Abstract: A water heater includes a combustion assembly having a mounting plate that includes a mounting surface and defines a mounting plate aperture. The combustion assembly includes a burner that has a body that extends through the mounting plate aperture and defines a combustion chamber and a burner flange that extends outward from the body and is coupled to the mounting surface. The combustion assembly further includes a blower assembly. The blower assembly includes a fan, a motor operable to drive rotation of the fan about an axis, and a housing. The housing includes a first housing component that includes a fan-housing portion that at least partially defines a fan-housing region, a tubular portion that defines a hollow, and a housing flange that is coupled to the burner flange. The housing flange defines a plurality of access openings.

Abstract: A system for heating water includes an interior region, a first heat source including a gas burner configured to generate combustion gases; a second heat source including an electric heating element; a temperature or flow or pressure sensor positioned to directly or indirectly sense a temperature or a flow or a pressure of water contained in the interior region; and a mechanical and/or electrical controller coupled to the temperature or flow or pressure sensor, the first heat source, and the second heat source. The controller actuates the first heat source by firing the gas burner in response to a first signal from the temperature or flow or pressure sensor, and/or actuates the second heat source by actuating the electric heating element in response to a second signal from the temperature or flow or pressure sensor.

Abstract: Apparatus such as a vending machine can store custom-decorated physical products to be dispensed or made available to users and consumers based on a color sampling of another object or person. The invention also includes the method of creating the packaging of the products based on the color sampling of the object or person.

Abstract: A system is described herein that comprises one or more modular environmental photobioreactor arrays, each array containing two or more photobioreactors, wherein the system is adapted to monitor each of the photobioreactors and/or modulate the conditions with each of the photobioreactors. The photobioreactors are also adapted for measurement of multiple physiological parameters of a biomass contained therein. Various methods for selecting and characterizing biomass are also provided. In one embodiment, the biomass is algae.

Abstract: A canister with a novel dispensing aperture is described. The aperture is located within a continuous surface opposite the seamed canister end. By thus locating the aperture, canister contents may be dispensed or sipped without the interference of debris-collecting grooves, seam edges, and sharp angles typical of canisters with dispensing apertures located on seamed ends.

Abstract: A system is described herein that comprises one or more modular environmental photobioreactor arrays, each array containing two or more photobioreactors, wherein the system is adapted to monitor each of the photobioreactors and/or modulate the conditions with each of the photobioreactors. The photobioreactors are also adapted for measurement of multiple physiological parameters of a biomass contained therein. Various methods for selecting and characterizing biomass are also provided. In one embodiment, the biomass is algae.

Abstract: A visor support is disclosed with a support arm and a rotation control member. The support arm is adapted to support a visor body and has a first end adapted to be mounted in a vehicle. The support arm has a tapered portion near a second end of the support arm and a ring proximate to the tapered portion. The rotation control member has at least one wall with at least one aperture therein. The rotation control member has a tapered receptacle aligned with the at least one aperture. The rotation control member is rotatable about a linear axis of the support arm such that the tapered portion and the tapered receptacle cooperate to prevent rotation of the support arm absent an external force. The ring cooperates with the rotation control block to at least retain the support arm within the rotation control member.

Abstract: An interlocking toy formed from construction units, where certain of the construction units include assembly members, preferably in a matrix, that are capable of interlocking with assembly members, preferably in a matching matrix, from certain other construction units. The assembly members may be in the form of notches, slots, tabs, apertures (preferably square apertures or circular apertures), oblong recesses, and tapered oblong recesses, among other similar and other geometric and non-geometric constructs. Similarly, the construction units may be formed to any geometric or non-geometric configuration. An exemplary construction unit may include assembly members in the form of notches, square apertures, and circular apertures.

Abstract: This invention provides a process for effecting biocidal activity in water used for hydrostatic testing. The process comprises blending a biocidally-effective amount of a sulfamate-containing bromine-based biocide with the water, and using at least a portion of the blended water for hydrostatic testing of at least a portion of an oil or gas pipeline. Also provided by this invention are compositions for use in hydrostatic testing. Such compositions comprise water blended with a biocidally-effective amount of a sulfamate-containing bromine-based biocide, where at least a portion of the composition is used for hydrostatic testing of at least a portion of an oil or gas pipeline.

Abstract: A process for reducing the viscosity of fracturing fluids in downhole oilfield operations is provided. The process comprises contacting a sulfamate stabilized, bromine-based breaker with an aqueous polysaccharide fracturing fluid, with the breaker present in an amount to reduce the viscosity of the fracturing fluid. A composition which comprises a sulfamate stabilized, bromine-based breaker for use in decreasing the viscosity of an aqueous polysaccharide fracturing fluid for use in subterranean oil and gas wells is also provided.

Abstract: A cause has been discovered for the problem of formation of corrosive sulfur-containing decomposition products of an inorganic thiocyanate in a downhole oilfield operation in which an inorganic thiocyanate corrosion inhibitor is used in a concentrated brine solution. The cause is the presence in the brine of methanol from several potential sources. Methods and compositions are described which enable inorganic thiocyanate to be used with concentrated brine solutions in downhole oilfield operations without such decomposition taking place. These compositions are free of a thiocyanate-decomposing amount of methanol.