Abstract: Methods for crystallizing soluble minerals from a brine stream are provided. Soluble minerals dissolved in a saturated brine stream can enter a crystallizer in liquid form and exit the crystallizer in crystal (solid) form. The crystallizer is able to do this by cooling the brine stream using atmospheric air.

Abstract: A vortex breaker for a particulate separator has a first set of vanes spaced along a perimeter of a first shape and a second set of vanes spaced along a perimeter of a second shape, where the second shape resides within the first shape. Each of the vanes has a top edge, a bottom edge, an inside edge, and an outside edge. The vanes in the first and second sets of vanes intersect the first and second shapes, respectively. The vanes in the first set are oriented in a first rotational direction, and the vanes in the second set are oriented in a second rotational direction that is opposite the first rotational direction. The first set of vanes and the second set of vanes define fluid flow paths between the outside edges and the inside edges of the sets of vanes.

Abstract: A separator vessel has inlet, fluid outlet, and sand outlet ports. Each of the fluid and sand outlet ports are spaced below the inlet port. The separator has an enclosure between the inlet and fluid outlet ports. The enclosure redirects the fluid stream and defines an inner cavity above a lower edge of the enclosure, the lower edge defining a liquid flow area. The separator has one or more vanes extending along an outer surface of the enclosure which redirect the fluid stream along a curved flow path as the fluid stream flows toward the lower edge, and a plurality of apertures adjacent to the vanes, the apertures permitting fluid flow into the inner cavity of the enclosure. The fluid outlet port is disposed within the inner cavity above the lower edge of the enclosure and below one or more apertures.

Abstract: A vortex breaker for a particulate separator has a first set of vanes spaced along a perimeter of a first shape and a second set of vanes spaced along a perimeter of a second shape, where the second shape resides within the first shape. Each of the vanes has a top edge, a bottom edge, an inside edge, and an outside edge. The vanes in the first and second sets of vanes intersect the first and second shapes, respectively. The vanes in the first set are oriented in a first rotational direction, and the vanes in the second set are oriented in a second rotational direction that is opposite the first rotational direction. The first set of vanes and the second set of vanes define fluid flow paths between the outside edges and the inside edges of the sets of vanes.

Abstract: A separator for separating solid matter and gas from a fluid flow includes a vessel having an inlet, a fluid outlet, and a gas outlet. The fluid outlet is spaced below the inlet. The separator further includes an enclosure disposed between the inlet and the fluid outlet that redirects the fluid stream passing from the inlet to the fluid outlet. The enclosure defines an inner cavity above a lower edge of the enclosure, and the lower edge defines a fluid flow area. The fluid outlet is disposed within the inner cavity at a height that is above the lower edge of the enclosure and the gas outlet is disposed with a gas space defined by the enclosure.

Abstract: A separator vessel has inlet, fluid outlet, and sand outlet ports. Each of the fluid and sand outlet ports are spaced below the inlet port. The separator has an enclosure between the inlet and fluid outlet ports. The enclosure redirects the fluid stream and defines an inner cavity above a lower edge of the enclosure, the lower edge defining a liquid flow area. The separator has one or more vanes extending along an outer surface of the enclosure which redirect the fluid stream along a curved flow path as the fluid stream flows toward the lower edge, and a plurality of apertures adjacent to the vanes, the apertures permitting fluid flow into the inner cavity of the enclosure. The fluid outlet port is disposed within the inner cavity above the lower edge of the enclosure and below one or more apertures.

Abstract: Technology is described for developing health care policies for use in a health care facility. In one example method, a health care policy can be applied in a health care software application and stored in a health care database. A correlated feature set can be correlated to the health care policy being developed. A selection of health care cases can be obtained from the health care database for testing the health care policy. A model can predict a defined effect of the health care policy based on the correlated feature set. A cost of implementing the health care policy on a defined percentage of patients can be predicted using the defined effect by the model and a specified predictor by applying statistical analysis. The system can guide the allocation of resources in a patient-specific manner. The policies can also be applied in conjunction with user models to guide alerting.

Abstract: Networks may be analyzed using Steiner trees. In an example embodiment, a method includes acts of receiving, accepting, creating, and analyzing. Data specifying a network is received. Steiner tree parameters are accepted. A Steiner tree model is created on the data specifying the network responsive to the Steiner tree parameters. The Steiner tree model includes a local representation having a depth constraint for neighborhood vertices. The data specifying the network is analyzed to ascertain a Steiner tree solution based on the Steiner tree model, which includes the local representation, and using a locally-oriented combinatorial algorithm.

Abstract: Described is a paid search advertising technology in which ratings values are computed for advertisements (or other web content items) based upon head-to-head evaluations as to which advertisement or advertisements were selected (clicked) from among a set of advertisements that were shown together. Records of a query log contain data of advertisements that were shown together, and each advertisement of those shown together that was clicked. Pairs of advertisements are selected, with the rating value of an advertisement that was clicked increased, and the rating value of the non-clicked advertisement decreased. Only those pairs in which one advertisement was selected and another was not selected may be used as a pair. Elo ratings formulas may be employed for the increasing and decreasing computations. The rating values may be combined with other prediction results into a combined result used to select and/or rank advertisements for returning with a query response.

Abstract: Networks may be analyzed using Steiner trees. In an example embodiment, a method includes acts of receiving, accepting, creating, and analyzing. Data specifying a network is received. Steiner tree parameters are accepted. A Steiner tree model is created on the data specifying the network responsive to the Steiner tree parameters. The Steiner tree model includes a local representation having a depth constraint for neighborhood vertices. The data specifying the network is analyzed to ascertain a Steiner tree solution based on the Steiner tree model, which includes the local representation, and using a locally-oriented combinatorial algorithm.