Abstract: A downhole assembly is disclosed that includes a basket having a base, a connection end opposite the base, and a side extending between the base and the connection end. A heater extends centrally through the basket from the base, where the heater has an electrical connection at an end of the heater opposite the base. A volume of eutectic pellets is provided in the basket, and the downhole assembly is used to plug a downhole location by using the heater to melt the eutectic pellets at the downhole location.

Abstract: A downhole assembly is disclosed that includes a basket having a base, a connection end opposite the base, and a side extending between the base and the connection end. A heater extends centrally through the basket from the base, where the heater has an electrical connection at an end of the heater opposite the base. A volume of eutectic pellets is provided in the basket, and the downhole assembly is used to plug a downhole location by using the heater to melt the eutectic pellets at the downhole location.

Abstract: A downhole tool is disclosed that includes an expandable liner, an expansion cone, and an expansion cone driver connected to the expansion cone. The expandable liner includes an upper tubular body, a lower cone housing having an outer diameter greater than the upper tubular body, a eutectic alloy layer surrounding a circumference of the upper tubular body, and a bottom packer and a top packer extending around the upper tubular body and positioned around opposite ends of the eutectic alloy layer. The expansion cone has a cone body provided in the lower cone housing and a heater provided around an outer surface of the cone body.

Abstract: The system for measuring the angle of repose of high temperature granular material includes a hollow chamber with an optically transparent window. A cylindrical receptacle is rotatably mounted within the hollow chamber, with an open end thereof releasably covered by an optically transparent plate. The cylindrical receptacle is oriented with respect to the hollow chamber such that the optically transparent plate faces, and is aligned with, the optically transparent window. The cylindrical receptacle is controllably rotated within the hollow chamber. The temperature within the hollow chamber may be selectively adjusted by one or more heating elements mounted therein. A camera detects the angle of repose of granular material in the cylindrical receptacle when the cylindrical receptacle is rotated within the hollow chamber. The camera is positioned such that the granular material may be viewed thereby through the optically transparent plate and the optically transparent window.

Abstract: A downhole tool is disclosed that includes an expandable liner, an expansion cone, and an expansion cone driver connected to the expansion cone. The expandable liner includes an upper tubular body, a lower cone housing having an outer diameter greater than the upper tubular body, a eutectic alloy layer surrounding a circumference of the upper tubular body, and a bottom packer and a top packer extending around the upper tubular body and positioned around opposite ends of the eutectic alloy layer. The expansion cone has a cone body provided in the lower cone housing and a heater provided around an outer surface of the cone body.

Abstract: The expanded bed direct-contact system uses a multistage expanded bed chamber for heat exchange between heated particles, falling under the force of gravity, and an upwardly directed stream of cool fluid. As the heated particles fall through a plurality of vertically-arrayed stages of the multistage expanded bed chamber and exchange thermal energy with the stream of cool fluid, a stream of heated fluid, and a volume of cooled particles, are produced. Porous plates are respectively received within the stages of the multistage expanded bed chamber for increasing residence time of the particles, and the porous plates, as well as the plurality of stages, are connected to one another by a plurality of downcomers, each also formed from a porous material.

Abstract: The particle-to-working fluid heat exchanger is a particle-to-working fluid counter-flow direct contact heat exchanger formed from a heat exchange chamber having opposed upper and lower ends. A diameter of the heat exchange chamber decreases from the upper end to the lower end, with a fluid inlet positioned adjacent the lower end for receiving a stream of fluid. The stream of fluid is tangentially and upwardly directed within the heat exchange chamber. The heat exchange chamber also has a fluid outlet positioned adjacent the upper end thereof. A distribution manifold for the heat exchange chamber produces a plurality of streams of heated particles which exchange thermal energy with the stream of fluid to generate a stream of heated fluid and a volume of cooled particles. A solar power generator, in the form of a solar tower, is further provided, which incorporates the particle-to-working fluid counter-flow direct contact heat exchanger.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for passively monitoring a health condition of a subject using a mobile device. In some aspects, a method includes producing a set of quantitative metrics based on one or more parameters including location, movement, and sound obtained from the mobile device, where the produced set of quantitative metrics includes a location cluster value, a travel distance value, a frequency of conversation value, and an activity value, each of the quantitative metrics over a respective predetermined time period; and processing the set of quantitative metrics to determine a metric indicative of a current clinical state of the subject in connection with one or more measures including daily routines, mood or energy of the subject. Using the sensed parameters, rhythmicity markers and/or departure from stability can be predicted to alert a caregiver of the patient's health status, such as a current mental health state.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for passively monitoring a health condition of a subject using a mobile device. In some aspects, a method includes producing a set of quantitative metrics based on one or more parameters including location, movement, and sound obtained from the mobile device, where the produced set of quantitative metrics includes a location cluster value, a travel distance value, a frequency of conversation value, and an activity value, each of the quantitative metrics over a respective predetermined time period; and processing the set of quantitative metrics to determine a metric indicative of a current clinical state of the subject in connection with one or more measures including daily routines, mood or energy of the subject. Using the sensed parameters, rhythmicity markers and/or departure from stability can be predicted to alert a caregiver of the patient's health status, such as a current mental health state.