Abstract:
The invention discloses a social fitness and wellness website which teaches an individual fitness training exercises using video pod casts. The exercises teach proper use of gym equipment and home exercises requiring no special gym equipment. The website staffs certified physical trainers and dieticians who develop customized strength, conditioning and nutrition plans based on profile information provided by the individual. Goals are established and progress monitored by a variety of sensors body and/or gym mounted equipment. Optionally, a hand held smart computer device is used as a wireless interface to transmit the exercise data to the website.
Abstract:
In the recovery of oil from an oil-bearing formation having a high salinity connate water wherein an aqueous surfactant slug containing a commercially available petroleum sulfonate is injected followed by the injection of an aqueous drive agent, improved recovery is obtained, if a cosurfactant and a mono-unsaturated secondary alcohol are added to the surfactant slug.
Abstract:
Primary anionic surfactants such as organic sulfonates are effective for recovering oil from subterranean formations only if the salinity and/or hardness of the formation water is relatively low. In petroleum formations containing high salinity, or hard water, either the high salinity water must be displaced by a preflush or the primary anionic surfactant must be used in conjunction with an effective solubilizing co-surfactant, such as ethoxylated alcohols or alkyl phenols, or alkyl or alkylaryl thiols, as well as sulfated or sulfonated, ethoxylated alcohols or alkyl phenols. Optimum performance is achieved if two or more samples of petroleum sulfonate having different equivalent weight ranges and distributions are blended in a ratio which requires the minimum amount of solubilizing cosurfactant to achieve a condition of borderline solubility in the particular formation water in which the surfactants are to be employed. This ratio may be identified by preparing a number of blended petroleum sulfonate samples in the formation water using different ratios of total primary surfactant concentration to solubilizing co-surfactant concentration, and determining whether borderline solubility is achieved, by direct observation or by identifying the sample which produced the minimum electrical conductivity, or at which point the conductivity vs. concentration ratio curve exhibits an inflection point.
Abstract:
A grading ditch cleaning apparatus removably attached to a construction machine is disclosed. The apparatus comprises at least two frames removably attached to a distal end of the grader blade of the construction machine. The frame comprises a first end and a second end defining a predetermined length of the frame, wherein the first end of the frame is removably fastened to the grader blade. Further, the frame is configured to have a curved cross-section and obliquely attached to the distal end of the grader blade to clean the sloped ditch. The frame also comprises a plurality of holes to securely receive and fasten the first end of the frame to the grader blade.
Abstract:
An automated livestock feed delivery system for delivering a pre-weighed quantity of feed to one of a plurality of feeders along a single feed delivery conduit. The system can include multiple feed storage bins for delivery of different feeds to different feeders along the delivery conduit. When feed is required, as sensed by a feed level sensor, feed is delivered from one of the storage bins into a weighing hopper where the quantity of feed is weighed. The feed is then moved through the delivery conduit by an auger or a cable and disk mechanism to deliver the feed to one of a plurality of drop boxes along the conduit. A valve in the particular drop box is opened, enabling the feed to drop from the conduit into the drop box and from there into the feeder. A programmable controller controls the operation of the system and records the weight of feed delivered to each feeder. The system is particularly useful in feed research where it is necessary to accurately record the quantity of feed consumed to compare with the weight gain of the livestock fed with different feeds.
Abstract:
An automated feeding system for feeding livestock in a plurality of pens and a method for using the feeding system. The feeding system includes a plurality of feeders with one feeder in each of a first subset of a plurality of pens. A single controller is used for operation of the feeders and a communication line/cable is provided between the controller and the feeders. The communication line/cable is releasably coupled to each feeder so that the feeders can be used in a first subset of pens after which they are uncoupled from the communication line/cable, moved to a second subset of pens and recoupled to the communication line/cable so that a single controller operates the feeders regardless of which pen they are positioned in.
Abstract:
This is an automatic livestock feeder and the method of operation. The feeder includes a stationary mixing system in which formula is mixed in batches, a movable traveler having a nipple for sucking on by animals housed within individual stalls with a flexible formula hose connecting the mixing system to the delivery system. A pump is used to pump formula from the mixing system to the delivery system through the formula hose and a return line is provided to return formula from the pump back to the mixing system. A selector valve controlled by a vacuum switch in communication with a nipple on the delivery system is used to determine in which direction the formula is pumped. The feeder is operated by mixing a plurality of batches of formula which are then pumped to individual animals until all the animals along a predetermined path of the delivery system have been fed. A programmable controller is provided to operate the feeder and record the amount of formula consumed by each animal. In addition, the controller insures that the total quantity of formula mixed is substantially equal to the total formula consumed such that essentially no formula is left over after the animals have been fed.
Abstract:
Primary anionic surfactants such as organic sulfonates, specifically petroleum sulfonates as well as synthetic alkyl or alkylaryl sulfonates are effective for recovering oil from subterranean, oil-containing formations only if the salinity and/or concentration of divalent ions in the formation water is relatively low. Many petroleum formations contain water whose salinity is in excess of the tolerance level of organic sulfonates, and either the high salinity water must be displaced by a preflush or the primary anionic organic sulfonate surfactants must be used in conjunction with an effective solubilizing co-surfactant in order to increase the solubility of the organic sulfonate in the high salinity and/or hard water. Suitable solubilizing co-surfactants include ethoxylated alcohols, alkyl phenols, and alkyl or alkylaryl thiols, as well as sulfated or sulfonated, ethoxylated alcohols or alkyl phenols. Optimum performance in any particular field is achieved if the ratio of primary anionic surfactant to solubilizing co-surfactant is carefully chosen so the surfactant combination exhibits borderline solubility in the particular formation water in which the surfactants are to be employed. The concentration ratio of primary and solubilizing surfactants which results in the desired borderline solubility may be identified by preparing a number of samples in the formation water using different ratios of primary surfactant concentration to solubilizing co-surfactant concentration, measuring the electrical conductivity of the samples and choosing the concentration ratio corresponding to the sample which produced the minimum electrical conductivity, or at which point the conductivity vs. concentration ratio curve exhibited an inflection point.