Abstract: An example method includes: retrieving a previous representation representing a target portion of a space; obtaining a current representation representing the target portion of the space; comparing the previous representation to the current representation to identify a change in the target portion of the space; mapping the target portion of the space to a three-dimensional (3D) representation of the space to locate the change within the 3D representation; and storing a change map defining the change in context of the 3D representation.

Abstract: A system and method for inspection maintenance and/or diagnosis of a variety of workpieces is provided. The system serves workers working on a workpiece, inspectors who are distal from the workers and/or can be used for remote training or for advanced diagnosis and/or repair. The system preferably includes a template of a set of one or more predefined required images of a workpiece required by an inspector to perform their inspection or diagnosis. The set of predefined required images is provided to the worker. The worker captures the images with an appropriate workpiece data capture device and provides them to the inspector for review. The inspector examines the provided images and either approves the workpiece based on their content, requests additional images for further examination and/or provides annotations and other information to the worker to address identified issues. The system maintains a database of all images and information.

Abstract: An example method for enabling inspection of a space includes: obtaining a space map representing the space to be inspected; rendering the space map to be presented at an inspection station for the inspection of the space; in response to navigation data, navigating within the space map for the inspection of the space; in response to a selection of an inspection capture point defined in the space map, presenting data representing the space captured at the inspection capture point; and generating inspection result data for the space, the inspection result data representing results of the inspection.

Abstract: Two regimes of vertical shaft furnace operation can be employed to slag encapsulate hazardous chemical wastes. One of these is similar to a method applicable to radioactive wastes, involving the pouring of hot molten slag from a Coal Reactor over the hazardous matter contained in a suitable designed crucible. The other method is especially appropriate for the treatment of chemical wastes that have become mixed with a great deal of soil or other diluent as must be handled as in the case of the Love Canal incident. It consists of feeding the contaminated solid mass into the Coal Reactor with a predetermined amount of coal and limestone that will still admit an adequate heat balance to generate a carefully tailored slag to incorporate the reacted waste feedstock.

Abstract: Coke consumption may be cut as much as fifty percent using a coal reactor to furnish carbon monoxide for ore reduction in a blast furnace while lowering the sulfur content of pig iron accompanied by a smaller slag volume.

Abstract: A refracting telescope which is comprised essentially of an objective lens and an eyepiece is provided with a cored or annular lens for the objective lens thereby increasing the resolving power of the telescope without adversely affecting the light gathering capabilities of the telescope.

Abstract: In a vertical shaft furnace such as a blast furnace where the charge is introduced at the top of the furnace to form a burden which moves downwardly through the furnace to the combustion zone adjacent the tuyeres, the top of the furnace is provided with a sealing arrangement to prevent the escape of effluent gases and the exhaust conduits are disposed through the side of the furnace at an intermediate level between the combustion zone and the top of the burden.

Abstract: The combustion of refuse, including all types of trash and garbage, in the presence of coal and/or coke and a fluxing agent in a vertical shaft furnace provides for the clean combustion of the refuse, the recovery of metallic wastes and the enhanced production of a gaseous fuel. By blending the refuse with the coal and/or coke and fluxing agent in a coal reaction, a fairly even distribution of the refuse will be achieved to prevent the compaction of the refuse and clogging of the furnace and to provide a more uniform controllable combustion temperature within the furnace thereby prolonging the life of the furnace lining. By using a conventional blast furnace, iron ore and/or scrap metal can also be added to the feed stock for the production of pig iron and the steam generated as a result of the high moisture content of the refuse can be utilized to react with the nascent pig iron within the furnace for the production of hydrogen to enrich the blast furnace gas to provide a high quality fuel gas.

Abstract: The method of mining coal entails the use of crude petroleum under high pressure together with elevated temperatures in hydraulic fashion to produce a hybrid oil-coal fuel. A powerful stream of oil is aimed at sections of coal strata to disintegrate the coal. The resultant slurry can be recycled for reuse in the mining operation with provisions being made for screening out the larger coal particles. When the oil-coal slurry reaches the desired consistency, it can be pumped for storage or pipeline delivery to consumers or processing plants.

Abstract: A vertical shaft furnace having a diameter substantially equal to the height thereof is employed for the clean combustion of coal to convert the coal virtually stoichiometrically to carbon monoxide. After providing a supporting bed of coke in the base of the furnace a mixture of coal and limestone is introduced through the top of the furnace and combustion takes place adjacent a plurality of circumferentially located tuyeres adjacent the top of the coke bed through which a moderate air blast is introduced. The resulting carbon dioxide is completely converted to carbon monoxide as it passes upwardly through the coal and the reducing atmosphere prevents the oxidation of the sulfur in the coal while the decomposed limestone combines with the sulfur to produce sulfur bearing compounds.

Abstract: In addition to introducing steam and/or oxygen in the heated airblast through the tuyeres of a conventional blast furnace to provide a blast furnace gas enriched with carbon monoxide and hydrogen, air and/or steam can be forced through the molten pig iron which has been withdrawn from the blast furnace into a separate reactor having a modified construction similar to the basic oxygen furnace for the purpose of producing large volumes of hydrogen. The blast furnace gasses can be combined with the gasses from the reactor to provide a clean burning fuel for use in power plants and the like or the hydrogen from the reactor can be utilized directly in fuel-cell technology. The resulting iron oxides (magnetite, etc.) which result from the pig iron-steam reaction can then be recycled through the blast furnace.