Abstract: A process and system for reducing the concentration of odorous contaminants, primarily hydrogen sulfide, in the vapor spaces of sewage handling and treatment systems, primarily the vapor spaces of sewage trunk lines, by injecting a fine spray, mist or fog of a dilute solution of hydrogen peroxide and a base selected from a group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide and sodium carbonate to mix intimately with the vapor flow. The peroxide and base solutions may be pre-mixed and diluted with water and injected through atomizing nozzles utilizing compressed air as an atomizing fluid. The system may also provide for separate storage of the peroxide and base solutions, mixing of the peroxide and base solutions with dilution water with in-line mixing devices and direct injection with or without compressed air atomization into the vapor space.

Abstract: A method and system for recognizing a time varying waveform signal subject to amplitude distortions such as experienced with optical or magnetic printed character reading systems for scanning documents such as bank checks and the like. The variable amplitude waveform is sampled at predetermined time intervals representing predetermined spacings across a dimension of the character being read and difference values related to the sample amplitude ratio values between adjacent samples are calculated to develop a difference waveform or signature. This difference waveform may then be compared to a set of templates representing characters expected to be recognized. The amplitude ratio value of each sample may also be compared to that of a previous sample to determine the direction of the slope of the waveform at selected points wherein rising, falling or no change slope direction identifiers may be compared to a set of templates of characters expected to be read.

Abstract: An electric pyrotechnic cartridge or primer device comprises a generally cylindrical nonconductive plastic body having a conical cavity opening to one end wall, a rod-like electrode centered in the cavity and extending to the opposite end wall and a second rod-like electrode extending from a side wall of the body into the cavity in proximity to but spaced from the first electrode. Alternatively, the second electrode may comprise a coating of conductive material applied to a conical wall surface defining the cavity. An explosive or pyrotechnic charge is disposed in the cavity and is ignited by a high voltage electric signal imposed on the electrodes. The electrodes are preferably formed of an ABS plastic composition which may be filled or doped with carbon, carbon fibers, metal particles, aluminized fiberglass, and explosive compositions selected from combinations of boron, molybdenum trioxide, magnesium, barium chromate, potassium perclorate, a fluoroelastomer and polytetrafluoroethylene.

Abstract: Blends of alkyl polyglycoside surfactants having an alkyl chain length of C11 to C16 and blends of alkyl polyglycoside surfactants, in the presence of an ethoxylated alcohol cosurfactant, will form Winsor type III microemulsions in a water-oil mixture in a hydrophile-lipophile balance range of at least about 9.8 to 10.8 at 130.degree. F. wherein the water may be a chloride brine. The compositions are particularly useful in oil and gas well cleanout operations, formation acidizing, and well cementing operations and provide superior cleaning ability for removal of oil based drilling fluids, hydrocarbons and oil based pipe sealant and lubricant compositions, for example.

Abstract: A mill starting device for use in a pipestring in a wellbore which provides an inclined wall for guiding the mill to a shoulder stop so that when the mill is operated it preferentially bites into the shoulder stop and a method for using the device together with coiled tubing for forming a window in a subsurface well conduit.

Abstract: Article transport conveyors, particularly for the food and beverage processing industry are characterized by interconnected conveyor frame sections having two rectangular cross section tube or angle member longitudinal beams spaced apart from each other and connected by plural transverse channel-shaped beam members. The transverse beams are mounted above the longitudinal beam members and support longitudinal parallel guide and support rails for one or more endless conveyor flights. The transverse beams also support upstanding brackets for parallel longitudinal guide rails for guiding articles being conveyed by the conveyor flights and spaced apart depending brackets for supporting return runs of the conveyor flights on return run support rollers.

Abstract: A scroll type fluid handling apparatus, such as a refrigeration compressor, has co-rotating driver and idler scroll members supported for rotation about offset, generally parallel axes. The idler scroll member has a support shaft which is supported on the compressor housing by a pivot bushing having an eccentric pivot axis which permits radially compliant movement of the idler scroll along a line of action which is predetermined to provide a component of a resultant force acting between the scroll members which will urge the idler scroll wrap into engagement with the driver scroll wrap under a wide range of operating conditions to enhance the contact line seal between the scroll wraps.

Abstract: A spiral or auger type gas-liquid separator, particularly for well production fluid flow, includes a vertically oriented conduit section having a spiral separator element disposed therein and around a central gas discharge conduit. The inlet to the gas discharge conduit is disposed adjacent the discharge end of the separator element and includes a liquid carryover control mechanism comprising a closure member which is operable to shut off fluid flow into the gas discharge conduit when high liquid flow rates or liquid slug flow passes through the separator. The shutoff closure member is connected to a float actuator responsive to liquid accumulation to actuate the closure member to move to a closed position. A coil spring biases the closure member toward a valve open condition.

Abstract: A scroll-type refrigeration compressor has a gas-liquid mixture discharge passage extending through the driver scroll drive shaft for discharging refrigerant gas and entrained lubricant into a high pressure chamber in the compressor housing. An anti-reverse rotation valve is connected to the distal end of the drive shaft and includes a valve housing with radially extending discharge ports and a closure member movable to prevent reverse flow of high pressure gas to the scroll compression chambers to prevent reverse rotation on compressor shutdown. A pressure equalization port may be formed in the valve closure member, valve housing or the distal end of the drive shaft to allow slow bleed down of pressure from the high pressure side to the low pressure side to minimize starting torque of the drive motor. The valve may be formed from a tubular metal housing and having a plug-type closure member slidably disposed therein with the housing being press fitted in a counterbore in the end of the shaft.

Abstract: A hydraulic reciprocating percussion tool, particularly adapted for drilling applications, comprises an elongated cylinder, opposed fronthead and backhead members and a central bore in the cylinder for supporting a reciprocating piston hammer. The piston hammer has reduced diameter end portions which have respective tubular sleeve valves disposed in sleeved relationship thereon and engageable with valve retainer members on the reduced diameter portions for effecting movement of the valves with the piston hammer. The head members include tubular sleevelike stem portions which cooperate with the respective valves to valve pressure fluid to and from opposed chambers in the cylinder to effect repeated impact blow delivering strokes to a shank member disposed in a chuck connected to the fronthead.

Abstract: Steam quality in flow lines equipped with orifice meters may be determined by injecting a predetermined quantity of water into the flow line and measuring the orifice pressure differential with and without water injection. An approximation of the James correlation, which relates the orifice differential pressure, the total fluid mass flow rate and steam quality raised to the 1.5 power, may be used for conditions both before and during water injection together with an energy balance for conditions both before and during water injection to determine steam quality before water injection. A portable water injection unit may be temporarily connected to each flow line at a tap installed in the flow line upstream of the orifice. The effect of water injection for each flow condition may be prior confirmed by injecting a predetermined quantity of water downstream of the orifice based on an initial estimate of dry steam flow in the line.

Abstract: Carbon steel surfaces, particularly inside wall surfaces of steel pipelines, are treated with an organosilane coupling agent to improve the adhesion of epoxy, vinyl ester and similar polymer-type protective coatings to the surface. The organosilane coupling agent is applied to a cleaned steel surface in an aqueous and/or alcohol solution, the surface is dried to allow the organosilane to cure and the protective coating is then applied to the surface. Steel pipelines are coated in situ by cleaning the interior of the pipeline with hydrochloric acid, fresh water and a passivation agent such as phosphoric acid followed by pumping a slug of the organosilane coupling agent, in solution, through the pipeline between spaced apart pigs. The coupling agent is dried and a polymer coating is then applied by pumping a slug of the coating through the pipeline, also between two spaced apart pigs.

Abstract: A rotary coke cooling drum is formed of plural opposed folded plates welded together and having spaced apart openings for receiving an array of tubular cooling pockets which are separately formed and are insertable in the openings to provide heat transfer surfaces and auger flights for traversing material through the drum. The cooling pockets are formed by opposed trapezoidal shaped plate members which are welded to each other along mating edges leaving one end of the cooling pocket substantially open and the opposite end is closed over a major portion by an end cap and a short section of drain conduit adapted to project through the wall of the drum shell. The cooling pockets may each have a locating and mounting flange or doubler plate secured at the open end of the pockets and adapted to be welded to the wall of the drum shell. The pockets are easily inserted in and removed from the drum shell for repair or replacement as needed.

Abstract: Fractures are initiated or extended into fluid producing earth formations from a well by providing a reservoir of high pressure gas at the earth's surface together with a flow control valve or a frangible closure, such as a shear disk, interposed in a conduit connecting the reservoir to the well. The well is precharged with high pressure gas at a pressure less than or about the same as the reservoir gas pressure. Fracture initiation and/or extension may be carried out by firing the perforation gun and opening the flow control valve between the reservoir and the wellhead in timed relation or by allowing a pressure drop across a shear disk interposed between the reservoir and the wellhead to effect rupture of the shear disk to release the reservoir charge.

Abstract: Perforations and other openings in well casings, liners and other conduits may be substantially blocked or sealed to prevent fluid flow between the casing or liner interior and an earth formation by placing a radially expansible sleeve adjacent the perforations or openings and urging the sleeve into forcible engagement with the casing or inner wall using an explosive charge. An apparatus including a radially contracted sleeve formed by a coiled plate member or a tubular member having flutes defined by external and internal folds, may be deployed into a well casing or liner through a production or injection tubing string and on the end of a flexible cable or coilable tubing. An explosive charge disposed on the apparatus and within the sleeve may be detonated to urge the sleeve into forcible engagement with the casing inner wall.

Abstract: A scroll type fluid handling apparatus, such as a refrigeration compressor, has co-rotating driver and idler scroll members supported for rotation about offset, generally parallel axes. The idler scroll member has a support shaft which is supported on the compressor housing by a pivot bushing having an eccentric pivot axis which permits radially compliant movement of the idler scroll along a line of action which is predetermined to provide a component of a resultant force acting between the scroll members which will urge the idler scroll wrap into engagement with the driver scroll wrap under a wide range of operating conditions to enhance the contact line seal between the scroll wraps.

Abstract: Fluid transmission pipelines and similar structures which are cathodically protected from electrolytic corrosion and are disposed in urban areas under pavements and other structures which prevent access to the soil for verifying pipe-to-soil potentials are subjected to pipe-to-soil potential measurements using a reference electrode disposed in a container which has a permeable bottom and which is capable of saturating a pavement layer with a brine electrolyte to provide electrical conductivity between the reference electrode and the soil. Validation of electrical conductivity is made by a second reference electrode of a dissimilar metal which is also disposed in a container having a permeable bottom and an electrolyte which permeates the pavement layer and establishes electrical conductivity between the soil and the second reference electrode. Potential measurements between the first and second electrodes validate ion transport between the soil and the first reference electrode.

Abstract: A modular pallet is made up of plural injection molded plastic pallet members, each of which has a plurality of posts spaced apart from each other and depending from a deck portion of the pallet member. The pallet members may be rectangular, square or of irregular shape but operable to provide either a square or rectangular shaped pallet when arranged in predetermined patterns in opposing deck sections of the pallet. The pallet members have cooperating projections and recesses formed in respective ones of the posts and the pallet members of one deck section overlie and interlock with at least two pallet members of the other deck section. Releasable fasteners comprising deflectable tines may be projected through openings in the cooperating projections and recesses of each pallet member to secure the pallet members of the opposing deck sections to each other to form the assembled modular pallet.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon fluid production wells and similar process flowstreams have a spiral baffle-type separator interposed in a surface flowline for separating fluids of different densities, such as gas from oil or gas from oil and from water, for example. Particulate solids may also be separated from the fluid flowstream. The separator includes a spiral baffle of single or multiple diameters interposed in an elongated cylindrical casing connected at its opposite ends to suitable fittings whereby the separator may be connected to conventional fluid flowlines on the surface just downstream of a wellhead or otherwise in a process flowstream. Multiple spiral baffle separators may be connected in series to provide multiple stages for separation of fluids of different densities. The separator is particularly compact, mechanically uncomplicated and may be easily adapted to be interposed in well production fluid flowlines or conduits for process flowstreams.

Abstract: A standoff insulator and support for an elongated power cable disposed adjacent to a fluid conducting tubing string for a fluid production well utilizing an electric submersible pump connected to the tubing string. The pump power cable is held in a standoff, thermally insulated position from the tubing string by an elastomer insulator body having opposed concave surfaces engageable with the power cable and the tubing string and a flexible strap trained through a slot along one side of the insulator and through a channel on the opposite side of the insulator. The strap includes a buckle for receiving a distal end of the strap whereby the strap is tensioned and secured to clamp the insulator between the power cable and the tubing string using strap tensioning and crimping tools, respectively.