Abstract: An apparatus for compacting, degassing and carbonizing carbonaceous agglomerates, the apparatus comprising a rotary kiln having an agglomerate inlet means for introducing green agglomerates into the kiln near the inlet of the kiln and a heating medium inlet for introducing a heating medium comprising a finely divided solid into the kiln at a preselected location intermediate the inlet end of the kiln and the outlet end of the kiln to produce a mixture at a temperature above the carbonizing temperature of the agglomerates and a sieve positioned to receive the products from the rotary kiln and separate the heating medium and the compacted, degassed, carbonized agglomerate product. A method for producing compacted, degassed, carbonized carbonaceous agglomerates by the use of the apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for converting calcium sulfoxy compounds selected from the group consisting of CaSO.sub.x and Ca(HSO.sub.x).sub.2 and their hydrates wherein x is 3 or 4 into calcium carbonate, the method consisting essentially of; converting the Ca(HSO.sub.x).sub.2 compounds into CaSO.sub.x compounds by reacting the Ca(HSO.sub.x).sub.2 compounds with calcium carbonate in the presence of water, thereafter reacting the CaSO.sub.x compounds with ammonia and carbon dioxide in the presence of water to produce NH.sub.4 (HSO.sub.x) wherein x is 3 or 4 and calcium carbonate, thereafter separating the NH.sub.4 (HSO.sub.x) and calcium carbonate and reacting the NH.sub.4 (HSO.sub.x) with carbon to produce ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and carbon oxides.

Abstract: A method for activating a hydrodesulfurization catalyst by passing a gaseous stream comprising carbon oxides, hydrogen, and sulfur-containing compounds into contact with the catalyst at a temperature from about 400.degree. to about 700.degree. F. until the outlet gaseous stream from the catalyst has a sulfur content substantially equal to the sulfur content of the inlet gaseous stream and thereafter increasing the temperature incrementally and continuing to contact the catalyst with the inlet gas stream until the sulfur content in the outlet gaseous stream is substantially equal to the sulfur content of the inlet gaseous stream after each incremental temperature increase.

Abstract: A method is provided wherein nickel molybdenum and cobalt molybdenum catalysts can be used in large scale sulfur hydrogenation reactors without runaway methanation and resulting exotherms while converting organic sulfur compounds to hydrogen sulfide in gas streams which contain significant quantities of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen.

Abstract: In a process for hydrocracking heavy carbonaceous materials by contacting such carbonaceous materials with hydrogen in the presence of a molten metal halide catalyst to produce hydrocarbons having lower molecular weights and thereafter recovering the hydrocarbons so produced from the molten metal halide, an improvement comprising injecting into the spent molten metal halide, a liquid low-boiling hydrocarbon stream is disclosed.