based equipment. The system may include one or more indicators configured to receive the unlock signal, the one or more indicators configured to activate in response to reception of the unlock signal and to deactivate in response to no reception of the unlock signal.

Abstract: Scalable greenhouse gas capture systems and methods to allow a user to off-load exhaust captured in an on-board vehicle exhaust capture device and to allow for a delivery vehicle or other transportation mechanism to obtain and transport the exhaust. The systems and methods may involve one or more exhaust pumps, each with an exhaust nozzle corresponding to a vehicle exhaust port. Upon engagement with the vehicle exhaust port, the exhaust nozzle may create an air-tight seal between the exhaust nozzle and the vehicle exhaust port. A first pipe may be configured to transport captured exhaust therethrough from the exhaust nozzle to. The captured exhaust may be at least temporarily stored in an exhaust holding tank connected to and in fluid communication with the first pipe.

Abstract: Systems and methods to provide low carbon intensity (CI) ethanol through one or more targeted reductions of carbon emissions based upon an analysis of carbon emissions associated with a combination of various options for feedstock procurement, feedstock refining, processing, or transformation, and ethanol distribution pathways to end users. Such options are selected to maintain the total CI (carbon emissions per unit energy) of the ethanol below a pre-selected threshold that defines an upper limit of CI for the ethanol.

Abstract: Methods and assemblies may be used for determining and using standardized spectral responses for calibration of spectroscopic analyzers. The methods and assemblies may be used to calibrate or recalibrate a spectroscopic analyzer when the spectroscopic analyzer changes from a first state to a second state, the second state being defined as a period of time after a change to the spectroscopic analyzer causing a need to calibrate or recalibrate the spectroscopic analyzer. The calibration or recalibration may result in the spectroscopic analyzer outputting a standardized spectrum, such that the spectroscopic analyzer outputs a corrected material spectrum for an analyzed material, and defining the standardized spectrum. The corrected material spectrum may include signals indicative of material properties of an analyzed material, the material properties of the material being substantially consistent with material properties of the material output by the spectroscopic analyzer in the first state.

Abstract: Low sulfur fuel oil blend compositions and methods of making such blend compositions to increase the stability and compatibility of LSFO blends having paraffinic resids that are blended with distillates and/or cracked stocks of higher asphaltenes and/or aromatics content. In one or more embodiments, distillates and/or cracked stocks that incrementally reduce the initial aromaticity of the distillate or cracked stock with the highest aromaticity are sequentially blended prior to resid addition. Such incremental reduction and sequential blending have been found to provide a resulting low sulfur fuel oil blend that is both compatible and stable.

Abstract: Assemblies and methods to enhance control of a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) processing assembly associated with a refining operation, may include supplying a hydrocarbon feedstock to one or more first processing units associated with the refining operation. The assemblies and methods also may include conditioning a hydrocarbon feedstock and unit material samples, and analyzing the samples via one or more spectroscopic analyzers. The assemblies and methods further may include prescriptively controlling, via one or more FCC process controllers based at least in part on the hydrocarbon feedstock properties and the unit material properties, the FCC processing assembly, so that the prescriptively controlling results in enhancing accuracy of target content of materials produced by the FCC processing assembly, thereby to more responsively control the FCC processing assembly to achieve material outputs that more accurately and responsively converge on target properties.

Abstract: Fuel oil compositions, and methods for blending such fuel oil compositions, to enhance initial compatibility and longer term stability when such fuel oil compositions are blended to meet IMO 2020 low sulfur fuel oil requirements (ISO 8217). In one or more embodiments, asphaltenic resid base stocks are blended with high aromatic slurry oil to facilitate initial compatibility such that low sulfur cutter stocks, e.g., vacuum gas oil and/or cycle oil, may be further blended therein to cut sulfur content while maintaining longer term stability. These fuel oil compositions are economically advantageous when used as marine low sulfur fuel oils because greater concentrations of high viscosity resids are present in the final blend.

Abstract: Methods, assemblies, and controllers may be used for determining and using standardized spectral responses for calibration of spectroscopic analyzers. The methods, assemblies, and controllers may be used to calibrate or recalibrate a spectroscopic analyzer when the spectroscopic analyzer changes from a first state to a second state, the second state being defined as a period of time after a change to the spectroscopic analyzer causing a need to calibrate or recalibrate the spectroscopic analyzer. The calibration or recalibration may result in the spectroscopic analyzer outputting a standardized spectrum, such that the spectroscopic analyzer outputs a corrected material spectrum for an analyzed material, and defining the standardized spectrum.

Abstract: Assemblies and methods to enhance hydrotreating and fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) processes associated with a refining operation, during the processes, may include supplying a hydrocarbon feedstock to a cat feed hydrotreater (CFH) processing unit to produce CFH unit materials. The assemblies and methods also may include conditioning material samples, and analyzing the samples via one or more spectroscopic analyzers. The assemblies and methods further may include prescriptively controlling, via one or more FCC process controllers, based at least in part on the material properties, a FCC processing assembly, so that the prescriptively controlling results in causing the processes to produce CFH materials, intermediate materials, the unit materials, and/or the downstream materials having properties within selected ranges of target properties, thereby to cause the processes to achieve material outputs that more accurately and responsively converge on one or more of the target properties.

Abstract: Systems and methods to provide low carbon intensity (CI) hydrogen through one or more targeted reductions of carbon emissions based upon an analysis of carbon emissions associated with a combination of various options for feedstock procurement, feedstock refining, processing, or transformation, and hydrogen distribution pathways to end users. Such options are selected to maintain the total CI (carbon emissions per unit energy) of the hydrogen below a pre-selected threshold that defines an upper limit of CI for the hydrogen.

Abstract: A coke catching apparatus for use in hydrocarbon cracking to assist in the removal of coke and the prevention of coke build up in high coking hydrocarbon processing units. The apparatus includes a grid device for preventing large pieces of coke from entering the outlet of the process refining equipment while allowing small pieces of coke to pass through and be disposed of. The coke catching apparatus can be easily disassembled to be removed from the refining process equipment and cleaned.

Abstract: Methods and assemblies may be used for determining and using standardized spectral responses for calibration of spectroscopic analyzers. The methods and assemblies may be used to calibrate or recalibrate a spectroscopic analyzer when the spectroscopic analyzer changes from a first state to a second state, the second state being defined as a period of time after a change to the spectroscopic analyzer causing a need to calibrate or recalibrate the spectroscopic analyzer. The calibration or recalibration may result in the spectroscopic analyzer outputting a standardized spectrum, such that the spectroscopic analyzer outputs a corrected material spectrum for an analyzed material, and defining the standardized spectrum. The corrected material spectrum may include signals indicative of material properties of an analyzed material, the material properties of the material being substantially consistent with material properties of the material output by the spectroscopic analyzer in the first state.

Abstract: Methods and assemblies may be used for determining and using standardized spectral responses for calibration of spectroscopic analyzers. The methods and assemblies may be used to calibrate or recalibrate a spectroscopic analyzer when the spectroscopic analyzer changes from a first state to a second state, the second state being defined as a period of time after a change to the spectroscopic analyzer causing a need to calibrate or recalibrate the spectroscopic analyzer. The calibration or recalibration may result in the spectroscopic analyzer outputting a standardized spectrum, such that the spectroscopic analyzer outputs a corrected material spectrum for an analyzed material, and defining the standardized spectrum. The corrected material spectrum may include signals indicative of material properties of an analyzed material, the material properties of the material being substantially consistent with material properties of the material output by the spectroscopic analyzer in the first state.

Abstract: Methods and assemblies may be used for determining and using standardized spectral responses for calibration of spectroscopic analyzers. The methods and assemblies may be used to calibrate or recalibrate a spectroscopic analyzer when the spectroscopic analyzer changes from a first state to a second state, the second state being defined as a period of time after a change to the spectroscopic analyzer causing a need to calibrate or recalibrate the spectroscopic analyzer. The calibration or recalibration may result in the spectroscopic analyzer outputting a standardized spectrum, such that the spectroscopic analyzer outputs a corrected material spectrum for an analyzed material, and defining the standardized spectrum. The corrected material spectrum may include signals indicative of material properties of an analyzed material, the material properties of the material being substantially consistent with material properties of the material output by the spectroscopic analyzer in the first state.

Abstract: A modified asphalt binder with improved elastic properties and methods of making such modified asphalt binder. The modified asphalt binders may include one or more of an asphalt binder, a solvent deasphalted (SDA) pitch, a polymeric material, and optionally, a ground tire rubber. The disclosed modified asphalt binders exhibit properties consistent with decreased susceptibility to rutting and thus may be used in asphalt concrete applications.

Abstract: Scalable greenhouse gas capture systems and methods to allow a user to off-load exhaust captured in an on-board vehicle exhaust capture device and to allow for a delivery vehicle or other transportation mechanism to obtain and transport the exhaust. The systems and methods may involve one or more exhaust pumps, each with a multi-function nozzle assembly including an exhaust nozzle corresponding to a vehicle exhaust port and a fuel nozzle for supplying fuel to a vehicle fuel tank. Upon engagement with the vehicle exhaust port, the exhaust nozzle may create an air-tight seal between the exhaust nozzle and the vehicle exhaust port. An exhaust conduit may be configured to transport captured exhaust therethrough from the exhaust nozzle to an exhaust holding tank connected to and in fluid communication with the exhaust conduit.

Abstract: Systems and methods to activate one or more indicators, positioned on heavy hydraulic-based equipment to provide indication that the heavy hydraulic-based equipment is in an operation are described herein. The system may include a hydraulic initiation lever positioned proximate an operator's seat of the equipment and configured to be actuatable to an inactive position and an active position, the hydraulic initiation lever when in the active position configured to generate an unlock signal to thereby enable hydraulic operation of the heavy hydraulic-based equipment. The system may include one or more indicators configured to receive the unlock signal, the one or more indicators configured to activate in response to reception of the unlock signal and to deactivate in response to no reception of the unlock signal.

Abstract: Assemblies and methods for monitoring the cathodic protection of underground or submerged structures may include a coupon assembly including a conductive test coupon and a reference electrode for determining the voltage potential difference of the protected structure without substantially interrupting surrounding current sources. The reference electrode may be at least partially covered with an electrolytic material in electrical contact with the surrounding environment via a plug including a porous material. A method of installation of the assembly may allow a single technician to install the coupon assembly using a probe rod without extensive on-site excavation. The coupon assembly may be configured to seat securely with the probe rod for stability during installation, and release from the probe rob when the probe rod is separated from the coupon assembly and withdrawn from the ground, leaving the coupon assembly at a preselected depth or preselected distance from the protected structure.