REB Research & Consulting

08/31/2026

I was writing my latest blog. This time on membrane distillation -- we make membrane stills as a sideline -- and I derived a Nic equation for sizing them, one I hadn't thought of before, then waxed poetical about the spiritual side of distillation. The post still needs polishing, and I want to add a picture of some equipment, but I like it a lot. Generally I write, in good part, to refine my thinking. In this case, my thoughts went to the relation between liquor distilling and the revival of the dead, with a differential equation thrown in. Coming in a few days.

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08/28/2026

The latest paper from my Daughter, Dr. Rachel B. Quintas. A case study in psychotic AI interaction.

08/03/2026

We make catalysts. You may not know this, but we've gotten pretty good at making reforming catalyst (especially for methanol), and combustion catalysts, and ammonia cracking catalyst. Small batches only, currently ≤ 1 kg.

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08/03/2026

I'd like to sell or rent out our old lab building, a store-front shop, 1000+ sq feet on Hilton Rd in Ferndale. 3259 Hilton Rd., Ferndale, MI. call me at 248-545-0155

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07/24/2026

There's a helium shortage, with none available from our research gas supplier, but I got some of suitable purity to use with my helium leak detector.

07/21/2026

Our new "services" page, now featuring helium leak detection testing as a service we provide.

Expert consulting in gas purification, membrane technology, and hydrogen generation. Also, on-site equipment installation, repair, and quality assurance. Lab-based contract research is available too.

07/01/2026

We just got a helium leak detector. It checks for micro cracks that can show up in braze and weld joints -- a key check for quality assurance, especially for working with pure gasses. We used to outsource this check, but our neighbors stopped doing it, and then our neighbors neighbors ... So now we do it. The photo shows it in the midst of calibration with a known helium leak. I'm thinking of offering this as a service too.

05/18/2026

This helps India mostly. China is not approved, but anyway buys ~1.5 million barrels/day, plus gasoline, and Europe has been buying from Russia through the war while pushing us to fight Russia harder. The effect, mostly, is to make Russian oil more expensive in China. We sell chemical equipment, mostly dealing with hydrogen

The U.S. has issued a new 30-day waiver allowing countries to buy Russian oil cargoes stranded at sea, marking the third time Washington has eased restrictions on Moscow’s crude exports since the outbreak of conflict with Iran.

05/07/2026

I'm developing an old idea/ product that sells every now and again. It's a purifier specifically designed to squeeze every bit of hydrogen from a stream, delivering the remainder to the customer. I'd come up with a cool design some years back, and decided to make more, perhaps highlighting it. Maybe it will sell?

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03/19/2026

I just bought a new (for us) helium leak detector. A varian 938-41 to replace our broken old detector. It's about time I got quality leak detection in -house, and stopped having to travel across town, or further, to rent it. I suppose this may become a new service we can offer.

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