Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel type of hydrogenation reactor, to methods of hydrogenation implemented therein, and more generally to the use of such a reactor. A reactor of the invention has a double wall; said double wall comprising an outer wall (10) suitable for withstanding mechanical loads and an inner wall (20) defining the reaction volume (30) within which a reaction medium is caused to react, said inner wall (20) withstanding said reaction medium and protecting said outer wall (10) from coming into contact therewith.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and vehicle for the disposal of carbon dioxide. Gaseous carbon dioxide is solidified and allowed to free fall through open water where i at least partially embeds itself in sedimentary formations. Sedimentation ensures that the marine environment is an overall carbon sink through carbonate sequestration.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a drive mechanism (2) for transporting a tow (4) at constant speed between feed and receive reels (5, 6), an interlayer tape (7) being interleaved on both reels (5,6) between successive windings of the tow. According to the invention, said tape is drivingly coupled between the two reels (5,6) to a drive wheel (9) and each reel is further drivingly coupled to the drive wheel (9) via a slip mechanism (18, 19). Preferred application: driving fibres through a CVD chamber.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a monitor for measuring both the gamma spectrum and neutrons emitted by an object such as a spent nuclear fuel pin or pin assembly or nuclear waste material. According to the invention, it comprises a lead block (1) presenting a front face (8) intended to be brought close to said pin (7) or assembly to be measured and incorporatinga gamma detector (2) for gamma spectroscopy located close to a rear face of said block and associated with a collimator (4) extending from said front face to said gamma detector,two neutron detectors (3) which extend parallelly to each other and to said front face and are disposed symmetrically on either side of the axis of said collimator (4) close to said front face (8).

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and device for the automatic analysis of volatile substances in gases, in particular volatile substances in air, the method comprising the following successive steps: a) the gas to be analyzed is passed through an absortion solution or reaction solution via a sponging type exposure; and b) the solution is analyzed by a gas or liquid chromatography apparatus once the gases reach dissolved solution equilibrium with such absortion solution or reaction solution. According to the invention, samples as tiny as 10-100 microliters of the absortion solution or reaction solution are located in a depression in the bottom of a reaction recipient vessel and, when it has been acted on by the gas to be analyzed thereby additionally forming a reaction product mixed therein, is removed with a cannula and taken for chemical analysis via capillary gas chromatography (CGC) or high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) equipment means.

Abstract: A machine and method for separating aerosol particles in a cylindrical ultrasonic member in which the particles are agglomerated in the presence of an injected allgomeration initiator, and retaining the agglomerated particles in a filter.

Abstract: A sealing fastener includes a unique identifier device for the individual fastener that enables ultrasonic identification of the device using an ultrasonic fault measuring system, and a frangible element within the fastener integrated with the identifier device that provides an ultrasonic signature indicating an attempt to loosen or remove the fastener when subjected to an ultrasonic signal generated by an ultrasonic fault measuring system. The unique identifier device includes a stack of individual metallic washer elements brazed together, with each washer element including discontinuities or cavities that are randomly arranged with respect to the cavities of the other washers in the stack. The fastener includes relatively movable portions that cause fracture of the frangible element upon any attempt to loosen or remove a fastener after it has been tightened or secured at its sealing location.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for measuring tritium specific activity by gas scintillation. The specific activity is measured when the tritium is mixed in carrier streams of certain gases which serve as scintillation detection media. The apparatus comprises a detection chamber with connections for gaseous inlet and outlet, the detection chamber being optically connectable to at least one UV photomultiplier tube, which tube is connectable to means for measuring photon emittance.

Abstract: A temperature derivative sensing and regulating device and method is described which facilitates the maintainance of a very stable isothermal environment for an item, apparatus or facility or a constant rate of temperarture change. The device comprises a block of material having no internal heat sources, a thermal conductivity greater than 100 Wm.sup.1 K.sup.-1 and a specific heat capacity greater than 385 JK.sup.-1 kg.sup.-1. The block is surrounded by means for measuring the heat flow to and from the block and the device is further provided with means for generating a signal proportional to said heat flow and means for interfacing with the controller of a heating or cooling means associated with the item, apparatus or facility.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an evaporative transpiration pump having an inlet for liquids, an outlet for gases, a porous body disposed between the inlet and the outlet. A heating means is disposed at the outlet side of the porous body. The thermal conductivity of the porous body is no greater than 5 Wm.sup.-1 K.sup.-1 and is preferably no greater than 1 Wm.sup.-1 K.sup.-1. The pump is particularly suitable for use in multi-column cryodistillation apparatus.

Abstract: A method and device for reducing a gap between a static part and a movable part. The device is operated at cryo temperatures. A gap is defined between the static part and the movable part. A cryo coolant channel has a coolant fluid disposed therein. The channel is disposed in a housing wall of one of the static part and the movable part and is disposed adjacent to the gap. A gas is injected into the gap. The gas is condensable and has a liquid-solid conversion temperature above the temperature of the coolant fluid so that the gas becomes solid.

Abstract: The invention discloses a long carbon fibre reinforced ceramic matrix composite in which the matrix is an engineering ceramic, characterized in that the engineering ceramic comprises Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 as highly refractory sinter additives, the composite has a high density of at least 95% theoretical, a high fibre content of at least 30% by volume, and that substantially all the fibres are uniformly distributed within the matrix with a uniform inter-fibre spacing of 10-15 micrometer. The invention also discloses a process for preparing such a composite, characterized in that unidirectionally wound fibre tapes are cut into sections, the sections are infiltrated by the matrix material in the form of a slurry of the ceramic itself or as a precursor material, the infiltrated fibre tape sections are successively stacked and pressed wet to achieve intermeshing of the tape sections, compacted, dried and hot pressed.

Abstract: A process and device are disclosed for preparing hydroxylamine from NO.sub.x -containing flue gases. Nitrogen removal from the NO.sub.x -containing flue gases by absorption in an aqueous solution of FeII-EDTA and by desorption through vapor stripping of the NA from the thus obtained FeII(NO)-EDTA solution, with admixture of hydrogen, leading to the recovery of an NO/H.sub.2 gaseous mixture, is combined with hydroxylamine synthesis by catalytic reduction of NO with hydrogen.

Abstract: Process and device for decomposition of tritiated water and the recovery of elemental tritium (T.sub.2) in which a metal is used which oxidizes in the presence of water according to the formulaMe+xT.sub.2 O.fwdarw.MeO.sub.x +xT.sub.2.According to the invention, said metal is placed in an enclosure, a wall of which is selectively permeable to hydrogen and its isotopes; tritiated water is injected into the enclosure and the space behind said wall is made to communicate with an absorbing device for hydrogen and its isotopes. The injection of tritiated water and the communication with the absorbing device are stopped from time to time for the purpose of regenerating the metal by supplying hydrogen or deuterium to said space and by extracting water from the enclosure.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for removing hydrogen sulfide (H.sub.2 S) and/or carbon disulfide (CS.sub.2) from exhaust gases. These exhaust gases are brought into contact with water and bromine so that H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 and HBr in aqueous solution and possible CO.sub.2 are formed. Bromine is regenerated from the hydrobromic acid in an electrolysis cell. In addition, marketable hydrogen is produced.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device and a method for removing nitrogen compounds from an aqueous liquid containing nitrogen oxides (NO.sub.x) and/or nitrates (NO.sub.3.sup.-). It comprises an electrochemical cell (10) with a cathode and an anode and a current source applied thereto. According to the invention, the cell is divided by a cation selective membrane into a cathode compartment (2) to be filled with said liquid, and an anode compartment (3) to be filled with an anolyte containing an aqueous solution of an alkali or hydrogen halide such as sodium bromide or sodium chloride, and the membrane (1) is constituted by a microporous fabric of PTFE.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing actinium-225 and bismuth-213. According to the invention, radium-226 is irradiated in the thermal neutron flux of a nuclear reactor, the thorium fraction of the irradiation product is then chemically isolated and therefrom the actinium and radium mixture growing continuously by decay therein is chemically separated, this mixture serving as "cow" for the desired radionuclides which are growing continuously.

Abstract: An antenna system for producing a millimeter wave beam having a Gaussian distribution uses a high power source and a partial mode converter operatively coupled to the source and reviving from the source a T.sub.m,n mode wave which might either be TE.sub.m,n or TM.sub.m,n'. The converter delivers a mixture of modes including the mode T.sub.m,n at a relative power rate of 70 to 85% and at a relative phase 0, and at least one of the following additional modes, namely T.sub.m,n-1 at a relative power rate of 10 to 20% and at relative phase .pi., and TE.sub.m,n+1 at a relative power rate of 10 to 20% and at relative phase .pi.. The mixture of modes is applied to a collimation reflector (3, 10), having a concentration point (5) constituting the antenna system outlet. The antenna system can convert any T.sub.m,n mode into a linearly polarized narrow beam of very high power (about 1 MW) and and of high frequencies above 100 GHz.

Abstract: A process for producing granulated particles from a powder which is insoluble in water, employs dimensions of the formed granulated particles which are substantially larger than those of the powder grains. The powder is mixed with an aqueous solution of a cellulose chosen from among methyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, etheric hydroxybutyl methyl cellulose. Then droplets of this mixture are made to fall into an aqueous solution of at least one metallic salt or metallic hydroxide which does not react with the particles.

Abstract: A process for separating sulfur-containing compounds other than mercaptans from gaseous streams. A gaseous stream including mercaptans and other sulfur-containing compounds is brought into contact with a solid supporting material coated with a thin layer of an amine-containing active agent capable of selectively adsorbing the sulfur-containing compounds other than mercaptans. This process permits the monitoring of mercaptans in gaseous streams without interference from other sulfur-containing compounds, as well as the purification of mercaptans.