Abstract: In one aspect, a pneumatic detector assembly is provided. The assembly includes a housing, a sensor tube, a contact pin, and at least one switch having a bellows operatively associated with the sensor tube and the contact pin. The bellows is configured to move into and out of contact with the contact pin based on a pressure in the sensor tube.

Abstract: A pneumatic pressure detector for a fire alarm system includes a housing having an internal surface defining an interior volume. Also included is an alarm switch located within the interior volume of the housing and comprising a first deformable diaphragm responsive to an increase in pressure of a gas disposed in a sensor tube to indicate an overheat condition. Further included is an integrity switch located within the interior volume and comprising a second deformable diaphragm disposed in contact with an electrical contact during pressurization of the gas within a predetermined pressure range and in an electrically open condition when the pressure of the gas is less than the predetermined range. Yet further included is a mica sleeve located within the interior volume of the housing and disposed along at least a portion of the internal surface of the housing to insulate the alarm switch and the integrity switch.

Abstract: In one aspect, a pneumatic detector assembly is provided. The assembly includes a housing, a sensor tube, a contact pin, and at least one switch having a bellows operatively associated with the sensor tube and the contact pin. The bellows is configured to move into and out of contact with the contact pin based on a pressure in the sensor tube.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes providing agricultural grade gypsum to a mixing device using a conveyor, providing a fluid to the mixing device using a pump, mixing the agricultural grade gypsum with the fluid to produce a gypsum slurry using the mixing device, and pumping the gypsum slurry to a storage tank. In another embodiment a system includes a conveyor providing an agricultural grade gypsum, a pump providing a fluid, a mixing device configured to mix the agricultural grade gypsum provided by the conveyor with the fluid provided by the pump to produce a gypsum slurry, and a slurry pump configured to pump the gypsum slurry from the mixing device to a storage tank.

Abstract: A system for removing selenium from a solid feed stream includes a selenium dissolver configured to selectively dissolve elemental selenium from the solid feed stream and to produce a selenium rich solution and a crystallizer coupled to the selenium dissolver and configured to receive the selenium rich solution from the dissolver, to add an acid to the selenium rich solution, to remove purified selenium from the selenium rich solution, and to remove sulfur dioxide from the selenium rich solution.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes providing agricultural grade gypsum to a mixing device using a conveyor, providing a fluid to the mixing device using a pump, mixing the agricultural grade gypsum with the fluid to produce a gypsum slurry using the mixing device, and pumping the gypsum slurry to a storage tank. In another embodiment a system includes a conveyor providing an agricultural grade gypsum, a pump providing a fluid, a mixing device configured to mix the agricultural grade gypsum provided by the conveyor with the fluid provided by the pump to produce a gypsum slurry, and a slurry pump configured to pump the gypsum slurry from the mixing device to a storage tank.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an advanced pneumatic detector (APD) alarm switch. The present APD may comprise a deformable diaphragm configured to make contact with a contact surface. This contact surface may be integral to a surface of the insulating material within the APD.

Abstract: A pneumatic detection system and a method of forming the pneumatic detection system are described. The system includes a sealed tube, a refrigerant disposed within the sealed tube, and a switch configured to be activated based on a specified pressure being reached within the sealed tube.

Abstract: A method includes flowing brine including one or more hardness minerals from a desalination system to a mineral removal system. The method also includes removing the one or more hardness minerals from the brine in an ion separation system disposed upstream from and fluidly coupled to the mineral removal system. The ion separation system may generate a first softened brine and includes a plurality of ion exchange subsystems each including an ion exchange resin. The method also includes saturating the ion exchange resin of at least one ion exchange subsystem with the one or more hardness minerals removed from the brine and regenerating the saturated ion exchange resin. The method further includes recovering the one or more hardness minerals from the ion exchange resin via the mineral removal system. The mineral removal system is fluidly coupled to the ion separation system.

Abstract: A neutron detector composed of a matrix of scintillating particles imbedded in a lithiated glass is disclosed. The neutron detector detects the neutrons by absorbing the neutron in the 6Li isotope which has been enriched from the natural isotopic ratio to a commercial ninety five percent. The utility of the detector is optimized by suitably selecting scintillating particle sizes in the range of the alpha and the triton. Nominal particle sizes are in the range of five to twenty five microns depending upon the specific scintillating particle selected.

Abstract: A method of producing substitute natural gas (SNG) includes providing a gasification reactor having a cavity defined at least partially by a first wall. The reactor also includes a first passage defined at least partially by at least a portion of the first wall and a second wall, wherein the first passage is in heat transfer communication with the first wall. The reactor further includes a second passage defined at least partially by at least a portion of the second wall and a third wall. The method also includes coupling the cavity in flow communication with the first and second passages. The method further includes producing a first synthetic gas (syngas) stream within the cavity. The method also includes channeling at least a portion of the first syngas stream to the first and second passages.

Abstract: An integrated switch to indicate pressure changes in an environment includes a housing with a cavity between a first retainer portion and a second retainer portion, a first diaphragm held in the cavity of the housing to indicate fault conditions, and a second diaphragm held in the cavity of the housing to indicate alarm conditions.

Abstract: A method of producing desalinated water and recovering minerals from the feedwater uses membrane separation and electrodialysis brine concentration. This process can recover all of the minerals as high purity industrial minerals, including capturing the calcium and sulfate as agricultural grade gypsum and boron as high purity boric acid. In addition the process allows the use of low cost lime or dolime to produce valuable magnesium hydroxide.

Abstract: A system for removing minerals from a brine using electrodialysis. One system includes a gypsum removal system configured to receive a feed stream having a first amount of gypsum, to extract at least a portion of the gypsum from the feed stream, and to produce a first output having a second amount of the gypsum less than the first amount of the gypsum. The system also includes an electrodialysis (ED) system fluidly coupled to the gypsum removal system and configured to receive the first output from the gypsum removal system, to produce a second output having a substantially sulfate hardness free sodium sulfate solution, to produce a third output having a sodium chloride solution, and to produce a fourth output having a mineral solution.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an advanced pneumatic detector (APD) alarm switch. The present APD may comprise a deformable diaphragm configured to make contact with a contact surface. This contact surface may be integral to a surface of the insulating material within the APD.

Abstract: A desalination and minerals extraction process includes a desalination facility fluidly coupled to a minerals extraction facility. The desalination facility includes a nanofiltration membrane section producing a first tailings stream and a reverse osmosis membrane section producing a second tailings stream and a desalinated water outlet stream from an inlet feed stream. The extraction facility produces at least one mineral compound, an extraction tailings stream, and a second desalinated water outlet stream. At least one of the first tailings stream and the second tailings stream is fed into the extraction facility. In certain exemplary embodiments, a natural gas combined cycle power unit supplies power to at least one of the desalination facility and the extraction facility. In certain exemplary embodiments, the extraction tailings stream is recycled into the desalination facility and there are no extraction tailings streams or desalination tailings streams discharged into the environment.

Abstract: A system includes an ion exchange softener fluidly coupled to a wastewater treatment system. The first ion exchange softener may receive a first brine stream from the wastewater treatment system and to remove a plurality of minerals from the first brine stream to generate a second brine stream including the plurality of minerals and a third brine stream. The system also includes a mineral removal system disposed downstream from the ion exchange softener and that may receive the second brine stream and to generate a sodium chloride (NaCl) brine stream and an acid and caustic production system disposed downstream from and fluidly coupled to the mineral removal system. The acid and caustic production system includes a first electrodialysis (ED) system that may receive the NaCl brine stream from the mineral removal system and to generate hydrochloric acid (HCl) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) from the NaCl brine stream.

Abstract: An integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power plant includes an air separation unit configured to discharge a nitrogen flow and an oxygen flow. A first heat exchanger is attached to the air separation unit and heats the discharged nitrogen flow. A second heat exchanger is attached to the air separation unit and heats the discharged oxygen flow. A third heat exchanger is attached to a steam cycle of the IGCC and heats a condensate stream received from the steam cycle. A first adiabatic air compressor is attached to the first, second, and third heat exchangers. The adiabatic air compressor is configured to discharge a compressed air flow comprising a first flow and a second flow. The first flow is channeled to the first and third heat exchangers, and the second flow is channeled to the second and third heat exchangers.

Abstract: A pneumatic pressure detector switch is disclosed that includes a retainer assembly adapted to communicate with a source of pressure, a deformable diaphragm supported within the retainer assembly and movable in response to changes in pressure communicated to the retainer assembly, a fault contact element supported by the retainer assembly adjacent a first side surface of the diaphragm, and an alarm contact element supported by the retainer assembly adjacent a second side surface of the diaphragm.

Abstract: A method of producing desalinated water and recovering minerals from the feedwater uses membrane separation and electrodialysis brine concentration. This process can recover all of the minerals as high purity industrial minerals, including capturing the calcium and sulfate as agricultural grade gypsum and boron as high purity boric acid. In addition the process allows the use of low cost lime or dolime to produce valuable magnesium hydroxide.