313 results about "Capital cost" patented technology

A navigation information system includes a communications system having a fixed part and at least one mobile part, the fixed part including data storage and processing for identifying the location of a mobile unit, generating guidance information appropriate to that location and transmitting it to the mobile unit. By locating most of the complexity with the service provider, in particular the navigation computer and geographical database, the system can be readily updated and the capital cost of the in-vehicle system, which in its simplest form may be a standard cellular telephone, can be minimized. The user makes a request for guidance information, and the system, having determined the user's present location, then transmits instructions to the user. The user's present location can be determined by a Satellite Positioning System.

Disclosed is a method and system for providing constant critical AC electrical load with primary, secondary, and in some cases a tertiary source of power with higher reliability and lower operating and capital costs and lower emissions than the traditional utility supply, uninterruptible power supply (UPS), and battery primary power source, and diesel generator back-up systems that are predominately used today. Specifically, the disclosed system utilizes on-site power generation to provide primary power and includes full utility and UPS/DC storage back-up systems.

An integrated treatment system using electrodialysis and pressure-driven membranes for deionizing and decontaminating liquids to a near-pure quality for use or reuse in industrial or municipal operations. The integrated system includes steps of pre-filtering contaminated feed liquids blending the filtered liquids in preparation for treating the mixed liquids in parallel or sequential treatment steps utilizing nanofiltration or reverse osmosis, proceeded by or followed by an integrated electrodialysis treatment. A control means selectively directs mixed liquids to each of the treatment units for treatment in parallel or in series depending on the conductivity and residual contaminants in the mixed liquids. In comparison with nanofiltration or reverse osmosis only systems, or electrodialysis only systems, the integrated system provides improved efficiencies for treatment, requires less energy to operate, and reduces maintenance and capital costs.

A scalable fish rearing raceway system is provided, incorporating a fish containment structure having two semi-circular end sections, and two or more parallel fish raceways, surrounding a central zone for housing water treatment systems and a secondary fish crop. Heavy particulates are eliminated from the main fish rearing channels by use of conical areas located at either end of the parallel elongated raceways. Continuous removal of dead or dying fish from the raceway is accomplished by means of a floating mortality catcher consisting of a screened ramp at the surface of the cones which continuously collect moribund and dead fish. Grading bars separate and move fish underwater to an adjacent raceway through a common fish transfer channel. This larger scalable fish production system substantially reduces the direct labor and capital costs associated with the production of fish as compared with conventional circular fish rearing tanks. Continuous removal of dead fish from the raceway is accomplished by means of a sinking fish mortality catcher consisting of a screened ramp at the entrance to the hydrocones which collect both moribund (sunken) and “long” dead (floating) fish. A similar device is mounted at the main drain box on the outside of the raceway to capture dead and floating fish. The continuous removal of dead and dying fish significantly reduces labor costs associated with the frequent manual removal of such fish and reduces the transmittal of infectious diseases by the immediate removal of the dead and dying fish.

In an economical and efficient process and apparatus for producing biofuel from waste oil, such as vegetable oils and animal fats, waste oil is esterified with alcohols to produce alcohol esters and the by-products of the transesterification reaction are recovered. Static pressure may be used as well as continuous flow-through reaction vessels and separation tanks without the need for additional pumps. There may also be specialized reaction tanks that have vertical rotating feed tubes having separators and inlet and outlet openings. The method and device achieves efficient production of biofuel while employing reaction and mixing tanks having a limited size, which in turn permits a smaller plant layout or “footprint”. For example, the largest tank may be in a size of about 36/100,000 times the desired plant output in gallons per year. The benefits of the process and apparatus include minimal space for a plant; minimal on-site feedstock needed therefore minimal on-site storage is needed; minimal capital costs to build a plant e.g., reduction by about fifty to sixty five percent (50 to 65%); reduction in construction time from typically over one year to under three months in many plants; minimal energy usage, e.g., reduction by about sixty percent (60%); minimal labor costs due to the automatic continuous flow; minimal pumps needed thereby reducing pump operation and maintenance costs; environmentally friendlier and safer plant design; and due to smaller plant footprint, lower capital cost and minimal construction time enables site selection much nearer to the raw material supplies, thereby minimizing or even eliminating transportation costs for yellow grease or vegetable oil.

Connecting a system of electrical generators into a network in order to yield at least some of the following benefits: reduced capital costs, reduced operating costs, enhanced system reliability, and automatic fault isolation. In one embodiment, a plurality of generators are provided wherein the output of each generator has substantially the same voltage and phase relationship. Multiple cables directly connect the generators to a power collection point, the cables forming a network that supplies power to the power collection point from at least two separate current paths.

Low-energy, low-capital hydrogen production is disclosed. A reforming exchanger 14 is placed in parallel with an autothermal reformer (ATR) 10 to which are supplied a preheated steam-hydrocarbon mixture. An air-steam mixture is supplied to the burner/mixer of the ATR 10 to obtain a syngas effluent at 650°-1050° C. The effluent from the ATR is used to heat the reforming exchanger, and combined reformer effluent is shift converted and separated into a mixed gas stream and a hydrogen-rich product stream. High capital cost equipment such as steam-methane reformer and air separation plant are not required.

A process for the extraction and recovery of ethane and heavier hydrocarbons (C2+) from LNG. The process covered by this patent maximizes the utilization of the beneficial cryogenic thermal properties of the LNG to extract and recover C2+ form the LNG using a unique arrangement of heat exchange equipment, a cryogenic fractionation column and processing parameters that essentially eliminates (or greatly reduces) the need for gas compression equipment minimizing capital cost, fuel consumption and electrical power requirements. This invention may be used for one or more of the following purposes: to condition LNG so that send-out gas delivered from an LNG receiving and regasification terminal meets commercial natural gas quality specifications; to condition LNG to make Lean LNG that meets fuel quality specifications and standards required by LNG powered vehicles and other LNG fueled equipment; to condition LNG to make Lean LNG so that it can be used to make CNG meeting specifications and standards for commercial CNG fuel; to recover ethane, propane and/or other hydrocarbons heavier then methane from LNG for revenue enhancement, profit or other commercial reasons.

The present invention relates in general to in-store direction systems, and more specifically to a method and apparatus that determine the current physical location of a given shopper in the store using only visual or audio cues in the store; and then provide a path from the shopper's current location to an item the shopper is looking for, while taking into account commercial objectives of the store in addition to the convenience of the shopper. The apparatus as in this invention comprises just the shopper's mobile terminal and a backend system. This invention avoids the use of radio-frequency based location detectors within the store and hence avoids capital costs associated with those. The interaction between the mobile terminal and the shopper is carried out using one of a plurality of methods including application packets, SMS/MMS, or voice. Once the current location of the shopper and the location of the item to which the shopper wants to go to is determined, the path between the two is selected to include locations where items are being promoted or items that are related to the item the shopper is seeking are located. The path displayed on the mobile terminal is annotated with the location of such promoted and related items.

A system and method for providing real time control of a heliostat array or CPV/PV module that reduces actuation cost, the disclosure reduces the fixed cost of calibrating and repositioning an individual surface. This simultaneously removes the core engineering assumption that drives the development of large trackers, and enables a system and method to cost effectively track a small surface. In addition to lower initial capital cost, a small heliostat or solar tracker can be pre-assembled, mass-produced, and shipped more easily. Smaller mechanisms can also be installed with simple hand tools and do not require installers to rent expensive cranes or installation equipment.

This invention deals with the broad general concept for focussing light. A mini-optics tracking and focussing system is presented for solar power conversion that ranges from an individual's portable system to solar conversion of electrical power that can be used in large scale power plants for environmentally clean energy. It can be rolled up, transported, and attached to existing man-made, or natural structures. It allows the solar energy conversion system to be low in capital cost and inexpensive to install as it can be attached to existing structures since it does not require the construction of a superstructure of its own. This novel system is uniquely distinct and different from other solar tracking and focussing processes allowing it to be more economical and practical. Furthermore, in its capacity as a power producer, it can be utilized with far greater safety, simplicity, economy, and efficiency in the conversion of solar energy.

A method and system, the method including capturing country-specific parameters of a risk-exposed country relating to stored predefined criteria, assigning one or more disaster event types to a disaster history table, capturing and storing mapping parameters for a geographic risk map, assigning each of a plurality of selectable disaster financing types to a definable cost factor capturing the capital cost of the disaster financing type in relation to its application for disaster mitigation, determining expected catastrophe losses by a loss frequency function and the geographic risk map for various scenarios of occurring natural disaster event types, and preparing a forecast of an effect of the disaster financing type to cover the catastrophe losses based on the coverage structure, the assigned cost factors, and the determined expected catastrophe losses

A scalable electrical power distribution system for air conditioned computer rooms has an uninterruptible power supply and at least one rack mounted power distribution unit to supply conditioned power to the critical loads. If the power demand of the rack mounted critical loads connected to any rack mounted power distribution unit exceeds the power rating of that unit, a further rack mounted power distribution unit may be placed in another cabinet so as to distribute conditioned electrical power to additional rack mounted critical loads. The power distribution system is scalable as to the number of rack mounted power distribution units that may be installed in the computer room; it reduces initial capital costs, and eliminates cable congestion below the raised floor of the computer room.

The present invention relates to apparatus for incinerating dangerous waste, and in particular, apparatus for incinerating dangerous waste in various forms. It comprises a continuous feeding device, an incineration furnace, a flue gas quenching device, a flue gas treating device, and an online monitoring system. The continuous feeding device includes device for feeding paste, powder, and solid device. The quenching device is connected to a steam boiler and a thermal oil tank, thus achieving comprehensive utilization of the thermal energy generated during incineration of the waste. Apparatus for incinerating dangerous waste according to the present invention enables sufficient combustion of the waste, recycling of the metal oxides or noble metals from the combustion flue gas and/or sinters and/or furnace ashes, effective elimination of the concurrent degradation and re-forming of dioxins. In addition, users can purchase one set of the apparatus for incinerating dangerous waste of the present invention for treating various forms of waste, thus substantially reducing the related capital cost.

CPIS is a unique financing application benefiting charitable organizations as Borrowers. By issuing bonds (or other debt financing instruments, such as loans, leases, etc.) structured as interest-only paying debt service obligations over a specified term, without the repayment of principal (the principal amount is gifted by the Contributor as an investor/donor through a trust vehicle or other means back to the Borrower), a Borrower effectively creates the lowest cost of capital in comparison to other debt structures requiring the repayment of both principal and interest. While Borrower benefits are significant, CPIS further benefits Contributors through the combination of tax benefits, interest income, and reinvestment earnings on the interest income. This interest income may be further leveraged by the Contributor for enhanced charitable giving opportunities and/or investment returns. CPIS may be structured as taxable or tax-exempt debt obligations and carry a security interest in the project financed by the Borrower. CPIS is a true breakthrough in financial structural design for the capital markets, for Borrowers and for Contributors. CPIS has the potential to redefine the manner in which charitable organizations look to raise funding for projects by combining charitable giving, philanthropy and investment through the issuance of CPIS.

The invention discloses a video conference management system and method. The system comprises a conference creation unit used for creating a video conference through a video conference system, and the video conference management system generates a unique conference number and a visitor password of the video conference; a conference notification unit used for transmitting a video conference notice to corresponding participants; a conference invitation unit used for sending a conference invitation to the corresponding hardware terminals by a video conference server; and a conference login unit used for logining the video conference system by inputting the unique conference number and the visitor password by software terminals, so as to realize the connection with the video conference server. The video conference management system provided by the invention has the advantages that most brands of the video conference equipment on the market can be added to one video conference system, and only one video conference system needs to be maintained, so that manpower and capital costs can be reduced.