Abstract: The method of forecasting for solar-based power systems (10) recognizes that no single solar irradiance forecasting model provides the best forecasting prediction for every current weather trend at every time of the year. Instead, the method trains a classifier to select the best solar irradiance forecasting model for prevailing conditions through a machine learning approach. The resulting solar irradiance forecast predictions are then used to allocate the solar-based power systems (10) resources and modify demand when necessary in order to maintain a substantially constant voltage supply in the system (10).

Abstract: The complex transition metal phosphonates include one or more of compounds with the chemical formula: (1) AxMy(R(PO3)2)z; (2) AxMy(RPO3)z; (3) AxMy(R(PO3)2; nHO; (4) AxMy(RPO3); nH2O; and (5) AxMy(R(PO3)2)z(X)t, where A is an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal, M is a divalent or trivalent transition metal, R is an organic group, and X is OH, F or CI. For example, A is Li, Na, K, Cs, Rb, Mg, Ca and/or combinations thereof. M is Ni, Co, Mn, Fe, Cr, V, Ti, Cu and/or combinations thereof. R is a C1-C5 alkyl group; e.g., CH2, C2H4, or C3H6, The complex transition metal phosphonates can be used as cathode or anode materials for rechargeable batteries.

Abstract: A method for removing arsenic from a liquid includes adding a two-dimensional metal carbide adsorbent to the liquid to adsorb the arsenic from the liquid. The two-dimensional metal carbide adsorbent can include at least one MXene, having the formula Mn+1Xn, where n=1, 2 or 3, where M is an early transition metal, such as scandium (Sc), titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), yttrium (Y), zirconium (Zr), niobium (Nb), molybdenum (Mo) or the like, and X is either carbon or nitrogen. The MXene may be Ti3C2.

Abstract: A system and method for advanced oxidation (10) of treated sewage effluent provide additional treatment to treated sewage effluent (TSE) for reuse thereof. The method includes exposing TSE to ozone and hydrogen peroxide to oxidize contaminants; coagulating remaining waste in the TSE; flocculating the coagulated TSE; holding the flocculated treated sewage effluent in a settling tank for sedimentation; removing coarse suspended particles from the flocculated TSE by filtration after sedimentation; and removing fine suspended particles by ultrafiltration of the TSE after removing the coarse suspended particles. The system includes a chemical mixing tank (16); a homogenizing tank (22); an advanced oxidation process system (24); a rapid mixer; a flocculation tank (28); a sedimentation tank (32); a sand filter (34); and at least one ultrafiltration system (38), (36).

Abstract: The combined acid gas removal and water filtration system (10) removes sour gases, such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and carbon dioxide (CO2), from an input gaseous hydrocarbon stream (FG), as well as producing purified water (TW). The acid gas removal system (10) has a contactor (12) for contacting the input gaseous stream (FG) with an absorption liquid solvent (ALS), and a stripper (24) for recycling the absorption liquid solvent (ALS) and removing acidic gases (AG) therefrom. A first heat exchanger (22) heats used absorption liquid solvent (UALS) output from the contactor (12) prior to injection into the stripper (24). A second heat exchanger (26) cools recycled absorption liquid solvent (RALS) using a refrigerant (R) before injection back into the contactor (12). The refrigerant (R) is coupled with an absorber (84), which receives a dilute ethanolic draw solution (DDS) from a forward osmosis filtration system (72), producing purified water (TW).

Abstract: A method of rendering a stereoscopic 3D image from a single image, including receiving a collection of pairs of 3D images including an input image and an output image that is a 3D pair of the input image, training a neural network composed of convolutional layers without any fully connected layers, with pairs of 3D images from the collection, to receive an input image and generate an output image that is a 3D pair of the input image, wherein the neural network is provided as an application on a computing device, receiving an input image and generating an output image that is a 3D pair of the input image by the neural network.

Abstract: A reverse osmosis membrane and a method for producing the composite reverse osmosis membrane are provided. The reverse osmosis membrane includes a first layer including a polyamide compound, and a second layer including acacia gum. The method includes steps of providing a trimesoyl chloride solution; adding acacia gum to the trimesoyl to form an organic solution; adding the organic solution to an m-phenylenediamine solution to form a mixture; and heating the mixture and rinsing the mixture.

Abstract: A method of removing barium from a liquid includes adding a two-dimensional metal carbide water contaminant adsorbent to water to adsorb contaminants, such as barium (II), from the liquid. The two-dimensional metal carbide water contaminant adsorbent is in the form of at least one MXene, having the formula Mn+1Xn, where n=1, 2 or 3, M is an early transition metal, such as scandium (Sc), titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), yttrium (Y), zirconium (Zr), niobium (Nb), molybdenum (Mo) or the like, and X is either carbon or nitrogen. The MXene may be Ti3C2. The liquid may be, for example, at least one water by-product from at least one oilfield reservoir, such as produced water, co-produced water or a combination thereof.

Abstract: The method of making a pyrrolo bisthiazole homopolymer starts with dissolving a dibrominated pyrrolo[3,2-d:4,5-d?]bisthiazole monomer having the formula: where R is an alkyl group, in anhydrous tetrahydrofuran (THF). Then, the solvated monomer is treated with 1 equivalent of a Turbo-Grignard reagent complex having the formula iPrMgCl.LiCl at 0° C. to form a reaction mixture. The reaction mixture is stirred for 1 hour at room temperature, and after stirring, the reaction mixture is refluxed for 24 hours. A conjugated homopolymer product having the formula: where n is the number of repeating units of pyrrolo[3,2-d:4,5-d?]bisthiazole, is recovered from the reaction mixture. The PBTz-based homopolymers showed broad absorption from 450 to 850 nm in thin film and excellent photochemical and thermal stability, making the polymers suitable for lightweight, low cost plastic electronic devices.

Abstract: We provide a method of compressing a data stream for transmission, including: generating a data sequence representing a received data stream, generating a plurality of data substreams, each comprising a portion of the data sequence, identifying a formal concept defining a dependency between a first one of the data substreams and one or more further ones of the data substreams that are dependent on the first data substream, removing those dependent data substreams from the plurality of data substreams, and transmitting the remaining data substreams, and a method of reconstructing a data stream at a receiver, including: receiving a received data sequence representing a received data stream, identifying that a substream has been removed from the data stream prior to transmission, identifying a formal concept definition for regenerating the removed substream based on an identified substream of the received data sequence, regenerating a data substream using the formal concept definition and the identified substrea

Abstract: The lithium-sulfur rechargeable battery (10) includes a negative electrode (14) formed from a composite of sulfurized polyacrylonitrile (SPAN), carbon black and carbon nanofibers coated on an aluminum substrate. The negative electrode (14), a corresponding positive electrode (16), an electrolyte (20) and a separator (18) are each disposed within a cell housing (12). The positive electrode (16) is formed from an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal or salts thereof. The alkali metal of the positive electrode (16) may be, for example, lithium, sodium, potassium or cesium, and the alkaline earth metal of the positive electrode (16) may be, for example, magnesium, calcium or barium. Alternatively, the positive electrode (16) may be formed from aluminum, silver, zinc, hydrogen or salts thereof. The electrolyte (20) is formed from an alkali metal salt dissolved in an organic solvent.

Abstract: The heat index thermostat is an electronic, programmable thermostat having a microcontroller or microprocessor programmed to regulate the temperature of an enclosed space, such as a room or building. The thermostat has a user interface that permits the user to select a mode of operation and to enter a set temperature, and input terminals for receiving signals from relative humidity, indoor temperature, and other sensors. In a heat index mode of operation, the temperature is regulated by reference to a lookup table based on a heat index equation. The microcontroller uses the table inversely by using the set temperature as the heat index temperature, looking up the room temperature that would result in that heat index temperature given the measured relative humidity in the room. The thermostat then turns the cooling/heating unit on or off until the measured room temperature is equal to the temperature determined from the lookup table.

Abstract: A polypentenamer-silica composite can include a surface-modified silica compound and a polypentenamer chain grafted onto the surface-modified silica compound. The polypentenamer has physical properties similar to natural rubber. The polypentenamer-silica composite is recyclable. As such, the polypentenamer-silica composite can be used for manufacturing recyclable tires.

Abstract: The acid gas removal system for removing acidic gases from gaseous hydrocarbons (10) removes sour gases, such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and carbon dioxide (CO2), from an input gaseous stream. The system (10) includes a contactor (12) for contacting the input gaseous stream with an absorption liquid solvent (ALS), and a stripper (24) for recycling the absorption liquid solvent (ALS) and removing acidic gases (AG) therefrom, but with the addition of a pair of plate-plate heat exchangers (22, 26). The first heat exchanger (22) heats the used absorption liquid solvent (UALS) output from the contactor (12) prior to injection into the stripper (24). The used absorption liquid solvent (UALS) is heated via heat exchange with the acidic gases (AG) output from the stripper (24). The second heat exchanger (26) cools the recycled absorption liquid solvent (RALS) before injection back into the contactor (12).

Abstract: An arrangement configured to allocate network interface resources to a virtual machine, the arrangement comprising: an interface configured to receive a first network interface requirement for a first virtual machine; and a hypervisor module configured to compare the first network interface requirement to stored network interface information for one or more network interfaces associated one or more computing devices, and to allocate resources of at least one of the one or more network interfaces to the first virtual machine such that the first network interface requirement is met.

Abstract: Computer implemented methods for identifying denial constraints are provided herein. The denial constraints can be used with a database schema R. A predicate space P can be generated for an instance I in the schema R. An evidence set EviI can be generated. The evidence set EviI can include sets of satisfied predicates in the predicate space P for each instance I. A minimal set of predicates can be identified for the evidence set EviI. Valid denial constraints can be identified from the minimal set by inverting the predicates in the minimal set.

Abstract: A transmitting apparatus and a receiving apparatus for visible light communication and a visible light communication system resistant to optical interference is provided. The visible light communication system includes a transmitting apparatus and a receiving apparatus. The transmitting apparatus includes a complimentary data generator and two transmitting modules. The transmitting modules include plurality of visible light sources and a transmitting polarization lens. Polarization of the two transmitting polarization lenses are orthogonal to each other. The receiving apparatus includes two receiving modules and a differential amplification module. The receiving modules include a photodiode and a receiving polarization lens. Polarization of the receiving polarization lens pair and transmitting polarization lens pair are the same.

Abstract: The multi-layered membrane (100) for separating oil and water includes a porous top layer (110), a porous bottom layer (130), and a particulate middle layer (120) positioned between the top layer (110) and the bottom layer (130), the middle layer (120) being hydrophobic and adapted for adsorbing oil, such as trace amounts of oil, that may pass through the top layer (110). The top layer (110) and the bottom layer (130) are hydrophilic and oleophobic. While the membrane (100) does not require any external pressure other than the gravitational forces exerted on the oil/water mixture W to drive the filtration of the oil/water mixture W through the membrane (100), the filtration can be driven by a vacuum or other type of external pressure.

Abstract: The present subject matter is directed to a system and method for producing carbon and syngas from carbon dioxide (CO2). The system includes a first reactor (7) for producing solid carbon (15) from a feed including CO2 and a volatile organic compound such as methane (1), and a second reactor (20) for producing syngas. Reactions in the first reactor (7) are conducted in a limited oxygen atmosphere. The second reactor (20) can use dry reforming, steam reforming, and/or partial oxidation reforming to produce the syngas (22).

Abstract: The electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction includes nanosheets of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) deposited on a carbon fiber substrate. The catalyst is formed in stepwise fashion by chemical vapor deposition of nanosheets of MoO3 onto the substrate, then reducing the MoO3 to nanosheets of MoO2 using sublimed sulfur, then by reaction of sulfur vapor with the MoO2 to form nanosheets of MoS2 on the carbon fiber substrate. The catalyst is multifaceted, having a large density of edges providing catalytically active sites for the hydrogen evolution reaction. The activity of the catalyst is enhanced by coating the catalyst with spherical fullerenes (nC60).