Abstract: A centralizer assembly is disclosed that allows for the assembly to be deployed in-situ. The centralizer assembly includes flexible members that can be extended into the well bore in situ by the initiation of a gas generating device. The centralizer assembly can support a large load carrying capability compared to a traditional bow spring with little or no installation drag. Additionally, larger displacements can be produced to centralize an extremely deviated casing.

Abstract: Thermal receivers, systems, and methods are disclosed that efficiently capture concentrated solar energy into a plurality of heat absorption bodies for conversion into thermal energy. In an embodiment, the thermal receivers, systems, and methods enable simultaneous electricity conversion and thermal energy capture. The receiver design enables a high penetration of concentrated sunlight deep into the thermal receiver to increase light trapping and reduce thermal losses. The thermal receiver is integrated with a photovoltaic (PV) receiver platform that converts some of the incident light to electricity while passing the remaining light to the thermal receiver. In another embodiment, other thermal receivers, systems, and methods are disclosed that efficiently capture concentrated solar energy into a sheet of falling particles. In an embodiment, the thermal receivers, systems, and methods enable simultaneous electricity conversion and thermal energy capture.

Abstract: MOFs are disclosed that can efficiently adsorb oxygen from a gas stream, such as air. Systems and methods are also disclosed that utilize MOFs to separate oxygen from a gas stream. The separated oxygen may be used in a commercial process such as a combustion process.

Abstract: The invention provides optimal control of a three-degree-of-freedom wave energy converter using a pseudo-spectral control method. The three modes are the heave, pitch and surge. A dynamic model is characterized by a coupling between the pitch and surge modes, while the heave is decoupled. The heave, however, excites the pitch motion through nonlinear parametric excitation in the pitch mode. The invention can use a Fourier series as basis functions to approximate the states and the control. For the parametric excited case, a sequential quadratic programming approach can be implemented to numerically solve for the optimal control. The numerical results show that the harvested energy from three modes is greater than three times the harvested energy from the heave mode alone. Moreover, the harvested energy using a control that accounts for the parametric excitation is significantly higher than the energy harvested when neglecting this nonlinear parametric excitation term.

Abstract: Described herein are various technologies pertaining to detecting tampering of a seal based upon quantum optical communication via a communications channel comprising the seal. A plurality of pulses of light encoded with random data are transmitted on the communications channel, whereupon they are received and their data values measured. The measured data values of the pulses are then compared to the known transmitted data to determine a correlation statistic between the transmitted and received data values. Tampering with the seal can be detected based upon identifying that the correlation statistic has dropped below a threshold non-tampered level of correlation between transmitted and received values.

Abstract: Various technologies for performing discrete-variable (DV) quantum key distribution (QKD) with integrated electro-optical circuits are described herein. An integrated DV-QKD system uses Mach-Zehnder modulators (MZMs) to modulate a polarization of photons at a transmitter and select a photon polarization measurement basis at a receiver. A transmitter of a DV-QKD system further uses phase shifters to correct for non-idealities of the MZM in output provided to a polarization beam splitter. A receiver of a DV-QKD system can use phase shifters between a polarization beam splitter and an MZM to correct for non-idealities of the polarization beam splitter and the MZM on the receiver side.

Abstract: A method and computer system for searching a collection of documents. The method comprises first identifying text in the document and then identifying an image in the document. Then the features of the image are extracted from the document and image terms are identified from the features. Finally, the collection of documents is searched using the image terms in conjunction with text terms.

Abstract: Various technologies for mitigating interference in stretch-processed SAR imagery are described herein. Stretch-processed SAR data is received at a computing device. The stretch-processed (or deramped) SAR data is then reramped, thereby removing frequency-variant components of narrowband interference signals in the deramped data. A frequency-domain transform is executed over the reramped data to generate a spectral characteristic of the reramped data. A spectral notch filter is applied to frequency bands corresponding to the peaks of the spectral characteristic in order to filter out the narrowband interference signals. An inverse frequency-domain transform can then be executed over the filtered spectral characteristic to return to a phase-history representation of the SAR data. The phase history resulting from the inverse frequency-domain transform is a ramped phase history, which can then be deramped prior to use in connection with generating images of the scanned scene.

Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying an island condition in a power distribution system and disconnecting distributed generators in the case of islanding. The systems and methods are used to enable reliable detection of island formation with high false-trip immunity, for any combination of distributed energy resources, and for distributed energy resources using grid support functions.

Abstract: A sodium ion battery comprises a cathode having a porous redox active metal-organic framework material. The battery can be an organic electrolyte sodium ion battery wherein the electrolyte comprises a sodium salt dissolved in an organic solvent or mixture of organic solvents. Alternatively, the battery can comprise an aqueous sodium ion battery wherein the electrolyte comprises a sodium salt dissolved in an aqueous solvent. Battery performance is especially related to electrolyte and binder selection.

Abstract: Described herein is an apparatus that includes a varactor and an inductor to form a resonant circuit that oscillates at a resonant frequency. The resonant frequency is a function of a pressure of a gas within an aperture of the varactor. In some embodiment, the varactor includes a first layer of p-type material, a first layer of n-type material, and a first np junction formed between the layer of p-type material and the layer of n-type material. The aperture extends at least partially through the layer of p-type material, at least partially through the layer of n-type material, and entirely through the np junction.

Abstract: The various technologies presented herein relate to utilizing predictive guidance during one or more phases of a trajectory flown by an interceptor during interception with a target. The trajectory of the interceptor comprises an initial phase, a predictive phase, and a final phase. The initial phase includes the launching of the interceptor and can be unguided. The predictive phase directs the interceptor towards the target, wherein the predictive phase utilizes predictive guidance to control the trajectory of the interceptor based upon a predicted location of the target relative to the current locations of the target and the interceptor. During the predictive phase, a motor(s) can be cycled on and off, causing a period(s) where the interceptor is being propelled by the ignited motor, and a period(s) where the interceptor is propelled by its own momentum after cessation of power from the motor, e.g., unpowered flight.

Abstract: Nickel nanoparticles can be synthesized using a variety of precursors (e.g., nickel amides [Ni(NR2)2], alkyls [NR2], and alkoxides [Ni(OR)2]).

Abstract: Various technologies pertaining to automatic relative volatility and relative amplitude detection are described herein. A spectral density of a geospatial temporal dataset is computed, and one or more frequencies of the dataset are identified. A volatility period of interest is calculated based upon the frequencies, and volatility thresholds are computed based upon the volatility period of interest. One or more periods of potential interest are detected in the dataset based upon the geospatial temporal data and the volatility thresholds. An indication of the periods of interest, an occurrence of an event captured in the dataset, or a prediction of an occurrence of an event that is of potential interest to an analyst is output.

Abstract: A method for processing data is provided. Data is identified by a computer system. The data is processed in parallel by the computer system using temporal transformations to form pieces of temporal data. The pieces of temporal data are placed by the computer system in an order as the pieces of temporal data are generated by the temporal transformations to form a sequence of temporal data. The order of the sequence is based on a priority of when the pieces of temporal data should be processed, enabling performing an action.

Abstract: Described herein are technologies pertaining to generating a Voronoi mesh for an enclosed domain of arbitrarily many dimensions. An implicit Voronoi mesh is received that comprises locations of seeds in the domain. Neighbors of a seed are identified by extending a segment from the seed to the boundary of the domain and performing successive hyperplane trimming of the segment to identify a point on the facet of the Voronoi cell of the seed. A vertex of the cell can be identified by successively extending and trimming one or more additional spokes to identify points on a facet of the cell that are constrained to lie in a (d?n) space, where d is a number of dimensions of the domain and n is a number of iterations. A numerical simulation is performed based on the Voronoi mesh to generate simulation results in applications including surrogate modeling, global optimization, calibration, dimension reduction.

Abstract: Nonaqueous redox flow batteries (RFB) hold the potential for high energy density grid scale storage, though are often limited by the solubility of the redox-active species in their electrolytes. A systematic approach enables an increase the concentration of redox-active species in electrolytes for nonaqueous RFB, starting from a metal-coordination-cation-based ionic liquid. As an example, starting with an ionic liquid consisting of a metal coordination cation (MetIL), ferrocene-containing ligands and iodide anions can be substituted into the original MetIL structure, enabling a nearly 4× increase in capacity compared to original MetIL structure. Application of this strategy to other chemistries, optimizing electrolyte melting point and conductivity could yield >10 M redox-active electrons.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus including a device cell having a top side, a bottom side and opposing side walls. A passivation layer is formed along the top side, the bottom side and opposing side walls of the device cell. The passivation layer serves to passivate the device cell and facilitate carrier collection around the device cell. An anti-reflective layer is formed over the passivation layer and an optical layer is formed on the top side of the device cell. The optical layer reflects light within the device cell. The apparatus may further include a reflective layer formed along the bottom side of the device cell, the reflective layer to reflect light internally within the device cell.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying data. Independent data in the data is displayed by a computer system in a two-dimensional graph in a graphical user interface on a display system. Dimensions of dependent data in the data that are dependent on the independent data are displayed by the computer system in the two-dimensional graph using graphical indicators.

Abstract: A bladed solar thermal receiver for absorbing concentrated sunlight is disclosed. The receiver includes a plurality of panels arranged in a bladed configuration for absorbing sunlight. The bladed configurations can be radial or planar. The receiver design increases the effective solar absorptance and efficiency by providing a light trap for the incident solar radiation while reducing heat losses from radiation and convection.