Abstract: A system for optimizing utility consumption associated with a premises is provided. The system may include a communication device, a processing device and a storage device. Further, the communication device may be configured for receiving utility consumption information, receiving premises information, receiving lifestyle information, and performing at least one of transmitting a utility recommendation associated with the premises to an electronic device and transmitting an actuation data to an appliance associated with the premises. Further, the processing device may be configured for analyzing each of the utility consumption information, the premises information and the lifestyle information and generating at least one of a utility recommendation and the actuation data based on the analyzing.

Abstract: A system for matching at least one utility consumer to at least one utility provider is provided. The system may include a communication device, a processing device and a storage device. The communication device may be configured for receiving utility consumption information from a utility consumption information source, receiving environmental information from an environmental information source, receiving premises information from a premises information source, receiving utility provider information from utility provider information source and transmitting a utility recommendation to an electronic device. Further, the processing device may be configured for analyzing each of the utility consumption information, the environmental information and the premises information and the utility provider information, and generating the utility recommendation based on the analyzing.

Abstract: A system for matching at least one utility consumer to at least one utility provider is provided. The system may include a communication device, a processing device and a storage device. The communication device may be configured for receiving utility consumption information from a utility consumption information source, receiving environmental information from an environmental information source, receiving premises information from a premises information source, receiving utility provider information from utility provider information source and transmitting a utility recommendation to an electronic device. Further, the processing device may be configured for analyzing each of the utility consumption information, the environmental information and the premises information and the utility provider information, and generating the utility recommendation based on the analyzing.

Abstract: A system for optimizing utility consumption associated with a premises is provided. The system may include a communication device, a processing device and a storage device. Further, the communication device may be configured for receiving utility consumption information, receiving premises information, receiving lifestyle information, and performing at least one of transmitting a utility recommendation associated with the premises to an electronic device and transmitting an actuation data to an appliance associated with the premises. Further, the processing device may be configured for analyzing each of the utility consumption information, the premises information and the lifestyle information and generating at least one of a utility recommendation and the actuation data based on the analyzing.

Abstract: A system for generating at least one utility fingerprint associated with at least one premises is provided. The system includes a communication device, a processing device and a storage device. The communication device is configured for receiving utility consumption information from at least one utility consumption information source, receiving premises information from at least one premises information source, receiving lifestyle information from at least one lifestyle information source and transmitting at least one utility fingerprint to an electronic device. The processing device is configured for analyzing each of the utility consumption information, the premises information and the lifestyle information and generating the at least one utility fingerprint associated with the at least one premises based on the analyzing. The storage device is configured for storing each of the utility consumption information, the premises information, the lifestyle information and the at least one utility fingerprint.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for managing water or other fluid that provides monitoring and reliable control of the use of water or other fluid in a given territorial area, facilitating the management of water use or other fluid in processes where it is involved, for example in tasks of irrigating agricultural land or in industrial processes using fluids such as leaching. The system and method of the invention operates on the basis of a distributed monitoring and control logic implemented to control and monitor a hydraulic system located in the given territorial area by an arrangement of sensors, actuators and controllers deployed in communication with a network of nodes that allows a user to monitor, control and automate the use of water in that territorial area, reducing to almost zero user intervention in the process of monitoring and control to almost zero.

Abstract: A converter configured to convert a DC input voltage to a DC output voltage, may include: a high-side driver circuit having a first terminal coupled to a first die pad; a high-side transistor having a drain terminal coupled to a second die pad and a source terminal coupled to a third die pad; and a low-side transistor having a source terminal coupled to a fourth die pad and a drain terminal coupled to a fifth die pad. The converter may further include a resistive element coupled between the source terminal of the high-side transistor and the drain terminal of the low-side transistor, where a second terminal of the high-side driver circuit is coupled to a sixth die pad.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for managing water or other fluid that provides monitoring and reliable control of the use of water or other fluid in a given territorial area, facilitating the management of water use or other fluid in processes where it is involved, for example in tasks of irrigating agricultural land or in industrial processes using fluids such as leaching. The system and method of the invention operates on the basis of a distributed monitoring and control logic implemented to control and monitor a hydraulic system located in the given territorial area by an arrangement of sensors, actuators and controllers deployed in communication with a network of nodes that allows a user to monitor, control and automate the use of water in that territorial area, reducing to almost zero user intervention in the process of monitoring and control to almost zero.

Abstract: A converter configured to convert a DC input voltage to a DC output voltage, may include: a high-side driver circuit having a first terminal coupled to a first die pad; a high-side transistor having a drain terminal coupled to a second die pad and a source terminal coupled to a third die pad; and a low-side transistor having a source terminal coupled to a fourth die pad and a drain terminal coupled to a fifth die pad. The converter may further include a resistive element coupled between the source terminal of the high-side transistor and the drain terminal of the low-side transistor, where a second terminal of the high-side driver circuit is coupled to a sixth die pad.

Abstract: The present invention provides an insulated fluid conduit useful in facilities in which a hot fluid susceptible to one or more deleterious phase changes in response to heat loss to a cold environment is transported. Such conduits may be particularly well suited to improve thermal control in subsea hydrocarbon production operations. The fluid conduit includes an inner first insulating layer containing a first polymer matrix, and a first phase change material undergoing a phase change at T1. The fluid conduit includes an outer second insulating layer containing a second polymer matrix, and a second phase change material undergoing a phase change at T2, wherein T1 is greater than T2. One or more barrier layers inhibit migration of the phase change material from the insulation layers and into the environment. In one or more embodiments, the phase change material is present as a microencapsulated phase change material.

Abstract: The process for the hydrolysis of ligno-cellulosic biomass comprises the steps of A) Contacting a ligno-cellulosic feedstock, the feedstock comprised of biomass having a dry content and water with at least a portion of a solvent, the solvent comprised of water soluble hydrolyzed species; wherein at least some of the water soluble hydrolyzed species are the same as the water soluble hydrolyzed species obtainable from the hydrolysis of the biomass in the feedstock; B) maintaining the contact between the feedstock of the feedstock stream and the solvent at a temperature in the range of 20° C. to 200° C. for a time in the range of 5 minutes to 72 hours to create a hydrolyzed product from the biomass in the feedstock.

Abstract: The process for the hydrolysis of ligno-cellulosic biomass comprises the steps of A) Contacting a ligno-cellulosic feedstock, the feedstock comprised of biomass having a dry content and water with at least a portion of a solvent, the solvent comprised of water soluble hydrolyzed species; wherein at least some of the water soluble hydrolyzed species are the same as the water soluble hydrolyzed species obtainable from the hydrolysis of the biomass in the feedstock; B) maintaining the contact between the feedstock of the feedstock stream and the solvent at a temperature in the range of 20° C. to 200° C. for a time in the range of 5 minutes to 72 hours to create a hydrolyzed product from the biomass in the feedstock.

Abstract: The process for the hydrolysis of ligno-cellulosic biomass comprises the steps of A) Contacting a ligno-cellulosic feedstock, the feedstock comprised of biomass having a dry content and water with at least a portion of a solvent, the solvent comprised of water soluble hydrolyzed species; wherein at least some of the water soluble hydrolyzed species are the same as the water soluble hydrolyzed species obtainable from the hydrolysis of the biomass in the feedstock; B) maintaining the contact between the feedstock of the feedstock stream and the solvent at a temperature in the range of 20° C. to 200° C. for a time in the range of 5 minutes to 72 hours to create a hydrolyzed product from the biomass in the feedstock.

Abstract: The present invention provides an insulated fluid conduit useful in facilities in which a hot fluid susceptible to one or more deleterious phase changes in response to heat loss to a cold environment is transported. Such conduits may be particularly well suited to improve thermal control in subsea hydrocarbon production operations. The fluid conduit includes an inner first insulating layer containing a first polymer matrix, and a first phase change material undergoing a phase change at T1. The fluid conduit includes an outer second insulating layer containing a second polymer matrix, and a second phase change material undergoing a phase change at T2, wherein T1 is greater than T2. One or more barrier layers inhibit migration of the phase change material from the insulation layers and into the environment. In one or more embodiments, the phase change material is present as a microencapsulated phase change material.

Abstract: The process for the hydrolysis of ligno-cellulosic biomass comprises the steps of A) Contacting a ligno-cellulosic feedstock, the feedstock comprised of biomass having a dry content and water with at least a portion of a solvent, the solvent comprised of water soluble hydrolyzed species; wherein at least some of the water soluble hydrolyzed species are the same as the water soluble hydrolyzed species obtainable from the hydrolysis of the biomass in the feedstock; B) maintaining the contact between the feedstock of the feedstock stream and the solvent at a temperature in the range of 20° C. to 200° C. for a time in the range of 5 minutes to 72 hours to create a hydrolyzed product from the biomass in the feedstock.

Abstract: The process for the hydrolysis of ligno-cellulosic biomass comprises the steps of A) Contacting a ligno-cellulosic feedstock, the feedstock comprised of biomass having a dry content and water with at least a portion of a solvent, the solvent comprised of water soluble hydrolyzed species; wherein at least some of the water soluble hydrolyzed species are the same as the water soluble hydrolyzed species obtainable from the hydrolysis of the biomass in the feedstock; B) maintaining the contact between the feedstock of the feedstock stream and the solvent at a temperature in the range of 20° C. to 200° C. for a time in the range of 5 minutes to 72 hours to create a hydrolyzed product from the biomass in the feedstock.

Abstract: The process for the hydrolysis of ligno-cellulosic biomass comprises the steps of A) Contacting a ligno-cellulosic feedstock, the feedstock comprised of biomass having a dry content and water with at least a portion of a solvent, the solvent comprised of water soluble hydrolyzed species; wherein at least some of the water soluble hydrolyzed species are the same as the water soluble hydrolyzed species obtainable from the hydrolysis of the biomass in the feedstock; B) maintaining the contact between the feedstock of the feedstock stream and the solvent at a temperature in the range of 20° C. to 200° C. for a time in the range of 5 minutes to 72 hours to create a hydrolyzed product from the biomass in the feedstock.

Abstract: A comparator is configured to generate an output voltage representing the comparison between the absolute value of the difference between two input voltages with an adjustable reference voltage. The comparator includes an input differential amplifier, receiving the two input voltages and connected to an active load network controlled by a control voltage, a control circuit that generates the control voltage representing the adjustable reference voltage, and an output stage having a logic circuit configured to produce the output voltage of the comparator as a logic combination of the output voltages of the differential amplifier.

Abstract: The process for the hydrolysis of ligno-cellulosic biomass comprises the steps of A) Contacting a ligno-cellulosic feedstock, the feedstock comprised of biomass having a dry content and water with at least a portion of a solvent, the solvent comprised of water soluble hydrolyzed species; wherein at least some of the water soluble hydrolyzed species are the same as the water soluble hydrolyzed species obtainable from the hydrolysis of the biomass in the feedstock; B) maintaining the contact between the feedstock of the feedstock stream and the solvent at a temperature in the range of 20° C. to 200° C. for a time in the range of 5 minutes to 72 hours to create a hydrolyzed product from the biomass in the feedstock.

Abstract: Sprayer boom beam structure includes a girder member having an elongated profiled sheet structure including at least two folds or bends defining three portions in an inverted V- or U- or C-shaped cross-section, i.e. a pair of side or wing walls integrally joined by a top or bridge wall. Triangular orifices are punched out of the side walls, alongside one another in a longitudinal direction, alternating between inverted and upright triangles, leaving inclined strips of sheet material in between, and which absorb and transmit strains and stresses similar to a tubular lattice structure, and having benefits of a spatial lattice-like structure. Complementary beam members include a base plate joining longitudinal edges of sidewalls of the profiled member and close the open face of the profiled member, forming a sturdy box-like structure, and internal cross-platelets joined to inclined strips of the profiled-member sidewalls to further rigidify the beam structure.