Abstract: A spray gun assembly for atomizing a liquid by directing flows of the liquid and a pressurized atomizing gas into an internal mixing chamber. The atomizing fluid is driven through narrow passages in a nozzle body, increasing the fluid's velocity before entering a mixing chamber in the nozzle body, where it breaks up the liquid into fine droplets before the mixture is discharged from a nozzle tip as a fine mist spray. Temperature control is done by feeding a heat transfer fluid such as steam into a flow passage between the passages for the liquid and atomizing fluid, running along the length of the assembly lance. The device is used for atomizing a liquid into finely dispersed droplets, for example as a sulfur gun for the generation of sulfur dioxide in a sulfur combustion furnace.

Abstract: A spray gun assembly for atomizing a liquid by directing flows of the liquid and a pressurized atomizing gas into an internal mixing chamber. The atomizing fluid is driven through narrow passages in a nozzle body, increasing the fluid's velocity before entering a mixing chamber in the nozzle body, where it breaks up the liquid into fine droplets before the mixture is discharged from a nozzle tip as a fine mist spray. Temperature control is done by feeding a heat transfer fluid such as steam into a flow passage between the passages for the liquid and atomizing fluid, running along the length of the assembly lance. The device is used for atomizing a liquid into finely dispersed droplets, for example as a sulfur gun for the generation of sulfur dioxide in a sulfur combustion furnace.

Abstract: A process is hereby provided for permanently (>1000 years) reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The process involves the cultivation of tree and plant waste (biomass), the conversion of the biomass in a reactor to a carbon product, e.g., charcoal, and subsequent storage of the carbon product. The reactor used for conversion is run at a low temperature, e.g., 300-450° C. Thus, there is negligible cracking. The product is primarily a solid carbon product, which is safe and can be easily handled. The carbon product can also be safely stored. In one embodiment, the carbon product is buried in a location that is tested for limited oxygen at burial depths. The permanence of the CO2 reduction is therefore assured.

Abstract: Provided is a process for converting biomass waste to a solid carbon product. The process comprises passing the biomass waste batchwise into a reactor comprising a twin screw conveyor. The reactor is heated at a temperature of, e.g., 300-450° C. to avoid cracking of the hydrocarbons in the biomass waste. The biomass waste is passed with heating and mixing along the length of the reactor, and a solid carbon product is collected from the reactor. The solid carbon products can be buried to provide a more permanent removal of the carbon.

Abstract: In an example implementation, a computer assembly includes a computer enclosure, a motherboard with an inset edge section that forms a motherboard air gap between the motherboard and a rear wall of the enclosure when the motherboard is installed in the enclosure, a vent opening formed in the enclosure below the motherboard, and an air mover to draw air from above the motherboard, through the air gap, and below the motherboard, and to expel the air drawn below the motherboard from the enclosure through the vent opening.

Abstract: In an example implementation, a computer assembly includes a computer enclosure, a motherboard with an inset edge section that forms a motherboard air gap between the motherboard and a rear wall of the enclosure when the motherboard is installed in the enclosure, a vent opening formed in the enclosure below the motherboard, and an air mover to draw air from above the motherboard, through the air gap, and below the motherboard, and to expel the air drawn below the motherboard from the enclosure through the vent opening.

Abstract: System and method are described for synchronizing a pulsed source of the near infrared illumination used in visualizing subcutaneous structures with the background illumination normally extant in medical treatment settings that allow both enhanced image acquisition and use of higher power pulsed infrared illumination sources.

Abstract: A method of identifying and determining the concentrations of multiple species in a gas sample, includes providing a spectrophone assembly having a detector chamber, supplying the gas sample to the detector chamber and simultaneously passing a plurality of radiations of different wavelengths into the detector chamber to produce multiple acoustic resonances of different frequencies. Acoustic resonances in the detector chamber are simultaneously sensed to produce corresponding electrical signals, and the electrical signals are analysed to identify the species present in the gas sample and determine the concentration of each specie.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improved rod pushing and pulling machine suited for use in underground pipe bursting and replacement with a rod string wherein each rod has at least one radially enlarged upset thereon. The machine includes a housing or frame having a pair of side walls and a front wall with an access opening therein through which a rod string can extend. At least one main thrust cylinder is mounted on the housing. A ratchet block mechanism driven by the main thrust cylinder includes a pivoting pawl and a reversible stop mechanism that permits the pawl to swing out of the way of an upset on a rod as the ratchet block mechanism moves along the rod in one direction, but forces the pawl to engage the upset to drive the rod string when the ratchet block mechanism moves along the rod in the other direction.

Abstract: A system and method for generating a navigation solution in high interference and dynamic environments using Global Positioning System (GPS) and inertial measurement unit (IMU) data is described. The system includes an Advanced Tightly Coupled (ATC) tracking processor for a multi-satellite tracking system. The ATC accepts early, late, and on-time I and Q data from the GPS signal tracker and outputs vehicle-to-satellite range and range rate residual measurements to a navigation Kalman filter. The ATC includes nonlinear discriminators which transform I and Q data into linear residual measurements corrupted by unbiased, additive, and white noise. It also includes an amplitude estimator configured to operate in rapidly changing, high power noise; a measurement noise variance estimator; and a linear residual smoothing filter for input to the navigation filter.

Abstract: A method for installing an underground pipe using a ground piercing tool comprises the steps of: fitting an expander onto a front nose of the tool, securing the pipe to the expander so that the ground piercing tool is disposed inside of the pipe, operating the tool in forward mode over a run to pull the pipe into the ground, removing the ground piercing tool from the expander and pipe by moving it in a rearward direction through the newly installed pipe, and leaving the expander in the ground, preferably to form the front end of the newly installed pipe. It is not required that each of the foregoing steps be conducted in the order recited. For example, the expander could be secured to the pipe after which the expander and pipe could be fitted over the tool.

Abstract: An oligomerization process in which hydrocarbon feedstocks are contacted with a hydrotreating catalyst in the absence of hydrogen and in the liquid phase. The catalyst is a heterogeneous catalyst selected from supported reduced metals, metals oxides, metal sulfides and combinations thereof. Preferred catalysts include mixed nickel and molybdenum oxides or mixed cobalt and molybdenum oxides. The process also oligomerizes sulfur compounds so that sulfur containing feedstocks can be treated without deactivating the catalysts.

Abstract: A process is provided for the production of xylenes from reformate. The process is carried out by methylating under conditions effective for the methylation, the benzene/toluene present in the reformate outside the reforming loop, to produce a resulting product having a higher xylenes content than the reformate. Greater than equilibrium amounts of para-xylene can be produced by the process.

Abstract: A rod pushing and pulling machine includes at least one hydraulic cylinder having a front end thereof engagable with a reaction surface at an entry opening of a existing pipeline or borehole, a spindle assembly, and a dual vise assembly. The spindle assembly includes a frame, a spindle shaft rotatably mounted in the frame, a distal end of the spindle shaft being threaded for engagement with a mating thread of a rod, a drive system for rotating the spindle shaft in threading and unthreading directions, the spindle frame being secured to a rear end of the hydraulic cylinder for pushing or pulling of a rod string engaged to the spindle shaft upon extension or retraction of the hydraulic cylinder, and a support assembly for the spindle shaft.

Abstract: In a process for converting C9+ aromatic hydrocarbons to lighter aromatic products a feed comprising C9+ aromatic hydrocarbons is contacted under transalkylation reaction conditions with a catalyst composition comprising (i) a first molecular sieve selected from the group consisting of ZSM-12, mordenite and a porous crystalline inorganic oxide material having an X-ray diffraction pattern including d-spacing maxima at 12.4±0.25, 6.9±0.15, 3.57±0.07 and 3.42±0.07; and (ii) a second molecular sieve having a constraint index ranging from 3 to 12. At least the first molecular sieve has a hydrogenation component associated therewith and the first and second molecular sieves are contained in the same catalyst bed. The C9+ aromatic hydrocarbons are converted under the transalkylation reaction conditions to a reaction product containing xylene.

Abstract: A cyclic cable pulling machine includes a reaction plate having a flat front face, a frame secured to the reaction plate and a cable pulling mechanism including a hydraulic cylinder and a cable gripping mechanism, the cable gripping mechanism having jaws positioned to engage the cable during a pulling stroke, the hydraulic cylinder having an end abutting the reaction plate and an opposite end secured to the cable gripping mechanism for movement of the cable gripping mechanism away from the reaction plate during a pulling stroke and a powered clamping device attached to the frame which holds the cable during return movement of the cable pulling mechanism.

Abstract: A multi-layered structure in the form of a disposable patch is described for supporting a light source and useful in conjunction with procedures for the non-invasive visualization of veins, arteries or other subcutaneous structures of the body or for facilitating intravenous insertion or extraction of fluids, medication or the like, which in a representative embodiment includes a coupling layer for interfacing and optically coupling with the body surface and conforming to the surface topography of the body portion of interest, a ring for supporting a light source, and a reflective layer between the source and coupling layer for redirecting light reflected from the body surface back through the coupling layer.

Abstract: A method for installation of an underground pipe includes an initial step of boring a pilot hole through the ground at a predetermined grade angle by extending a drill string having a steerable boring bit mounted thereon through the ground. Upon reaching an end location for the pilot hole, the bit is removed from the drill string, and an expander having a diameter greater than the pilot hole is attached to the drill string, which expander is backed by an impact device such as a pneumatic impactor including a striker that delivers repeated impacts to a rearwardly facing surface of the expander, and by a pipe drawn along behind the expander. The expander is pulled back through the pilot hole at the grade angle while the impactor is operated to aid progress of the expander through the ground and pull the pipe into place behind the expander.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improved rod pushing and pulling machine suited for use in underground pipe bursting and replacement with a rod string wherein each rod has at least one radially enlarged upset thereon. The machine includes a housing or frame having a front wall with an access opening therein through which a rod string can extend. At least one main thrust cylinder is mounted on the housing. A movable carriage connected to the thrust cylinder engages the rod, drives it in a pushing or pulling direction, and then releases it for another stroke. Between strokes, a “bungee” vise holds the rod string so that it does not slip back in the opposite direction.