Abstract: The screen deck assembly of the present invention comprises a support frame, a screen member adapted to be removably mountable to the support frame, and releasable fastening means for mounting the screen member to the support frame, which in turn is fixedly mounted to the structure of the dewatering apparatus. The fastening means are readily releasable so that the screen member may be dismounted from the support frame, reversed and remounted by again engaging the fastening means into the reassembled screen member and support frame. The fastening means comprises a sleeve member and a pin member adapted for insertion into the sleeve member. The sleeve member has an elongated axially extending hollow cylindrical member which has an annular ring extending radially outwardly therefrom at one end and a plurality of axially extending slits cut in the other end thereof.

Abstract: A peripheral element basket assembly (30) for installation in the radially outward portion of the rotor 12 of a rotary regenerative heat exchanger (2) comprised of a plurality of heat transfer element plates (32) stacked in an array between a first flanged flat end plate (34) and a second arcuate end plate (36) disposed at opposite ends of the stacked array of heat transfer element plates (32). Upper and lower side straps (40,42 and 50,52) run along opposite sides of the stacked array of heat transfer element plates, to interconnect the first and second end plates (34,36) to form the frame of the element basket housing the heat transfer element plates. Blanking plates (60,62) are welded to the upper and lower regions respectively of the arcuate end plate (36) to extend outwardly superadjacent and subadjacent the foreshortened heat transfer element sheets (32') disposed adjacent the arcuate end plate (36).

Abstract: Hot flue gas, such as the flue gas from a fossil fuel furnace or a waste incinerator, to be scrubbed to remove acidic gas, such as sulfur dioxide and hydrogen chloride gas, and particulates, such as fly ash, is passed to a primary drying chamber and contacted therein with a spray of droplets of an absorbent liquid containing particles of an alkali or alkaline reactant. The droplets are partially dried in the primary drying chamber to a tacky condition before reaching a foraminous collecting member extending through a lower portion of the primary drying chamber wherein it collects as a moist, porous mat. As the flue gas continues to flow through the mat depositing on the collecting member, the mat serves as a filter for removing particulates, including fly ash, in the gas and the remaining sulfur oxides in the gas react with unreacted particles of reactant and reactive ingredients of the fly ash collected in the mat.

Abstract: A refractory composition for use in contact with molten aluminum alloys containing a refractory aggregate, a binder and an additive for imparting aluminum resistance to the refractory composition, the additive comprising synthetic calcium fluoride containing aluminum borate aggregate consisting essentially of 10 to 50% by weight boron oxide, 10-50% by weight of aluminum oxide, and 25-75% by weight calcium flouride. The synthetic aggregate may be prepared by blending boric acid, aluminum oxide, and fluorspor and firing the resultant blend at a temperature above 800.degree. C. to form a synthetic aluminum borate having calcium fluoride contained in its insoluble structure.

Abstract: A castable refractory mix composition is disclosed which when fired at a temperature of about 2300.degree. F. will yield a cast refractory article having improved thermal shock resistance and when fired at a higher temperature of about 2750.degree. F. will yield a cast refractory article having improved abrasion resistance. The castable refractory mix composition comprises from about 10 to 15% by weight of an aqueous slip of fine ground fused silica particles, from 25% to 32% by weight of fine alumina particles, from about 55 to 70% by weight of relatively large particle size silican carbide refractory particles, from about 0.015 to 0.04% by weight of a water-soluble wetting agent, and from 0 to about 5% by weight added water.

Abstract: An element basket assembly (30) for a rotary regenerative heat exchanger (2) comprised of a plurality of heat transfer element plates (32) stacked in an array between first and second end plates (34,36) disposed at opposite ends of the stacked array of heat transfer element plates (32). Upper and lower side straps (40,42 and 50,52) run along opposite sides of the stacked array of heat transfer element plates, to interconnect the first and second end plates (34,36) to form the frame of the element basket housing the heat transfer element plates. A stiffening member (60) is disposed intermediate the spaced end plates (34,36) to extend transversely across the assembled element basket assembly in a plane through the centroid thereof to the interconnect the upper side straps (40,42) and to interconnect the lower side straps (50,52) thereby increasing the structural integrity of the basket assembly.

Abstract: A method of constructing a rotor assembly (12) for a rotary regenerative heat exchanger wherein the rotor compartment (14) is formed of a plurality of prefabricated, shop-assembled subcompartments (20) which are shipped disassembled from the central rotor post (16) for final erection in the field. The method of the present invention maximizes shop welding in the horizontal downhand position and minimizes welding in the vertical up position both in the shop and in the field.

Abstract: A vibration generator (50) with a magnetically attractable mass (98) is loosely disposed within a substantially cylindrical cavity of a housing (54). An array of electromagnets (60-90) is circumferentially spaced around the housing cavity. The electromagnets (60-90) are sequentially energized in a predetermined sequence to magnetically attract the loosely disposed mass (98) toward an energized electromagnet, thereby causing the magnetically attractable mass (98) to orbit around the array of electromagnets, imparting centrifugal force to the housing (54) which in turn generates vibration energy.

Abstract: An integral one-piece spacer (70) is provided for use in an electrostatic precipitator (10) of the type having adjacent horizontally spaced collecting electrode panels (20) disposed in parallel relationship in spaced vertically extending planes. The spacer (70) extends transversely between adjacent collecting electrode panels (20) to rigidly link the panels so as to maintain the proper spacing therebetween. The spacer (70) is formed of an elongated rod having a rigid straight central portion (74) extending between a pair of spaced resilient end portions (72). The end portions (72) are folded to provide a clip (76) forming a slot (90) for attaching the end portions (72) of each spacer (70) to the legs (54) of the alignment brackets (50) mounted to the ends of the collecting electrode plates (22) to extend between a pair of neighboring collecting electrode panels (20).

Abstract: A laser oscillating apparatus has an elongate housing, a pair of discharge electrodes arranged along the longitudinal direction in the interior of the laser housing, and first and second planar folding mirrors arranged at either end in the longitudinal direction of the lasing cavity formed by the discharge electrodes, with the reflecting surfaces of the folding mirror facing the lasing cavity. The folding mirrors are placed with their reflecting surfaces inclined by a predetermined angle with respect to one another. Also in the laser housing are a primary mirror and an output mirror, each of which is arranged with a predetermined spacing in the neighborhood of one of the folding mirrors. At least the primary mirror and the output mirror are arranged so that their attitude is adjustable from the outside of the laser housing.

Abstract: Light generated in the optical resonator of a gas laser is polarized by disposing an array of fine, parallel, highly light reflective wires in the path of the light beam propagating in the resonator. The wires are cooled by conduction of heat to a heat sink or by causing gas to flow through the array. In one embodiment, the wire array is arranged to be rotated to enable the plane of polarization to be turned to any desired orientation. The difference in absorption by the wire array between two orthogonal components of the flux in the resonator need be only in the order of 1% to cause nearly complete linear polarization of the light emerging from the resonator. The parallel wires, preferably, are spaced so that they are situated at the peaks of the lower order modes in the resonator. In lieu of using fine wires, very fine parallel lines or grooves whose width and spacing are such as to provide a low efficiency diffraction grating may be provided in the surface of an optical element of the resonator.

Abstract: A vertical separator vessel has an inlet structure mounted at the inlet to receive a mixture of fluids to be separated. The inlet structure is given several configurations which divide the incoming mixture of fluids into at least two segments and thereby reduces the velocity of the mixture.

Abstract: A pin-shaped discharge electrode is provided which prevents corrosion and promotes stable glow discharge. In order to reduce the occurrence of a large field near the bottom of the electrode, the electrode is embedded in a cavity of an insulating base plate.

Abstract: A register system is provided for making molds for metal casting which reduces flaws attributable to parting line shift. This is accomplished by urging the cope mold flask (11) against two fixed stops (50, 52) on the long axis, and one fixed stop (54) on the short axis of the flask. This same register principle is applied in the drag mold making station 18, where the drag flask (15) is urged against two fixed stops (86, 88) on the long axis, and one fixed stop (90) on the short axis of the flask.

Abstract: A cryogenic process for recovering propane and heavier hydrocarbons from natural gas streams or similar refinery or process streams containing lighter hydrocarbons such as methane and ethane. In the process disclosed, the gas to be separated is cooled which may include some condensation, in which case the condensate is separated from the vapor and fed to a lower region of all the fractionating column. The cooled vapor from the separator is split into two streams. One portion of the split vapor stream is work expanded to a midpoint of the fractionating column, while another portion of the split vapor stream is further cooled causing partial condensation, the condensate being separated and fed to the fractionation column above the feed from the first work expander, and the vapor being work expanded through a second expander and fed to the top of the fractionator as reflux.

Abstract: A rotary regenerative heat exchanger (2) for transferring heat from a hot fluid to a cold fluid by means of an assembly (30) of heat transfer element which is alternately contacted with the hot and cold fluid. The heat transfer element assembly (30) is comprised of a plurality heat transfer plates (32) stacked alternately in spaced relationship. The spacing between adjacent plates (32) is maintained by spacers which comprise notches in the form of bilobed folds crimped in the plates (32) at spaced intervals to prevent nesting between adjacent plates, the pitch of the sloping web portions (60) of not more than half of the bilobed folds (38B) in each plate (30) will be opposite in inclination to the pitch of the sloping web portions (60) of at least half of the bilobed folds (38A) in the plates (30).

Abstract: A discharging apparatus for a large diameter, generally vertically walled reaction vessel in which a recessed dish or receiving structure having the same diameter as the reaction vessel is mounted beneath the lower discharge end of the reaction vessel. There is an aperture in the floor of this receiving structure and a rotating impeller urges material received from the reaction vessel through this aperture into a smaller diameter recessed receiving structure which is also equipped with a rotating impeller to remove material to a screw conveyor for removal from the system. This screw conveyor can be significantly smaller than would be required using a conventional screw conveyor reaction vessel discharge.

Abstract: An element basket assembly (30) for a rotary regenerative heat exchanger (2) comprised of a plurality of heat transfer element plates (32) stacked in an array between first and second end plates (34,36) disposed at opposite ends of the stacked array of heat transfer element plates (32). Upper and lower side straps (40,42 and 50,52) run along opposite sides of the stacked array of heat transfer element plates, to interconnect the first and second plates (34,36) to form the frame of the element basket housing the heat transfer element plates. A stiffening member (60) is disposed intermediate the spaced end plates (34,36) to extend transversely across the element basket assembly at or near the mid-span thereof the interconnect the upper side straps (40,42) and to interconnect the lower side straps (50,52) thereby increasing the structural integrity of the basket assembly.

Abstract: A rotary cutter comprises a housing having a base portion, a cover portion, and a working chamber defined therebetween. The cover portion has laterally extending side flanges adapted to mate and bolt to the upper surface of the base portion. A generally cylindrical rotor having a plurality of knives mounted about its periphery is mounted to a shaft horizontally disposed within the working chamber and adapted for rotation about its longitudinal axis. An inlet feed tube is mounted to the cover portion of the housing for feeding a material to be shredded into the working chamber. Camrolls are mounted to the four corners cover of the housing along the lateral side flanges thereof for translating the cover portion of the housing parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rotor along track means associated with the base portion of the housing along which the top portion of the housing may be translated on the camroll means.

Abstract: A fluidizing feed apparatus (20) for supplying particulate material to a fluidized bed furnace (12) having a housing (22) which defines a chamber which is divided by a multi-tiered perforated distribution plate (24) into a plurality of independent gas plenums (26, 36, 52) beneath the respective tiers (23, 25, 27) of the distribution plate, a particulate fluidizing plenum (28) above the upper outer position (25) of the distribution plate (24) and a particulate feed plenum (30) superadjacent the lower central portion (25) of the distribution plate (24). Conveying gas is independently fed under pressure to each of the gas plenums to pass upwardly through the respective tiers of the perforated distribution plate.