Abstract: The present invention provides methods for decomposing and extracting compositions for the recovery of petroleum-based materials from composites comprising those petroleum-based materials, comprising subjecting the compositions and/or composites to microwave radiation, wherein the microwave radiation is in the range of from about 4 GHz to about 18 GHz. The present invention also provides for products produced by the methods of the present invention and for apparatuses used to perform the methods of the present invention.

Abstract: A self-powered security system includes a mounting pole having a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The mounting pole is elongate along a longitudinal axis and defines a length between the first end and the second end. The self-powered security system also has a power generating subsystem mounted to the pole. The power generating subsystem includes a solar panel and a wind turbine. Additionally, the self-powered security system has a security subsystem mounted to the pole and powered by the power generating subsystem. The security subsystem includes at least one light and at least one camera. The self-powered security system also includes a control subsystem configured to control the at least one light and the at least one camera.

Abstract: A wind turbine and housing combination may include a horizontal axis radial wind turbine and a housing surrounding the turbine, the housing being incorporated with a cupola or gable roof of a building. The turbine may include an axle, a plurality of blade sections extending radially from the axle, and a generator operatively coupled to a first end of the axle. Each blade section may include a curved drag surface that provides a stall surface normal to the direction of an anticipated wind flow. The generator may be adapted to produce electricity when the axle is rotated. The housing may include a plurality of louvers and a motor operatively coupled to the plurality of louvers. Each louver may be capable of having (i) a closed position that prevents wind from entering the housing and (ii) an open position that permits wind to enter the housing. The housing may be adapted to be attached to an apex of a gable roof of a building.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for decomposing and extracting compositions for the recovery of petroleum-based materials from composites comprising those petroleum-based materials, comprising subjecting the compositions and/or composites to microwave radiation, wherein the microwave radiation is in the range of from about 4 GHz to about 18 GHz. The present invention also provides for products produced by the methods of the present invention and for apparatuses used to perform the methods of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for obtaining oil or a combustible gas from oil shale or coal, by subjecting oil shale or coal to microwave radiation for a time sufficient to at least partially decompose or extract oil, gas, or other carbon-containing materials from the oil shale and coal. The disclosed processes and systems use microwave radiation comprising at least one frequency component in the range of from about 4 GHz to about 18 GHz.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for decomposing and extracting compositions for the recovery of petroleum-based materials from composites comprising those petroleum-based materials, comprising subjecting the compositions and/or composites to microwave radiation, wherein the microwave radiation is in the range of from about 4 GHz to about 18 GHz. The present invention also provides for products produced by the methods of the present invention and for apparatuses used to perform the methods of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for decomposing and extracting compositions for the recovery of petroleum-based materials from composites comprising those petroleum-based materials, comprising subjecting the compositions and/or composites to microwave radiation, wherein the microwave radiation is in the range of from about 4 GHz to about 18 GHz. The present invention also provides for products produced by the methods of the present invention and for apparatuses used to perform the methods of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for decomposing and extracting compositions for the recovery of petroleum-based materials from composites comprising those petroleum-based materials, comprising subjecting the compositions and/or composites to microwave radiation, wherein the microwave radiation is in the range of from about 4 GHz to about 18 GHz. The present invention also provides for products produced by the methods of the present invention and for apparatuses used to perform the methods of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for decomposing and extracting compositions for the recovery of petroleum-based materials from composites comprising those petroleum-based materials, comprising subjecting the compositions and/or composites to microwave radiation, wherein the microwave radiation is in the range of from about 4 GHz to about 18 GHz. The present invention also provides for products produced by the methods of the present invention and for apparatuses used to perform the methods of the present invention.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for microwave-based recovery of hydrocarbons from fossil fuels, plastics, tires, drilling fluids, and other carbon-containing compositions. Also disclosed are associated apparatuses.

Abstract: Two or more of a bottle-cleaning operation, a bottle-filling operation, a cap-dispensing operation, and a cap-affixing operation simultaneously process arrays of equally sized containers in an x-y array by engaging the bottles with movable heads of a head-carrying assembly. The containers can be a compressed array of bottles or a case of bottles in a box or the like. The nozzles for the cleaning and filling operations, and cap-handling devices for the dispensing and affixing operations can be repositioned for change to a new container size, for example with motor driven positioners. At least a subset of the heads are displaced along the axes of the container array, into registry with bottle arrays of the different size bottles. Preferably, each operational system in sequence is independently controlled to effect a container size change, such that the production line can be changed to the new size as the leading edge of containers of the new size arrive at the respective operational system.

Abstract: A filling machine for containers simultaneously fills an array of containers, for examples immediately following depalletizing, and includes motor driven positioners for the nozzles to accommodate changes in the size of container being run. The containers are laterally abutted to occupy evenly spaced container positions, and the array can be compressed by a contoured push bar to force the entire array into registry. The nozzles are flexibly coupled to a source of material to be discharged into the containers, and are mechanically moved by actuators that displace at least a subset of the nozzles along the axes of the array. In this way the nozzles are moved into registry with the container array. The nozzles are also vertically movable relative to the containers, and each includes a valve opened by contact with a respective container, for discharging only into occupied container positions and not voids in the array.

Abstract: Open containers having uniform dimensions are handled in a group for loading of ballast and/or for filling with container contents prior to sealing. The containers are provided upright on a substantially unobstructed surface and are forced into a substantially contiguous array by inward pressure on the array in at least one direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the containers. Compressing the array of containers in this manner moves the containers into immediately contiguous regular positions in a resulting container array, which is aligned in registry with dispensing orifices. One or more movable sweep arms which may cooperate with fixed walls laterally bounding the conveying surface are used to compress the array. The sweep arms and the fixed walls are scalloped to form receptacles defining a closest possible positioning of the peripheral containers, which during compression cause adjacent inward containers to become correctly positioned. Nozzles coupled to a material dispenser (e.g.

Abstract: Lightweight containers such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) beverage bottles are rendered stable for conveyance on a horizontal conveyor by addition of water ballast. Ballast in the amount of about 3 to 10% of the bottle volume is sufficient to enable increased production line speed with fewer bottle jams due to the lightweight bottles falling over. The bottles are arranged upright, for example at the outlet of a depalletizer, and loaded with ballast from a reservoir or pressurized supply of water. Preferably, the bottles are loaded in a group and a plurality of valves having valve bodies on a movable common support open simultaneously. The ballast is removed at the bottle rinsing station, which inverts the bottles to drain the ballast as well as rinse water.