Abstract: A method for treating an aqueous fluid containing a biodegradable organic substance in an installation that includes an upflow bioreactor containing a sludge bed, wherein the sludge bed includes biomass, an external separator, and a conditioning tank. The method includes treating the fluid in the conditioning tank; feeding the treated fluid into a lower part of the bioreactor and forming biogas; withdrawing the fluid from an upper part of the bioreactor, which withdrawn fluid includes biomass; feeding the aqueous fluid withdrawn from the upper part of the bioreactor into the external separator, wherein the aqueous fluid that includes the biomass is separated into a liquid phase and a fluid phase enriched in biomass; returning the fluid phase enriched in biomass from the external separator to the bioreactor; and returning a part of the liquid phase to the conditioning tank.

Abstract: A method for treating an aqueous fluid comprising a biodegradable organic substance in an installation comprising an upflow bioreactor containing a sludge bed, said sludge bed comprising biomass, an external separator, and a conditioning tank, the method comprising: treating the fluid in the conditioning tank; feeding the treated fluid into a lower part of the bioreactor and forming biogas; withdrawing the fluid from an upper part of the bioreactor, which withdrawn fluid comprises biomass; feeding the aqueous fluid withdrawn from the upper part of the bioreactor into the external separator wherein the aqueous fluid comprising the biomass is separated into a liquid phase, and a fluid phase enriched in biomass; returning said fluid phase enriched in biomass from the external separator to the bioreactor; and returning a part of said liquid phase to the conditioning tank.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for treating an aqueous fluid comprising a biodegradable organic substance in an installation comprising an upflow bioreactor containing a sludge bed, said sludge bed comprising biomass, an external separator, and a conditioning tank, comprising treating the fluid in the conditioning tank; feeding the treated fluid into a lower part of the bioreactor and forming biogas; withdrawing the fluid from an upper part of the bioreactor, which withdrawn fluid comprises biomass; feeding the aqueous fluid withdrawn from the upper part of the bioreactor into the external separator wherein the aqueous fluid comprising the biomass is separated into a liquid phase, and a fluid phase enriched in biomass; returning said fluid phase enriched in biomass from the external separator to the bioreactor; and returning a part of said liquid phase to the conditioning tank.

Abstract: A computer system for offering items for sale to consumers comprising a computer having a non-transitory memory for storing machine instructions that are to be executed by the computer. The machine instructions when executed by the computer implement the following functions: collecting consumer information relating to interactions of a consumer with a website offering items for auctions; determining a consumer classification of the customer based on the consumer information; generating a consumer profile including the consumer information and the consumer classification; generating an incentive amount for an unsold item based on the consumer profile; and delivering via a computer network an incentive including the generated incentive amount to the consumer to induce purchasing of the unsold item.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for the anaerobic purification of waste water using a sludge bed system, which process comprises feeding waste water and recycle water to the lower part of an upflow reactor containing mainly granular biomass thus producing biogas in the treatment passing the resulting gas/liquid/solid mixture upward and separating the gas and solid from the liquid in a three phase separator and thereby generating an anaerobic effluent that is withdrawn from the top of the separator, the improvement comprising withdrawing the recycle water separately from the effluent, after the separation of the gas from the liquid, either from the three phase separator or from the top of the reactor outside the three phase separator, and to an upflow reactor suitable for this process.

Abstract: The invention provides a novel thermoplastic polymer comprising at least one polyalkylene oxide block. It relates to a process for preparing the thermoplastic polymer and to an application of this polymer as a hydrophilicity and/or antistatic modifier, especially in polyamide compositions. These compositions are particularly suitable for the manufacture of yarns, fibres and filaments.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for the anaerobic purification of waste water using a sludge bed system, which process comprises feeding waste water and recycle water to the lower part of an upflow reactor containing mainly granular biomass thus producing biogas in the treatment passing the resulting gas/liquid/solid mixture upward and separating the gas and solid from the liquid in a three phase separator and thereby generating an anaerobic effluent that is withdrawn from the top of the separator, the improvement comprising withdrawing the recycle water separately from the effluent, after the separation of the gas from the liquid, either from the three phase separator or from the top of the reactor outside the three phase separator, and to an upflow reactor suitable for this process.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for handling and opening frangible containers containing substantially solid contents is described. The apparatus includes a cutter configured to sever an upper portion of a container from a lower portion the container. The apparatus further includes a holder for holding the lower portion of the container, and a gripping device for gripping the upper portion of the container as the container is severed by the cutter. The gripping device lifts the upper portion from the lower portion of the bottle such that any portion of the solid contents within the upper portion is discharged to the lower portion of container. The apparatus also can include a positioner for presenting the bottle to the cutter for cutting.

Abstract: In an apparatus having an internal combustion engine and a catalytic device for treating NOx emissions from the internal combustion engine, a method of operating the engine comprising operating the engine for a first interval in such a manner as to store and reduce NOx emissions in the catalytic device thereby accumulating stored sulfur in the catalytic device, and operating the engine for a second interval in such a manner as to remove a portion of the stored sulfur from the catalytic device and to leave a substantial portion of stored sulfur in the catalytic device.

Abstract: In an apparatus having an internal combustion engine and a catalytic device for treating NOx emissions from the internal combustion engine, a method of operating the engine comprising operating the engine for a first interval in such a manner as to store and reduce NOx emissions in the catalytic device thereby accumulating stored sulfur in the catalytic device, and operating the engine for a second interval in such a manner as to remove a portion of the stored sulfur from the catalytic device and to leave a substantial portion of stored sulfur in the catalytic device.

Abstract: Air moving device (AMD) packaging apparatus includes an AMD carriage structure and an associated frame receiving the AMD carriage structure. The AMD carriage structure includes an AMD holder section pivotally connected to a driver section. The associated frame is mounted in a housing of a system to be cooled and includes elongated slots defining cooperating tracks for receiving the AMD carriage structure. The AMD holder section and the driver section include outwardly extending protrusions or posts slideably received within the cooperating tracks in the associated frame to position an AMD contained within the AMD holder section in an operating position within the associated frame.

Abstract: A method of providing incentives to bidders on an auction item using a database and a system, the method including creating the consumer profile for at least one consumer, choosing at least one of the unsold items from the inventory based on the consumer information in the consumer profile, generating the incentive for the chosen unsold item based on the consumer file, the selection of consumer information of the incentive being substantially similar to the consumer information in the consumer profile, and offering the chosen unsold item and the incentive to the at least one consumer to induce purchasing of the chosen unsold item.

Abstract: A method for the presumptive detection of the presence or absence and relative dominance of the toxic mold Stachybotrys chartarum collected from an environmental surface via a swab or other sampling device. The method of growth and color development of the sample utilizes dehydrated biological growth plates, pre measured hydration ampules, a liquid spreader press and a mold growth color key chart. The development of a characteristic shade of brown-colored mold colonies, unique to the Petrifilm™ YM biological growth plate, confirms the presence of Stachybotrys chartarum. The absence of the color permits the conclusion that Stachybotrys chartarum is absent in the sample. This color development method may be used to presumptively identify other molds commonly found growing on wet, building materials.

Abstract: The invention provides a novel thermoplastic polymer comprising at least one polyalkylene oxide block. It relates to a process for preparing the thermoplastic polymer and to an application of this polymer as a hydrophilicity and/or antistatic modifier, especially in polyamide compositions. These compositions are particularly suitable for the manufacture of yarns, fibres and filaments.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing locomotor muscle size and strength at low training intensities using eccentric ergometry.

Abstract: A multi-additive injection system for injecting required amounts of different additives to flowing fuel in a fuel line (6) comprises a number of additive injection sub-systems (1, 2, 3 and 4). Each sub-system includes a source of additive (7), a pump (13) to deliver additive from the source (7) to the fuel line (6), and an additive meter (21) to measure an amount of the additive being delivered to the fuel line (6) by the pump (13). The multi-additive injection system further includes a meter to measure the amount of fuel flowing through the fuel line (6) and a control device such as a computer to control the pump (13) of each sub-system to adjust the amount of additive being delivered by each pump, should the amount metered by the meters (21) deviate.

Abstract: A preform (9) made of thermoplastic material and including a body (11) provided with an at least partially longitudinally extending inner partition (10). The preform is used for molding and particularly blow molding or stretch-blow molding a container with a body having opposed portions defining hollow recesses with inwardly-directed convex surfaces, said portions being spaced apart by said inner partition. In a straight cross-sectional view, the body (11) has a non-circular outline with two opposed portions (a, b) separated by a minimum distance (d1) that is smaller than the distances between the other pairs of opposed portions of said outline. The inner partition (10) extends between said two opposed portions (a, b), and said distance (d1) is such that, relative to the periphery of the body (11) of the preform, during molding, the inner partition (10) is transversely stretched at a rate equal to that at which the body (11) is transversely or peripherally stretched.

Abstract: A container such as a bottle or the like consisting of a biaxially oriented thermoplastic material and capable of withstanding a relatively harsh use environment without noticeably losing its shape. Said container has an inwardly curved base (2) with an inwardly projecting convex portion as in a champagne bottle bottom, and a substantially greater thickness than the side wall (3) of the container. Said base (2) includes an outwardly-facing non-convex central portion (4).

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for producing thermoplastic containers, in particular bottles, by the blow-molding or stretch blow-molding of a preheated preform. The device comprises at least one mould consisting of two half-molds (2) each supported by a mould carrier, the two mould carriers being movable relative to each other. Each half-mould (2) comprises a shell holder (9), supported by the respective mould carrier, and a shell (7) which is equipped with a half-impression (8) of the container to be obtained and can be rendered integral in a detachable manner with its shell holder (9) by rapid-fastening means (19-23). The shell (7) and the shell holder (9) are of complementary shapes such that they contact each other at least partially for heat conduction purposes whilst the pipes and connections for circulating and/or heating fluids are provided in the shell holder alone.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for producing thermoplastic containers, in particular bottles, by the blow-molding or stretch blow-molding of a preheated preform. The device comprises at least one mould consisting of two half-molds (2) each supported by a mould carrier, the two mould carriers being movable relative to each other. Each half-mould (2) comprises a shell holder (9), supported by the respective mould carrier, and a shell (7) which is equipped with a half-impression (8) of the container to be obtained and can be rendered integral in a detachable manner with its shell holder (9) by rapid-fastening means (19-23). The shell (7) and the shell holder (9) are of complementary shapes such that they contact each other at least partially for heat conduction purposes whilst the pipes and connections for circulating and/or heating fluids are provided in the shell holder alone.