Abstract: A fluidized catalytic cracking process for catalytically cracking a feed to lighter products includes introducing a heated catalyst and the feed into a bottom riser of a fluidized catalytic cracking apparatus and allowing the heated catalyst and the feed to preaccelerate upwardly within the bottom riser as a mixture; flowing the mixture upwardly from the bottom riser through a plurality of microriser tubes disposed within a regenerator under conditions effective to cause a cracking reaction of the hydrocarbons and result in a mixture including coked catalyst and hydrocarbon vapors; passing the mixture from the microriser tubes through a catalyst separator for separating the coked catalyst from the hydrocarbon vapors; collecting coked catalyst in a stripper for stripping out hydrocarbon vapors carried along with the coked catalyst and introducing the coked catalyst collected into a regenerator; simultaneous with flowing the mixture, combusting the coked catalyst within the regenerator under conditions effectiv

Abstract: A tellurite glass as a glass material of optical fiber and optical waveguide has a composition of 0<Bi2O3≦20 (mole %), 0≦Na2O≦35 (mole %), 0≦ZnO≦35 (mole %), and 55≦TeO2≦90 (mole %). The tellurite glass allows an optical amplifier and a laser device that have broadband and low-noise characteristics. In a splicing structure of non silica-based optical fiber (as a first fiber) and a silica-based optical fiber (as a second fiber), optical axes of the first and second optical fibers are held at different angles &thgr;1 and &thgr;2 (&thgr;1≠&thgr;2) respectively from a vertical axis of a boundary surface between their spliced ends, and a relationship between the angles &thgr;1 and &thgr;2 satisfies Snell's law represented by an equation of sin &thgr;1/sin &thgr;2=n2/n1 (where n1 is a refractive index of the first optical fiber and n2 is a refractive index of the second optical fiber) at the time of splicing the first and second optical fibers.

Abstract: An organic solvent free process for the preparation of a grease thickener which is at least one of an imide-diurea and an imide-urethane urea includes (a) providing approximately equimolar amounts of reagents including dibasic acid selected from the group consisting of succinic acid, glutaric acid, phthalic acid, and anhydrides thereof, reactant selected from the group consisting of a primary diamine and a primary amino hydroxy compound, and having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, toluene diisocyanate, and primary monoamine having 8 to 22 carbon atoms; (b) reacting the dibasic acid with the reactant to provide a first reaction mixture; (c) reacting the first reaction mixture with the toluene diisocyanate to provide a second reaction mixture; and (d) reacting the second reaction mixture with the primary monoamine to provide said grease thickener.

Abstract: An amphoteric polymer dispersion obtained in the presence of at least one of starch or a starch derivative by a two-stage polymerization using anionic and cationic monomers is useful as a sizing agent for paper products, as a coating for various substrates, and as a binder in pigment-free coatings or pigment-containing coatings. The dispersion is exceptionally compatible with widely differing sizing agent systems and coating chemicals.

Abstract: In a process for forming a mirror which includes sensitizing and activating a vitreous substrate, subsequently silvering the vitreous substrate to provide a silver coating thereon, and applying paint to the silver coating, the improvement including activating the vitreous substrate by contacting the vitreous substrate with a solution comprised of at least one ion selected from the group consisting essentially of bismuth (III), chromium (II), gold (III), indium (III), nickel (II), palladium (II), platinum (II), rhodium (III), ruthenium (III), titanium (III), vanadium (III) and zinc (II); and silvering the vitreous substrate by spraying a silvering solution onto a surface of the sensitized and activated vitreous substrate to form a silver coating on the surface, so that a mirror is formed which has no copper layer.

Abstract: A process for purification by multistage countercurrent extraction of wet-process phosphoric acid includes the steps of (a) preparing an aqueous phosphoric acid by decomposition of crude phosphates with sulfuric acid and prepurification thereof; (b) providing an organic solvent mixture consisting of one of (A) a water immiscible solvent and a fully water-miscible solvent or (B) a partially water-miscible solvent and a fully water-miscible solvent; (c) extracting water from the acid by contacting with the solvent mixture in a volumetric ratio of acid to solvent mixture of 1:1 to 1:10 at a temperature of 5 to 90° C.; (d) recovering the fully water-miscible solvent by distillation and washing; (e) recycling the fully water-miscible solvent to step (b) to provide a recycled solvent mixture; and (f) repeating steps (c), (d) and (e) with the recycled solvent mixture to provide a phosphoric acid having a preselected degree of purity.

Abstract: An optical amplifier includes an erbium doped fiber of which at least one of a core part and a clad part is doped with erbium, excitation light sources or exciting the optical fiber, optical means for inputting excitation light from the excitation light source and signal light to the Er-doped fiber, and an optical isolator. The erbium doped fiber is a 1.58 &mgr;m band optical fiber having an equivalent fiber length as a product of a fiber length (m) and an erbium doping concentration (ppm by weight), which length provides a signal gain obtained at a wavelength of the excitation light source used for excitation of the erbium doped fiber of more than a predetermined practical reference value.

Abstract: A glazing panel having a solar factor (FS) of less than 70% includes a sheet of glass; and at least two coating layers provided on the sheet of glass including first and second coating layers, the first coating layer being composed of tin and antimony oxides and having a Sb/Sn molar ratio ranging from 0.01 to 0.5 and being one of (A) pyrolytically formed from reactants in a gaseous phase or (B) pyrolytically spray formed, and the second coating layer being composed of tin oxide doped with fluorine.

Abstract: The present invention provides a wavelength division multiplexing filter that requires lower costs, a smaller size, and a smaller amount of fiber routing operations. According to the present invention, a first module constitutes a first filter. A second module constituting a second filter is produced by connecting together circuits identical in number to a plurality of output ports of the first module, the circuits each comprising a combination of directional couplers and Bragg gratings both formed of silica-based-glass waveguides, the circuits each having a wavelength selection characteristic so as to correspond to each of the output ports. The second module is connected to the first module via an 8-fiber ribbon to simplify the integration and connection of the circuits.

Abstract: Process for bleaching a chemical paper pulp to a brightness of at least 89° ISO, consisting in subjecting the pulp to a treatment sequence of several stages including a final bleaching stage with hydrogen peroxide in alkaline medium carried out in the presence of at least one stabilising agent and at a consistency of at least 25% by weight of solids, the stages preceding this final stage having purified the pulp so that its manganese content does not exceed 3 ppm by weight with respect to the solids and that the pulp has been delignified beforehand to a kappa number not exceeding 5.

Abstract: A process for preparing a superconductor which is a low anisotropy, high temperature superconductor, includes providing a target in molded form comprised of one of the superconductor or constituent elements of the superconductor, the superconductor having a layered crystal structure, having a superconducting transition temperature, Tc, of 110 K or more, and having a composition expressed by Cu1−zMzAe2Cax−1CuxOy where M is at least one member selected from the group consisting of (a) a trivalent ion of Tl, and (b) polyvalent ions of Mo, W, and Re, Ae is at least one of Ba and Sr, x ranges from 1 to 10, and y ranges from 2x+1 to 2x+4, and z ranges from 0<z≦0.5; and forming a film of the superconductor from the target on a substrate by one of sputtering or laser abrasion.

Abstract: A cast-iron piston ring for a piston of an internal combustion engine includes a ring composed of cast-iron and having a circumferential surface; a nitrided layer covering the entire circumferential surface of the ring, the nitrided layer including a diffusion layer and a connection layer disposed above the diffusion layer in which the diffusion layer and the connection layer both cover the entire circumferential surface of the ring; and a metal layer which is electrodeposited onto the connection layer, which is composed of a metal having a hardness which is less than that of the connection layer, and which has a thickness of less than 5 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A catalytic converter for treating pollutants contained in exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine, includes a chamber having an inlet disposed at a first end of the chamber for introduction of the exhaust gas and an outlet disposed at a second end of the chamber opposite the first end for discharge of the exhaust gas from the chamber after treatment; a front plate provided at the inlet of the chamber and having defined therein a plurality of openings; first, inner, and second, outer, fixed cones positioned within the chamber, disposed in a spaced apart and parallel relationship to one another, and having a plurality of spaced apart holes defined therein, wherein the plurality of holes defined in the first fixed cone are disposed in a staggered relationship to the plurality of holes of the second fixed cone, and wherein the first fixed cone defines with the front plate a first zone within the chamber; a catalyst bed which is disposed in the space defined between the first and second fixed cones, throug

Abstract: Apparatus and process for one of flame treatment or ceramic welding, the apparatus including a single tubular lance having a tip end, a butt end, and a head portion with a central main bore provided at the tip end so that ceramic welding materials comprised of particulate material containing oxidizable particles and combustion-supporting carrier gas are introduced at the butt end, pass through the main bore and emerge at the tip end during ceramic welding; wherein the head portion further comprises at least one conduit to convey a mixture of a fuel gas and a combustion-supporting gas, each of the at least one conduit having an orifice at the tip end of the single tubular lance and being provided with a portion for introduction of fuel gas and a portion for introduction of combustion-supporting gas so that fuel gas and combustion-supporting gas introduced at the butt end combine in the at least one conduit and emerge to form a flame at the tip end of the at least one conduit during flame treatment, and wherein

Abstract: This invention relates to a catalyst composition capable of effecting selective oligomerisation of olefins contained in cracked refinery distillate streams, comprising of olefins, aromatics, paraffins and cycloparaffins. The catalyst composition gives very high conversion of olefins to poly olefins, which after distillation and stabilization by hydrogenation affords lubricating oil base stocks. The catalyst composition comprises of an aluminum halide and a transition metal alkoxide belonging to group IVB.

Abstract: A solder alloy which is lead free, consists essentially of, in weight %: Sn; 0<Ag≦4.0; 0<Cu≦2.0; 0<Ni≦1.0; and 0<Ge≦1.0, wherein addition of Ni and Ge to the solder alloy enhances wettability and tensile strength, and prevents formation of an oxide film. Additionally, a solder alloy which is lead free, consists essentially of, in weight %: Sn; 0<Sb≦3.5; 0≦Ag ≦4.0; 0<Ge≦1.0; and at least one first additive selected from the group consisting of (a) 0<Ni≦1.0 and (b) a combination of 0<Ni≦1.0 and 0<Cu≦1.0; wherein addition of Ni and Ge to the solder alloy enhances wettability and tensile strength, and prevents formation of an oxide film.

Abstract: A lubricating grease composition includes from 2 to 20% by weight of titanium alkoxide; from 2 to 20% by weight of carboxylic acid other than fatty acid; from 5.0 to 35.0% by weight of fatty acids; from 0.0 to 5.0% by weight of water; from 20 to 90% by weight of oil selected from the group consisting of mineral and synthetic oil; and from 0.01 to 50% of performance additives.

Abstract: A glass composition which is lithium-free and which is suitable as a metallurgical mold powder includes, based on total weight of the glass composition: Oxide wt % Na2O  0.2-14.4 K2O 0.0-2.5 CaO 31.0-41.9 Al2O3 4.9-8.5 B2O3 0.00-1.9  SiO2 15.6-30.0 F 18.1-30.8 wherein the glass composition has a total content of Na2O+K2O+CaO which ranges from about 38.4 to about 52.6% so that the glass composition is lithium-free and suitable as a metallurgical mold powder.

Abstract: A method for plasma treatment in hollow bodies includes providing a hollow body which has an opening and which is at least partially flexible; evacuating the hollow body with volume contraction to a first pressure which is preselected such that the hollow body, after evacuating and sealing, experiences a volume expansion in the region of a second pressure, by means of which volume expansion the pressure in the hollow body assumes a value which allows ignition of a non-thermal gas discharge in the hollow body; gas-tight sealing the hollow body while maintaining the first pressure; introducing the hollow body, after evacuating and sealing, into a vacuum chamber; evacuating the vacuum chamber to the second pressure; and igniting a gas discharge in the hollow body after sealing by application of an electrical field.