Methods for determining reservoir characteristics of a well can include receiving a first core from the well; performing an experiment to determine the wave velocity associated with a first direction of the first core, the experiment including: transmitting an ultrasonic wave through the first core in the first direction; receiving the transmitted ultrasonic wave; and determining a directional wave velocity of the first core based on the transmitted ultrasonic wave and the received transmitted ultrasonic wave, wherein the directional wave velocity represents a wave velocity along the first direction; rotating the first core about a longitudinal axis of the first core; and performing the experiment along a second direction of the first core.

Material waste screening is provided. A sensor obtains data related to an object. A processor classifies the object based on the data to identify a recycle category for the object, open a recycle bin for the identified recycle category, instruct the operator to deposit the object in the opened recycle bin, determine a level of compliance of the object, and create at least one new instruction to increase the level of compliance.

A system and method for determining when a sand separator should be purged to remove solids from the sand separator. The system can include an acoustic sensor which detects the frequency of audible sound coming from the inner chamber of the vessel and generate a signature signal representative of the frequency of audible sound. There is a processor connected to the acoustic sensor and configured to compare the signature signal with a set frequency range of audible sound which in turn generates a signal indicating when the signature frequency and the set frequency are in overlapping relationship.

A harvesting machine capable of automatic adjustment, comprising a plurality of acoustic material flow sensors, a control system, a processor, and application software, wherein the plurality of acoustic material flow sensors are mounted internal to the harvesting machine at points of crop material flow and are capable of sensing an amount of crop material passing by them. The control system operates in a cause-and-affect mode for interactively enabling manual or automatic responses to Mass Material Distribution (MMD) information and equipment-related performance parameters. An interactive combine control method is also provided.

A system and method for determining when a sand separator should be purged to remove solids from the sand separator. The system can include an acoustic sensor which detects the frequency of audible sound coming from the inner chamber of the vessel and generate a signature signal representative of the frequency of audible sound. There is a processor connected to the acoustic sensor and configured to compare the signature signal with a set frequency range of audible sound which in turn generates a signal indicating when he signature frequency and the set frequency are in overlapping relationship.

Methods for determining reservoir characteristics of a well can include receiving a first core from the well; performing an experiment to determine the wave velocity associated with a first direction of the first core, the experiment including: transmitting an ultrasonic wave through the first core in the first direction; receiving the transmitted ultrasonic wave; and determining a directional wave velocity of the first core based on the transmitted ultrasonic wave and the received transmitted ultrasonic wave, wherein the directional wave velocity represents a wave velocity along the first direction; rotating the first core about a longitudinal axis of the first core; and performing the experiment along a second direction of the first core.

A soil condition estimation apparatus 1 includes a selection unit 2 that, by using a propagation time that vibrations take to propagate through a soil, selects vibrations measured from the soil, according the depth of the soil; an extraction unit 3 that extracts a feature of the selected vibrations; and an estimation unit 4 that estimates conditions of the soil by referencing soil estimation information in which the feature and conditions of the soil are associated with each other, using the feature.

Material waste screening is provided. A sensor obtains data related to an object. A processor classifies the object based on the data to identify a recycle category for the object, open a recycle bin for the identified recycle category, instruct the operator to deposit the object in the opened recycle bin, determine a level of compliance of the object, and create at least one new instruction to increase the level of compliance.

A harvesting machine capable of automatic adjustment, comprising a plurality of acoustic material flow sensors, a control system, a processor, and application software, wherein the plurality of acoustic material flow sensors are mounted internal to the harvesting machine at points of crop material flow and are capable of sensing an amount of crop material passing by them. The control system operates in a cause-and-affect mode for interactively enabling manual or automatic responses to Mass Material Distribution (MMD) information and equipment-related performance parameters. An interactive combine control method is also provided.

A reference standard for calibrating an ultrasonic scanning apparatus comprising a first portion comprising a first material, a first face, and a second face opposite the first face. The reference standard also has a second portion comprising a second material, a first face, and a second face opposite the first face. The second face of the second portion is adjacent the first face of the first portion and forms an interface. The reference standard also includes a reference material extending axially through the first face of the first portion and the second face of the second portion. The first portion and second portion are configured to enclose the reference material such that the calibration standard is void free at an interface between the first material and the reference material and at an interface between the second material and the reference material.