Abstract: Water treatment compositions useful to decrease surface tension of cooling tower waters are provided as are treated cooling tower waters. The compositions increase the transfer of heat from metal surfaces in contact with the treated cooling water. The increased heat transfer can decrease energy use, for example, in water-cooled HVAC and refrigeration compressors, and can enable increased production rates in many industrial processes, including, for example, plastics molding, metal billet production, petroleum refining, power plants, and condensers for steam turbines. Also provided are cooling tower water compositions formulated to control corrosion, scale, and deposition in a cooling tower and in treated cooling tower water.

Abstract: A spatial hierarchical model is built by accepting user input to add and name each of one or more first level spaces at a first level of the spatial hierarchical model and to select a selected one of the first level spaces of the spatial hierarchical model and add and name each of one or more child level spaces that are spatially part of the selected first level space at a second level of the spatial hierarchical model. A graphical representation of one or more of the first level spaces and one or more corresponding child level spaces is displayed along with a listing of at least some of the plurality of building control assets. User input is accepted to assign selected building control assets from the listing of at least some of the plurality of building control assets to a selected child level space.

Abstract: A process and associated system for creating color effects using extrudable material, such as plastic and metal for example, are presented. Flows of first and second viscous materials of respective colors are provided and then combined in a predetermined pattern to form a stream of combined viscous material. A dynamic mixer is the then used to apply a predetermined dividing, overturning and combining motion to the stream of combined viscous material to partially mix the first viscous material and the second viscous material, such that upon exiting the dynamic mixer, the first material of the first color and the second material of the second color form a color pattern in the stream of combined viscous material.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to cascaded sets of two or more individual permanent magnets distributed in a predetermined spatial relationship on a source carrier configured to translate proximate two or more magnetic field sensors distributed in a predetermined spatial relationship on a reference carrier. In an illustrative example, the permanent magnets may be arranged in at least two predetermined orientations. For example, each of the permanent magnets may direct its field in a predetermined orientation to produce a unique output code from a set of the magnetic field sensors. The output code may, for example, uniquely identify a relative position between the source carrier and the reference carrier. The magnetic field sensors may be, for example, anisotropic magneto-resistive elements. Cascaded sets of permanent magnets may cost-effectively increase the dynamic range of the relative position between the source carrier and the reference carrier by adding additional magnetic targets.

Abstract: A semiconductor package element includes a die, a passive layer, a conductive structure and an encapsulation layer. The die includes a first surface, a second surface and a third surface. The second surface is opposite to the first surface. The third surface is connected between the first surface and the second surface. The passive layer is disposed on the first surface and formed with a hole. The conductive structure is electrically coupled to the die through the hole. The encapsulation layer covers the first surface and the third surface of the die, wherein the passive layer is embedded in the encapsulation layer, a portion of the conductive structure is embedded in the encapsulation layer, and the other portion of the conductive structure protrudes from an etched surface of the encapsulation layer, the etched surface is formed by plasma etching.

Abstract: Disclosed are medicinal compositions, and devices, methods and systems which use same, comprising a propellant and at lease one medicinally active compound, said propellant comprising at least one fluoroolefin having at least two but less than seven carbon atoms.

Abstract: A method of producing liquid fuel and/or chemicals from a carbonaceous material entails combusting a conditioned syngas in pulse combustion heat exchangers of a steam reformer to help convert carbonaceous material into first reactor product gas which includes carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and other gases. A portion of the first reactor product gas is transferred to a hydrogen reformer into which additional conditioned syngas is added and a reaction carried out to produce an improved syngas. The improved syngas is then subject to one or more gas clean-up steps to form a new conditioned syngas. A portion of the new conditioned syngas is recycled to be used as the conditioned syngas in the pulse combustion heat exchangers and in the hydrocarbon reformer. A system for carrying out the method include, a steam reformer, a hydrocarbon reformer, first and second gas-cleanup systems, a synthesis system and an upgrading system.

Abstract: Ballistic resistant composite materials having high positive buoyancy in water are provided. More particularly, provided are foam-free, buoyant composite materials fabricated using dry processing techniques. The materials comprise fibrous plies that are partially coated with a particulate binder that is thermopressed to transform a portion of the binder into raised, discontinuous patches bonded to fiber/tape surfaces, while another portion of the particulate binder remains on the fibers/tapes as unmelted particles. The presence of the unmelted binder particles maintains empty spaces within the composite to materials which increases the positive buoyancy of the composites in water.

Abstract: A powerful direct digital control (DDC) and integration control platform that is scalable and easy to use and meet building owners and contractors' desires for a highly secure and robust technical solution. One may combine heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) DDC control with the embedded workstation platform, and DDC controllers with embedded workstation platform software design. An embedded workstation platform event-driven approach (such as a Windows operating system (OS) or Unix OS environment) is not necessarily easily suited to real-time common in HVAC DDC control. The present system may solve an issue of combining high-power event needs for HVAC DDC Controls.

Abstract: The exemplary embodiments relate to devices, systems and methods for a streaming service to provide fast video stream startup at a user device. The streaming service may determine that a video stream for on-demand content is to be provided to the user device and is to include multiple subclips corresponding to the on-demand content and a dynamic content insertion opportunity (DCIO). A first set of multimedia data is transmitted to the user device that corresponds to a first subclip of the on-demand content. When a predetermined condition corresponding to the DCIO is satisfied, a second set of multimedia data is transmitted to the user device that includes multimedia data corresponding to at least the multiple subclips.

Abstract: A method that includes winding a composite fabric around a mandrel to form a plurality of layers defining an annulus extending along a central longitudinal axis, where the composite fabric includes a plurality of elongate axial fibers extending substantially in an axial direction relative to the longitudinal axis and a plurality of elongate circumferential fibers extending substantially in a circumferential direction relative to the longitudinal axis; and introducing, into at least a portion of the plurality of layers, a plurality of radial fibers extending substantially in the radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis, where the plurality of radial fibers mechanically bind one or more adjacent layers of the plurality of layers.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a composition in solution (often, an aqueous solution) which comprises a combination of molecular iodine (I2) and an acceptable source of iodate (IO3), and an acid (inorganic or organic), wherein iodide and iodate are present in the composition at a molar ratio of about 0.1 to about 25, the concentration of uncomplexed molecular iodine is a disinfectant, biocidal and/or antimicrobial (depending upon the end use of the composition) effective amount the concentration of acid in the composition is effective to provide a buffering pH in the composition ranging from about 1.5 to about 6.5. Compositions according to the present invention are storage stable for unexpectedly long periods of time (up to about 5 years), and find use as disinfecting solutions, as germicides and/or biocides (e.g. antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, antispore etc.

Abstract: A smoke detector, and methods of operating a smoke detector, are described herein. In some examples, one or more embodiments include a laser emitter configured to emit a laser beam that illuminates an object in an area, a light receiver configured to receive light reflected from the illuminated object, and a controller configured to determine, based on the light reflected from the illuminated object, an amount of space in the area that is blocked from a field of view of the smoke detector by the object, and provide an indication responsive to the determined amount of space being above a threshold amount of space.

Abstract: Flexible packages, transdermal drug delivery devices, and methods for fabricating packages are provided. An exemplary flexible package includes a chemical and moisture resistant layer formed from poly(chlorotrifluoroethylene-co-vinylidene fluoride) (“P(CTFE-co-VDF)”) copolymer. Further, the exemplary flexible package includes a substance to be delivered. The substance is applied to or enclosed by the chemical and moisture resistant layer.

Abstract: A soldering iron hand piece that may be used for both a soldering tip and a soldering cartridge, allowing the same hand piece to be used for both a soldering tip and a soldering cartridge.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for vacuum forming and subsequently applying topical coatings fiber-based food containers. The slurry includes an embedded moisture barrier and/or vapor barrier, and the topical coating comprises an oil barrier comprising acrylate, rice bran wax, pectin, and pea protein.

Abstract: A dialysis fluid system includes a dialysis fluid inlet; a dialysis fluid outlet; a pump positioned and arranged to pump dialysis fluid through the dialysis fluid inlet and the dialysis fluid outlet; and an inductive heater located between the dialysis fluid inlet and the dialysis fluid outlet, the inductive heater including a fluid flowpath positioned and arranged to receive non-heated dialysis fluid from the dialysis fluid inlet and to output heated dialysis fluid to the a dialysis fluid outlet, a conductive heater element located within the fluid flowpath so as to be or act as a secondary coil of a transformer, and a primary coil of the transformer located outside of the fluid flowpath and positioned so as to magnetically induce a current into the conductive heater element, causing the conductive heater element and surrounding fluid to heat.

Abstract: A method for validating the placement of pieces in an assembly task by scanning a coherent light source, such as a laser, over a surface and characterizing the detected interference speckle pattern to discriminate the position of the placed piece from the surface on which the piece is placed. This discrimination is possible even if the characteristic features of the piece and background are smaller than the resolution of the scanning system. In addition, characteristics of the piece, such as the orientation of fibers in the material, may be sensed by classification of the associated speckle response.

Abstract: A toner container includes a housing having a toner reservoir. An input gear is positioned on the housing for mating with a corresponding output gear in an image forming device when the toner container is installed in the image forming device. A toner agitator is movably positioned in the reservoir. The toner agitator is operatively connected to the input gear such that rotation of the input gear in a first rotational direction causes movement of the toner agitator for agitating toner in the reservoir. An encoded member is encoded with authentication information of the toner container and is operatively connected to the input gear such that rotation of the input gear in a second rotational direction causes movement of the encoded member for communicating the authentication information of the toner container to a controller of the image forming device when the toner container is installed in the image forming device.

Abstract: A multiple chamber container forming and filling method includes (i) forming at least one strong seal around a periphery of first and second sheets so as to leave an opening between the first and second sheets; (ii) forming a temporary peel seal across the opening; (iii) forming a mixing peel seal between the first and second sheets so as to separate a diluent chamber from a powdered drug chamber; (iv) adding diluent to the diluent chamber; (v) sterilizing the multiple chamber container including the diluent; (vi) opening the temporary peel seal in an aseptic environment; (vii) adding powdered drug to the powdered drug chamber through the opening; and (viii) strong sealing the opening so as to be closed.