Abstract: A ramrod for a muzzleloader is provided. The ramrod includes a shaft having a knob releasably coupled to one end thereof, the knob having a rounded end and a tapered end that oppose one another. The knob may have a central bore therein, and the shaft may be inserted into the central bore. The tapered end of the knob is configured with respect to the shaft to allow any object that contacts the shaft and slides along the shaft to also slide along and eventually off of the tapered end of the knob without snagging or catching the knob. The rounded end of the knob is positioned at a distal end of the shaft and is configured with respect to the shaft to allow a user of the ramrod to place his/her palm against the rounded end while operating the ramrod to load a muzzleloader.

Abstract: A carbon dioxide absorbent composition is described, including (i) a liquid, nonaqueous silicon-based material, functionalized with one or more groups that either reversibly react with CO2 or have a high-affinity for CO2, and (ii) a hydroxy-containing solvent that is capable of dissolving both the silicon-based material and a reaction product of the silicon-based material and CO2. The absorbent may be utilized in methods to reduce carbon dioxide in an exhaust gas, and finds particular utility in power plants.

Abstract: A silicone polymer is provided, modified with at least one functional group from the class of anthraquinone amide groups; anthraquinone sulfonamide groups; thioxanthone amide groups; or thioxanthone sulfone amide groups. The polymer can be combined with a hydrocarbon solvent or with supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2), and is very effective for increasing the viscosity of either medium. A process for the recovery of oil from a subterranean, oil-bearing formation is also described, using supercritical carbon dioxide modified with the functionalized silicone polymer. A process for extracting natural gas or oil from a bedrock-shale formation is also described, again using the modified silicone polymer.

Abstract: A container for holding granular or powdered material. The container includes walls, a collar, a lid and a latch. The walls define an interior space and an upper portion, the upper portion defining a sealing flange and an opening to the interior space. The collar is attached to the upper portion. The lid is attached to the collar for positioning between an open position and a closed position, and adapted to cover the opening while in the closed position. The latch is attached to an outer surface of the lid. The latch may have an actuator rotatable in two directions relative to the lid and detachably engaged to a catch which protrudes from an outside surface of the collar.

Abstract: A carbon dioxide absorbent composition is described, including (i) a liquid, nonaqueous silicon-based material, functionalized with one or more groups that either reversibly react with CO2 or have a high-affinity for CO2; and (ii) a hydroxy-containing solvent that is capable of dissolving both the silicon-based material and a reaction product of the silicon-based material and CO2. The absorbent may be utilized in methods to reduce carbon dioxide in an exhaust gas, and finds particular utility in power plants.

Abstract: New or improved lead acid batteries with vapor pressure barriers and/or improved battery separators, as well as systems, vehicles, and/or methods of manufacture and/or use thereof are disclosed herein. In at least select embodiments, the instant disclosure provides new or improved lead acid batteries with a vapor pressure barrier. In at least select embodiments, the instant disclosure provides new or improved lead acid battery vapor pressure barriers along with new or improved battery separators, and/or methods of manufacture and/or use thereof. In at least select embodiments, the instant disclosure provides a new or improved lead acid battery with a vapor pressure barrier that reduces the water loss from the battery. In at least select embodiments, a method of reducing the water loss of a lead acid battery may include providing a vapor pressure barrier, such as a layer of oil, inside the lead acid battery along with an improved battery separator.

Abstract: An amino-siloxane composition is presented. The amino-siloxane composition includes structure (I): wherein R1 is independently at each occurrence a C1-C5 aliphatic radical; R2 is a C3-C4 aliphatic radical; R3 is a C1-C5 aliphatic radical or R4, wherein R4 comprises structure (II): and X is an electron donating group. Methods of reducing an amount of carbon dioxide in a process stream using the amino-siloxane composition are also presented.

Abstract: An amino-siloxane composition is presented. The amino-siloxane composition includes structure (I): wherein Rl is independently at each occurrence a C1-C5 aliphatic radical; R2 is a C3-C4 aliphatic radical; R3 is a C1-C5 aliphatic radical or R4, wherein R4 comprises structure (II): and X is an electron donating group. Methods of reducing an amount of carbon dioxide in a process stream using the amino-siloxane composition are also presented.

Abstract: A container (10) for holding granular or powdered material. The container (10) includes walls, a collar (14), a lid (16) and a latch (200). The walls define an interior space (26) and an upper portion, the upper portion defining a sealing flange (30) and an opening to the interior space. The collar (14) is attached to the upper portion. The lid 816) is attached to the collar (14) for positioning between an open position and a closed position, and adapted to cover the opening while in the closed position. The latch (200) is attached to an outer surface of the lid (16). The latch may have an actuator (202) rotatable in two directions relative to the lid and detachably engaged to a catch (220) which protrudes from an outside surface of the collar (14).

Abstract: The invention relates to a polymer derived from: reaction of glycidyl (meth)acrylate, allyl glycidyl ether or [(vinyloxy)methyl]oxirane with ammonia or primary amine to obtain a mixture of monomer compounds; reaction of the mixture of monomer compounds with at least one of acrylic acid, vinyl alcohol, vinyl acetate, acrylamide, methylacrylic acid, and methylacrylamide to obtain an intermediate polymer; and reaction of the intermediate polymer with a dithiocarbamic acid salt. Methods for using the polymer are also described herein.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a wall panel for a caravan, the wall panel having a first face and a second face, comprises printing a first design onto the first face of the wall panel for example using a first direct-to-substrate printer. A second design may be printed onto the second face of the wall panel, for example using a second direct-to-substrate printer (which may be the same printer as, or a different printer to, the first printer). Alternatively, the first design may be printed onto a first skin for the wall panel. The second design may be printed onto a second skin for the wall panel. The first and second skins, with the designs printed thereon, may then be assembled into a wall panel.

Abstract: A method for treatment of a flue gas involves feeding the flue gas and a lean solvent to an absorber. The method further involves reacting the flue gas with the lean solvent within the absorber to generate a clean flue gas and a rich solvent. The method also involves feeding the clean flue gas from the absorber and water from a source, to a wash tower to separate a stripped portion of the lean solvent from the clean flue gas to generate a washed clean flue gas and a mixture of the water and the stripped portion of the lean solvent. The method further involves treating at least a portion of the mixture of the water and the stripped portion of the lean solvent via a separation system to separate the water from the stripped portion of the lean solvent.

Abstract: A wind turbine including a support structure and one or more turbine blades is presented, that incorporates ways for reducing the radar cross section (RCS), wherein the support structure is notionally divided into an upper section in the shadow of the blade sweep area, and a lower section beneath the upper section, wherein the upper section is adapted to have the ways for reducing the RCS, and the lower section does not have the adaptation. The invention makes use of the realisation that the blade masking the tower as it rotates (or the blade being masked by the tower if facing away from a radar), contributes significantly to interference to radar systems, and so localised application of e.g. RAM can give good RCS reduction at a lower cost than treating the whole structure.

Abstract: A ramrod for a muzzleloader is provided. The ramrod includes a shaft having a knob releasably coupled to one end thereof, the knob having a rounded end and a tapered end that oppose one another. The knob may have a central bore therein, and the shaft may be inserted into the central bore. The tapered end of the knob is configured with respect to the shaft to allow any object that contacts the shaft and slides along the shaft to also slide along and eventually off of the tapered end of the knob without snagging or catching the knob. The rounded end of the knob is positioned at a distal end of the shaft and is configured with respect to the shaft to allow a user of the ramrod to place his/her palm against the rounded end while operating the ramrod to load a muzzleloader.

Abstract: A system for treatment of a gaseous medium, comprises an extruder having a barrel. The extruder further comprises a first inlet port, a second inlet port, and a plurality of outlet ports coupled to the barrel. The first inlet port is configured for feeding a lean sorbent, the second inlet port is configured for feeding a gaseous medium, and the plurality of outlet ports are configured for releasing a plurality of components removed from the gaseous medium. Further, the extruder comprises a plurality of helical elements coupled to a plurality of kneading elements, mounted on a shaft, and disposed within the barrel. The barrel and the plurality of helical and kneading elements together form an absorption unit and a desorption unit. The first and second inlet ports are formed in the absorption unit and the plurality of outlet ports are formed in the absorption and desorption units.

Abstract: A system includes a probe assembly configured to inspect components of an assembled flange connection when the probe assembly is disposed within a bore of the components. The probe assembly includes a shaft configured to be aligned with an axis of the assembled flange connection, one or more ultrasound probes coupled to the shaft, and one or more encoders. The one or more ultrasound probes are configured to interface with an interior surface of the bore of the components, to emit ultrasound signals into the components, and to receive ultrasound signals from the components. The one or more encoders are coupled to the shaft and are configured to determine a position of the one or more ultrasound probes relative to a reference point of the assembled flange connection during an inspection of components of the assembled flange connection.

Abstract: A fastener probe assembly includes a disc configured to rotate about a first axis of a fastener, an ultrasound probe coupled to the disc, and an encoder configured to determine an orientation of the ultrasound probe relative to the first axis of the fastener during an inspection of the fastener. The ultrasound probe is configured to interface with an axial end of the fastener, to emit ultrasound signals into the axial end of the fastener, and to receive ultrasound signals from the fastener.

Abstract: A ramrod for a muzzleloader is provided. The ramrod includes a shaft having a knob releasably coupled to one end thereof, the knob having a rounded end and a tapered end that oppose one another. The knob may have a central bore therein, and the shaft may be inserted into the central bore. The tapered end of the knob is configured with respect to the shaft to allow any object that contacts the shaft and slides along the shaft to also slide along and eventually off of the tapered end of the knob without snagging or catching the knob. The rounded end of the knob is positioned at a distal end of the shaft and is configured with respect to the shaft to allow a user of the ramrod to place his/her palm against the rounded end while operating the ramrod to load a muzzleloader.

Abstract: In accordance with one aspect, the present invention provides a composition which contains the amino-siloxane structures I, or III, as described herein. The composition is useful for the capture of carbon dioxide from process streams. In addition, the present invention provides methods of preparing the amino-siloxane composition. Another aspect of the present invention provides methods for reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in a process stream employing the amino-siloxane compositions of the invention, as species which react with carbon dioxide to form an adduct with carbon dioxide.

Abstract: A system for treatment of a gaseous medium, comprises an extruder having a barrel. The extruder further comprises a first inlet port, a second inlet port, and a plurality of outlet ports coupled to the barrel. The first inlet port is configured for feeding a lean sorbent, the second inlet port is configured for feeding a gaseous medium, and the plurality of outlet ports are configured for releasing a plurality of components removed from the gaseous medium. Further, the extruder comprises a plurality of helical elements coupled to a plurality of kneading elements, mounted on a shaft, and disposed within the barrel. The barrel and the plurality of helical and kneading elements together form an absorption unit and a desorption unit. The first and second inlet ports are formed in the absorption unit and the plurality of outlet ports are formed in the absorption and desorption units.