Abstract: A security enclosure, components thereof, and associated methods. In one embodiment, the security enclosure is sized and shaped to hold a firearm, and the security enclosure can be used with a monitor and an associated magnet. The security enclosure system includes first and second enclosure portions movable with respect to one another to open and close the system. The first enclosure portion includes a first holder, the second enclosure portion includes a second holder, and at least one of the first or second holders holds the security monitor in an interior when the enclosure is closed. The other of the at least one of the first or second holders holds the magnet in the interior when the enclosure is closed. The first and second holders are adjacent to each other when the enclosure is closed and are spaced apart from each other when the enclosure is open.

Abstract: A shooting rest, components thereof, and associated methods. The shooting rest includes a frame, a forward firearm support connected to the frame, and a rear firearm support connected to the frame. The rear firearm support includes a stop configured to limit rearward movement of the firearm with respect to the frame when the firearm is fired. A liquid tank is supported by the frame and is configured to hold liquid to increase the effective mass of the shooting rest to reduce recoil felt by a shooter when the firearm is fired.

Abstract: A knife comprising a handle and a blade assembly. The blade assembly includes a blade, a tang, and blade assembly connection structure. The handle includes a receiver configured to receive the tang, and includes handle connection structure. The blade assembly connection structure and handle connection structure are arranged to releasably lock the blade assembly in an installed position on the handle with the tang in the tang receiver.

Abstract: A multi-legged equipment support, components thereof, and associated methods. The equipment support comprises a stand and an equipment holder. The stand includes a hub and multiple legs pivotable with respect to the hub. The legs are pivotable outward from stowed positions to preset operational pivoted positions. The user can select a preset operational pivoted position in which outward pivoting of a leg will stop based on moving an actuator between preset locations.

Abstract: A low torque rotary valve for a vehicle cooling system is provided. The rotary valve includes a tapered valve body that can be lifted during rotation and thereafter seated after being rotated the desired amount. An axial surface of the tapered valve body is in sliding contact with an axial surface of a valve housing or a rotatable disk. As the tapered valve body rotates, one or more ramped projections cause the tapered valve body to displace axially within the valve housing. The sealing members are uncompressed during rotation of the tapered valve body, and a lower torque demand is required, thereby allowing for a smaller and less costly motor actuator.

Abstract: An economical method for recovering phosphate or phosphate and nitrogen from liquid streams. A liquid containing phosphate is introduced into a culture of autotrophic microorganisms in the presence of natural or artificial light, thereby producing a liquid effluent with elevated pH and reduced alkalinity. The alkalinity is reduced through the consumption of bicarbonate/carbonate by the autotrophic microorganisms. The effluent is then chemically treated with low-cost chemicals to provide Ca++ or Mg++ ions necessary to form a phosphate precipitate such as calcium phosphate or magnesium-ammonium-phosphate (MAP). The autotrophic microorganisms can be cultivated in ponds, lagoons, or photobioreactors. The pH of the culture is adjustable within a preferred range of 7.5 to 10.5 by adjusting the photobioreactor operation.

Abstract: An economical method for recovering phosphate or phosphate and nitrogen from liquid streams. A liquid containing phosphate is introduced into a culture of autotrophic microorganisms in the presence of natural or artificial light, thereby producing a liquid effluent with elevated pH and reduced alkalinity. The alkalinity is reduced through the consumption of bicarbonate/carbonate by the autotrophic microorganisms. The effluent is then chemically treated with low-cost chemicals to provide Ca++ or Mg++ ions necessary to form a phosphate precipitate such as calcium phosphate or magnesium-ammonium-phosphate (MAP). The autotrophic microorganisms can be cultivated in ponds, lagoons, or photobioreactors. The pH of the culture is adjustable within a preferred range of 7.5 to 10.5 by adjusting the photobioreactor operation.

Abstract: An economical method for recovering phosphate or phosphate and nitrogen from liquid streams. A liquid containing phosphate is introduced into a culture of autotrophic microorganisms in the presence of natural or artificial light, thereby producing a liquid effluent with elevated pH and reduced alkalinity. The alkalinity is reduced through the consumption of bicarbonate/carbonate by the autotrophic microorganisms. The effluent is then chemically treated with low-cost chemicals to provide Ca++ or Mg++ ions necessary to form a phosphate precipitate such as calcium phosphate or magnesium-ammonium-phosphate (MAP). The autotrophic microorganisms can be cultivated in ponds, lagoons, or photobioreactors. The pH of the culture is adjustable within a preferred range of 7.5 to 10.5 by adjusting the photobioreactor operation.

Abstract: A method to recover and harvest nutrients and volatile gases such as alcohols from a liquid stream using a fixed film bioreactor. The method includes a means of concentrating product gas stripped from a bioreactor.

Abstract: An economical method for recovering phosphate or phosphate and nitrogen from liquid streams. A liquid containing phosphate is introduced into a culture of autotrophic microorganisms in the presence of natural or artificial light, thereby producing a liquid effluent with elevated pH and reduced alkalinity. The alkalinity is reduced through the consumption of bicarbonate/carbonate by the autotrophic microorganisms. The effluent is then chemically treated with low-cost chemicals to provide Ca++ or Mg++ ions necessary to form a phosphate precipitate such as calcium phosphate or magnesium-ammonium-phosphate (MAP). The autotrophic microorganisms can be cultivated in ponds, lagoons, or photobioreactors. The pH of the culture is adjustable within a preferred range of 7.5 to 10.5 by adjusting the photobioreactor operation.

Abstract: An economical method for recovering phosphate or phosphate and nitrogen from liquid streams. A liquid containing phosphate is introduced into a culture of autotrophic microorganisms in the presence of natural or artificial light, thereby producing a liquid effluent with elevated pH and reduced alkalinity. The alkalinity is reduced through the consumption of bicarbonate/carbonate by the autotrophic microorganisms. The effluent is then chemically treated with low-cost chemicals to provide Ca++ or Mg++ ions necessary to form a phosphate precipitate such as calcium phosphate or magnesium-ammonium-phosphate (MAP). The autotrophic microorganisms can be cultivated in ponds, lagoons, or photobioreactors. The pH of the culture is adjustable within a preferred range of 7.5 to 10.5 by adjusting the photobioreactor operation.

Abstract: An economical method for recovering phosphate or phosphate and nitrogen from liquid streams. A liquid containing phosphate is introduced into a culture of autotrophic microorganisms in the presence of natural or artificial light, thereby producing a liquid effluent with elevated pH and reduced alkalinity. The alkalinity is reduced through the consumption of bicarbonate/carbonate by the autotrophic microorganisms. The effluent is then chemically treated with low-cost chemicals to provide Ca++ or Mg++ ions necessary to form a phosphate precipitate such as calcium phosphate or magnesium-ammonium-phosphate (MAP). The autotrophic microorganisms can be cultivated in ponds, lagoons, or photobioreactors. The pH of the culture is adjustable within a preferred range of 7.5 to 10.5 by adjusting the photobioreactor operation.

Abstract: A method to recover and harvest nutrients and volatile gases such as alcohols from a liquid stream using a fixed film bioreactor. The method includes a means of concentrating product gas stripped from a bioreactor.

Abstract: A method to recover and harvest nutrients from a liquid stream by incorporating them into microorganisms grown in a rotating photobioreactor. The method further includes optionally integrating the rotating photobioreactor with a composting or biogenic drying process.

Abstract: A method to recover and harvest nutrients from a liquid stream by incorporating them into microorganisms grown in a rotating photobioreactor. The method further includes optionally integrating the rotating photobioreactor with a composting or biogenic drying process.

Abstract: An economical method for recovering nitrogen from liquid waste using autotrophic organisms and minimal energy inputs and without chemical additives. Solids are separated from anaerobically digested liquid waste. The resulting translucent liquid is introduced to a culture of autotrophic microorganisms in the presence of natural or artificial light, thereby accumulating biomass and producing a liquid effluent with elevated pH. The elevated-pH, liquid effluent is heated and stripped of ammonia, thereby producing a water vapor and stripped ammonia gas stream. The water vapor ammonia gas stream is condensed to form a liquid/ammonia condensate. The autotrophic microorganisms are advantageously cultivated in a photobioreactor comprising a plurality of axially spaced-apart, growth plates mounted for rotation to a shaft. The pH of the culture is adjustable within a preferred range of 8.0 to 10.5 by adjusting the light intensity and rotational speed.

Abstract: A photodiode array includes a plurality of monitoring photodiodes capable operating in a voltage mode configuration each able to provide a voltage indicating an intensity of an incident light. Integrated with the monitoring photodiodes is a reference diode configured to produce reference voltages in response to reference currents supplied to that diode. The monitoring photodiodes and the reference diode may be integrated and have the same current-voltage characteristics and the same temperature, for example by fabricating them on the same substrate. The reference diode is supplied with the reference currents in dark manner, meaning without incident light impinging on the reference diode. The resulting reference voltages, the reference source currents, and the measured photo-voltage from the monitoring photodiodes are than used to determine an optical power value at any temperature within the operation temperature range.

Abstract: A power monitoring system uses a low loss reflective element to partially split the output laser beams from an array of laser sources, in a parallel configuration, to produce a monitor beams for each laser source. Each of these monitor beams may propagate within the reflective element in a lossless manner under total internal reflection and into one of a plurality of photodiodes that sense an optical characteristic such as output beam intensity, where this sensed signal is then used as part of a feedback control to control operation of the laser sources in the array.

Abstract: A photodiode array includes a plurality of monitoring photodiodes capable operating in a voltage mode configuration each able to provide a voltage indicating an intensity of an incident light. Integrated with the monitoring photodiodes is a reference diode configured to produce reference voltages in response to reference currents supplied to that diode. The monitoring photodiodes and the reference diode may be integrated and have the same current-voltage characteristics and the same temperature, for example by fabricating them on the same substrate. The reference diode is supplied with the reference currents in dark manner, meaning without incident light impinging on the reference diode. The resulting reference voltages, the reference source currents, and the measured photo-voltage from the monitoring photodiodes are than used to determine an optical power value at any temperature within the operation temperature range.

Abstract: A method for the removal and sequestration of ammonia nitrogen from anaerobic fermentation effluent while producing a higher BTU biogas. The method includes the steps of removing the slurry from the digester, stripping the ammonia from the slurry or portion thereof with a high BTU biogas, blending the stripped ammonia with the digesters biogas to remove the carbon dioxide and precipitate ammonium bicarbonate/carbonate as a solid while producing a high Btu biogas, a portion of which is used to strip the ammonia and CO2 from the slurry. The process removes ammonia nitrogen from the digester effluent while producing a high Btu biogas and a solid ammonium bicarbonate/carbonate product. Ammonia stripping is accomplished with a recycled stripping gas deficient in CO2 and ammonia that is capable of removing the CO2 and ammonia from solution by virtue of the lower partial pressures of CO2 and ammonia in the stripping unit.