Conducted are coal-ash generating step for generating coal ash, sintered-ash generating step for heating the coal ash at temperatures within combustion temperature range of coal-fired boiler to generate sintered ash at each heating temperature, sticking-degree calculating step for rotatively separating each sintered ash by ratra tester to calculate sticking degree from weight ratio of each sintered ash after and before the rotary separation of the sintered ash, correlation determining step for burning each coal having corresponding sticking degree calculated to measure exhaust gas temperature and obtain correlation between sticking degrees and exhaust gas temperatures, exhaust-gas-temperature predicting step for predicting exhaust gas temperature from sticking degree of coal to be employed as fuel based on the correlation between the sticking degrees and the exhaust gas temperatures and adhesion predicting step for predicting ash adhesion in the coal-fired boiler based on the exhaust gas temperature predicted.

An apparatus for detecting material within a sample includes a light emitting unit for directing at least one light beam through the sample. The at least one light beam has a unique signature combination associated therewith responsive to passing through the sample. A Raman spectroscopic unit receives the at least one light beam that has passed through the sample and performs a Raman spectroscopic analysis to detect a first signature associated with the sample. An infrared spectroscopic unit receives the at least one light beam that has passed through the sample and performs an infrared spectroscopic analysis to detect a second signature associated with the sample. A database includes a plurality of unique combinations of the first signature and the second signature. Each of the plurality of unique combinations of the first signature and the second signature are associated with a particular material. A processor detects the material within the sample responsive to a comparison of a unique combination of the first signature and the second signature detected by the Raman spectroscopic unit and the infrared spectroscopic unit with the plurality of unique combinations of first signature and second signature within the database and determines a matching unique combination of the first signature and the second signature within the database, wherein identification of the unique combination of the first signature and the second signature enables detection of the material not detectable using either the first signature or the second signature alone.

Weighing systems and methods for dynamic loads are provided. A plurality of sensors are configured to provide force information based on a weight of a bin and a weight of a material in the bin. An IMU is coupled to the bin and configured to provide gyroscope information and accelerometer information based on orientation and movement of the bin respectively. A controller is communicatively coupled to the plurality of sensors and to the IMU. The controller is configured to receive the force information from the plurality of sensors and the gyroscope information and the accelerometer information from the IMU. The controller is configured to compensate the force information based on slope of the bin to provide slope-compensated force information, filter the slope-compensated force information using a Kalman filter to provide filtered force information, and estimate the weight of the material in the bin based on the filtered force information.

Weighing systems and methods for dynamic loads are provided. A plurality of sensors are configured to provide force information based on a weight of a bin and a weight of a material in the bin. An IMU is coupled to the bin and configured to provide gyroscope information and accelerometer information based on orientation and movement of the bin respectively. A controller is communicatively coupled to the plurality of sensors and to the IMU. The controller is configured to receive the force information from the plurality of sensors and the gyroscope information and the accelerometer information from the IMU. The controller is configured to compensate the force information based on slope of the bin to provide slope-compensated force information, filter the slope-compensated force information using a Kalman filter to provide filtered force information, and estimate the weight of the material in the bin based on the filtered force information.

The present invention is a computer method for generating a set of assembly illustrations, comprising: accessing, by one or more processors, a set of sections of a frame; analysing, by one or more processors, the set of sections, wherein it is determined the type of section; identifying, by one or more processors, each member of each section; analysing, by one or more processors, the assembly of the section, wherein it is determined if a member conflicts with another member; and generating, by one or more processors, a set of illustrations depicting the members of the section in an assembled and disassembled position.

The present invention is a computer method for determining the sheathing materials required for the construction of a building, comprising: receiving a model of a structure; identifying at least one surface of the model; identifying a sheathing material to be applied over the at least one surface; analysing an optimal method covering substantially the entirety of the at least one surface using the sheathing material; rendering an image of the optimal method to cover the at least one surface with the sheathing material; and providing a list of the quantity of sheathing material required to substantially cover the at least one surface.

The present invention is a computer method for calculating the centerline of frame member, comprising; receiving, an architectural drawing of a floor plan, identifying, each of the features of the floor plan, wherein the features are the walls and apertures, calculating, the true width of the walls, wherein the true width is that of the framing members of the wall, generating, a drawing of the centerline of all the features of the floor plan, and rendering, a drawing of the frame members of the floor plan.

The present invention is a computer method of identifying failed members in a structure, comprising: extracting, a frame of a building, wherein the frame is comprised of a plurality of members; applying, at least one load on at least one of the plurality of members; analyzing, each of the plurality of members related to the stresses which are applied to each of the members by the at least one applied load; identifying, any members where the stresses exceed a predetermined maximum stress value; marking, each member within the building which was identified; generating, a report of the identified members and the calculations related to each of the identified members.

The present invention is a computer method for determining the sheathing materials required for the construction of a building, comprising: receiving a model of a structure, wherein the model is comprised of a set of members; analyzing the set of members to determine a group of members associated with an interior surface of the model; processing the group of members to identify member specific properties; identifying, by at least one processor, a set of sheathing material to be applied to the group of members; converting the set of sheathing material to substantially cover the interior surface of the model, wherein the a group of the sheathing material are modified; rendering, an image of the placement of the set of sheathing material over the group of members; and calculating, by at least one processor, a set of data associated with each sheathing material panel.

The present invention is a computer method for determining the sheathing materials required for the construction of a building, comprising: receiving a model of a structure, wherein the model is comprised of a group of members; analyzing the group of members to determine a group of members associated with an exterior surface of the model; processing the group of members to identify member specific properties; identifying, by one or more processors, a sheathing material to be applied to the group of members; converting the sheathing material to substantially cover the exterior surface of the model, wherein the a group of the sheathing material are modified; rendering, by one or more processors, an image of the placement of the sheathing material over the group of members; and calculating, by one or more processors, a set of data associated with the sheathing material.