Abstract: Amine-based solvents, carbon dioxide capture systems, and methods for improving stability of carbamate during carbon dioxide capture are disclosed herein. The amine-based solvents comprise at least one cyclic amine having a first molecular site that is structurally modified to be protonated and a second molecular site that is structurally modified to hold carbon dioxide as carbamate. The carbon dioxide capture systems comprise at least one gaseous stream comprising carbon dioxide and the amine-based solvent in contact with the at least one gaseous stream. The methods for carbon dioxide capture comprise contacting at least one modified cyclic amine to a gaseous stream comprising carbon dioxide such that the modified at least one cyclic amine chemically reacts with carbon dioxide to form a soluble compound.

Abstract: A method of producing an image of at least one rock cutting. The method can include forming or obtaining a substrate having a patterned top surface. The method can also include using the patterned top surface of the substrate to support at least one rock cutting, controlling an image acquisition system to acquire at least one image of the rock cutting for storage and subsequent image processing.

Abstract: Processes and systems for monitoring one or more gases dissolved in a liquid. In some embodiments, the process can include introducing a fluid into an inlet of a sample cell, where the fluid includes at least one gas dissolved in a liquid. The fluid can flow through the sample cell such that at least a portion of the fluid flows past an optical window such that the fluid is viewable within the sample cell through the optical window. The fluid can be recovered from an outlet of the sample cell. An electromagnetic radiation signal can be emitted into the sample cell through the optical window for at least a portion of the time the fluid is viewable through the optical window. The fluid can be contacted with the electromagnetic radiation signal within the sample cell.

Abstract: Modified carbon-based sorbents configured for improved carbon capture, methods for increasing CO2 capture potential of modified carbon-based sorbents, and methods for improving noncovalent interactions of modified carbon-based sorbents with CO2, N2, and H2 are disclosed herein. The modified carbon-based sorbents have porous carbon surfaces and/or mesoporous carbon surfaces comprising one or more in-plane sites having at least one first nitrogen functionality and one or more out-of-plane sites having at least one second nitrogen functionality, wherein the at least one first nitrogen functionality is a different nitrogen functionality than the at least one second nitrogen functionality. The methods comprise contacting the modified carbon-based sorbents to gaseous streams containing CO2.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for imaging drill cuttings, which employ a UV source including a UV LED, which is configured to illuminate a sample volume with UV radiation that interacts with oil-bearing cuttings to cause fluorescence emission. A camera system is configured to capture at least one image of the cuttings based on fluorescence emission. In another aspect, methods are provided for characterizing oil content in drill cuttings that involve capturing at least one WE image of the cuttings illuminated by white light, capturing at least one UV image of the cuttings based on fluorescence emission from UV radiation, processing the at least one WE image to determine a first pixel count for all cuttings, processing the at least one UV image to determine a second pixel count for oil-bearing cuttings, and determining a parameter representing oil content of the cuttings based on the first and second pixel counts.

Abstract: A plurality of events is extracted from a set of sources, including an event representing a transfer of a first data set from one data storage stage of a data pipeline to another stage to form a second data set, and another event representing a completion of a computation performed on the second data set. Based on analysis of the plurality of events, a graph is stored; the nodes of the graph represent data sets at respective stages of the data pipeline, and edges represent the events. In response to a request for lineage information pertaining to a particular data set at a particular stage of the pipeline, an indication of a sequence of events represented in the graph is provided, including a particular event which led to the presence of the particular data set at the particular stage.

Abstract: A renewable feed that is concentrated linear C10-C13 paraffins is produced by hydrodeoxygenating a renewable feedstock is produced by first hydrotreating the feedstock to remove heteroatoms followed by use of a Group VI or VIII catalyst producing a 10-13 carbon atom product having a high level of linearity. Normal paraffins in the range desired by the detergents industry can be produced.

Abstract: A biorenewable feed that is concentrated in free fatty acids is produced by hydrodeoxygenating a biorenewable feedstock is produced by use of a Group VIII catalyst producing a 10-13 carbon atom product having a high level of linearity. Normal paraffins in the range desired by the detergents industry can be produced. Either isomerization or an iso-normal separation can be performed to provide green fuel streams.

Abstract: A process for dimerizing and oligomerizing olefins to distillate fuels which subjects oligomerized product to hydrocracking and hydroisomerization in a single reactor to convert heavier oligomers to jet fuel range oligomers. A jet fuel product stream may be taken from a side of a stripping column which produces a heavy drag stream from a bottom of the stripping column to ensure an end point boiling specification is achieved.

Abstract: A method of producing an image of at least one rock cutting. The method can include forming or obtaining a substrate having a patterned top surface. The method can also include using the patterned top surface of the substrate to support at least one rock cutting, controlling an image acquisition system to acquire at least one image of the rock cutting for storage and subsequent image processing.

Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to data processing, and more particularly to a method and system for generating ground truth labels for ambiguous domain specific tasks. The system generates reference data corresponding to a regulation statement being processed, using a crowd sourcing mechanism and then processes the reference data using an Expectation Maximization (EM) model. The EM model determines consensus with respect to ambiguity of terms/phrases, validity of questions, and validity of answers, and then based on the determined consensus, provides questions and answers to disambiguate the regulation statement.

Abstract: A method, workflow and system for automated classification of rock cuttings based on two tasks: (i) pixel-wise labeling of rock cutting images based on a convolutional neural network-based edge detection scheme; and (ii) training a general purpose deep learning model for classification of heterogeneous rock cutting mixtures based on the underlying texture.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for determining the refractive index of a downhole fluid. Two unalike crystals are provided having faces in contact with fluid in the fluid flow line of a borehole tool. The crystals are chosen to have different refractive indices and/or different angles of incidence, but to provide total internal reflection for light that is directed through the crystals to the crystal/fluid interface. The measured attenuations for each crystal are used in conjunction with the known refractive indices and angles of incidence of said crystals to determine the refractive index of the fluid.

Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to data processing, and more particularly to a method and system for generating ground truth labels for ambiguous domain specific tasks. The system generates reference data corresponding to a regulation statement being processed, using a crowd sourcing mechanism and then processes the reference data using an Expectation Maximization (EM) model. The EM model determines consensus with respect to ambiguity of terms/phrases, validity of questions, and validity of answers, and then based on the determined consensus, provides questions and answers to disambiguate the regulation statement.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for determining the refractive index of a downhole fluid. Two unalike crystals are provided having faces in contact with fluid in the fluid flow line of a borehole tool. The crystals are chosen to have different refractive indices and/or different angles of incidence, but to provide total internal reflection for light that is directed through the crystals to the crystal/fluid interface. The measured attenuations for each crystal are used in conjunction with the known refractive indices and angles of incidence of said crystals to determine the refractive index of the fluid.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for providing filtered backups of a distributed database. One of the methods includes receiving a user request to generate an incremental backup to be added to a user specified backup sequence for a distributed database, wherein the user specified backup sequence specifies a subset of one or more database tables to be included in backups in the user specified backup sequence. Dirty partitions of the one or more tables covered by the user specified backup sequence are identified, wherein a dirty partition is a table partition that was created or modified after generation of a most recent backup in the user specified backup sequence. An incremental backup to be added to the user specified backup sequence is generated, the incremental backup comprising contents of the dirty partitions of the tables covered by the user specified backup sequence.

Abstract: Techniques to perform an incremental backup of a large-scale distributed database, such as a massively parallel processing (MPP) database, are disclosed. In various embodiments, a set of table partitions each of which satisfies one or more criteria to be included in a current incremental backup is determined at backup time, at least in part by comparing a current table partition meta-information with corresponding meta-information from a prior backup. The table partitions in the set are included in the incremental backup, while other table partitions not in the set are not backed up. In some embodiments, certain tables are designated to be of a type such that existing records are not modified. Tables are partitioned in a manner that isolates changes, e.g., added rows, in a relative few table partitions, leaving others unchanged and therefore able to be omitted from subsequent incremental backups.

Abstract: Techniques to perform an incremental backup of a large-scale distributed database, such as a massively parallel processing (MPP) database, are disclosed. In various embodiments, a set of table partitions each of which satisfies one or more criteria to be included in a current incremental backup is determined at backup time, at least in part by comparing a current table partition meta-information with corresponding meta-information from a prior backup. The table partitions in the set are included in the incremental backup, while other table partitions not in the set are not backed up. In some embodiments, certain tables are designated to be of a type such that existing records are not modified. Tables are partitioned in a manner that isolates changes, e.g., added rows, in a relative few table partitions, leaving others unchanged and therefore able to be omitted from subsequent incremental backups.

Abstract: This invention provides processes and apparatus for enhancing the aroma of food products. Aroma-enhancing agents are applied or dispensed onto food products during their manufacture by food-grade controlled-droplet dispensing heads (or head). In preferred embodiments, the dispensing heads are controlled by a controller, such as a programmed PC-type computer, in dependence on sensor data, such as electromechanical, optical, or image sensor data. The controller and sensors operate so that different food items can have selected aroma-enhancing agents properly applied or dispensed without waste or overspray. The invention also provides food products, the aroma of which have been enhanced according to the provided processes and apparatus with aroma-enhancing agents.

Abstract: This invention provides processes and apparatus for enhancing the appearance of food products. The browning agents are applied or dispensed onto food products (52) during their manufacture by food-grade controlled-droplet dispensing heads (62a, 62b) (or head). In preferred embodiments, the dispensing heads (62a, 62b) are controlled by a controller, such as a programmed PC-type computer, in dependence on sensor data, such as electromechanical, optical, or image sensor (54) data. The controller and sensors operate so that different food items have selected browning agents properly applied or dispensed without waste or overspray. The invention also provides food products (53) which have been enhanced according to the provided processes and apparatus with browning agents.