Abstract: A spray coating system has integrated weather monitoring controls. The system can include a dispenser with onboard control unit; an integrated apparatus for monitoring environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, wind etc.); and communication interface for wired, wireless, internet of things (IOT), or other communications. The system monitors weather conditions in the direct vicinity of the spray equipment and informs coating applicators immediately to prevent faulty coating applications associated with incompatible environmental conditions.

Abstract: A membrane separation process is described. The process comprises pumping of a fluid stream through a membrane module to produce a permeate during a plurality of membrane operating cycles. Each membrane operating cycle comprises a filtration cycle and a relaxation cycle. Concentration polarisation is controlled during the process by controlling duration of filtration cycles and relaxation cycles to relatively short duration to maintain the degree of concentration polarisation below a target.

Abstract: An in-line electric heater for flowing fluids comprises a housing having a fluid inlet at one end and a fluid outlet at an opposing end with a plurality of resistance wire heating elements arranged along the flow path of the fluid and in direct contact with the fluid.

Abstract: A heated hose has pressure housings at or near its inlet and outlet. Heat is provided by an electric resistance heater located within the flow channel of the hose. Power feedthroughs in the pressure housings provide fluid-tight electrical power and return connections to the heater. The power feedthroughs may comprise a generally cylindrical body having a central axial bore. A conductor pin is situated within the central axial bore in spaced apart relation thereto creating an annulus. The annulus may be filled with an insulating material such as a ceramic. The power feedthroughs are retained within bores in each of the pressure housings. The bores have a circumferential groove in their inner walls which hold a seal such as an O-ring in sealing engagement with the outer surface of the generally cylindrical body of the power feedthrough.

Abstract: A membrane separation process is described. The process comprises pumping of a fluid stream through a membrane module to produce a permeate during a plurality of membrane operating cycles. Each membrane operating cycle comprises a filtration cycle and a relaxation cycle. Concentration polarisation is controlled during the process by controlling duration of filtration cycles and relaxation cycles to relatively short duration to maintain the degree of concentration polarisation below a target.

Abstract: Systems and methods for manufacturing high-strength cladded components such as pressure containing components that may be used in, e.g., oilfield systems to carry corrosive fluids at high pressures. Embodiments of the invention include products and processes in which low carbon HSLA Steel that has a yield strength greater than 70,000 psi is used as a base material from which a component is formed. A corrosion resistant alloy is welded to selected surfaces of the base metal. Because the base material has a low carbon content, welding the corrosion resistant alloy onto the base material does not create significant stresses in the base material and consequently eliminates the need for PWHT to relieve such stresses and eliminates strength degradation that normally results from PWHT. Eliminating PWHT also allows the component to be refurbished and re-cladded multiple times without significantly degrading the yield strength of the component.

Abstract: A method of accelerated testing of a membrane module for resistance to cyclic stress during operation of an industrial membrane separation process comprising loading at least one membrane module into a test cell of a test plant; conducting said industrial membrane separation process while subjecting said membrane module to cyclic stresses during a plurality of membrane operating cycles, each cycle being of significantly lesser duration than used for operation of said industrial membrane separation process in an operating plant; and testing said membrane module for component failure caused by said cyclic stresses.

Abstract: The flow valve apparatus includes a valve body, a valve sub assembly, a valve stem guide, and a spring. The valve body can be placed in a pipeline or other fluid flow path. The valve sub assembly has a float and valve stem to control flow through the valve body. Actuating the float between a first position at a proximal end and a second position at a distal end opens and closes the flow valve apparatus. The valve body has an outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surface has a stem chamber and a float chamber. The valve sub assembly is oriented so that the float is positioned in the float chamber and the valve stem is positioned in the stem chamber. The cross-sectional area formed by the inner surface and the float is constant, when the float is in the first position.

Abstract: A method of accelerated testing of a membrane module for resistance to cyclic stress during operation of an industrial membrane separation process comprising loading at least one membrane module into a test cell of a test plant; conducting said industrial membrane separation process while subjecting said membrane module to cyclic stresses during a plurality of membrane operating cycles, each cycle being of significantly lesser duration than used for operation of said industrial membrane separation process in an operating plant; and testing said membrane module for component failure caused by said cyclic stresses.

Abstract: A process for treating a water stream containing dissolved organic carbon and dissolved salts comprises subjecting the water stream to reverse osmosis after a pre-treatment step to reduce the amount of dissolved organic carbon directed in water to the reverse osmosis treatment step. The preferred pre-treatment step is a membrane treatment step such as nanofiltration. The process enables treatment of complex effluents including mixtures of domestic and industrial effluents. Treated water may be recycled and a treatment plant (100) employing the process forms another aspect of the invention.

Abstract: A client includes a card selector, and receives a security policy from a relying party. If the client does not have an information card that can satisfy the security policy, the client can define a virtual information card, either from the security policy or by augmenting an existing information card. The client can also use a local security policy that controls how and when a virtual information card is defined. The virtual information card can then be used to generate a security token to satisfy the security policy.

Abstract: A string matching system is described herein that provides for very fast and efficient pattern matching against large sets of certain types of pattern strings. If a set of pattern strings is comprised of strings that can be logically divided into segments, these pattern strings can be stored efficiently in a tree-like data structure, segment by segment, storing pattern-match syntax segments separately from literal string segments. After segmentation, individual match candidate strings are compared, segment by segment, against elements in the tree. The system uses a data structure that is conceptually a combination of a tree and a hash table. Using a hash table to implement the branching elements at each level in the tree contributes to quick matching speed at each level. By consistently separating strings into segments, the system can also share storage locations for like elements in the data structure.

Abstract: A string matching system is described herein that provides for very fast and efficient pattern matching against large sets of certain types of pattern strings. If a set of pattern strings is comprised of strings that can be logically divided into segments, these pattern strings can be stored efficiently in a tree-like data structure, segment by segment, storing pattern-match syntax segments separately from literal string segments. After segmentation, individual match candidate strings are compared, segment by segment, against elements in the tree. The system uses a data structure that is conceptually a combination of a tree and a hash table. Using a hash table to implement the branching elements at each level in the tree contributes to quick matching speed at each level. By consistently separating strings into segments, the system can also share storage locations for like elements in the data structure.

Abstract: A process for treating a water stream containing dissolved organic carbon and dissolved salts comprises subjecting the water stream to reverse osmosis after a pre-treatment step to reduce the amount of dissolved organic carbon directed in water to the reverse osmosis treatment step. The preferred pre-treatment step is a membrane treatment step such as nanofiltration. The process enables treatment of complex effluents including mixtures of domestic and industrial effluents. Treated water may be recycled and a treatment plant (100) employing the process forms another aspect of the invention.

Abstract: The invention relates to the generation of user selected pages from an internet site and the delay in the reformatting of the same following a user selection of a new data event i.e. the selection of a new page which is to be displayed. In accordance with the invention, upon a user selection, reformatting of the page is delayed either for a predesignated time interval from the previous page reformatting or until all or a predefined amount of the data for the new page has been received. This allows the processor to be controlled hence preventing delays and/or errors in navigational functions and also can reduce the generation of “flicker” on the on-screen display.

Abstract: A system and method is presented for database restoration in a distributed data system. The distributed data system has a first database on a first server which needs restoration. The first database is first restored with a predetermined full backup file, the full backup file being made at a first predetermined time. The first database is then restored with one or more incremental backup files, the incremental backup files being made since the first predetermined time and having the most recent backup file made at a second predetermined time. A transaction log documenting data transactions since the second predetermined time is then examined. One or more transactions listed in the transaction log after the second predetermined time are then executed since they are not included in the incremental backup files.

Abstract: A client includes a card selector, and receives a security policy from a relying party. If the client does not have an information card that can satisfy the security policy, the client can define a virtual information card, either from the security policy or by augmenting an existing information card. The client can also use a local security policy that controls how and when a virtual information card is defined. The virtual information card can then be used to generate a security token to satisfy the security policy.

Abstract: The invention relates to a television system which typically includes a broadcast data receiver connected to or provided integrally with a television display screen. The system is provided with an internet capability and the invention allows the user of the capability to identify information relating to each of the internet page windows which are live and selectable for display across the screen at that instant by the generation of an information display which includes bibliographic data for each of the page windows. This therefore allows the system which hallows only one page window to be viewed at a time on the screen to be more user friendly.

Abstract: The invention relates to the generation of a display on a display screen, such as that of a television set. The display includes an internet web page, selected for display by a user. The web page includes a display window for a video display generated from video data. The web page and video data are received by a broadcast data receiver connected to the display screen. In accordance with the invention the display window is provided of a predetermined size which is compared with the size of the video display to be shown at that time. If the video display will not fit into the display window, newly set dimensions are generated for the display window thereby allowing the video display to be shown in its entirety and without the need for cropping or any other editing features to be performed.

Abstract: The invention which is the subject of this application is to provide for the dynamic adjustment of the display of a graphic display on a display screen, such as that of a television set. Typically, the display screen shows a video display such as that of a television programme generated from received video data such as via a broadcast data receiver, DVD, VCR or the like. On occasion and typically in response to a user selection a graphic display can be generated and overlaid on the video display to provide information to the user. Changes in the video display to take into account different video display formats and/or the particular format of the display screen can cause the graphic display to be unacceptable but this is avoided in the current invention which allows the graphic display to be altered with respect to the format such that it is visible and in a preferred form.