Abstract: A natural gas liquid plant is retrofitted with a bolt-on unit that includes an absorber that is coupled to an existing demethanizer by refrigeration produced at least in part by compression and expansion of the residue gas, wherein ethane recovery can be increased to at least 99% and propane recovery is at least 99%, and where a lower ethane recovery of 96% is required, the bolt-on unit does not require the absorber, which could be optimum solution for revamping an existing facility. Contemplated configurations are especially advantageous to be used as bolt-on upgrades to existing plants.

Abstract: A natural gas liquid plant is retrofitted with a bolt-on unit that includes an absorber that is coupled to an existing demethanizer by refrigeration produced at least in part by compression and expansion of the residue gas, wherein ethane recovery can be increased to at least 99% and propane recovery is at least 99%, and where a lower ethane recovery of 96% is required, the bolt-on unit does not require the absorber, which could be optimum solution for revamping an existing facility. Contemplated configurations are especially advantageous to be used as bolt-on upgrades to existing plants.

Abstract: An offshore system for growing and harvesting seaweed includes an existing non-producing offshore platform. In addition, the offshore system includes a seaweed support system coupled to the platform and configured to support the subsea growth of seaweed.

Abstract: A woven textile structure is formed by weaving a first woven layer including first yarns and weaving a second woven layer including first yarns, where the woven layers are arranged in a stacked manner and are separated from each other. During the weaving of the first and second woven layers, second yarns are inserted along an intermediate span in the weft direction of the woven textile structure, where the second yarns are elongated to an elongated length during the insertion in the weft direction. First yarns of the first woven layer are interlaced with first yarns of the second woven layer and a second yarn of the intermediate span at a plurality of interlacing locations along the woven textile structure so as to define stitches at each interlacing location, where each stitch joins the first woven layer with the second woven layer.

Abstract: A woven textile structure is formed by weaving a first woven layer including first yarns and weaving a second woven layer including first yarns, where the woven layers are arranged in a stacked manner and are separated from each other. During the weaving of the first and second woven layers, second yarns are inserted along an intermediate span in the weft direction of the woven textile structure, where the second yarns are elongated to an elongated length during the insertion in the weft direction. First yarns of the first woven layer are interlaced with first yarns of the second woven layer and a second yarn of the intermediate span at a plurality of interlacing locations along the woven textile structure so as to define stitches at each interlacing location, where each stitch joins the first woven layer with the second woven layer.

Abstract: A natural gas liquids (NGL) plant, the NGL plant comprising an absorber configured to provide an absorber overhead and an absorber bottoms, a stripper configured to produce a stripper overhead and a stripper bottoms, wherein the stripper is positioned downstream from the absorber and fluidly connected therewith such that the absorber bottoms can be introduced into the stripper, and a multi-pass heat exchanger configured to provide at least one reflux stream to the absorber, wherein the absorber and stripper are configured, in an ethane rejection arrangement, to provide the stripper overhead to a top of the absorber, and wherein the absorber and stripper are configured, in an ethane recovery arrangement, to provide the stripper overhead to a bottom of the absorber.

Abstract: A natural gas liquid plant is retrofitted with a bolt-on unit that includes an absorber that is coupled to an existing demethanizer by refrigeration produced at least in part by compression and expansion of the residue gas, wherein ethane recovery can be increased to at least 99% and propane recovery is at least 99%, and where a lower ethane recovery of 96% is required, the bolt-on unit does not require the absorber, which could be optimum solution for revamping an existing facility. Contemplated configurations are especially advantageous to be used as bolt-on upgrades to existing plants.

Abstract: A pair of waterproof and breathable sea fishing trousers having a titanium alloy heat insulation layer essentially includes: an outer layer, a breathable membrane layer, a titanium alloy heat insulation layer, and an inner layer. The titanium alloy heat insulation layer is made of titanium alloy, tin, or aluminum alloy rubber, disposed between the breathable membrane layer and the inner layer, and can reflect body heat of the user. The user's body heat is accumulated in the inner layer and is released again to the user's body to keep the user warm, thereby avoiding the fisherman's temperature loss. Besides, the pair of fishing trousers is breathable and waterproof, making the fisherman feel comfortable to wear.

Abstract: The waterborne bonding layer structure between sea fishing trouser legs and shoes or boots includes a waterproof fabric layer, a bonding layer, and a fabric layer. The waterborne bonding layer bonds the waterproof fabric layer and the fabric layer together into one body. Besides, the bonding layer includes a plurality of foaming holes, each of which is smaller than the diameter of general liquid molecules and larger than that of general gas molecule, so that when an angler wears the fishing trousers, water droplets do not infiltrate into the inside of the fishing trousers while air can pass through the forming holes, thus reducing the occurrence of dew condensation and preventing uncomfortable wet and cold caused therefrom, achieving excellent waterproof and ventilating effects, and maintaining the wearing dryness for a long time, which greatly improves the comfort of the angler when wearing the sea fishing trousers of the invention.

Abstract: A thermal error compensation method for machine tools is disclosed, which comprises the steps of: disposing at least a thermal sensor at positions neighboring to the at least one heat source of a machine tool; driving the machine tool to operate under a specific operation condition for enabling the at least one heat source to generate heat; generating a thermal signal according to the temperature detected by the at least one thermal sensor; using a heat conducting calculation unit to access the thermal signal and the information relating to the specific operation condition to be used in a calculation for obtaining and thus outputting at least a node temperature; and using an error compensation unit to access the at least one node temperature to be used in a calculation for obtaining thermal error compensation values for the machine tool.

Abstract: A thermal error compensation method for machine tools is disclosed, which comprises the steps of: disposing at least a thermal sensor at positions neighboring to the at least one heat source of a machine tool; driving the machine tool to operate under a specific operation condition for enabling the at least one heat source to generate heat; generating a thermal signal according to the temperature detected by the at least one thermal sensor; using a heat conducting calculation unit to access the thermal signal and the information relating to the specific operation condition to be used in a calculation for obtaining and thus outputting at least a node temperature; and using an error compensation unit to access the at least one node temperature to be used in a calculation for obtaining thermal error compensation values for the machine tool.

Abstract: A light-weight armor hard-face component with elastomer encapsulation and lateral confinement to effectively improve multi-hit performance. The preferred embodiment is an integrated package consisting of a large elastomer plate, which contains confined, shock isolated ceramic tiles. This plate can be formed to a variety of sizes and shapes by cutting the elastomer along the gap between ceramic tiles. The attachment of this integrated package to a vehicle structure can be easily accomplished by bolting or adhesive bonding. Elastomer encapsulation limits lateral damage, increases ballistic efficiency and allows multiple impacts without ballistic performance degradation. The armor component is an integrated package, containing a continuous elastomer phase around segmented ceramic tiles. The elastomer is used to (1) attenuate stress waves, (2) accommodate the lateral displacement of ceramic fracturing, and (3) isolate adjacent tiles during the backing vibration stage.

Abstract: Detection of probe fragment products of basepair mismatch cleavage indicate the presence and sequence of target DNA. Detection of the target is enhanced by amplification through recycling targets by maintaining an assay temperature between the melting point of the target/probe DNA duplex and that of the target/product complex, in the presence of an amplifier comprising ammonium acetate or an amine derivative (for example, diethylamine, piperidine or ammonium carbonate). Cleavage reduces the size of the duplex, and thus lowering its melting point. The amplifier releases the target from the complex, thereby permitting further catalysis of cleavage and effectively amplifying the signal to be detected.

Abstract: A pigmented silicon nitride composition suitable for hot pressing into near shape articles of manufacture having a cosmetically uniform color. The composition comprises high purity, sub-micrometer, alpha silicon nitride powder mixed with a sintering aid and a pigmenting material. In a preferred embodiment the pigmenting material comprises molybdenum carbide, although carbides of other elements are applicable as well. The resulting hot pressed article is cosmetically superior to non-pigmented silicon nitride. Such articles are especially useful for processing semiconductor components where appearance in the form of color uniformity is a strict requirement for the manufacturer and the customer.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining a road pavement surface condition over a wide area has a road noise sensor (12). A temporal frequency analyzer (18) converts a road noise signal from the road noise sensor (12) to a temporal frequency signal. A processing circuit (20) receives the temporal frequency signal from the temporal frequency analyzer (18) and analyzes the temporal frequency signal to determine the road pavement surface condition.

Abstract: An electronic nervous system (10) for a roadway (12), has a plurality of nodes (14). The plurality of nodes (14) parallel the roadway and are connected by an information link (20). A plurality of sensors (16) are coupled to the plurality of nodes (14) and the output of the sensors (16) are processed by the nodes to form symbolic patterns (18). The symbolic patterns (20) travel along the information link (20). By comparing symbolic patterns (18) the state of the roadway (12) can be determined. The state can include a metric that measures how well traffic is flowing as well as determines transit times between nodes. A plurality of traffic signals (34) are coupled to the nodes (14) and are adjusted based on the symbolic patterns (18). A subset of the plurality of nodes (14) are coupled to a node supervisor (36).

Abstract: In-situ Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 whisker growth mechanisms have enhanced the microstructure of ceramic materials such as SiC through controlled growth of elongated beta-type Silicon Nitride grains. During liquid phase sintering at temperatures not exceeding 1850.degree. C., alpha-type Silicon Nitride dissolves into the liquid phase and reprecipitates as an elongated or acicular beta modification. The Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 reinforced microstructures can be formed by the controlled recrystallization of beta-type Silicon Nitride. In-situ whisker growth is enhanced or optimized through the use of thermal treatments and/or additions of seed materials. Finely divided beta-type Silicon Nitride particles which are insoluble in the liquid phase during sintering, and therefore have been used to provide nucleation sites for whisker growth are employed. Thermal treatments have been designed to promote directional growth (elongation) as opposed to development of less elongated type grains.

Abstract: In-situ Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 whisker growth mechanisms have enhanced the microstructure of ceramic materials such as SiC through controlled growth of elongated beta-type Silicon Nitride grains. During liquid phase sintering at temperatures not exceeding 1850.degree. C., alpha-type Silicon Nitride dissolves into the liquid phase and reprecipitates as an elongated or acicular beta modification. The Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 reinforced microstructures can be formed by the controlled recrystallization of beta-type Silicon Nitride. In-situ whisker growth is enhanced or optimized through the use of thermal treatments and/or additions of seed materials. Finely divided beta-type Silicon Nitride particles which are insoluble in the liquid phase during sintering, and therefore have been used to provide nucleation sites for whisker growth are employed. Thermal treatments have been designed to promote directional growth (elongation) as opposed to development of less elongated type grains.