Abstract: A gas hydrate inhibitor composition including an aqueous solution of anthraquinones. Methods of making and using the inhibitor are also provided, as well as a method of evaluating effectiveness of an inhibitor using THF.

Abstract: A method for an Internet-based software application is used to match specific investors to specific traders and traders' systems by running a set of compatibility algorithms. The compatibility algorithms identify similar qualities between investors and traders and compiles a list of high-incidence matches. Such qualities for the investors include investment tendencies and risk-tolerance criteria, and such qualities for the traders include trading tendencies. The software application will allow a specific investor(s) and a specific trader to broker a trade agreement that will accommodate the requirements for both parties. The software application will also allow a specific investor to implement a risk management strategy, which can be done in, but not limited to, four embodiments: the risk-control embodiment, the risk-control-with-pooling embodiment, the risk-transfer embodiment, and the risk-transfer-with-pooling embodiment.

Abstract: A method for an Internet-based software application is used to match specific investors to specific traders and traders' systems by running a set of compatibility algorithms. The compatibility algorithms identify similar qualities between investors and traders and compiles a list of high-incidence matches. Such qualities for the investors include investment tendencies and risk-tolerance criteria, and such qualities for the traders include trading tendencies. The software application will allow a specific investor(s) and a specific trader to broker a trade agreement that will accommodate the requirements for both parties. The software application will also allow a specific investor to implement a risk management strategy, which can be done in, but not limited to, four embodiments: the risk-control embodiment, the risk-control-with-pooling embodiment, the risk-transfer embodiment, and the risk-transfer-with-pooling embodiment.

Abstract: Electromagnetic free point tools are configured to determine the free point of a downhole pipe in a wellbore utilizing the amplitude or phase change in a transmitted signal for stressed and unstressed pipe. Certain examples of electromagnetic free point tools comprise a housing, one or more transmitter coils, one or more receiver coils, each coil spaced apart from one another, a power source for applying an oscillating voltage to the one or more transmitter coils which then induces a current in the receiver coil(s), and electronics for measuring the induced current in the receiver coil(s). In another embodiment, at least one of the coils is axially adjustable in position within the tool to permit the relative distance between coils to be adjusted to optimize performance of the tool in various conditions. By measuring the amplitude or phase of the induced current relative to the oscillating voltage, a log of the amplitude or phase is generated while passing the tool through a length of unstressed pipe.

Abstract: A method is provided for inhibiting scale in a hydrocarbon system, including the steps of: providing a hydrocarbon system; providing an aloe-derived scale inhibitor; and mixing the aloe-derived scale inhibitor with the hydrocarbon system in amounts effective to inhibit formation of scale. The scale inhibitor is an aloe vera gel/aloe sap mix dissolved in water at a concentration of between about 5 and about 50% wt/wt, which includes polysaccharides having a hydrocarbon chain structure having carboxyl and alcohol functional groups that interact with divalent ions.

Abstract: Electromagnetic free point tools are configured to determine the free point of a downhole pipe in a wellbore utilizing the amplitude or phase change in a transmitted signal for stressed and unstressed pipe. Certain examples of electromagnetic free point tools comprise a housing, one or more transmitter coils, one or more receiver coils, each coil spaced apart from one another, a power source for applying an oscillating voltage to the one or more transmitter coils which then induces a current in the receiver coil(s), and electronics for measuring the induced current in the receiver coil(s). In another embodiment, at least one of the coils is axially adjustable in position within the tool to permit the relative distance between coils to be adjusted to optimize performance of the tool in various conditions. By measuring the amplitude or phase of the induced current relative to the oscillating voltage, a log of the amplitude or phase is generated while passing the tool through a length of unstressed pipe.

Abstract: A method is provided for inhibiting scale in a liquid hydrocarbon system, including the steps of: providing a liquid hydrocarbon system; providing an aloe-derived scale inhibitor; and mixing the aloe-derived scale inhibitor with the liquid hydrocarbon system in amounts effective to inhibit formation of scale. The scale inhibitor is aloe gel dissolved in water at a concentration of between about 5 and about 50% wt/wt, which includes polysaccharides having a hydrocarbon chain structure having carboxyl and alcohol functional groups that interact with divalent ions.

Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus to monitor hardness using laser infrared photothermal radiometry. The emphasis is on the ability of this invention to monitor in a non-contact and non-destructive manner the hardness case depth of industrially heat treated steels. The present invention provides a method and apparatus comprising signal generation and analysis as well as instrumental hardware configurations based on the physical principle of photothermal radiometry. The method comprises (a) irradiating the sample surface with an excitation source of suitable emission wavelength and intensity. (b) producing periodic frequency pulses of the laser beam by means of a modulator in the appropriate frequency range (but not confined to) 0.1-100000 Hz.

Abstract: A method is provided for inhibiting scale in a hydrocarbon system, including the steps of: providing a hydrocarbon system; providing an aloe-derived scale inhibitor; and mixing the aloe-derived scale inhibitor with the hydrocarbon system in amounts effective to inhibit formation of scale. The scale inhibitor is an aloe vera gel/aloe sap mix dissolved in water at a concentration of between about 5 and about 50% wt/wt, which includes polysaccharides having a hydrocarbon chain structure having carboxyl and alcohol functional groups that interact with divalent ions.

Abstract: A method is provided for inhibiting scale in a liquid hydrocarbon system, including the steps of: providing a liquid hydrocarbon system; providing an aloe-derived scale inhibitor; and mixing the aloe-derived scale inhibitor with the liquid hydrocarbon system in amounts effective to inhibit formation of scale. The scale inhibitor is aloe gel dissolved in water at a concentration of between about 5 and about 50% wt/wt, which includes polysaccharides having a hydrocarbon chain structure having carboxyl and alcohol functional groups that interact with divalent ions.

Abstract: A method is provided for inhibiting scale in a liquid hydrocarbon system, including the steps of: providing a liquid hydrocarbon system; providing an aloe-derived scale inhibitor; and mixing the aloe-derived scale inhibitor with the liquid hydrocarbon system in amounts effective to inhibit formation of scale. The scale inhibitor is aloe gel dissolved in water at a concentration of between about 5 and about 50% wt/wt, which includes polysaccharides having a hydrocarbon chain structure having carboxyl and alcohol functional groups that interact with divalent ions.

Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus to monitor hardness using laser infrared photothermal radiometry. The emphasis is on the ability of this invention to monitor in a non-contact and non-destructive manner the hardness case depth of industrially heat treated steels. The present invention provides a method and apparatus comprising signal generation and analysis as well as instrumental hardware configurations based on the physical principle of photothermal radiometry. The method comprises (a) irradiating the sample surface with an excitation source of suitable emission wavelength and intensity. (b) producing periodic frequency pulses of the laser beam by means of a modulator in the appropriate frequency range (but not confined to) 0.1-100000 Hz.

Abstract: A backplane in a power distribution shelf has power outputs connected to corresponding primary card slots and adjacent card slots. Power distribution cards are seated in the card slots. A maintenance card can be configured to selectively provide redundant power to the power outputs of a failed power distribution circuit card via an adjacent power distribution circuit card and a maintenance connection.

Abstract: A method is provided for inhibiting scale in a liquid hydrocarbon system, including the steps of: providing a liquid hydrocarbon system; providing an aloe-derived scale inhibitor; and mixing the aloe-derived scale inhibitor with the liquid hydrocarbon system in amounts effective to inhibit formation of scale. The scale inhibitor is aloe gel dissolved in water at a concentration of between about 5 and about 50% wt/wt, which includes polysaccharides having a hydrocarbon chain structure having carboxyl and alcohol functional groups that interact with divalent ions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to metrologic methodologies and instrumentation, in particular laser-frequency domain infrared photocarrier radiometry (PCR), for contamination and defect mapping and measuring electronic properties in industrial Si wafers, devices and other semiconducting materials. In particular the invention relates to the measurement of carrier recombination lifetime, ?, carrier diffusivity, D, surface recombination velocities, S, carrier diffusion lengths, L, and carrier mobility, ?, as well as heavy metal contamination mapping, ion implantation mapping over a wide range of dose and energy, and determination of the concentration of mobile impurities in SiO2 layers on semiconductor substrates. The present invention provides a method and complete photocarrier radiometric apparatus comprising novel signal generation and analysis techniques (carrier-wave interferometry) as well as novel instrumental hardware configurations based on the physical principle of photocarrier radiometry.

Abstract: The present invention relates to metrologic methodologies and instrumentation, in particular laser-frequency domain infrared photocarrier radiometry (PCR), for contamination and defect mapping and measuring electronic properties in industrial Si wafers, devices and other semiconducting materials. In particular the invention relates to the measurement of carrier recombination lifetime, &tgr;, carrier diffusivity, D, surface recombination velocities, S, carrier diffusion lengths, L, and carrier mobility, &mgr;, as well as heavy metal contamination mapping, ion implantation mapping over a wide range of dose and energy, and determination of the concentration of mobile impurities in SiO2 layers on semiconductor substrates. The present invention provides a method and complete photocarrier radiometric apparatus comprising novel signal generation and analysis techniques (carrier-wave interferometry) as well as novel instrumental hardware configurations based on the physical principle of photocarrier radiometry.

Abstract: A method of verifying transport within a delivery unit that interfaces telecommunications media to a switching matrix. Each channel of network data has an associated path verification code. The channels are transported within the delivery unit in subframes. For each channel, the path verification codes as well as a framing pattern are transported by accumulating path verification bits over a superframe. Path verification monitoring is performed regardless of channel position in the subframe and regardless of whether channels are in phase with each other.

Abstract: A system for interfacing with a data bus is provided. The system includes an egress bus data interface that can receive a single incoming stream of STM data and ATM data. The egress bus data interface transmits a single incoming stream of STM data, and a single incoming stream of ATM. The system also includes an ingress bus data interface. The ingress bus interface receives a single outgoing stream of STM data and a single outgoing stream of ATM data. The STM data and ATM data are transmitted in a single outgoing stream.

Abstract: A system for selecting one of two or more parallel planes of data is provided. The system includes a first data buffer that is connected to a first data bus that carries a stream of datagrams. The first data buffer receives and stores datagrams from the first data bus. The system also includes a second data buffer that is connected to a second data bus that carries a stream of datagrams. The second data buffer receives and stores datagrams from the second data bus. A selection controller connected to the first data buffer and the second data buffer analyzes the datagrams stored in the first and second data buffers, and selects one of the datagrams to be the primary datagram.

Abstract: A system for interfacing with a data bus is provided. The system includes an egress bus data interface that can receive a single incoming stream of STM data and ATM data. The egress bus data interface transmits a single incoming stream of STM data, and a single incoming stream of ATM. The system also includes an ingress bus data interface. The ingress bus interface receives a single outgoing stream of STM data and a single outgoing stream of ATM data. The STM data and ATM data are transmitted in a single outgoing stream.