Abstract: A reject port of a hydrocyclone has an orifice that is treated or coated to prevent blockage thereof when materials pass therethrough, such as produced water, asphaltenes, waxes, “schmoo” or other materials having high potential for scaling. Such surfaces may include, but are not necessarily limited to, superhydrophobic surfaces and/or superoleophobic surfaces such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), perfluoroalkoxy (PFA), tungsten disulfide (WS2), siloxanes, nanomaterials, surfaces created by diffusion of carbon into a stainless steel without forming chromium carbides (e.g. KOLSTERISING®), anti-scale treatment materials, and combinations thereof. The treated orifice may optionally be removable from the reject port.

Abstract: A reject port of a hydrocyclone has an orifice that is treated or coated to prevent blockage thereof when materials pass therethrough, such as produced water, asphaltenes, waxes, “schmoo” or other materials having high potential for scaling. Such surfaces may include, but are not necessarily limited to, superhydrophobic surfaces and/or superoleophobic surfaces such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), perfluoroalkoxy (PFA), tungsten disulfide (WS2), siloxanes, nanomaterials, surfaces created by diffusion of carbon into a stainless steel without forming chromium carbides (e.g. KOLSTERISING®), anti-scale treatment materials, and combinations thereof. The treated orifice may optionally be removable from the reject port.

Abstract: An optical disc for data storage includes a layer of color-shifting material. Light passing through the color-shifting layer will have a color determined by the various constructive and destructive interference of the various wavelengths after they have passed through the material, diffracted while passing through the material, and are reflected off of various portions of the material, resulting in a color change when the viewing angle is changed. Additionally, an optical variable device may be defined within the disc, and may include the color-shifting layer.

Abstract: An optical disc for data storage includes a layer of color-shifting material. Light passing through the color-shifting layer will have a color determined by the various constructive and destructive interference of the various wavelengths after they have passed through the material, diffracted while passing through the material, and are reflected off of various portions of the material, resulting in a color change when the viewing angle is changed. Additionally, an optical variable device may be defined within the disc, and may include the color-shifting layer.

Abstract: A method for forming a visual feature on the surface of an article, such as a document or other substrate, which includes the steps of forming data defining the visual feature, and using this data to control a transfer apparatus to transfer discrete elements from at least one foil onto the surface of the article, to form the visual feature. The discrete elements are applied in different densities, for example, numbers per unit area, according to differences in light intensity required to define the visual feature. The discrete elements are, preferably, optically variably reflective and, preferably, also transmissive. The transfer apparatus can be a thermal printer.

Abstract: An article includes at least one surface with a visual feature included thereon and a plurality of elements with at least a portion of the elements being of selected optical states in accordance with a predetermined code, so that the visual feature is encoded with information. The article further includes a security feature which incorporates a security code with the security feature being formed so that the security code is random, and with the information encoded into the visual feature of the article including a code derived from the security feature and corresponding to the security code.