Systems and methods for detecting coking in a wash bed of a vacuum pipe still with a sensing cable including an optical fiber sensor array aligned with a heating element disposed in the vessel. An optical signal interrogator is configured to measure a first temperature profile at a plurality of sensor locations to determine a flow distribution. An excitation source is configured to propagate at least one heat pulse through the heating element and the optical signal interrogator is configured to measure a second temperature profile corresponding to the heat pulse at the sensor locations. A control unit is configured to detect coking by determining one or more properties of the media exposed to the sensing cable at each of the plurality of sensor locations based on the second temperature profile corresponding thereto.

Disclosed is a composite adsorbent material comprising three components, including a porous media, a hygroscopic material, and graphite flakes. Among the many different possibility considered, it may be advantageous for the porous media to be mesoporous silica or the hygroscopic materials to be calcium chloride, lithium bromide, or lithium chloride. It is considered that the graphite flakes may comprise 50 percent or less of the graphite flake-hygroscopic material composition, and certain embodiments may utilize between 15 and 30 percent graphite in the graphite flake-hygroscopic material composition. It is still further considered that the graphite flakes may advantageously be less than 300 microns in size, or may have an average number of carbon planes that is 100 or less. Additional materials may also be incorporated, including biologics, polymers, and catalysts.

A system and method for distilling water is disclosed. The system comprises a heat source, and a plurality of open-cycle adsorption stages, each stage comprising a plurality of beds and an evaporator and a condenser between a first bed and a second bed, wherein each bed comprises at least two vapor valves, a plurality of hollow tubes, a plurality of channels adapted for transferring water vapor to and from at least one of the condenser or the evaporator, a porous media, a hygroscopic material, and a plurality of graphite flakes, and wherein each vapor valve connects a bed to either the condenser or the evaporator. The method utilizes a number of open-cycle adsorption stages operate in an alternating cycle of forcing and relaxing, whereby both the latent heat of vaporization and the latent heat of adsorption are multiply reused to distill water.

A system and method for distilling water is disclosed. The system comprises a heat source, and a plurality of open-cycle adsorption stages, each stage comprising a plurality of beds and an evaporator and a condenser between a first bed and a second bed, wherein each bed comprises at least two vapor valves, a plurality of hollow tubes, a plurality of channels adapted for transferring water vapor to and from at least one of the condenser or the evaporator, a porous media, a hygroscopic material, and a plurality of graphite flakes, and wherein each vapor valve connects a bed to either the condenser or the evaporator. The method utilizes a number of open-cycle adsorption stages operate in an alternating cycle of forcing and relaxing, whereby both the latent heat of vaporization and the latent heat of adsorption are multiply reused to distill water.

A device and system for providing low concentration solar collection is disclosed. The device comprises a reflective parabolic trough, an evacuated tube collector, and a geared element for enabling the trough to utilize one-axis solar tracking. The system utilizes arrays of the solar collection devices, connected to a motor or actuator, to synchronize the tracking of each of the solar collection devices in the array. The heated fluid in each solar collection device is then transferred to a fluid flowing in a fluid transfer tube, where the fluid can be transported to a storage system for future power generation.

A diffuser membrane and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. In the method for manufacturing, a first material is heated and extruded to form a base layer and a second material is heated and extruded to form a coating layer. The base layer and coating layer may be extruded substantially simultaneously in a coextrusion process. Accordingly, the coating may be applied to the base layer in a manner that optimizes the bonding between the two layers and provides the ability to control the thickness of the coating layer. Alternatively, the base layer is formed initially and the coating layer is subsequently formed thereover. The first and second materials have differing properties. The first material may comprise polyurethane and the second material may comprise polyurethane and PTFE.

Methods and apparatus for processing hydrocarbon and other feedstocks that contain lighter volatile component(s) along with heavier volatile or non-volatile component(s) and/or contaminant(s). The principal benefit being that a feedstock can be processed and separated into its distinct volatile components down to elemental and/or molecular levels, including the ability to handle the heaviest tars and bitumen within the system. This effectively provides onsite value add to the feedstock resource (minus the waste streams such as water, sulfur, or sand; which may have value as isolated components in their own right). The system is robust and can include innovative hardware, methods, and/or software. The system can isolate water, chemical, various hydrocarbon, and particle contaminants of arbitrary concentrations and sizes. These factors provide for significant increases in processing efficiencies and capabilities in the fields of refining and environmental recovery. In a variety of operating scenarios, near-zero emissions can be achieved while processing.

Methods and apparatus for processing hydrocarbon and other feedstocks that contain lighter volatile component(s) along with heavier volatile or non-volatile component(s) and/or contaminant(s). The principal benefit being that a feedstock can be processed and separated into its distinct volatile components down to elemental and/or molecular levels, including the ability to handle the heaviest tars and bitumen within the system. This effectively provides onsite value add to the feedstock resource (minus the waste streams such as water, sulfur, or sand; which may have value as isolated components in their own right). The system is robust and can include innovative hardware, methods, and/or software. The system can isolate water, chemical, various hydrocarbon, and particle contaminants of arbitrary concentrations and sizes. These factors provide for significant increases in processing efficiencies and capabilities in the fields of refining and environmental recovery. In a variety of operating scenarios, near-zero emissions can be achieved while processing.

Methods and apparatus for processing hydrocarbon and other feedstocks that contain lighter volatile component(s) along with heavier volatile or non-volatile component(s) and/or contaminant(s). The principal benefit being that a feedstock can be processed and separated into its distinct volatile components down to elemental and/or molecular levels, including the ability to handle the heaviest tars and bitumen within the system. This effectively provides onsite value add to the feedstock resource (minus the waste streams such as water, sulfur, or sand; which may have value as isolated components in their own right). The system is robust and can include innovative hardware, methods, and/or software. The system can isolate water, chemical, various hydrocarbon, and particle contaminants of arbitrary concentrations and sizes. These factors provide for significant increases in processing efficiencies and capabilities in the fields of refining and environmental recovery. In a variety of operating scenarios, near-zero emissions can be achieved while processing.

Methods and apparatus for processing hydrocarbon and other feedstocks that contain lighter volatile component(s) along with heavier volatile or non-volatile component(s) and/or contaminant(s). The principal benefit being that a feedstock can be processed and separated into its distinct volatile components down to elemental and/or molecular levels, including the ability to handle the heaviest tars and bitumen within the system. This effectively provides onsite value add to the feedstock resource (minus the waste streams such as water, sulfur, or sand; which may have value as isolated components in their own right). The system is robust and can include innovative hardware, methods, and/or software. The system can isolate water, chemical, various hydrocarbon, and particle contaminants of arbitrary concentrations and sizes. These factors provide for significant increases in processing efficiencies and capabilities in the fields of refining and environmental recovery. In a variety of operating scenarios, near-zero emissions can be achieved while processing.