Abstract: A laser cutting system for cutting articles, such as tubes, and method of using the same. The laser cutting system can cut slots, holes, and/or pores into each article or tube to form filtration tubes, for example. The system includes a delivery system for delivering a laser beam from a laser source, at least one mirror, a focusing objective lens, a gas source, and a delivery nozzle. A first stage holds each article in a longitudinal direction, and may rotate the article axially during delivery of the gas and laser beam towards the article and move the article longitudinally relative to the delivery nozzle. A second stage is provided in the system for moving the delivery nozzle relative to the article being held by the first stage. A controller controls actuation of the laser beam and the gas source, and movement of the first stage and the second stage.

Abstract: Disclosed are a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalyst, a preparation method therefor and use thereof in a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction. Wherein the catalyst comprises: an active component, being at least one selected from VIIIB transition metals; an optional auxiliary metal; and a nitride carrier having a high specific surface area. The catalyst is characterized in that the active metal is supported on the nitride carrier having the high specific surface, such that the active component in the catalyst is highly dispersed. The catalyst has a high hydrothermal stability, an excellent mechanical wear resistance, a high Fischer-Tropsch synthesis activity and an excellent high-temperature stability.

Abstract: A production system and method of using the same for forming filtration tubes. The system includes: a six-axis robotic arm that moves tubes between sub-systems. The arm moves an unprocessed tube from an input-output subsystem, to an inspection system, a laser cutting system, and optional post-processing system. The inspection may include a laser and/or camera that scans a surface of a tube to determine abnormalities, defects, and/or quality issues. The laser cutting system cuts pores, holes, or slots into and through a wall of the tube, that passes inspection, to form a filtration tube used to filter solids from fluids. The post-processing system may post-process and/or clean the tube after cutting. If the tube fails inspection, it is moved to a reject bin or tray. The arm moves completed filtration tubes to a finished tube bin or tray.

Abstract: A production system and method of using the same for forming filtration tubes. The system includes: a six-axis robotic arm that moves tubes between sub-systems. The arm moves an unprocessed tube from an input-output subsystem, to an inspection system, a laser cutting system, and optional post-processing system. The inspection may include a laser and/or camera that scans a surface of a tube to determine abnormalities, defects, and/or quality issues. The laser cutting system cuts pores, holes, or slots into and through a wall of the tube, that passes inspection, to form a filtration tube used to filter solids from fluids. The post-processing system may post-process and/or clean the tube after cutting. If the tube fails inspection, it is moved to a reject bin or tray. The arm moves completed filtration tubes to a finished tube bin or tray.

Abstract: A laser cutting system for cutting articles, such as tubes, and method of using the same. The laser cutting system can cut slots, holes, and/or pores into each article or tube to form filtration tubes, for example. The system includes a delivery system for delivering a laser beam from a laser source, at least one mirror, a focusing objective lens, a gas source, and a delivery nozzle. A first stage holds each article in a longitudinal direction, and may rotate the article axially during delivery of the gas and laser beam towards the article and move the article longitudinally relative to the delivery nozzle. A second stage is provided in the system for moving the delivery nozzle relative to the article being held by the first stage. A controller controls actuation of the laser beam and the gas source, and movement of the first stage and the second stage.

Abstract: Disclosed are a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalyst, a preparation method therefor and use thereof in a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction. Wherein the catalyst comprises: an active component, being at least one selected from VIIIB transition metals; an optional auxiliary metal; and a nitride carrier having a high specific surface area. The catalyst is characterized in that the active metal is supported on the nitride carrier having the high specific surface, such that the active component in the catalyst is highly dispersed. The catalyst has a high hydrothermal stability, an excellent mechanical wear resistance, a high Fischer-Tropsch synthesis activity and an excellent high-temperature stability.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method allow for cleaning and brushing irregular-shaped objects automatically. The apparatus includes: an outer portion or a container that can substantially enclose one or more irregular shaped objects, and a plurality of brushes movably coupled to an inner wall of the outer portion or the container. The apparatus can be used to wash irregular-shaped objects such as shoes, utensils, medical devices, etc. An irregular-shaped object can be placed in the apparatus, and the apparatus can be placed in a washing machine for automatic washing. Driven by a flow of water, air, or gas, the brushes can scrub the object. The apparatus can protect the object from potential damages, and/or keep washed-off sand, dirt, or other residues inside the apparatus.

Abstract: A filtration element, which includes filtering tubes that are drilled with straight conical holes, and a central supporting tube and connecters/headcaps. The filtering tubes are arranged so that drilled surface portions face outwarded and the remaining undrilled surface portions are positioned adjacent to the central supporting tube. The filtration media can be made of tubular or flat metals or alloys. A plurality of filtration elements can be bundled using specially designed connectors to meet specific requirements for filtering of fine solid particles from liquids or gases or even liquid-gas-solid three phase. These elements can be used for various applications in filtration fields.

Abstract: A filtration element, which includes filtering tubes that are drilled with straight conical holes, and a central supporting tube and connecters/headcaps. The filtering tubes are arranged so that drilled surface portions face outwarded and the remaining undrilled surface portions are positioned adjacent to the central supporting tube. The filtration media can be made of tubular or flat metals or alloys. A plurality of filtration elements can be bundled using specially designed connectors to meet specific requirements for filtering of fine solid particles from liquids or gases or even liquid-gas-solid three phase. These elements can be used for various applications in filtration fields.

Abstract: A micro-spherical iron-based catalyst and a preparation method thereof are disclosed. The catalyst contains a potassium promoter, and at least one transitional metal promoter M which is one or more kinds of metals selected from Cr, Cu, Mn and Zn. It also contains a structure promoter S, which is SiO2 and/or Al2O3, wherein both of SiO2 and Al2O3 are modified by MoO3, TiO2 and/or ZrO2. The weight ratio of components is Fe:M:K:S=100:3-50:1-8:3-50, in which the metal components are calculated based on metal elements, the structure promoter is calculated based on oxides. The catalyst is prepared by co-precipitation method.

Abstract: An apparatus including: a vacuum container configured to provide and substantially maintain a built-in vacuum pressure; a contact member configured to contact and substantially enclose a surface area; a vacuum device configured to couple the built-in vacuum pressure to the surface area thereby applying a suction force over the surface area; and a conduit coupled to the vacuum container; wherein the vacuum container is also configured to retain a substance collected from adjacent the surface area, wherein the conduit is configured to direct the substance to the vacuum container, and to maintain substantially the same level of vacuum pressure as the vacuum container, wherein the vacuum container comprises a collapsible container, and wherein the collapsible container comprises a spring member configured to maintain a tension in a wall of the vacuum container.

Abstract: A computed tomography (CT) or ultra sound imaging system and method are configured to construct images of an object. The imaging system includes: a radiation or ultrasound source including a collimating or a blocking device configured to generate both a narrow beam and a wide beam; a detector configured to detect radiation or ultrasound wave from the radiation or ultrasound wave from the radiation or ultrasound source; and at least one processing circuit configured to: determine a scatter-to-primary ratio (SPR) of the wide beam based on the narrow beam; determine a primary component of the wide beam based on the SPR to thereby separate the primary component from a scattered component of the wide beam; and construct an image of an object inside a patient using the primary component to thereby improve a contrast of the object.

Abstract: A method for continuously preparing a metal oxides catalyst comprises the following steps: dissolving metal materials using nitric acid solution to produce a metal nitrate solution, and also to produce NOx and water vapor; hydrolyzing the metal nitrate solution by introducing pressurized superheated water vapor into the metal nitrate solution to obtain a slurry of the hydrates of metal oxides as well as acidic gas, the main components of the acidic gas are NO2, NO, O2 and water vapor; filtrating and drying the slurry to obtain the hydrates of metal oxides and/or metal oxides; and then utilizing the obtained hydrates of metal oxides and/or metal oxides as raw materials and preparing the metal oxides catalyst by the conventional method for preparing a catalyst. The NOx gas produced can be absorbed to produce nitric acid which can be reused.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method allow for cleaning and brushing irregular-shaped objects automatically. The apparatus includes: an outer portion or a container that can substantially enclose one or more irregular shaped objects, and a plurality of brushes movably coupled to an inner wall of the outer portion or the container. The apparatus can be used to wash irregular-shaped objects such as shoes, utensils, medical devices, etc. An irregular-shaped object can be placed in the apparatus, and the apparatus can be placed in a washing machine for automatic washing. Driven by a flow of water, air, or gas, the brushes can scrub the object. The apparatus can protect the object from potential damages, and/or keep washed-off sand, dirt, or other residues inside the apparatus.

Abstract: A method for multistage transforming carbonaceous solid fuel to oil, includes mixing solid fuel (17) with heavy oil (40) to obtain fuel-oil slurry; heating and dehydrating of the slurry; liquefying of the slurry by hydrogenation under a low-medium pressure to obtain light oil (25) and heavy oil-residue slurry; hydrorefining the light oil (25) to obtain refined oil; gasifying the heavy oil-residue slurry in a gasifier (11) to obtain syngas (47); producing F-T synthesis oil (52) with the syngas (47); hydrorefining and hydrocracking the F-T synthesis oil (52) to obtain refined oil; mixing the refined oil from the F-T synthesis oil with the refined oil from liquefying by hydrogenation for producing high quality oil with low sulfur and low ammonia, and other chemical product. The method can be applied to various kinds of coals and biomass, especially applied to lignite and biomass. A suspended bed reactor for liquefying of carbonaceous solid fuel by hydrogenation is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a transition metal nano-catalyst, a method for preparing the same, and a process for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis using the catalyst. The transition metal nano-catalyst comprises transition metal nanoparticles and polymer stabilizers, and the transition metal nanoparticles are dispersed in liquid media to form stable colloids. The transition metal nano-catalyst can be prepared by mixing and dispersing transition metal salts and polymer stabilizers in liquid media, and then reducing the transition metal salts with hydrogen at 100-200° C. The process for F-T synthesis using the nano-catalyst comprises contacting a reactant gas mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen with the catalyst and reacting. In addition, the transition metal nanoparticles have smaller diameter and narrower diameter distribution, which is beneficial to control product distribution. Meanwhile, the catalyst can be easily separated from hydrocarbon products and reused.

Abstract: A computed tomography (CT) or ultra sound imaging system and method are configured to construct images of an object. The imaging system includes: a radiation or ultrasound source including a collimating or a blocking device configured to generate both a narrow beam and a wide beam; a detector configured to detect radiation or ultrasound wave from the radiation or ultrasound wave from the radiation or ultrasound source; and at least one processing circuit configured to: determine a scatter-to-primary ratio (SPR) of the wide beam based on the narrow beam; determine a primary component of the wide beam based on the SPR to thereby separate the primary component from a scattered component of the wide beam; and construct an image of an object inside a patient using the primary component to thereby improve a contrast of the object.

Abstract: An apparatus including: a vacuum container configured to provide and substantially maintain a built-in vacuum pressure; a contact member configured to contact and substantially enclose a surface area; a vacuum device configured to couple the built-in vacuum pressure to the surface area thereby applying a suction force over the surface area; and a conduit coupled to the vacuum container; wherein the vacuum container is also configured to retain a substance collected from adjacent the surface area, wherein the conduit is configured to direct the substance to the vacuum container, and to maintain substantially the same level of vacuum pressure as the vacuum container, wherein the vacuum container comprises a collapsible container, and wherein the collapsible container comprises a spring member configured to maintain a tension in a wall of the vacuum container.

Abstract: A Fischer-Tropsch synthesis three-phase suspension bed reactor (“suspension bed” also called “slurry bed”) and its supplemental systems, may include: 1) structure and dimension design of F-T synthesis reactor, 2) a gas distributor located at the bottom of the reactor, 3) structure and arrangement of a heat exchanger members inside the reactor, 4) a liquid-solid filtration separation device inside reactor, 5) a flow guidance device inside reactor, 6) a condensate flux and separation member located in the gas phase space at the top of reactor, 7) a pressure stabilizer, a cleaning system for the separation device; an online cleaning system for the gas distributor; an ancillary system for slurry deposition and a pre-condensate and mist separation system located at the outlet of upper reactor. This reactor is suitable for industrial scale application of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.

Abstract: A micro-spherical Fe-based catalyst for a slurry bed Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) comprises Fe as its active component, a transitional metal promoter M, a structure promoter S and a K promoter. The transitional metal promoter M is one or more selected from the group consisting of Mn, Cr and Zn, and the structure promoter S is SiO2 and/or Al2O3. The weight ratio of the catalyst components is Fe: transitional metal promoter: structure promoter: K=100:1-50:1-50:0.5-10. Preparation method of the catalyst comprises: adding the structure promoter S into a mixed solution of Fe/M nitrates, then co-precipitating with ammonia water to produce a slurry, filtering and washing the slurry to produce a filter cake, adding the required amount of the K promoter and water to the filter cake, pulping and spray drying, and roasting to produce the micro-spherical Fe-based catalyst for the slurry bed Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.