Abstract: A forest fire retardant composition contains a retardant compound that includes a phosphate salt. The phosphate salt may include diammonium phosphate, diammonium orthophosphate, monoammonium phosphate, monoammonium orthophosphate, monosodium phosphate, disodium phosphate, disodium phosphate hydrate, sodium ammonium phosphate, sodium ammonium phosphate hydrate, sodium tripolyphosphate, trisodium phosphate, or dipotassium phosphate, and combinations thereof. The forest fire retardant composition may include an ammonium source. The composition may be in the form of a dry concentrate, a liquid concentrate, or a final diluted product. The final diluted product is effective in suppressing, retarding, and controlling forest fires while exhibiting corrosion resistance and low toxicity.

Abstract: A forest fire retardant composition contains a retardant compound that includes a potassium salt. The potassium salt may include a potassium salt of an organic acid, a potassium salt of an inorganic acid, or mixtures thereof. The organic acid may include formic acid, acetic acid, propanoic acid, butanoic acid, lactic acid, oxalic acid, malic acid, gluconic acid, tartaric acid, uric acid, malic acid, or citric acid. The inorganic acid may include sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, carbonic acid, or hydrochloric acid. The composition may be in the form of a dry concentrate, a liquid concentrate, or a final diluted product. The final diluted product is effective in suppressing, retarding, and controlling forest fires while exhibiting corrosion resistance and low toxicity.

Abstract: A radiation source device includes at least one membrane layer, a radiation source structure to emit electromagnetic or infrared radiation, a substrate and a spacer structure, wherein the substrate and the at least one membrane form a chamber, wherein a pressure in the chamber is lower than or equal to a pressure outside of the chamber, and wherein the radiation source structure is arranged between the at least one membrane layer and the substrate.

Abstract: A forest fire retardant composition contains a retardant compound that includes a phosphate salt. The phosphate salt may include diammonium phosphate, diammonium orthophosphate, monoammonium phosphate, monoammonium orthophosphate, monosodium phosphate, disodium phosphate, disodium phosphate hydrate, sodium ammonium phosphate, sodium ammonium phosphate hydrate, sodium tripolyphosphate, trisodium phosphate, or dipotassium phosphate, and combinations thereof. The forest fire retardant composition may include an ammonium source. The composition may be in the form of a dry concentrate, a liquid concentrate, or a final diluted product. The final diluted product is effective in suppressing, retarding, and controlling forest fires while exhibiting corrosion resistance and low toxicity.

Abstract: A forest fire retardant composition contains a retardant compound that includes a phosphate salt. The phosphate salt may include diammonium phosphate, diammonium orthophosphate, monoammonium phosphate, monoammonium orthophosphate, monosodium phosphate, disodium phosphate, disodium phosphate hydrate, sodium ammonium phosphate, sodium ammonium phosphate hydrate, sodium tripolyphosphate, trisodium phosphate, or dipotassium phosphate, and combinations thereof. The forest fire retardant composition may include an ammonium source. The composition may be in the form of a dry concentrate, a liquid concentrate, or a final diluted product. The final diluted product is effective in suppressing, retarding, and controlling forest fires while exhibiting corrosion resistance and low toxicity.

Abstract: A compensating element having first and second modules is disclosed. A locking mechanism which can be switched between a first and a second operating state is provided. The first module is connected firmly to the second module in the first operating state. The first operating state defines a zero position between the first and the second module. The first and the second module are connected to one another in the second operating state by a spring mechanism in such a way that they are movable relative to one another. The compensating element has a midaxis, and the first and the second module are arranged at least partially next to one another in the direction of the midaxis. A measuring system is also disclosed with which the relative position between the first and the second module can be measured. The first or second module includes an externally visible luminous surface. A luminous state of the luminous surface is dependent on the relative position measured by the measuring system.

Abstract: A method is for operating a manipulator that has a movement device, a compensating device, and a tool. In the method, a relative displacement of the compensating device, with respect to a target position, is sensed during setting-up and is taken into account in a subsequent control of the manipulator.

Abstract: A system can include a tong assembly, a tong positioning device configured to adjust a vertical height of the tong assembly, one or more calibration marker secured to the tong assembly, and a camera disposed at a camera position at which the calibration marker is within a field of view of the camera. A method of vertically positioning a tong assembly can include taking a digital image of a tong assembly and one or more calibration marker, identifying a pixel position of the calibration marker in the digital image, and adjusting a height of the tong assembly based in part on the pixel position of the calibration marker.

Abstract: A method of controlling make-up of a threaded connection can include training an artificial intelligence, inputting data to the artificial intelligence during the threaded connection make-up, the artificial intelligence thereby determining a shoulder point during the threaded connection make-up, and controlling application of torque to the threaded connection, based in part on the determined shoulder point. A system for controlled make-up of a threaded connection can include a torque application device configured to apply torque and rotation to the threaded connection, and a control system comprising a controller and an artificial intelligence. The controller may be configured to control operation of the torque application device, and the artificial intelligence may be adapted to determine a shoulder point of the threaded connection during the make-up of the threaded connection.

Abstract: A method for use with a subterranean well can include positioning an x-ray unit so that x-rays emitted by the x-ray unit scan a tubular string, displacing the tubular string relative to the x-ray unit, and identifying a threaded connection in the tubular string. A system can include a torque application device configured to apply torque to a threaded connection in a tubular string, and an x-ray unit configured to project x-rays toward the tubular string.

Abstract: A method of making-up tubular string components can include inputting to an image processor image data output from at least one camera, the image processor in response detecting positions of a tubular and a mark on another tubular, threading the tubulars with each other while inputting position data from the image processor to a controller, and the controller terminating the threading in response to the position of the mark relative to the position of the first tubular being within a predetermined range. Another method of making-up tubular string components can include, in response to inputting image data to an image processor, the image processor detecting longitudinal positions of two tubulars, threading the tubulars with each other, and a controller terminating the threading in response to the longitudinal position of one tubular relative to the longitudinal position of the other tubular being within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A method of making-up tubular string components can include inputting to an image processor image data output from at least one camera, the image processor in response detecting positions of a tubular and a mark on another tubular, threading the tubulars with each other while inputting position data from the image processor to a controller, and the controller terminating the threading in response to the position of the mark relative to the position of the first tubular being within a predetermined range. Another method of making-up tubular string components can include, in response to inputting image data to an image processor, the image processor detecting longitudinal positions of two tubulars, threading the tubulars with each other, and a controller terminating the threading in response to the longitudinal position of one tubular relative to the longitudinal position of the other tubular being within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A method of making-up tubular string components can include inputting to an image processor image data output from at least one camera, the image processor in response detecting positions of a tubular and a mark on another tubular, threading the tubulars with each other while inputting position data from the image processor to a controller, and the controller terminating the threading in response to the position of the mark relative to the position of the first tubular being within a predetermined range. Another method of making-up tubular string components can include, in response to inputting image data to an image processor, the image processor detecting longitudinal positions of two tubulars, threading the tubulars with each other, and a controller terminating the threading in response to the longitudinal position of one tubular relative to the longitudinal position of the other tubular being within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A method is for operating a manipulator that has a movement device, a compensating device, and a tool. In the method, a relative displacement of the compensating device, with respect to a target position, is sensed during setting-up and is taken into account in a subsequent control of the manipulator.

Abstract: A compensating element having first and second modules is disclosed. A locking mechanism which can be switched between a first and a second operating state is provided. The first module is connected firmly to the second module in the first operating state. The first operating state defines a zero position between the first and the second module. The first and the second module are connected to one another in the second operating state by a spring mechanism in such a way that they are movable relative to one another. The compensating element has a midaxis, and the first and the second module are arranged at least partially next to one another in the direction of the midaxis. A measuring system is also disclosed with which the relative position between the first and the second module can be measured. The first or second module includes an externally visible luminous surface. A luminous state of the luminous surface is dependent on the relative position measured by the measuring system.

Abstract: A method of making-up a threaded connection can include rotating a tubular, measuring torque applied to the tubular during the rotating, thereby generating data including measured torque values, detecting an anomalous occurrence in the data during the rotating, and ceasing application of the torque to the tubular in response to detection of the anomalous occurrence. A threaded connection make-up system can include a rotary clamp to apply torque to a tubular, a torque sensor to produce measurements of the applied torque, and a control system including a neural network, an artificial intelligence device, machine learning and/or genetic algorithms trained to detect an anomalous occurrence in data input to the control system. The data may include the applied torque and turns of the tubular as measured by a turn sensor.

Abstract: A method of making-up or breaking-out tubular string components can include threading tubulars with each other while a camera obtains images of the tubulars, outputting image data from the camera to an image processor that detects optical flow vector fields from the image data, the optical flow vector fields representing displacements of the respective tubulars during the threading, and controlling the threading in response to a difference between the displacements. Another method can include positioning a camera so that the camera simultaneously observes at least two tubulars, threading the tubulars with each other, outputting image data from the camera to an image processor, the image processor detecting optical flow vector fields from the image data, the optical flow vector fields representing displacements of the respective tubulars during the threading, and controlling the threading in response to the image processor detecting the optical flow vector fields.

Abstract: A method of making-up or breaking-out tubular string components can include threading tubulars with each other while a camera obtains images of the tubulars, outputting image data from the camera to an image processor that detects optical flow vector fields from the image data, the optical flow vector fields representing displacements of the respective tubulars during the threading, and controlling the threading in response to a difference between the displacements. Another method can include positioning a camera so that the camera simultaneously observes at least two tubulars, threading the tubulars with each other, outputting image data from the camera to an image processor, the image processor detecting optical flow vector fields from the image data, the optical flow vector fields representing displacements of the respective tubulars during the threading, and controlling the threading in response to the image processor detecting the optical flow vector fields.

Abstract: A method of making-up tubular string components can include inputting to an image processor image data output from at least one camera, the image processor in response detecting positions of a tubular and a mark on another tubular, threading the tubulars with each other while inputting position data from the image processor to a controller, and the controller terminating the threading in response to the position of the mark relative to the position of the first tubular being within a predetermined range. Another method of making-up tubular string components can include, in response to inputting image data to an image processor, the image processor detecting longitudinal positions of two tubulars, threading the tubulars with each other, and a controller terminating the threading in response to the longitudinal position of one tubular relative to the longitudinal position of the other tubular being within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A tool coupler includes a first component having a tubular body and a locking member and a second component. The second component includes a housing having an opening for receiving the tubular body; a locking ring having a latch; and an axial channel; a recess for receiving the locking member, wherein the latch is positioned in the channel to retain the locking member in the recess.