Abstract: A cup holder adaptor assembly includes a portable cup holder and a cup deck. The cup deck is configured to be mounted removably within a lower section of the portable cup holder, such that when the cup deck is mounted removably within the lower section of the portable cup holder a storage compartment is created between the cup deck and a bottom of the portable cup holder. The cup holder adaptor assembly is configured such that the cup deck can be selectively mounted within the lower section of the portable cup holder in either of two configurations, the two configurations being a first configuration and a second configuration.

Abstract: Reduced-waste systems and methods for granulated metallic units (GMUs) production are disclosed herein. A representative method can include receiving a first supply of molten iron and producing GMUs by granulating the molten iron poured onto a target material of a reactor. The method can include removing residual fines of the GMUs via a classifier based on a threshold particle size and mixing the residual fines with a second supply of molten iron to produce additional GMUs.

Abstract: Processing granulated metallic units within electric arc furnaces (EAFs) and associated systems, devices, and methods are disclosed herein. A representative method can include receiving granulated metallic units in an EAF, wherein the granulated metallic units comprise no more than 0.05 wt. % of sulfur and at least 50% of particles in the granulated iron material have a particle size of at least 6 millimeters. The method can include applying electrical energy to the granulated iron via electrodes and melting the granulated iron material to form a molten steel product. The method can also include tapping the EAF to remove the molten steel product from the EAF.

Abstract: A low-carbon granulated metallic unit having a mass fraction of carbon between 0.1 wt. % and 4.0 wt. % is disclosed herein. Additionally or alternatively, the granulated metallic unit can comprise a mass fraction of phosphorous of at least 0.025 wt. %, a mass fraction of silicon between 0.25 wt. % and 1.5 wt. %, a mass fraction of manganese of at least 0.2 wt. %, a mass fraction of sulfur of at least 0.0001 wt. %, and/or a mass fraction of iron of at least 94.0 wt. %.

Abstract: Torpedo cars for use with granulated iron production, and associated systems, devices, and methods are disclosed herein. In some embodiments of the present technology, a torpedo car includes a tilting mechanism, a body rotatably coupled to the tilting mechanism, and a controller operably coupled to the tilting mechanism to control tilting of the body. The body can include (i) an inner surface defining a cavity and a channel, and (ii) an outer surface defining an opening to the cavity and a channel outlet of the channel spaced apart from the opening. The channel can extend between the channel outlet and a channel inlet interfacing the cavity. The inner surface can include a slag dam configured to prevent slag from exiting the opening while the torpedo car tilts. The controller can control the tilting mechanism to control molten metal flow out of the cavity through the channel.

Abstract: Systems and methods for using a liquid hot metal processing unit to produce granulated metallic units (GMUs) are disclosed herein. In some embodiments of the present technology, a liquid hot metal processing system for producing GMUs comprises a liquid hot metal processing unit including a granulator unit. The granulator unit can include a tilter positioned to receive and tilt a ladle, a controller operably coupled to the tilter to control tilting of the ladle, a tundish positioned to receive the molten metallics from the ladle, and a reactor positioned to receive the molten metallics from the tundish. The reactor can be configured to cool the molten metallics to form granulated metallic units (GMUs).

Abstract: Loading granulated metallic units (GMUs) into railcars, and associated systems, devices, and methods, are disclosed here. In some embodiments, an apparatus for loading GMUs into a railcar comprises a housing unit, a weigh bin, a weigh bin gate, a hopper, and an articulating chute. GMUs in the weigh bin are discharged via gravity through the weigh bin gate when the weigh bin gate opens. The hopper is configured to guide GMUs received from the weigh bin to the articulating chute. The articulating chute is angled and rotatable about an axis of the hopper such that, when rotated, the end of the chute is closer to the floor of a railcar. In some embodiments, the chute includes telescoping segments.

Abstract: A low-sulfur granulated metallic unit having a mass fraction of sulfur between 0.0001 wt. % and 0.08 wt. % is disclosed herein. Additionally or alternatively, the granulated metallic unit can comprise a mass fraction of phosphorous of at least 0.025 wt. %, a mass fraction of silicon between 0.25 wt. % and 1.5 wt. %, a mass fraction of manganese of at least 0.2 wt. %, a mass fraction of carbon of at least 0.8 wt. %, and/or a mass fraction of iron of at least 94.0 wt. %.

Abstract: Systems for continuous granulated metallic unit (GMU) production, and associated devices and methods are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a continuous GMU production system includes a furnace unit, a desulfurization unit, a plurality of granulator units, and a cooling system. The furnace unit can receive input materials such as iron ore and output molten metal. The desulfurization unit can reduce a sulfur content of the molten metallics received from the furnace unit. Each of the plurality of granulator units can include a tundish that can control the flow of molten metallics and a reactor that can granulate the molten metallics to form GMUs. The cooling system can provide cooled water to the reactor. Continuous GMU production systems configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology can produce GMUs under continuous operations cycles for, e.g., at least 6 hours.

Abstract: Treating cooling water in industrial production facilities and associated systems, devices, and methods are disclosed herein. The system can comprise a cooling tower with a first and second cell, each having a housing to receive return water and a sump below to maintain supply water configured to directly contact molten metal. The system includes an inlet and an inlet line to provide return water to the cooling tower and an outlet and an outlet line to direct supply water back to the industrial production facility. The inlet, outlet, and cooling tower form a closed-loop network. Additionally, a blowdown line is fluidically coupled to the outlet to divert a portion of the supply water away from the closed-loop network.

Abstract: Railcars for transporting granulated metallic units, and associated systems, devices, and methods are disclosed herein. For example, a reinforced railcar apparatus includes a container envelope and a reinforcement liner. The container envelope includes side walls and end walls extending from a floor of the railcar. The side walls are a first length and the end walls are a second length less than the first length. Top portions of the rigid side walls and end walls define an opening of the container envelope through which granulated metallic units are discharged into the railcar assembly. The railcar assembly includes angled interior walls coupled to the bottom surface and extending from a top portion of the end walls to the bottom surface. The reinforcement liner is disposed over a portion of the bottom surface and the angled interior walls. In some embodiments, the railcar assembly includes an open-topped box layered with impact-absorbing material.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed pertaining to layered filtering. A computer system may store records in a hierarchy of levels. The computer system may receive a request to perform a key range search to locate records that fall within a key range and satisfy selection criteria. The computer system may perform the key range search. As part of processing a particular level, the computer system may receive a first set of records associated with another level and select a second set of records from the particular level that fall within the key range and satisfy the selection criteria. The computer system may merge the first and second sets of records into a third set of records, which may include not inserting, into the third set, any record of the first set of records for which there is a newer version in the particular level that does not satisfy the selection criteria.

Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed for semantically organizing a graphic design document. A method of semantically organizing a graphic design document can include obtaining a document, identifying a plurality of layers associated with the document, determining a plurality of semantic labels associated with the plurality of layers, determining a semantic layer hierarchy of the plurality of layers, and organizing the plurality of layers based at least on the semantic layer hierarchy.

Abstract: Described herein is a battery system that allows a battery pack to operate in different modes at different times. Each of the different modes may provide its own set of functionality that affects how the battery pack operates and/or reacts to external input signals. A mode may change how the battery pack discharges power by, for example, altering whether terminals are enabled or disabled. A mode may change how the battery pack's hardware operates by, for example, disabling or enabling portions of the battery pack's hardware. A mode may change what battery-related services are provided by the battery pack and available to an end user by, for example, enabling or disabling the sending of battery status information from the battery pack.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to a database system. The database system includes multiple coordinator nodes storing replicas of a partition. Each partition describes the state of locks and transactions for keys covered by that partition of keys. Each partition is, in turn, replicated. The multiple coordinator nodes receive, from multiple worker nodes, requests to grant a lock for a key to permit a worker node to write a record for the key as part of executing a transaction. A given coordinator node of the multiple coordinator nodes sends an approval response for the lock to at most one of the worker nodes. A single worker node acquires the lock in response to receiving approval responses from a majority of the multiple coordinator nodes, and none of the multiple worker nodes acquire the lock in response to none of them receiving approval responses from a majority of the multiple coordinator nodes.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, to adapt a communication service are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of maintaining, by a computing device, a communication service that is accessible through a first user interface. The actions further include determining, by the computing device, characteristics of a user who has access to the first user interface. The actions further include, based on the characteristics of the user who has access to the first user interface, determining, by the computing device, a second user interface that is configured to access the communication service. The actions further include providing, by the computing device, the user access to the second user interface that is configured to access the communication service.

Abstract: A method of dynamic, real-time generation of a blended output from a plurality of sensors is provided. The method includes, at a frame rate, periodically storing samples from the plurality of sensors; band pass filtering the stored samples separately for each of the plurality of sensors over a time scale characteristic of a type of error for the plurality of sensors; storing the filtered samples; at an accumulation rate, iteratively updating a covariance matrix based on a selected number of filtered samples, removing data from the covariance matrix for any of the plurality of sensors that have failed; and calculating, based on the covariance matrix, changes to real-time coefficients to be applied to the outputs of each sensor of the plurality of sensors; and at the frame rate, applying the changes to the real-time coefficients; and calculating the blended output for the plurality of sensors based on the real-time coefficients.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to a database system includes worker nodes operable to perform transactions and director nodes operable to ensure transactional consistency for the transactions. A worker node may receive a request to perform a transaction involving writing a record. The worker node may then issue, to director nodes of the database system, a request for information that facilitates performance of an operation for the transaction. A director node may determine whether to approve the request based on whether the operation could cause transactional inconsistency in the database system. The worker node may proceed to perform the operation for the transaction in response to receiving approval responses from a majority of the director nodes, with none of the received responses indicating a disapproval of the transaction.

Abstract: Error protection analysis of an integrated circuit includes receiving a design model for the integrated circuit, and a list of error checkers associated with the design model. The design model is traversed from each of the error checkers to group storage cells of the design model into checking groups. The design model is updated to include, for each checking group, a unique group identifier associated with each of the storage cells in the checking group.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for dynamically adjusting a configuration of a pre-processor and/or a post-processor of a machine learning system. In one aspect, a machine learning system can receive raw data at a pre-processor where the pre-processor being configured to generate pre-processed data, train a machine learning model based on the pre-processed data to generate output data, process the output data at a post-processor to generate inference data, and adjust, by a controller, configuration of one or a combination of the pre-processor and the post-processor based on the inference data.