Abstract:
A battery which facilitates the measurement and recording of data is provided. The battery has a transparent casing wall and a scale attached to the wall for measuring the level of electrolyte within the battery. The scale contains first measuring indicia for measuring the distance the electrolyte level falls below a high level mark, and second indicia aligned literally opposite and having values, for example, specific gravity value correction factors, correlating to those of the first indicia.
Abstract:
An economical full capacity integrated heat pump water system which utilizes the basic components of conventional heat pump systems and a hot water heat exchanger incorporated in the system. The invention may be operated in three refrigerant flow configurations, with five associated operational modes. In one configuration, the refrigerant flow is from the compressor, through the hot water heat exchanger, through the outdoor heat exchanger, through an expansion device, through the indoor heat exchanger and back to the compressor. In a second configuration, the refrigerant flow is from the compressor, through the hot water heat exchanger, through the indoor heat exchanger, through an expansion device, through the outdoor heat exchanger, and back to the compressor. In a third configuration, for the water heating only mode, the refrigerant flow is from the compressor, through the hot water heat exchanger, through an expansion device designed specifically for the range of refrigerant temperatures for hot water heating, through the outdoor heat exchanger, and back to the compressor.
Abstract:
Disclosed are various embodiments for confirming a tornado event has contacted a ground surface and for generating a path prediction. Upon receipt of power outage alarms from metering devices, the Advance Metering Infrastructure (AMI) application can generate cluster areas based on the location of the metering devices. The AMI application can compare a cluster area to a tornado pattern to determine if the cluster area has experienced a tornado event. The AMI application can determine a speed and a direction of the tornado event based on the location and a time stamp of a power outage associated with the metering devices in the cluster areas.
Abstract:
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a method for determining root causes of issues in an electrical grid. The method includes receiving local data from each of a plurality of meters. The local data may be indicative of voltage levels measured by the plurality of meters. The method also includes identifying abnormalities in the received local data. An abnormality is indicated by local data indicative of a voltage level that is outside of a predetermined range of acceptable levels. The method further includes associating each of the identified abnormalities with a respective meter and a geographic location of the respective meter and analyzing each of the identified abnormalities according to a predetermined set of evaluation factors to determine a root cause.
Abstract:
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a carbon-dioxide (“CO2”) sequestration system comprising a CO2 source, a process-water source, a membrane module, and a sequestration duct. The membrane module comprises a first section, a second section, and a membrane. The first section can be configured to receive gaseous CO2 at a first pressure from the CO2 source. The second section can be configured to receive process-water at a second pressure from the process-water source, wherein the first pressure is greater than the second pressure. The membrane can be positioned between the first section and the second section and can comprise a plurality of apertures configured such that the gaseous CO2 passes through the plurality of apertures and dissolves into the process-water to form a process-water-CO2-solution. The sequestration duct can be in fluid communication with the second section and configured to transport the process-water-CO2 solution to a sequestration site.
Abstract:
Various methods and systems are directed to a meter alert system that provides surveillance of meters and other components of a utility system. The meter alert system obtains, via a user interface, specification of one or more meter conditions among a list of meter conditions. The meter alert system generates a rule for a utility metering device according to the meter conditions, wherein the rule is associated with a utility metering device identifier of the utility metering device. The meter system executes the rule, wherein an execution of the rule generates an alert in response to at least one of the first meter condition being satisfied or the second meter condition being satisfied. The meter alert system transmits a notification message in response to the alert being generated.
Abstract:
Disclosed are cooling and depressurization system equipment, arrangement and methods to cool solid particles from a coal gasifier operating at high temperature and pressure. Ash needs to be continuously withdrawn from a circulating fluidized bed gasifier to maintain the solids inventory in the gasifier. The supports for the cooling surfaces are located on the lower temperature upper section of the primary cooler. The cooled solids along with the fluidizing gas exits the primary cooler to a secondary receiving vessel where the solids can be further cooled by conventional means. The fluidizing and entrained gas entering the secondary vessel is filtered and vented through a vent pressure control valve. The column of cooled solids in the secondary vessel is depressurized by a continuous depressurization system to low pressures which are sufficient for conveying the solids to silos for disposal.
Abstract:
An apparatus to promote gas-liquid contact and facilitate enhanced mass transfer. The dispersed bubble reactor (DBR) operates in the dispersed bubble flow regime to selectively absorb gas phase constituents into the liquid phase. The dispersion is achieved by shearing the large inlet gas bubbles into fine bubbles with circulating liquid and additional pumped liquid solvent when necessary. The DBR is capable of handling precipitates that may form during absorption or fine catalysts that may be necessary to promote liquid phase reactions. The DBR can be configured with multistage counter current flow sections by inserting concentric cylindrical sections into the riser to facilitate annular flow. While the DBR can absorb CO2 in liquid solvents that may lead to precipitates at high loadings, it is equally capable of handling many different types of chemical processes involving solids (precipitates/catalysts) along with gas and liquid phases.
Abstract:
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention a lighting device comprising a processor and a memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, are configured to cause the lighting device to access identification information relating to the lighting device and transmit the identification information to a remotely located system controller automatically upon commissioning the lighting device.