Abstract: An improved process for the production of styrene through dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene in the presence of steam at elevated temperatures, comprising (1) recovering heat of condensation normally lost during separation of the various components of the dehydrogenation reaction effluent, especially of ethylbenzene from styrene, without need or use of a compressor and (2) using such heat to vaporize an aqueous feed mixture of ethylbenzene and dilution water that is introduced into the dehydrogenation reactor, preferably at about atmospheric pressure, thereby obviating the need to use steam to vaporize the liquid ethylbenzene feed and also enabling much of the diluent steam needed as sensible heat for the dehydrogenation reaction to be generated from water.

Abstract: A hot aqueous waste, containing solids, such as tailings from the hot water extraction of bitumen from tar sands, is contacted with air to increase the heat and moisture content of the air, followed by contacting the heated and moisturized air with water to condense moisture from the air and increase the heat content of the water, with the heated water containing condensed moisture being employed as make-up hot water in the extraction. Water recovery can be further increased by subjecting at least a portion of the tailings, prior to contact with air, to an evaporation procedure wherein heat requirements are provided by indirect heat transfer with steam. Evaporate and condensed steam are employed in the extraction.

Abstract: An improved convection section assembly for process heaters comprising a plurality of horizontally-disposed heat transfer segments disposed in vertical array and supported by means attached externally to said assembly, said segments further comprising a plurality of tube sheets also supported by fixed external means. The use of such external support means enables the convection section assembly to be of unlimited width--which thereby permits the substitution of a large number of parallel heating coils for the conventional serpentine heating coil customarily used--and also enables the plurality of tube sheets to expand laterally. Thus, with only external refractory lined supports, there is no practical limit on the flue gas temperature that can be used.

Abstract: Low energy process for the production of gasoline-ethanol blends, comprising dehydrating the aqueous ethanolic product from a conventional fermentation process, preferably containing about 6 wt. % ethanol, so as to generate an aqueous ethanolic effluent containing about 90 wt. % ethanol; mixing the effluent with gasoline feedstock; chilling the resultant gasoline-aqueous ethanol mixture to a temperature of about -10.degree. F., without forming ice, thereby to form (1) a gasohol blend containing about 10 wt. % ethanol and (2) an aqueous stream comprising some ethanol and traces of gasoline; extracting the gasoline-containing aqueous stream with a minor stream of the fermentation ethanol product in order to recover the gasoline it contains; and recovering said blend to produce a gasohol product under-saturated with water at all operating temperatures above -10.degree. F.

Abstract: Processes for carrying out catalytic exothermic and endothermic high-pressure gas reactions with a single-walled pressure vessel or shell containing cross-flow (e.g., radial flow) heat transfer exchangers, a continuous catalytic bed having at least two stages, and means for effecting "cross-over" material flows from "outside" to "inside" (for exothermic reactions) and vice versa (for endothermic reactions), whereby conditions of: maximum gas temperature always being in the core of said vessel or shell, minimal pressure drop, and minimal compression of catalyst particles are achieved, along with significant economic savings in cost of the pressure vessel or shell and catalyst (through extension of catalyst life).

Abstract: An air cooled dry cooling tower (10) has two sets of heat exchange assemblies (14,15) whose radiator surface (16) (e.g. tubular bundles) is substantially horizontally disposed, generally in the form of two frustra of cones whose axes are on or near the vertical tower center-line, the frustra being placed one on top of the other, in opposite directions, such that a section through the radiator surfaces is V-shaped. The angle of the tubular bundles can be varied to minimize the angle of incidence of the prevailing wind conditions and to avoid excessive fouling of the finned surface of the tubes in the bundles.

Abstract: Processes for carrying out catalytic exothermic and endothermic high-pressure gas reactions with a single-walled pressure vessel or shell containing cross-flow (e.g., radial flow) heat transfer exchangers, a continuous catalytic bed having at least two stages, and means for effecting "cross-over" material flows from "outside" to "inside" (for exothermic reactions) and vice versa (for endothermic reactions), whereby conditions of: maximum gas temperature always being in the core of said vessel or shell, minimal pressure drop, and minimal compression of catalyst particles are achieved, along with significant economic savings in cost of the pressure vessel or shell and catalyst (through extension of catalyst life).

Abstract: There is disclosed a process and apparatus for the fractionation of close boiling components of a multi-component system and comprised of at least two fractionation columns having a plurality of equilibrium stages wherein the vapor from a down-stream fractionation column is compressed and passed into a lower portion of a preceding fractionation column. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the compressed overhead vapor stream is passed in heat transfer relationship to a liquid stream withdrawn from the preceding fractionation column prior to introduction into the lower portion of such preceding fractionation column.

Abstract: Apparatus and process for manufacturing a finned tube, said apparatus comprising a tube feed assembly which has absolute control over the rotational speed of the bare tube being processed as well as the linear feed rate thereof, a grooved roller assembly (when forming an applied fin "G" tube) to materially improve the material flow distribution of the tube during groove formation, a fin forming assembly which deforms the finning material to permit the use of thinner finning material and which compensates for fluctuations between feed rates of the finning material and rotational speed of the tube or presentation rate of the grooved tube to the deforming finning material during fin swageing, and a fin swageing assembly.

Abstract: A hot aqueous waste, containing solids, such as tailings from the hot water extraction of bitumen from tar sands, is contacted with air to increase the heat and moisture content of the air, followed by contacting the heated and moisturized air with water to condense moisture from the air and increase the heat content of the water, with the heated water containing condensed moisture being employed as make-up hot water in the extraction. Water recovery can be further increased by subjecting at least a portion of the tailings, prior to contact with air, to an evaporation procedure wherein heat requirements are provided by indirect heat transfer with steam. Evaporate and condensed steam are employed in the extraction.

Abstract: Apparatus for carrying out catalytic exothermic and endothermic high-pressure gas reactions, comprising a single-walled pressure vessel or shell containing cross-flow (e.g., radial flow) heat transfer exchangers, a continuous catalytic bed having at least two stages, and means for effecting "cross-over" material flows from "outside" to "inside" (for exothermic reactions) and vice versa (for endothermic reactions), whereby conditions of: maximum gas temperature always being in the core of the apparatus, minimal pressure drop, and minimal compression of catalyst particles are achieved, along with significant economic savings in cost of the apparatus and catalyst (through extension of catalyst life).

Abstract: Improved apparatus and method for forming and maintaining a desired configuration in fabric pieces, such as a pocket during manufacture of a product comprising the fabric such as a garment, by the simultaneous application of heat and pressure (without the need of shaping overlays such as paper) to the fabric piece with such apparatus, which has an improved pressing means for maintaining the desired configuration in said fabric pieces while limiting the resultant movement of the heated, compressed product in response to the pressure to which it has been subjected.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process and apparatus for the fractionation of close boiling components of a multi-component system and comprised of at least two fractionation columns having a plurality of equilibrium stages wherein the vapor from a downstream fractionation column is compressed and passed into a lower portion of a preceding fractionation column. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the compressed overhead vapor stream is passed in heat transfer relationship to a liquid stream withdrawn from the preceding fractionation column prior to introduction into the lower portion of such preceding fractionation column.

Abstract: Process for dehydrating aqueous ethanol, utilizing a high-pressure distillation (with a single distillation column) of an aqueous ethanol admixture (preferably one derived from a conventional ethanol fermentation process), to achieve a vapor phase ethanol-water admixture containing about 90 percent, by weight, of ethanol, and then drying the vaporous admixture, in the presence of CO.sub.2, with a crystalline zeolite type 3A, utilizing the "pressure energy" derived from the distillation to allow the product ethanol to condense at ambient temperatures, and then, if desired, employing the resultant dried ethanol product in the production of gasohol.

Abstract: A cooling tower in which the heat exchangers are arranged to form radially spaced concentric vertical cylinder walls, with air shields being positioned between the concentric cylinder walls to direct air flow through the exchangers. The air shields are upwardly inclined toward the tower center to approximate natural air flow.

Abstract: A solvent recovery portion of a solvent refining plant for producing oil products such as lubricating oils from a crude source of hydrocarbons such as petroleum hydrocarbons wherein there are provided at least three continuous flash stages or zones for which each successive stage or zone operates at pressure and temperature levels higher than the preceding one, the vapor from any successive stage or zone being employed as the heating medium in the preceding one to effect the vaporization in said preceding stage or zone.

Abstract: An electrostatic recording element suitable for use as a receiving sheet in an electrostatic transfer process, consisting essentially of: a translucent, non-conductive base selected from the group consisting of paper, a polyester film, and a polyvinyl fluoride film; a photoconductive layer on the surface of said base comprising a photoconductive zinc oxide and a dye sensitizer suspended in an insulating resin binder selected from the group consisting of a vinyl acetate - crotonic acid copolymer and epoxy esters; and a dielectric polymer resin film overlying said photoconductive layer selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl acetate, vinyl acetate - crotonic acid copolymer, and acrylonitrile - styrene copolymer.

Abstract: Biocides which have fungicidal and bactericidal activity are metal salts of 3,5-dibromosalicylic acid of the following formula: ##SPC1##Wherein Me is a divalent metal such as copper.

Abstract: There is disclosed a graph copolymer derived from a monomer mixture comprisingA. a monomer having the formula ##EQU1## wherein R.sub.2 is a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon group and B. AN UNSATURATED ETHYLENIC MONOMER HAVING THE FORMULA ##EQU2## p WHEREIN X is an ester, aldehyde, ketone, halogen, ether, nitrile, isocyanate, sulfate and its salts, an N-containing heterocycle, or an aromatic hydrocarbon, graft polymerized on a poly (N-vinyl lactam) substrate, a stable aqueous emulsion containing same and a method of production therefor.

Abstract: An interpolymer useful in the thickening of aqueous acids comprising (A) about 20 to about 99.0 mole % acrylamide or N-vinyllactam, (B) about 0.5 to about 10 mole % long-chain containing vinyl monomer derivatives having the formula: ##EQU1## wherein Y represents hydrogen, halogen, lower alkyl or phenylX represents oxygen, sulfur, carboxy or carbonamido; andR represents a hydrocarbon group containing from about 6 to about 36 carbon atoms including normal chain alkyl, branched chain alkyl, cycloalkyl and alkylaryl and (C) about 0.5 to 79.5 mole % of a cationic moiety.