The multi-parametric environmental diagnostics and monitoring sensor node (10) provides monitoring and diagnostics of a variety of different ambient environmental factors and is powered by multiple sources of renewable energy. The multi-parametric environmental diagnostics and monitoring sensor node (10) includes a base (38) and a plurality of environmental condition sensors (36a, 36b, 36c, 36d, 36e, 36f) mounted thereon. A controller (47) is also mounted on the base (38), the plurality of environmental condition sensors (36a, 36b, 36c, 36d, 36e, 36f) being in communication therewith. An external photovoltaic cell (18) is mounted to the base and an internal photovoltaic cell (34) is mounted in an opposed orientation on a cover (32). The external photovoltaic cell (18) and the internal photovoltaic cell (34) charge a power storage module (52), which powers the plurality of environmental condition sensors (36a, 36b, 36c, 36d, 36e, 36f) and the controller (47).

The invention discloses methods and devices for rapidly detecting a biological and/or chemical residue in a liquid sample. In some embodiments of the instant invention, a single antenna is generally employed in proximity to an aqueous solution in a disposable cup, with electrical outputs being recorded by an electrical metering device in communication with the single antenna. Commercial plastic cups may be used for detection of electric fields related to cleanliness of water samples. General and specific target detection may be performed with various embodiments of the instant invention.

A sensor includes a sensor core, a deviating component, and an aligning component. The sensor core has a cable that leaves the sensor core in essentially an exit direction, and a counter-structure. The aligning component has an aligning structure adapted to the counter-structure. The deviating component and aligning component define a final alignment of the cable in a direction different than the exit direction. The deviating component is pushed onto the sensor core. The aligning component is pushed laterally onto the sensor core in a mounting direction relative to the sensor core, and is engaged with the counter-structure of the sensor core.

Described is a system which includes: a cable including: a first fiber optic interconnect to provide an input light; and a second fiber optic interconnect to provide an output light; and a first housing coupled to the cable, the first housing including: a first deflection circuit to deflect the input light received from the first fiber optic interconnect in response to a vibration or movement of the first housing; and a second housing coupled to the cable, the second housing including: a light source to generate the input light for transmission to the first deflection circuit via the first fiber optic interconnect; and a photo detector to receive the output light from the first deflection circuit via the second fiber optic interconnect.

Systems and methods are provided for calibrating and regulating the temperature of a sensor. One or more temperature adjusting devices can be provided to regulate the temperature of the sensor. One or more of the temperature adjusting devices can be provided to perform a calibration to determine a relationship between sensor bias and sensor temperature. The one or more temperature adjusting devices can be built into the sensor.

A vibration analyzing apparatus includes a vibration detecting unit set in a building where a person can reside and configured to detect vibration and output a detection signal based on the detected vibration, a mode determining unit configured to determine presence or absence of vibration of the building caused by an earthquake, and a control unit including a vibration analyzing unit configured to analyze the vibration on the basis of the detection signal, the control unit setting an analysis mode of the vibration analyzing unit. The control unit sets one of a normal time analysis mode for causing the vibration analyzing unit to analyze a vibration waveform indicated by the detection signal on the basis of a first condition and obtaining information concerning residence of the person and an earthquake analysis mode for obtaining information concerning deformation of the building.

A method of constructing an ion guide is disclosed comprising providing an elongated spine member and a plurality of plates. Each plate comprises an aperture therethrough for receiving the spine member and at least one electrode for use in guiding ions. The apertures of the plates are arranged around the spine member and the plates are arranged along the spine member. The plates are then locked in position on the spine member such that the plates are fixed axially with respect to the spine member and so that the electrodes of the plates are arranged so as to form an array of electrodes for use in guiding ions.

The invention provides a method for acquiring fragment ion spectra of substances in complex substance mixtures wherein a trapped ion mobility spectrometer (“TIMS”) is used as the ion mobility separation device coupled to a triple quadrupole mass filter assembly. The fragment ion spectra may be used for the identification of high numbers of proteins in complex mixtures, or for a safe quantification of some substances, by their fragment ion mass spectra in a mass spectrometer with upstream substance separator. TIMS, in particular equipped with parallel accumulation, provides the unique possibility to prolong the ion accumulation duration to find more detectable ion species without decreasing the measuring capacity for fragment ion mass spectra. The high measurement capacity for fragment ion mass spectra permits the repeated measurement of low abundance ion species such as to improve the quality of the fragment ion spectra.

An encoder, including: a scale that has a pattern and is mountable to a rotary member of an object to be measured; a main body including a detector that detects the pattern, the main body being mountable to a non-rotating portion of the object to be measured; and a holding member including: an abutment portion that is removably provided to the main body from outside the main body and passes through the main body to abut the scale; and a pushing portion that is capable of pushing the abutment portion toward the scale.

A proximity sensing device includes: a light source, a sensing unit, a light guide unit, and a window. The light source emits light, which is guided by the light guide unit to the window. The emitted light reflected by an object is received by the same window. The light guide unit includes a partial-transmissive-partial-reflective (PTPR) optical element, whereby the light emitted from the light source is reflected by the PTPR optical element, while the light reflected by the object passes through the PTPR optical element. There is only one window required.

An imaging device and method are provided. Light from an object is provided as a plurality of sets of light beams to a phase difference array having a plurality of elements. The phase difference array is configured to provide different optical paths for light included within at least some of a plurality of sets of light beams. The light from the phase difference array is received at an imaging element array. The imaging element array includes a plurality of imaging elements. Information obtained from hyperspectral imaging data based on output signals of the imaging element array can be displayed.

A spectrometer module comprising a plurality of separate electronic circuit modules is disclosed. Each separate electronic module comprises an integrated sensor circuit including a light sensitive area occupying part of an area of the integrated sensor circuit, the integrated sensor circuit being arranged to detect incident light. In one aspect, the plurality of separate electronic circuit modules includes a group of adjacent electronic circuit modules. The light sensitive areas of the electronic circuit modules in the group are so arranged on the respective integrated sensor circuits that the group of adjacent electronic circuit modules is mounted so that the light sensitive areas thereof are arranged in vicinity to each other. The spectrometer module includes an optical module, which is common to said plurality of separate electronic circuit modules and arranged to direct incident light towards the light sensitive areas of each of said electronic circuit modules.

The present invention discloses a mail detection device and method. The device comprises a broad-band terahertz generator, a collimator, a beam splitter, a fixed reflector, a movable reflector, a wave buncher, a matrix detector, an acquisition card and an information processing module; wherein the information processing module is used for generating a terahertz image of a mail to be detected according to the electric signals sent by the acquisition card when the movable reflector is motionless; and when finding suspicious articles according to the terahertz image of a mail to be detected, the information processing module controls the movable reflector to move, and generates spectral information of the suspicious articles according to an electric signal sequence sent by the acquisition card during the movement of the movable reflector.

The present disclosure provides a ray calibration device and a working method thereof, and a radiation imaging system and a working method thereof, and belongs to the field of radiation imaging technology. The present disclosure can solve the problems that the existing calibration devices have low calibration efficiency and require relatively large spaces. The ray calibration device of the present disclosure includes a driving part, a cam part and a calibration part, wherein the calibration part is located below the cam part; the driving part is adapted to drive the cam part to rotate; and the cam part is adapted to exert a force on the calibration part to enable the calibration part to move into a ray area downwards.

A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a first ion trap or ion guide, a single ion mobility spectrometer or separator stage and a second ion trap or ion guide arranged downstream of the ion mobility spectrometer or separator. In a mode of operation ions from the second ion trap or ion guide are passed from the second ion trap or ion guide back upstream to the ion mobility spectrometer or separator.

The present technology provides methods for increasing sensitivity of detection and/or quantification of a negatively charged analyte, e.g., an oligonucleotide, using an analytical system that comprises liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. The methods comprise passing an acidic solution through the analytical system, i.e., through a fluidic path from the mobile phase reservoir to the detector to remove or displace, at least in part, metal ions adsorbed to charged sites in the fluidic path.

A human body radiation examining method and system are disclosed. In one aspect, the human body radiation examining method comprises: identifying a person to be examined. The method further comprises retrieving an accumulative radiation dose of the person according to identification result. The method further comprises obtaining a predicted single radiation scanning dose of a human body radiation examining device intended to perform a current radiation examination. The method further comprises calculating a sum value of the accumulative radiation dose of the person and the predicted single radiation scanning dose of the human body radiation examining device. The method further comprises determining whether to perform the current radiation examination on the person according to whether the sum value exceeds a dose limit. In some embodiments, the human body radiation examining system and method can improve the security of the human body radiation examination.

A scintillator block is presented. The scintillator block includes at least one scintillator having an isotropic volume. Furthermore, the scintillator block includes a laser-generated three-dimensional pattern positioned within the isotropic volume of the at least one scintillator, where the laser-generated three-dimensional pattern is configured to modify one or more optical properties within the isotropic volume of the at least one scintillator, and where the three-dimensional pattern varies along one or more of a depth, a width, and an angular orientation of the at least one scintillator.

Systems and devices incorporating radiation detection, and techniques and materials for improved radiation detection are provided that involve a nano-scintillator exhibiting a linear luminescent emission response to stimulating electromagnetic radiation. The nano-scintillator can include at least one nanocrystal comprising a rare earth element, a lanthanide dopant, and a spectator dopant, wherein the nanocrystal exhibits a linear luminescent emission response to stimulating electromagnetic radiation of wavelengths less than 100 nm. As one example, the nanocrystal is [Y2-xO3; Eux, Liy], where x is 0.05 to 0.1 and y is 0.1 to 0.16, and has an average nanoparticle size of 40 to 70 nm. These nanocrystals can be fabricated through a glycine combustion method.

Detectors, a system and a method for detecting ionizing radiation are provided. In some aspects, a detector includes a first layer comprising a first conducting material, and a second layer comprising a second conducting material, wherein at least one of the first layer and second layer is configured to produce secondary particles upon irradiation by an ionizing radiation. The detector also includes a separating layer positioned between the first and second layer configured to transport therebetween at least one of charges associated with the secondary particles and charges produced by the secondary particles, wherein an electric current generated by the charges, and collected between the first and second layer, is indicative of properties the ionizing radiation.

An apparatus comprises a neutron detector. The neutron detector comprises a conversion layer comprising a mixture of a neutron absorbing material and a scintillation material; and a photodetector optically coupled to the conversion layer and arranged to detect photons generated as a result of neutron absorption events in the conversion layer; wherein the apparatus is adapted to be carried by a user and the conversion layer is positioned within the neutron detector such that when the apparatus is being carried by a user in normal use neutrons are absorbed in the conversion layer after passing through the user such that the user's body provides a neutron moderating effect. In some cases the apparatus may be carried in association with a backpack or clothing worn by a user, for example, the neutron detector may be sized to fit in a pocket. In other cases the apparatus may be a hand-held device with the conversion layer arranged within a handle of the device to be gripped by a user when being carried.

A method for initializing a first operation in a first module at a first start time value in a first time base, the method comprising generating a clock signal, generating a second time base in the first module based on the clock signal, determining a second sync value in the second time base, determining a first sync value in the first time base corresponding to a second sync value in the second time base, determining a start trigger value in the second time base based on the first sync value and the start time value in the first time base, and initializing the first operation in the first module based on the start trigger value and a current value of the second time base in the first module.

The present disclosure provides one embodiment of an IC method. First pattern densities (PDs) of a plurality of templates of an IC design layout are received. Then a high PD outlier template and a low PD outlier template from the plurality of templates are identified. The high PD outlier template is split into multiple subsets of template and each subset of template carries a portion of PD of the high PD outlier template. A PD uniformity (PDU) optimization is performed to the low PD outlier template and multiple individual exposure processes are applied by using respective subset of templates.

In an example arrangement an apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate having a front side surface including circuitry and a backside surface opposing the front side surface; a plurality of metal conductors formed over a front side surface of the semiconductor substrate; at least one cavity opening etched in a backside surface of the semiconductor substrate; and a radiator formed in a portion of the metal conductors and configured to radiate signals through the cavity opening in the backside surface. Methods and additional apparatus arrangements are also disclosed.

A method for manufacturing an oxygenated gasoline-blend by blending a hydrocarbon Basestock for Oxygenate Blending (BOB) with an alcohol such as ethanol to a required octane specification first blends the BOB to an octane number, (RON+MON)/2 based on the octane sensitivity (RON−MON) of the BOB and the proportion of alcohol to be added to the BOB, such that when the BOB is blended with the specification proportion of alcohol to form the oxygenated gasoline blend, this blend will have the required octane specification. The blending of the BOB with the alcohol will typically be done at a location remote from that where the BOB is blended, e.g. at the product distribution terminal after being transported from the refinery by pipeline or tank car.

A method that includes clarifying a thin stillage product in a mechanical processor to produce a fine suspended solids stream and a clarified thin stillage is provided. The method further includes providing the thin stillage product and the clarified thin stillage, separately or in a combined stream, to one or more evaporators to produce one or more reduced suspended solids streams, each stream having a reduced amount of suspended solids and a lower viscosity as compared to process streams having a comparable total solids content but containing a higher amount of suspended solids. The method can further included further processing of one or more of the reduced suspended solids streams to produce a bio-oil product.

Measurements are taken of moisture, BTU/lb (British Thermal Units per pound), ash, forms of sulfur, volatile material, grindability, and absorption properties of any of a wide variety of mine-run solid fuels. Using that information, a dry electromagnetic process technology has been developed that can be controlled and monitored to selectively alter and enhance metallurgical solid fuel properties. Specific changes include altering the mechanical structure and chemical composition of solid fuels such as coal, coal coke or petroleum coke, increasing the BTU/lb to optimum levels, decreasing all forms of sulfur, and decreasing ash, while maintaining the BTU/lb of the fuels. A new family of solid fuel designer coals not found in nature can be produced via these methods and apparatus.

This invention relates to low sulfur marine/bunker fuel compositions and methods of making same. Contrary to conventional marine/bunker fuel compositions/methods, the inventive lower sulfur compositions/methods focus on use of mostly uncracked components, such as (cat feed) hydrotreated gasoils, and/or can also have reduced contents of residual components.

Methods for producing alcohols and oligomers contemporaneously from a hydrocarbon feed containing mixed butenes using an acid based catalyst are provided. Additionally, methods for producing fuel compositions having alcohols and oligomers prepared from mixed olefins are also provided as embodiments of the present invention. In certain embodiments, the catalyst can include a dual phase catalyst system that includes a water soluble acid catalyst and a solid acid catalyst.

Systems and methods for producing engineered fuels from municipal solid waste material are described herein. In some embodiments, a method includes combining a first waste stream that includes at least one of hard plastic, soft plastic and mixed plastic with a sorbent and increasing the temperature of the combined first waste stream and sorbent to a temperature of at least about 200° C. The method further includes combining the thermally treated first waste stream and sorbent with a second waste stream that includes fiber, and compressing the combined first waste stream, sorbent, and second waste stream to form a densified engineered fuel feedstock.

An apparatus for upgrading coal comprising a baffle tower, inlet and exhaust plenums, and one or more cooling augers. The baffle tower comprises a plurality of alternating rows of inverted v-shaped inlet and outlet baffles. The inlet and outlet plenums are affixed to side walls of the baffle tower. Process gas enters the baffle tower from the inlet plenum via baffle holes in the side wall and dries the coal in the baffle tower. Process exhaust gas exits the baffle tower into the exhaust plenum via baffle holes in a different side wall of the baffle tower. Coal that enters the baffle tower descends by gravity downward through the baffle tower and enters a cooling auger, where the dried coal from the baffle tower is mixed with non-dried coal. A method of using the apparatus described above to upgrade coal.

The present invention concerns a process for producing synthetic coal and aqueous liquid plant fertilizing solution products from a fermentation residue such as is left over from the corn based process of producing ethanol. The synthetic coal has a high heat value commensurate with naturally occurring coals and is lower in ash and sulfur content and thus has value as a clean burning energy source. The aqueous fertilizer includes commercially useful amounts of phosphorous, potassium and nitrogen in solution. The process of the invention is also energy efficient in that the products produced thereby involve the use of substantially less energy as compared to the traditional methods of processing fermentation residues in the corn based ethanol production industry.

The invention relates to methods for the conversion of lignocellulosic matter into fuel products. More specifically, the invention relates to methods for the generation of a bio-oil product from specific component(s) of lignocellulosic matter.

A device for preparing bio-oil, a system for preparing bio-oil and a method for preparing bio-oil using the same are provided. Biomass is supplied to an inclined portion of a reactor, and high-temperature hot sand is supplied to an upper side of the biomass supplied to the inclined portion. Then, a heater heats the inclined portion. Thus, the fast pyrolysis performance of the biomass can be enhanced, thereby increasing the yield of bio-oil. Also, combustion gas produced from the heater is supplied to the interior of the reactor, so that the interior of the reactor can be simply formed under a nonoxidizing atmosphere. Accordingly, the device for preparing bio-oil can be manufactured into a very simple structure.

Modified solid fuel manufacturing method and modified solid fuels manufactured using the manufacturing method. When solid fuels are manufactured by crushing low grade coal, mixing the crushed low grade coal with solvent oil to prepare a slurry, heating the slurry to at least the boiling point of water to evaporate moisture included in the slurry, separating the solvent oil from the slurry to produce charcoal dust and compression compacting said charcoal dust, by heating the slurry to at least the boiling point of water, the non-volatile components included in the low grade coal are extracted with the solvent oil, the outer surface of the low grade coal and the internal surfaces of the pores are coated with the extracted non-volatile components, and the content of heavy oil added from the outside will be less than 0.5 mass % relative to the solid fuel after drying.

Embodiments presented herein describe an apparatus and method to control the conversion of carbonaceous materials, particularly biomass and those biomass resources, into a high performance solid fuel. This method, and the apparatus described as the means to accomplish this method, provides a process having a control system that enables the system to produce a fuel of uniform quality, even with a change in biomass supply.

Methods for converting petroleum based oil into fuel generally include forming a conversion mixture of an alcohol and a base, and adding the conversion mixture to petroleum based oil, such as used motor oil, to form a reaction mixture. The methods can also include adding a high nitrate compound and an amino acid to the reaction mixture and ozonizing the reaction mixture. The result of the methods can include a three phase system in which the bottom phase is asphalt oil, the middle phase is diesel fuel or jet fuel, and the top phase is sulfuric acid. The three phases can be separated to obtain the final diesel fuel or jet fuel product.

A fuel production method and a fuel production apparatus, for producing fuel by which the fuel efficiency can be improved and the generation of hazardous substances can be easily suppressed and which is stable, and fuel oil produced by such a method and apparatus are provided. This improves the satisfaction of users, and contributes to the prevention of environmental destruction. A fuel production method for producing fuel oil by mixing and reacting enzyme water with petroleum-based hydrocarbon oil is provided, the enzyme water being produced by mixing a natural plant enzyme, containing at least lipase, in water. The natural plant enzyme further contains cellulase. The enzyme water further contains methanol.

For producing synthetic fuels, an educt mixture containing steam and oxygenates, such as methanol and/or dimethyl ether, is converted to olefins on a catalyst in a first process stage, and this olefin mixture then is divided in a separating means into a stream rich in C1-C4 hydrocarbons and a stream rich in C5+ hydrocarbons. The stream rich in C5+ hydrocarbons is divided into a stream rich in C5 and C6 hydrocarbons and a stream rich in C7+ hydrocarbons, wherein the stream rich in C5 and C6 hydrocarbons is at least partly subjected to an etherification with methanol. The ethers thus obtained are admixed to the gasoline product stream.

The moisture absorption capacity of biofuels can be more or less 10 times that of fossil diesel oil, causing biofuels to form acids that induce metal corrosion and form deposits in the fuel tank and pipe lines. Methods for removing moisture from stored biofuels and plant oils are described wherein glycerol is used as a solvent to extract the moisture from the bioliquid or oil, comprising the steps of placing the biofuel or oil in fluid contact with glycerol, incubating for a time, and then removing the glycerol. A cellulous ester dialysis or other semi-permeable membrane may be used to prevent the glycerol from contaminating the biofuel while allowing moisture to pass. Crude glycerol produced as a byproduct of biodiesel production may be used in the method of the disclosed invention with good result. Preferred embodiments of apparatus that employ the method of the subject invention are described.

The disclosure describes a high energy density jet fuel composition, having a smoke point about 18 mm as determined by ASTM D1322 and a thermal stability of no more than 25 mm Hg as determined by ASTM D 3241, and a method for making a jet fuel composition, wherein the net heat of combustion is determined by the aromatics content, cycloparaffins content, and normal plus or iso paraffins content in the jet fuel composition.

A process is provided comprising subjecting a quantity of plant biomass fibers to a pretreatment to cause at least a portion of lignin contained within each fiber to move to an outer surface of said fiber, wherein a quantity of pretreated tacky plant biomass fibers is produced; and densifying the quantity of pretreated tacky plant biomass fibers to produce one or more densified biomass particulates, wherein said biomass fibers are densified without using added binder.

A separation system and method for separating one or more solid fossil fuels from a contaminated source in a liquid medium, the system including primary separation means and secondary separation means, the primary and secondary separation means being arranged to operate with liquid media of differing specific gravities.

A method comprising applying a chemical change reagent to coal prior to combustion of the coal is provided. In some instances, the chemical change reagent can include an effective amount of a material to reduce NOx emissions, SOx emissions, or both from combustion of the coal.

A method includes removing glyphosate from a solution by contacting the solution with a mesoporous inorganic particle having an average pore size of greater than zero and less than about 50 nm, wherein the mesoporous inorganic particle is functionalized with a positively charged moiety selected from ammonium, amine and combinations thereof.

A method for removing glyphosate from a solution by contacting the solution with a polymeric particle including a moiety selected from the group consisting of ammonium, amine and combinations thereof, wherein the moiety is positively charged in the solution.

Provided is a method for reducing COD of wastewater with improved utilization efficiency of ozone. The method achieves an objective by adding agents for removing hydroxyl radical scavengers produced by base-catalyzed ozone advanced oxidation to wastewater. The addition of calcium ion, barium ion, etc. to a base-catalyzed ozonation system makes the hydroxyl radical scavengers form precipitates, separated from water and lose the capability of scavenging hydroxyl radicals, thereby enhancing ozone utilization efficiency. Furthermore, calcium ion, barium ion, etc. form precipitates with partial organic acids yielded in the wastewater ozonation and are separated from water, hence diminishing ozone consumption and indirectly improving the ozone utilization efficiency in the wastewater treatment. The present invention can not only significantly enhance the reaction rate and utilization efficiency of ozone, saving reaction time and costs, but also enable complete mineralization of the organic compounds, significantly reducing COD and total phosphorus of wastewater.

The present invention is directed to systems, apparatus and methods for creating derivatives of at least one form of HDL without substantially affecting LDL. These derivatives of HDL are particles with reduced lipid content, particularly reduced cholesterol content. These particles have the capacity to bind cholesterol and are administered to a patient to enhance cellular cholesterol efflux and reduce cholesterol levels in cells, tissues, organs, and blood vessels. The present method is useful for treating atherogenic vascular disease and may be combined with other therapies such as statins, inhibitors of cholesterol absorption, niacin, anti-inflammatories, exercise and dietary restriction.

A method of manufacturing a refined pitch includes the steps of providing a pitch and performing a heated blending process thereon to produce a pitch solution; adding an aromatic additive to the pitch solution; adding an aliphatic additive to the pitch solution; performing a quiescent sedimentation process on the pitch solution; and separating a liquid part from the pitch solution. Therefore, the method allows a concentrated mesophase pitch to be manufactured quickly and by heat processing.

Devices and methods for characterization of analyte mixtures are provided. Some methods described herein include performing enrichment steps on a device before expelling enriched analyte fractions from the device for subsequent analysis. Also included are devices for performing these enrichment steps.