Abstract: Separating sand from an input stream comprising a mixture of oil, gas, water and sand. A unitary vessel comprises a spherical portion and a cylindrical portion, the cylindrical portion having a proximal end and a distal end and the spherical portion and cylindrical portion joined at the proximal end of the cylindrical portion. An inlet for the input stream is positioned on the spherical portion of the unitary vessel. A first outlet for an outlet stream comprising oil, water, and natural gas is positioned on the spherical portion of the unitary vessel and below the inlet. A second outlet is positioned adjacent to the distal end of the cylindrical portion of the unitary vessel. Sand can be removed from the unitary vessel via the second outlet.

Abstract: A method for positioning a mobile platform at a station that includes moving the mobile platform near a bumper by applying torque to a drive shaft. The mobile platform is maneuvered until a contact stop of the platform is touching the bumper. A locking mechanism is engaged to the mobile platform before the torque to the drive shaft is released to assure position retention at the station. A system for precise positioning of a mobile platform at a station is provided that includes a stationary bumper at said station. A mobile platform has stop contacts, a drive shaft, and sensors for measuring contact with said stationary bumper. The mobile platform having a locking mechanism for preventing movement of the drive shaft in response to input from at least one of the sensors in response to contact with the stationary bumper to provide the precise positioning of said mobile platform.

Abstract: A targeting system for a bow is disclosed. A laser rangefinder is offset from a designated pin on the bow sight such that a theoretical line of sight for the designated pin intersects with a rangefinder laser beam emitted by the laser rangefinder at a preset distance. An adjustment mechanism is provided that permits the position of the laser rangefinder relative to the bow to be adjusted such that the rangefinder laser beam and a user's actual line of sight along the designated pin intersect at a target located at the preset distant. The designated pin permits the user to aim the laser rangefinder at a selected target and adjust an elevation of the bow to an angle corresponding at least approximately to a range to the selected target displayed by the laser rangefinder. In one embodiment, the rangefinder laser and the bow sight form a unitary bow sight assembly.

Abstract: A slider includes a Tunneling Magneto-Resistive (TuMR) read sensor and a shunt resistor connected in parallel. The shunt resistor may be located in a read structure of the slider. The shunt resistor may reduce a total resistance of the read structure and any corresponding impedance mismatch between the read structure, a transmission line, and a preamplifier. The shunt resistor may be made of a material having a near zero thermal coefficient of resistivity (TCR) to test a quality of the TuMR read sensor. The TuMR read sensor may be deemed defective if its TCR deviates from a population average by a specific criterion. The TuMR read sensor may include a MgO tunneling barrier to improve signal strength. The TuMR read sensor may include a free layer that is able to be saturated with a perpendicular background field to calculate a more accurate TCR of the TuMR read sensor.