Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for improving the processing of heavy or challenged feeds in a refinery based on integrated use of deasphalting, coking, and hydroprocessing. An optional fluid catalytic cracking unit can be included in the integrated system to allow for further improvements. The improved processing can be facilitated based on a process configuration where the vacuum resid fractions and/or other difficult fractions are deasphalted to generate a deasphalted oil and a deasphalter residue or rock fraction. The deasphalted oil can be passed into a hydroprocessing unit for further processing. The rock fraction can be used as the feed to a coking unit. Although deasphalter residue or rock is typically a feed with a high content of micro carbon residue, a high lift deasphalting process can allow a portion of the micro carbon residue in the initial feed to remain with the deasphalted oil.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for upgrading a mixture of catalytic slurry oil and coker bottoms by hydroprocessing. Optionally, the upgrading can further include deasphalting the mixture of catalytic slurry oil and coker bottoms to form a deasphalted oil and a deasphalter residue or rock fraction. The mixture of catalytic slurry oil and coker bottoms and/or the deasphalted oil can then be hydroprocessed to form an upgraded effluent that includes fuels boiling range products. Optionally, in some aspects where the feed mixture is deasphalted prior to hydroprocessing, the feed mixture can further include a portion of a (sour) vacuum resid.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for improving operation of a fluid catalytic cracker as part of an integrated processing environment including a deasphalting unit and a hydroprocessor. Optionally, a coker can be included in the integrated system to allow for further improvements. The improved processing can be facilitated based on a process configuration where a combination of deasphalting and hydroprocessing are used to perform conversion on more refractory compounds, so that the fluid catalytic cracker can be operated at lower severity conditions. This can allow for improved production of desirable olefins and reduced production of light paraffins and coke. Additionally or alternately, the processing configuration can allow the bottoms fraction from fluid catalytic cracking to be incorporated into a higher value use than the typical regular sulfur fuel oil disposition.

Abstract: Methods and systems producing gasoline boiling range hydrocarbons from light paraffins are disclosed. Such methods may include exposing a paraffin-containing stream to a catalyst in a side riser of a fluid catalytic cracking reactor under effective conditions for dehydrogenating at least a portion of paraffins in the stream into olefins and thereby producing an olefin-containing stream, wherein the paraffin-containing stream comprises greater than 50 wt % isobutane; and alkylating olefins in the olefin-containing stream to produce a product stream comprising an alkylate fraction comprising hydrocarbons boiling between 100° F. and 400° F.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for upgrading catalytic slurry oil to form naphtha boiling range and/or distillate boiling range fuel products. It has been unexpectedly discovered that catalytic slurry oil can be separately hydroprocessed under fixed bed conditions to achieve substantial conversion of asphaltenes within the slurry oil (such as substantially complete conversion) while reducing or minimizing the amount of coke formation on the hydroprocessing catalyst. After hydroprocessing, the hydroprocessed effluent can be processed under fluid catalytic cracking conditions to form various products, including distillate boiling range fuels and/or naphtha boiling range fuels. Another portion of the effluent can be suitable for use as a low sulfur fuel oil, such as a fuel oil having a sulfur content of 0.1 wt % or less.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for and a method of collaborative annotation of digital content. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method of annotating digital content is provided. An annotation related to a portion of a volume of digital content is created. The annotation is stored in computer-readable memory in a manner that maintains a logical connection between the annotation and the portion of the volume of the digital content. The annotation is created by a first user. A comment is created by a second user in response to the annotation. The comment is stored in computer-readable memory in a manner that maintains a logical connection between the comment and the annotation. The portion of the volume of the digital content is displayed together with at least an identification of the annotation and at least an identification of the comment.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a tubular handling system for maneuvering tubulars onto or off of a rig and including a tubular grip adapted to engage a variety of tubular sizes.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for upgrading blends of catalytic slurry oil and steam cracker tar to form fuel and/or fuel blending products. The steam cracker tar can optionally correspond to a fluxed steam cracker tar that includes steam cracker gas oil and/or another type of gas oil or other diluent. It has been unexpectedly discovered that blends of catalytic slurry oil and steam cracker tar can be hydroprocessed under fixed bed conditions while reducing or minimizing the amount of coke formation on the hydroprocessing catalyst and/or while reducing or minimizing plugging of the fixed bed, as would be conventionally expected during fixed bed processing of a feed containing a substantial portion of steam cracker tar. Additionally or alternately, it has been unexpectedly discovered that formation of coke fines within steam cracker tar can be reduced or minimized by blending steam cracker tar with catalytic slurry oil.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for forming specialty products from hydrotreated FCC fractions. Optionally, the hydrotreated FCC fractions used for forming the specialty products can further include a (hydrotreated) portion of a steam cracker tar fraction. The specialty products that can be formed from hydrotreated FCC fractions include, but are not limited to, carbon blacks, resins, and carbon fibers. A convenient method for forming the hydrotreated FCC fractions can be fixed bed hydrotreatment.

Abstract: In one aspect, structures are provided that comprise (a) a one-dimensional periodic plurality of layers, wherein at least two of the layers have a refractive index differential sufficient to provide effective contrast; and (b) one or more light-emitting nanostructure materials effectively positioned with respect to the refractive index differential interface, wherein the structure provides a polarized output emission.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for and a method of collaborative annotation of digital content. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method of annotating digital content is provided. An annotation related to a portion of a volume of digital content is created. The annotation is stored in computer-readable memory in a manner that maintains a logical connection between the annotation and the portion of the volume of the digital content. The annotation is created by a first user. A comment is created by a second user in response to the annotation. The comment is stored in computer-readable memory in a manner that maintains a logical connection between the comment and the annotation. The portion of the volume of the digital content is displayed together with at least an identification of the annotation and at least an identification of the comment.

Abstract: A cleaning device for door handles and door push plates comprising a housing (60) for mounting on a door, the housing having a reservoir (76) of disinfectant liquid and a spray head (71), an actuating arm (72) which projects outwardly from the housing and is in use operatively associated with a door frame in which the door is mounted, such that opening or closing of the door causes movement of the actuating arm (72) to operate the spray head and to spray a disinfectant liquid onto the door handle, door push plate or other door surface, wherein the actuating arm engages with the door frame to operate the spray head.

Abstract: A method of predicting the tendency of a heavy oil feed to generate coke deposits in the FCC riser under a given set of operating parameters in the unit; thus, by utilizing operating parameters appropriate to the feed, the formation of coke deposits in the riser may be minimized. The margin between the theoretical dew point of the hydrocarbon feed established from unit operating parameters and the theoretical mix zone temperature in the feed injection zone of the unit is developed by applying a regression-derived linear model from multiple rigorous model runs. The mix zone of the unit is then operated at a temperature which reduces the level of riser coking predicted from this ascertainable margin or, at least, maintains it within levels which are predictable and acceptable.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed relating to composite photonic materials used to design structures and detecting material deformation for the purpose of monitoring structural health of physical structures. According to one aspect, a composite structure is provided that includes a base material, an optical diffraction grating and one or more fluorophore materials constructed such that localized perturbations create a measureable change in the structure's diffraction pattern. An inspection device is also provided that is configured to detect perturbations in the composite structure. The inspection device is configured to emit an inspecting radiation into the structure and capture the refracted radiation and measure the change in the diffraction pattern and quantify the perturbation based on the wavelength and the angular information for the diffracted radiation.

Abstract: In one aspect, structures are provided that comprise a photonic crystal comprising a dielectric layer comprising therein one or more light-emitting nanostructure materials. In a further aspect, structures are provided that comprise a dielectric layer comprising first and second sets of light-emitting nanostructure materials at differing depths within the dielectric layer.

Abstract: A solar panel system for determining how many solar panels connected to a controller is provided. An electrical pathway connects the controller to at least one solar panel. A first resistance is associated with each of the at least one solar panel. An external environment resistance is defined by a cumulative presence of at least the first resistance associated with each of the at least one solar panel, wherein the external environment resistance is different based on a total number of the at least one solar panels connected to the electrical pathway. A second resistance is associated with the controller. The external environment resistance and the second resistance at least partially define a voltage divider to receive an input voltage and produce an output voltage. The controller is programmed to determine from the produced output voltage the total number of the at least one solar panel connected to the controller along the electrical pathway.

Abstract: In one aspect, structures are provided that comprise (a) a one-dimensional periodic plurality of layers, wherein at least two of the layers have a refractive index differential sufficient to provide effective contrast; and (b) one or more light-emitting nanostructure materials effectively positioned with respect to the refractive index differential interface, wherein the structure provides a polarized output emission.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for upgrading catalytic slurry oil to form naphtha boiling range and/or distillate boiling range fuel products. It has been unexpectedly discovered that catalytic slurry oil can be separately hydroprocessed under fixed bed conditions to achieve substantial conversion of asphaltenes within the slurry oil (such as substantially complete conversion) while reducing/minimizing the amount of coke formation on the hydroprocessing catalyst. After hydroprocessing, the hydroprocessed effluent can be processed under fluid catalytic cracking conditions to form various products, including distillate boiling range fuels and/or naphtha boiling range fuels. Another portion of the effluent can be suitable for use as a low sulfur fuel oil, such as a fuel oil having a sulfur content of 0.1 wt % or less.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for upgrading catalytic slurry oil to form naphtha boiling range and/or distillate boiling range fuel products. It has been unexpectedly discovered that catalytic slurry oil can be separately hydroprocessed under fixed bed conditions to achieve substantial conversion of asphaltenes within the slurry oil (such as substantially complete conversion) while reducing or minimizing the amount of coke formation on the hydroprocessing catalyst. After hydroprocessing, the hydroprocessed effluent can be processed under fluid catalytic cracking conditions to form various products, including distillate boiling range fuels and/or naphtha boiling range fuels. Another portion of the effluent can be suitable for use as a low sulfur fuel oil, such as a fuel oil having a sulfur content of 0.1 wt % or less.

Abstract: A potentially heat-deficient fluid catalytic cracking process for effecting a bulk boiling point conversion of a high boiling point petroleum feed to lower boiling products in which the overall enthalpy balance between the endothermic cracking and exothermic regeneration is maintained by combustion of a supplemental fuel in the middle or upper region of the dense bed in the regenerator (including the region immediately above the dense phase bed). There is a direct economic benefit from operation of the cracking process in this way since the preferred supplemental fuel is methane (natural gas) which is currently a low cost fuel while liquid products are higher value. Use of natural gas as a supplemental fuel will allow re-optimization of the catalyst and operations separately from the heat balance demand.