Abstract: A process for separating 1-butene from a C4 raffinate gas composition includes introducing the C4 raffinate gas composition to a reactor containing an adsorbent material and passing the C4 raffinate gas composition through the adsorbent material; adsorbing the 1-butene from the C4 raffinate gas composition onto the adsorbent material to separate the 1-butene from the C4 raffinate gas composition and form a residue gas composition; and desorbing the 1-butene by heating the adsorbent material after the adsorbing to form the 1-butene and regenerate the adsorbent material. The adsorbent material is at least one of a zeolite adsorbent and an alkali-modified zeolite adsorbent having at least 99% by weight selective towards 1-butene for adsorption in comparison to iso-butene and iso-butane.

Abstract: A system for desalination of salt water, the system including a crude oil refinery or hydrocarbon refinery, the crude oil refinery or hydrocarbon refinery including a furnace operable to produce a hot flue gas. The furnace including a radiant section, a convection section located above the radiant section, a flue gas stack located above the convection section, a heating coil located in a flow path of a flue gas in the flue gas stack such that the flue gas is capable of increasing a temperature of a water stream, thereby converting at least a portion of the water into steam, and a multi effect desalination plant configured for using the steam to produce a desalinated water.

Abstract: Systems and methods for separating a mixture of olefinic and paraffinic C4 components are disclosed. The systems and methods include adsorptive equipment and adsorptive processes for separating components from the mixture.

Abstract: A current reference circuit with one or more current mirror devices having dynamic body biasing includes a voltage-to-current converter circuit having a feedback loop that includes an operational amplifier, an NMOS device, and a resistor to generate a reference current; a current mirror circuit, including one or more current mirror devices with source degeneration, to produce one or more output currents that are copies of the reference current; and a body-biasing stage including an active N-well to dynamically set a body-biasing voltage for the one or more current mirror devices.

Abstract: A dual loop regulated switched-capacitor converter circuit includes a switched capacitor array that includes a plurality of switches and capacitors; a digital controller for controlling the switched capacitor array; a pulse modulator connected to the digital controller; a clock generator connected to the digital controller; a first comparator connected to the pulse modulator; and a feedback network connected to the first comparator.

Abstract: A valve isolation tool for insertion through a vent duct and vent duct valve of a gas flow duct. The isolation tool includes an outer tube having proximal and distal ends, the outer tube having a diameter sized to extend through the vent duct and blocking valve. An inner tube having proximal and distal ends is arranged coaxially with and movable within the outer tube. An inflatable balloon is attached to the distal end of the inner tube, wherein the isolation tool outer tube is insertable through the vent duct to an opening in the gas flow duct. The inner tube is slidably insertable through the outer tube until the balloon is situated within a bore formed through the gas flow duct and is inflatable therein to block any gas leak through the gas flow duct.

Abstract: The present application discloses a novel biological material transfer apparatus and methods of using the same. The apparatus is made up of double walled barrel shaped tip chamber to house either the single tip or multiple tips of fixed size and a unique ball head to transfer the biological material from one location to another location in an aseptic method. The tip has a fixed shape and size and a ball head which makes the process of picking and transferring of biological material easy, safe and convenient to use with large scale samples. The apparatus is further equipped with an ultra violet light which sterilize the tips just before their use making the entire process of transferring of biological material highly aseptic.

Abstract: A valve isolation tool for insertion through a vent duct and vent duct valve of a gas flow duct. The isolation tool includes an outer tube having proximal and distal ends, the outer tube having a diameter sized to extend through the vent duct and blocking valve. An inner tube having proximal and distal ends is arranged coaxially with and movable within the outer tube. An inflatable balloon is attached to the distal end of the inner tube, wherein the isolation tool outer tube is insertable through the vent duct to an opening in the gas flow duct. The inner tube is slidably insertable through the outer tube until the balloon is situated within a bore formed through the gas flow duct and is inflatable therein to block any gas leak through the gas flow duct.

Abstract: The present application discloses a novel biological material transfer apparatus and methods of using the same. The apparatus is made up of double walled barrel shaped tip chamber to house either the single tip or multiple tips of fixed size and a unique ball head to transfer the biological material from one location to another location in an aseptic method. The tip has a fixed shape and size and a ball head which makes the process of picking and transferring of biological material easy, safe and convenient to use with large scale samples. The apparatus is further equipped with an ultra violet light which sterilize the tips just before their use making the entire process of transferring of biological material highly aseptic.

Abstract: The present application discloses a novel microbiological apparatus and methods of using the same. The apparatus is a rolling pen comprising of a socket and a ball with its unique rolling head to transfer a biological material from a first location to a second location in an aseptic manner. Further, the rolling pen apparatus can be used with a pen holder device or with a holder hand device to transfer the biological material a first location to a second location and further to develop a microbiological colony. The invention also discloses the use of rolling pen apparatus attached to a holder hand device in propagating a single biological colony such as bacterial colony or cells.

Abstract: A leaking block valve isolation tool for insertion through a vent duct and blocking valve of a gas flow duct. The isolation tool includes an outer tube having proximal and distal ends, the outer tube having a diameter sized to extend through the vent duct and blocking valve. An inner tube having proximal and distal ends is arranged coaxially with and movable within the outer tube. An inflatable balloon is attached to the distal end of the inner tube, wherein the isolation tool outer tube is insertable through the vent duct to an opening in the gas flow duct. The inner tube is slidably insertable through the outer tube until the balloon is situated within a bore formed through the gas flow duct and is inflatable therein to block any gas leak through the gas flow duct.

Abstract: This invention is directed to an easy-to-use, convenient, and economical device and method for treating musculoskeletal and joint pain using acupuncture principles. An embodiment of the invention provides a compression support garment with an inner and outer surface, the garment being designed to be worn over a part of a person's body such that the inner surface covers at least an area of the part of the body experiencing pain, and wherein a plurality of beads are embedded into the inner surface of the garment at designated areas, the beads being capable of applying pressure to and stimulating acupuncture points on the connective tissue of the at least an area of a part of the body in contact with the beads according to traditional acupressure principles. Another embodiment discloses a method for treating pain that includes wearing a compression support garment with embedded acupuncture beads.

Abstract: A novel biological material excavator apparatus is described in the current invention. The apparatus is made up of a double walled tubular structure to house either a single tip or multiple tips to pick/excavate the biological material growing in agar plated petri dishes. The unique feature of this apparatus is a local ultra violet light source is present inside the apparatus to perform irradiation on site. This provides double sterilization of the apparatus as well as the tip that is being used for transferring biological material from one source to another source. The apparatus is double walled to prevent the user from being exposed to ultra violet rays while the irradiation step is being performed.

Abstract: A lighting assembly includes a lighting module labeled with an indicator. The lighting module indicator is indicative of electrical capacities of the lighting module. A driver is provided to power the lighting module. The driver is labeled with an indicator indicative of electrical capacities of the driver. The lighting module indicator and the driver indicator are compared to determine whether the driver has electrical capacities that enable the driver to power the lighting module. A cable electrically couples the driver and the lighting module. The cable has an indicator indicative of electrical capacities of the cable. The cable indicator is compared to the driver indicators and the lighting module indicator to determine whether the cable has electrical capacities that enable the cable to convey power from the driver to the lighting module.

Abstract: A lighting assembly includes a lighting module labeled with an indicator. The lighting module indicator is indicative of electrical capacities of the lighting module. A driver is provided to power the lighting module. The driver is labeled with an indicator indicative of electrical capacities of the driver. The lighting module indicator and the driver indicator are compared to determine whether the driver has electrical capacities that enable the driver to power the lighting module. A cable electrically couples the driver and the lighting module. The cable has an indicator indicative of electrical capacities of the cable. The cable indicator is compared to the driver indicators and the lighting module indicator to determine whether the cable has electrical capacities that enable the cable to convey power from the driver to the lighting module.

Abstract: A method for suppressing data is provided that includes receiving a first packet communicated by an end user and identifying a difference in a comfort noise level associated with a second packet received as compared to the first packet. The second packet may be communicated without a data payload in cases where the difference in comfort noise level associated with the second packet as compared to the first packet is below a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A current shut-off overload protection circuit useful for fluorescent lamp ballast protection and the like has at least one power transistor for supplying a load current to a circuit load, a protection circuit comprising a current sensing resistance connected for developing a voltage drop related to the circuit load, and a switching diode having a control input operative for turning off the power transistor by removing a bias level, as by grounding the transistor base, responsive to a preset level of the voltage drop such that the load current to the load is switched off upon the load current exceeding a maximum acceptable load current represented by a preset level of the voltage drop.

Abstract: An enhancement to computer network maintenance technology which reduces redundant and inaccurate fault reporting and alerting based upon implementation of logic which determines the most likely single point of failure. In modern computer and telephone networks, certain single points of failure result in the false appearance of multiple failures. However, by analyzing the pattern of apparent failures in view of the known network topology, a single point of failure can be determined as the root cause of the multiple failure indications. An enhancement to the currently-available network maintenance technology, including software applications executing on network server platforms, provides this fault determination logic, filters spurious and incorrect failure reports, and posts failure reports only for the single point failure.