Abstract: One variation of a method includes, during a calibration period: triggering collection of an initial bioaerosol sample by an air sampler located in an environment; and triggering dispensation of a tracer test load by a dispenser located in the environment; accessing a detected barcode level of a barcode detected in the initial bioaerosol sample; accessing a true barcode level of the barcode contained in the tracer test load; and deriving a calibration factor for the environment based on a difference between the detected barcode level and the true barcode level. The method further includes, during a live period succeeding the calibration period: triggering collection of a first bioaerosol sample by the air sampler; accessing a detected pathogen level of a pathogen detected in the first bioaerosol sample; and interpreting a predicted pathogen level of the pathogen in the environment based on the detected pathogen level and the calibration factor.

Abstract: A sensor enclosure comprises a cover and a structure. The structure can be encased by the cover. The structure comprises a frame, a ring, and one or more anchoring posts. The frame can be configured to mount one or more sensors. The ring, disposed peripherally to the frame, can be operatively coupled to the cover. The ring can include a drainage ring plate that drains rainwater accumulated on the cover away from the sensor enclosure. The one or more anchoring posts, disposed underneath the frame and the ring, can be used to anchor the sensor enclosure to a vehicle.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting leakage of a hollow component, comprising the steps of sealing said hollow component (1, 31), creating a pressure difference P1 and P2 between said hollow component interior and an adjacent compartment/enclosure (2, 32), putting a tracer gas in one of the hollow component or said compartment/enclosure, waiting for an enriching time T and then carrying out a step of transferring, via a non-selective or selective restriction (6, 7; 49), the content of said hollow component or said compartment/enclosure (2; 32) into which tracer gas has not been put, in order to concentrate, in a volume downstream of said restriction (6, 7; 49), the tracer gas that said content may possibly contain, and then in looking for the presence of tracer gas in said volume. The invention also relates to an installation for implementing the method.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to rheometric fixtures for making rheological measurements of yield stress fluids. In some embodiments, the fixture can be an improvement of a typical vane by having the ability to create a more homogeneous shear profile in a test material, e.g., a yield stress fluid. These vane fixtures having fractal-like cross-sectional structures enable robust rheological measurements of the properties of yield stress fluids due to several outer contact edges that lead to increased kinematic homogeneity at the point of yielding and beyond. The branching structure of the fractal-like fixtures can alter the shape of a wetted perimeter of the fixture while minimizing an area thereof to allow the fixture to be inserted into fluids with less disturbance. In some embodiments, a cup with a ribbed inner surface can be used to hold the sample fluid and disassembles for ease of cleaning following completion of the measurement.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for filter testing for use within an air handling system. The air handling system may include one or more scan assemblies. The scan assembly may include a track system using one or more magnetic arrays.

Abstract: Described are a method and device for controlling a temperature of a sample. The sample may be a rheometer sample. A thermal control system comprising a geometry element, heat conductor element, heater element, cooling device and thermal resistance layer is used. The cooling device may be a Peltier element. The heat conductor element is disposed adjacent to and in thermal communication with the geometry element. The heater element is in thermal contact with the heat conductor element. The thermal resistance layer is disposed between and in thermal contact with an element surface of the heat conductor element and a cooling surface of the cooling device. The heater element is operated to cause heat to flow to the geometry element and the cooling device is operated to cool the cooling surface to a temperature that is less than a temperature of the element surface.

Abstract: The method for calculating concentration ratio includes: (a) heating a gas sensor element to a temperature at which both of two gas components introduced in a gas sensor element react, and maintaining the temperature for a predetermined period to measure an electrical resistance value of the gas sensor element; (b) heating the gas sensor element to a temperature at which only any of the two gas components reacts, and maintaining the temperature for a predetermined period to measure an electrical resistance value of the gas sensor element; and (c) calculating a concentration ratio of the two gas components based on a combination of the electrical resistance value in (a) and the electrical resistance value in (b).

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for isolating a sample at a valve prior to introduction to an analysis system, such as sample analysis via ICP-MS. A system embodiment can include, but is not limited to, a valve system including a first valve in fluid communication with a sample reservoir and a second valve configured to permit and block access of a vacuum source to the first valve; a sensor system configured to detect presence or absence of a fluid at the first valve; and a controller configured to control operation of the second valve to block access of the vacuum source to the first valve upon detection of the fluid at the first valve to isolate the fluid within the sample reservoir.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an arrangement (100) for obtaining a quantity related to a temperature along a part of an optical fibre (110). The arrangement comprises a light emitter (120) arranged to emit light into the optical fibre (110). The optical fibre is at at least one location along said part of the optical fibre provided with a Fibre Bragg Gratings, FBGs (111, 112, 113), wherein the FBGs are arranged to reflect light within a predetermined wavelength range. The arrangement further comprises a detector (160) arranged to receive and detect the reflected light, a first optical shutter (130) arranged in the optical path after the light emitter. The first optical shutter is arranged to be opened and closed in order to let the emitted light through and into the optical fibre (110), a second optical shutter (150) arranged to be opened and closed in order to let the reflected light through, and an optical circulator (140) having a first, a second and a third port.

Abstract: The present invention provides a device for collecting liquid and a smart toilet comprising the same. The device comprises a fixing support, a swinging mechanism, a suction tube assembly and a pump body mechanism; the suction tube assembly (9) comprises a slide rail component and a retractable suction tube component disposed therein, one end of the slide rail component is connected to the swinging mechanism; the suction tube component comprises a suction tube internally provided with a cavity and an opening disposed above the cavity, and a first conduit disposed in the suction tube one end of the first conduit is inserted in the cavity, the other end of the first conduit is connected to the pump body mechanism. The fixing support is fixedly connected to the toilet body; the suction tube component swings towards the center of the toilet under the effect of the swinging mechanism, the suction tube component is used for receiving the urine.

Abstract: A gas sensor has a light detector, a gas-tight support structure enclosing the light detector, a window positioned in said support structure, and a light source mounted to the support structure. A sample area is positioned in the support structure to receive a gas to be tested. The light source is aligned with the window, sample area, and the light detector to pass light from the light source through the gas in the sample area to the light detector. The sensor can be provided in a breadth sampling apparatus that has deflects gas to a bypass route so that only a portion of gas reaches the sensor.

Abstract: A method for processing friction data for vehicle tires on road segments, implemented by a processing system including at least one computer and an interface for remote communication with a plurality of vehicles, the method including: acquiring, from the plurality of vehicles, friction data for tires of the vehicles on a plurality of road segments, each friction datum including at least: a maximum coefficient of friction available to the vehicle on the road segment, and information relating to the road segment; establishing, for each road segment, a distribution of the friction data obtained from the plurality of vehicles for the road segment; and determining a plurality of road types, each road type comprising a set of road segments, from a measurement of similarity between the distributions of friction data obtained for each road segment.

Abstract: A process for aging gas lift valves utilizing a controlled decompression to prevent damage to seals of the gas lift valves. The process includes pressuring one or more gas lift valves to a predetermined pressure (e.g., 5000 psig) and maintaining this pressure for a predetermined time (e.g. five minutes). After this time period, decompression is performed in discrete steps. For instance, the pressure of the pressure vessel may be reduced in predetermined pressure increments (i.e. reductions). After each pressure reduction, the reduced pressure is maintained for a predetermined time. This allows gasses and fluids within the elastomeric O-rings time to dissipate without causing damage to the seals.

Abstract: An accelerated life testing (ALT) system for the pressurization of corrosive media, such as seawater, at high pressures and at elevated temperatures (up to about 70° C.) for extended periods of time. The interior of a pressure vessel is coated in an inert ceramic/epoxy coating that provides adequate corrosion protection from the corrosive media. A fabric reinforced nitrile diaphragm separates the corrosive media from hydraulic actuating media, such as oil. The hydraulic actuating media is pressurized, which deforms the diaphragm into the corrosive media, thereby increasing the pressure. The diaphragm and supplementary flouroelastomer seals isolate the corrosive media from pressure generating, monitoring, and safety equipment. The temperature of the entire vessel and contents is maintained by complete immersion in a heated, filtered water bath. The system is particularly useful for ALT experiments on components intended for sea floor and long term deep ocean environment operations at about 6000 psi (41.4 MPa).

Abstract: A detection method includes calibration mode of calibrating sensor with low-concentration gas being caused to flow along direction from the sensor toward an adsorption part, first detection mode of, after the calibration mode, detecting chemical substance with sample gas being caused to flow along the direction from the sensor toward the adsorption part, first adsorption mode of adsorbing, by the adsorption part, the chemical substance during an execution time period including time period overlapping at least part of an execution time period of the first detection mode, second adsorption mode of, after the first adsorption mode, adsorbing, by the adsorption part, the chemical substance with the sample gas being caused to flow along direction from the adsorption part toward the sensor, and second detection mode of desorbing, from the adsorption part, the chemical substance adsorbed in the first and second adsorption modes and detecting the chemical substance by the sensor.

Abstract: A rapid testing mechanism for respiratory viral pathogens includes a filter material positioned to capture exhaled breath particles from a respiratory tract. A portion of the filter material is impregnated with a pathogen binding adsorptive reagent. When the exhaled breath particles pass through the filter material the following occurs: when the binding adsorptive reagent reacts, a positive test for respiratory viral pathogens is indicated by the filter material; and when pathogen binding adsorptive reagent does not react, a negative test for respiratory viral pathogens is indicated by the filter material.

Abstract: An odor is detected with high accuracy. A sensing system includes: a sensor apparatus including a filter to remove an odor-causing substance contained in air and a sensor unit including one or more detection elements to detect an amount of the odor-causing substance contained in air; and an information processing apparatus including a difference calculation unit to calculate a difference between a detection value of each of the one or more detection elements, the detection value indicating an amount of the odor-causing substance contained in air that has passed through the filter and a detection value of each of the one or more detection elements, the detection value indicating an amount of the odor-causing substance contained in air that has not passed through the filter, and a determination unit to determine an odor of air based on the calculated difference.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for detecting a vacuum leak within a processing chamber are described herein. More specifically, the methods and apparatus relate to the utilization of a spectral measurement device, such as a spectral gauge, to determine the leak rate within a process chamber while the process chamber is held at a leak test pressure. The spectral measurement device determines the rate of increase of one or more gases within the processing chamber and can be used to determine if the processing chamber passes or fails the leak test.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for detecting the quality of a liquid in a supply pipe, in particular for detecting the water quality in a water pipe, comprising a flow cell, which has an inlet opening, an outlet opening and at least one receiving device for the arrangement of at least one sensor. The inlet opening and the outlet opening are provided on a base surface of the flow cell intended for connection to the supply pipe, the inlet opening of the flow cell is connected to an intake pipe, the free end of which is intended for arrangement in the supply pipe, said intake pipe being received displaceably in its longitudinal direction in the flow cell or having an adjustable length, and a liquid pump of a flow of the liquid in the supply pipe is connected to the intake pipe.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a quantitative evaluation method for concrete workability based on bottom resistance, including the following steps: step 1, carrying out a test for bottom resistance of fresh concrete; step 2, drawing a curve of inserting velocity of steel sheet over time; and step 3, quantitatively evaluating a concrete workability based on conditions of the bottom resistance. This method can quantitatively characterize the sinking condition of aggregate of the fresh concrete by effectively carrying out the test for bottom resistance of fresh concrete, calculating the inserting velocity of concrete and drawing the curves of displacement and velocity over time, so as to achieve the quantitative evaluation for concrete workability and overcome the defects of conventional methods that it is difficult to quantitatively characterize the segregation degree of concrete.