Abstract: A system and process for converting plastics and other heavy hydrocarbon solids into retail petroleum products are provided. The plastics are processed by melting, pyrolysis, vapourization, and selective condensation, whereby final in-spec petroleum products are produced. The system provides a reactor for subjecting the plastics to pyrolysis and cracking hydrocarbons in the plastics to produce a plastics vapour comprising hydrocarbon substituents; one or more separation vessels for separating the plastics vapour into hydrocarbon substitutents based on boiling points of the hydrocarbon substituents; one or more condensers for condensing the hydrocarbon substituents into one or more petroleum products; and means for collecting the one or more petroleum products. Fuels generated during the process can be recycled for use upstream in the process.

Abstract: A system for reading a magnetic tape is provided. The system comprises a magnetoresistive head, a tape controller, an analog-to-digital converter and a processing unit. The tape transport controller controls a movement of a magnetic tape with respect to the magnetoresistive head. The analog-to-digital converter generates a signal upon receiving an analog signal read by the magnetoresistive head on the magnetic tape. The processing unit identifies a magnetic flux transition in the signal to detect a bit from the signal from the signal based on the identified magnetic flux transition. Identification of the magnetic flux transition in the signal includes analyzing voltage wave forms of the signal. A method and a computer readable storage medium for reading a magnetic tape are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system and process for converting plastics and other heavy hydrocarbon solids into retail petroleum products are provided. The plastics are processed by melting, pyrolysis, vapourization, and selective condensation, whereby final in-spec petroleum products are produced. The system provides a reactor for subjecting the plastics to pyrolysis and cracking hydrocarbons in the plastics to produce a plastics vapour comprising hydrocarbon substituents; one or more separation vessels for separating the plastics vapour into hydrocarbon substituents based on boiling points of the hydrocarbon substituents; one or more condensers for condensing the hydrocarbon substituents into one or more petroleum products; and means for collecting the one or more petroleum products. Fuels generated during the process can be recycled for use upstream in the process.

Abstract: A system for reading a magnetic tape is provided. The system comprises a magnetoresistive head, a tape controller, an analog-to-digital converter and a processing unit. The tape transport controller controls a movement of a magnetic tape with respect to the magnetoresistive head. The analog-to-digital converter generates a signal upon receiving an analog signal read by the magnetoresistive head on the magnetic tape. The processing unit identifies a magnetic flux transition in the signal to detect a bit from the signal from the signal based on the identified magnetic flux transition. Identification of the magnetic flux transition in the signal includes analyzing voltage wave forms of the signal. A method and a computer readable storage medium for reading a magnetic tape are also disclosed.

Abstract: A radiation detector for dirty bomb and lost radioactive source detection applications is enclosed in a small pager-style housing made of impact resistant ABS plastic and epoxy binder composite which is relatively transparent to alpha, beta, gamma, fast neutron, and x-ray radiation, while also being optically opaque and providing a protective enclosure for the radiation detector components disposed inside the housing. The detector combines indirect radiation detection using a scintillator and photodiode and direct radiation detection by placing the photodiode and a high gain amplifier in the path of radiation. Semiconductors in these components generate an electrical signal from high energy radiation, whereby an alarm indicates the presence of the radiation.