Abstract: A method includes adding a clay to water to form a suspension of clay in water, the clay including pieces of clay having an average diameter of at least 2 ?m; adding a dispersant to the suspension of clay in water to form a drilling fluid; and injecting the drilling fluid into a well. In the drilling fluid, the dispersant interacts with the clay to form nanoscale particles of clay having an average diameter of less than 500 nm.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a solid oxide fuel cell features a functional layer for reducing interfacial resistance between the cathode and the solid electrolyte.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a solid oxide fuel cell is fabricated in part by disposing a functional layer between the cathode and the solid electrolyte.

Abstract: The freezing desalination module includes a pair of desalination units coupled to a pair of refrigeration units. A pre-cooling tank and a freezing tank is disposed in each desalination unit. A feed line, a desalinated line, and a brine line are coupled to the freezing desalination module to respectively enable feeding of raw feed water (RFW) through the module, collect desalinated water, and remove brine/ice wash for further processing. The RFW in the pre-cooling tank is pre-cooled by a pair of heat exchangers, through which flows cooler desalinated water and the brine/ice wash, respectively. The freezing tank of both desalination units are in communication with the refrigeration units so that as one freezing tank performs freezing, the other is melting. A perforated plate divides each freezing tank into an upper chamber where freezing desalination process occurs and a lower chamber where brine/ice wash collect and feed through the pre-cooling tank.

Abstract: Novel anode materials including various compositions of vanadium-doped strontium titanate (SVT), and various compositions of vanadium- and sodium-doped strontium niobate (SNNV) for low- or intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cell (SOFCs). These materials offer high conductivity achievable at intermediate and low temperatures and can be used as the structural support of the SOFC anode and/or as the conductive phase of an anode. A method of making a low- or intermediate-temperature SOFC having an anode layer including SVT or SNNV is also provided.

Abstract: A wire wrap screen manufacturing method for a given screen diameter involves simultaneous winding of parallel wires that begin in circumferentially offset locations on one end of a perforated base pipe that has circumferentially spaced support rods saves fabrication time. Each of the ends of the wires lie in a common plane to allow fitting an end cap for sealing or to just continuously weld at the ends of the wires to seal the assembly to the base pipe. The spot welds to the support rods occur as the wire is wound over such rods. Equal initial circumferential spacing of the start locations for the wires is preferred although asymmetrical spacing is preferred.

Abstract: A process and system for desalting crude oil includes delivering a stream of salty crude oil and wash water into a mixing valve, mixing the stream of salty crude oil and wash water through the mixing valve to create a mixed stream of desalted crude oil and salty wash water, delivering the mixed stream of desalted crude oil and salty wash water to a static mixer, and mixing the mixed stream of crude oil and wash water in the static mixer. Within the static mixer, the mixed stream is mixed in a coalescing regime to coalesce smaller droplets of water into larger droplets of water. The mixed stream is subjected to an electric field to cause additional coalescence before being directed to a desalter where the salty wash water is separated from the desalted crude oil.

Abstract: A system for desalting crude oil includes delivering a stream of salty crude oil and wash water into a mixing valve, mixing the stream of salty crude oil and wash water through the mixing valve to create a mixed stream of desalted crude oil and salty wash water, delivering the mixed stream of desalted crude oil and salty wash water to a static mixer, and mixing the mixed stream of crude oil and wash water in the static mixer. Within the static mixer, the mixed stream is mixed in a coalescing regime to coalesce smaller droplets of water into larger droplets of water. The mixed stream is subjected to an electric field to cause additional coalescence before being directed to a desalter where the salty wash water is separated from the desalted crude oil.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable mediums are presented that may provide for an interface to a relational database. A request may be received for data stored in a relationship database, wherein the request is received from a spreadsheet application. In response to the request for data stored in the relational database, a plurality of tables in the relational database may be accessed to retrieve the data indicated in the request. The retrieved data may be translated from the plurality of tables of the relational database into a format for output to the spreadsheet application. The translated data may be output to the spreadsheet application.

Abstract: Novel anode materials including various compositions of vanadium-doped strontium titanate (SVT), and various compositions of vanadium- and sodium-doped strontium niobate (SNNV) for low- or intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cell (SOFCs). These materials offer high conductivity achievable at intermediate and low temperatures and can be used as the structural support of the SOFC anode and/or as the conductive phase of an anode. A method of making a low- or intermediate-temperature SOFC having an anode layer including SVT or SNNV is also provided.

Abstract: A high performance anode (fuel electrode) for use in a solid oxide electrochemical cell is obtained by a process comprising the steps of (a) providing a suitably doped, stabilized zirconium oxide electrolyte, such as YSZ, ScYSZ, with an anode side having a coating of electronically conductive perovskite oxides selected from the group consisting of niobium-doped strontium titanate, vanadium-doped strontium titanate, tantalum-doped strontium titanate and mixtures thereof, thereby obtaining a porous anode backbone, (b) sintering the coated electrolyte at a high temperature, such as 1200° C.

Abstract: A novel modified anode/electrolyte structure for a solid oxide electrochemical cell is an assembly comprising (a) an anode consisting of a backbone of electronically conductive perovskite oxides selected from the group of doped strontium titanates and mixtures thereof, (b) a scandia and yttria-stabilised zirconium oxide electrolyte and (c) a metallic and/or a ceramic electrocatalyst in the shape of interlayers incorporated in the interface between the anode and the electrolyte. This assembly is first sintered at a given temperature and then at a lower temperature in reducing gas mixtures. These heat treatments resulted in a distribution of the metallic and/or ceramic interlayers in the electrolyte/anode backbone junction taking place.

Abstract: A jetting tool includes a tubular housing having: couplings formed at each longitudinal end thereof, and one or more ports formed through a wall thereof and in fluid communication with an upper portion of a bore of the housing. The jetting tool further includes a valve mechanism isolating the housing bore upper portion from a lower portion thereof in a closed position and operable to an open position where the valve mechanism provides fluid communication between the housing bore portions.

Abstract: The strut and tie method for waffle slabs relates to computer modeling of waffle slabs to predict strength and mode of failure. The waffle slab strut and tie method utilizes a three-dimensional strut-and-tie model, which is applied to distinct structural features of waffle slabs. Individual ribs in the slab form two-dimensional trusses, which are connected with perpendicular trusses at rib intersections. The geometry of the slab defines the location of nodes for finite element analysis.

Abstract: Electrically conductive meshes with pore sizes between about 20 and 3000 nanometers and with appropriately selected strand geometry can be used as engineered supports in electrodes to provide for improved performance in solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Suitable electrode geometries have essentially straight, parallel pores of engineered size. When used as a cathode, such electrodes can be expected to provide a substantial improvement in output voltage at a given current.

Abstract: The strut and tie method for waffle slabs relates to computer modeling of waffle slabs to predict strength and mode of failure. The waffle slab strut and tie method utilizes a three-dimensional strut-and-tie model, which is applied to distinct structural features of waffle slabs. Individual ribs in the slab form two-dimensional trusses, which are connected with perpendicular trusses at rib intersections. The geometry of the slab defines the location of nodes for finite element analysis.

Abstract: Water containing dissolved salts, such as calcium sulfate, calcium chloride, magnesium sulfate, magnesium chloride, sodium carbonate, sodium chloride, sodium sulfate, calcium bicarbonate, and mixtures thereof, is treated to reduce the concentration of those salts. About 0.1 to about 60 g/L of sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, potassium hydroxide, potassium carbonate, calcium hydroxide, calcium carbonate, aluminum hydroxide, aluminum sulfate, aluminum potassium sulfate, and mixtures thereof is added to the water, whereby a precipitate forms in the water. The precipitate is separated from said water and the water is desalinated using reverse osmosis, flash evaporation, or another method. The process is preferably performed by first adding calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide, separating the precipitate that forms, then adding sodium hydroxide and sodium carbonate to form a second precipitate.

Abstract: This invention is a process for the removal of acetaldehyde impurities from ethyl acetate formed by reacting acetic acid with ethylene over a catalyst by refining a crude mixture of ethyl acetate, diethyl ether, acetaldehye and water in a column (C) so as to remove (a) refined ethyl acetate as a base product to be further purified, and (b) light ends mixture comprising diethyl ether and acetaldehyde overhead to be fed to an aldehyde removal column; a purge comprising acetaldehyde is removed at or near the top of the aldehyde removal column. The process is a very important step in the commercial manufacture of ethyl acetate because the presence of acetaldehyde is detrimental to the esterification catalyst.

Abstract: A system of the present invention selects agent destinations and monitors calls made from a caller through an intelligent call processing network to a network customer. A plurality of home agents, such as part of a telemarketing system, are located at respective home premises and receive routed calls. A customer routing point responds to call queries transmitted from the intelligent call processing network and routes the call to the desired home agent. A management information server is connected in communication to the customer routing point for storing call routing and agent call-handling information. At least one agent manager is connected in communication to at least one of the home agents for monitoring the home agent and maintaining agent availability, routing configurations and statistical information concerning log-in and usage. Each agent manager is interconnected with the customer routing point for transmitting agent availability and routing configurations to the customer routing point.