Methods and apparatus to control a fluid dispenser on a metallurgical specimen preparation machine are disclosed. An example system to dispense fluid for a grinder/polisher includes: a fluid dispenser having: a fluid reservoir to store a fluid, and a nozzle configured to dispense the fluid onto a grinding/polishing surface; a temperature sensor configured to output a temperature signal indicative of a temperature of the grinding/polishing surface during a grinding or polishing operation; and a processor configured to: compare the temperature signal to a threshold; and send a dispense signal to the fluid dispenser when the temperature signal satisfies the predetermined threshold, wherein the fluid dispense is configured to dispense the fluid in response to the dispense signal.

Disclosed is a characterization method of closed pores and connectivity of coal measure composite reservoirs, including collecting samples of coal seams and shales reservoirs, carrying out low-field NMR experiments and NMR freeze-thaw experiments on plunger samples and crushed samples with different particle sizes to obtain cumulative pore volume distribution and differential pore size distribution of the crushed samples, comparing crushed samples with plunger samples for optimal crushed particle sizes, and preliminarily determining a distribution range of closed pores; carrying out SAXS experiments on crushed samples to obtain size distribution and volume of total pores of 1-100 nanometers; calculating pore volume of total pores and closed pore volume in composite reservoirs by low-field NMR experiments results; carrying out non-steady overburden permeability experiments and variable factors on plunger samples of coal seams, shales and tight sandstone to characterize the connectivity under influence of pores development and lithologic combinations.

The cannabis potency testing method quantitates cannabinoids with UV detection. The cannabis potency testing method may be used for analysis of cannabinoids in plant material/flower form, or in some embodiments, other forms, such as gummies. The cannabis potency testing method includes cannabis plant samples that may be extracted and diluted in methanol then analyzed by, for example, a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system in tandem with a Diode Array Detector (DAD). This method may utilize cannabis plant material, one or more grinding spheres, a container, and a grinder apparatus. The cannabis potency testing method allows determination of high- and low-level cannabinoids in a single injection, and meets or exceeds AOAC standards for analysis of cannabinoids in dried plant materials, concentrates, and edibles.

Disclosed is a method for discriminating ore prospecting types based on compositional change of epidote, in particular including the following steps: metallogenic zone delineation; sample collection and analysis: collecting bedrock samples containing epidote from the metallogenic zone according to certain sampling units; trace element analysis and testing; data processing and interpretation: processing obtained initial recorded data using LADRlib software; and ore prospecting type discrimination. The method has the advantages that the description of epidote altered minerals in a magma-hydrothermal metallogenic system is improved from macroscopic characterization to microscopic quantitative interpretation of trace element change in the epidote altered minerals by using an LA-ICP-MS in-situ analysis technology, and the trace element change is linked with the response of the ore prospecting type at an ore concentration area scale, thus overcoming the difficulties of low efficiency, long period and high cost in the traditional method for discriminating the ore prospecting type.

A method of grinding large sample quantities using a bead beater homogenizer includes steps of loading a sample material into a vial having a size of 500 ml or greater having a chamber enclosed by two end walls and a cylindrical sidewall defining a central vial axis, loading a plurality of balls into the vial with the sample material, securing the vial to a movable platform of the homogenizer, and oscillating the platform in a back-and-forth motion isolated to a movement axis, thereby causing the balls to move in a circular motion along the cylindrical sidewall, wherein the central vial axis is perpendicular to the movement axis. A system of a cylindrical vial and a bead beater homogenizer is also provided.

An active/resilient grinding media inside a tube containing a sample is oscillated rapidly by a homogenizer so that the active media is driven in a first direction until it impacts a first end of the tube, which causes it to deform and store an energy charge as it decelerates and stops, and it then accelerates rapidly in the second opposite direction under the discharging force of the stored energy toward the opposite second end of the tube. This cycle of the active media decelerating/charging and then discharging/accelerating is repeated throughout the entire oscillatory processing of the sample. The result is much higher velocities of the active media and therefore much greater impact forces when the sample and active media collide, producing increased efficiency in disruption and size-reduction of the sample particles.

Operations performed according to the example techniques described herein include controlling a probe to pierce a stopper of a container containing a substance, where the stopper provides an air-tight seal for the container, and where the air-tight seal supports an internal pressure in the container. The operations also include detecting the internal pressure based on information from a pressure sensor; determining that the internal pressure is not at a target pressure and, based on determining that the internal pressure is not at the target pressure, controlling the probe either to aspirate air from the container or to dispense air into the container in order to move the internal pressure toward the target pressure.

The invention relates to a device for crumbling root crops into substantially equal sized pieces, comprising: a main frame having an inlet side and an outlet side; a root crop supply at the inlet side; at least one crumbling shaft rotatable supported in the main frame, the crumbling shaft being provided with a plurality of curved hooks, which are curved into a direction of rotation of the crumbling shaft; and a non-rotating cutting rake having a plurality of protrusions and recesses and forming a counter blade for the hooks, wherein the hooks are arranged for interlaced movement with said recesses of the non-rotating rake. The invention moreover concerns a system and a corresponding method.

The present disclosure is drawn to devices and systems for target detection in samples (e.g., food samples and clinical samples). The allergen detection system includes a sampler, a disposable analytic cartridge and a detection device with an optimized optical system. The allergen detection utilizes nucleic acid molecules as detection agents and detection probes.

A cryogenic grinding system, method, and apparatus for processing a sample. The system includes a cryogen source, a containment vessel for containing the sample and the cryogen, a blade for grinding the sample, and a controller. The controller controls at least one of: a quantity of cryogen introduced into the container; a grinding duration of the at least one blade; or a grinding speed of the at least one blade based on at least one of: a user input via a grinding system input, a mass of the sample placed in the containment vessel; or a temperature within the containment vessel.