Abstract: An apparatus for making DL-pantolactone in a continuous process comprises the following parts and setup:A circulation heater and a circulation reactor, means for introducing the components into the reactor, a heat-exchanger forming part of the circulation reactor, a longitudinal aftertreatment reactor and a final longitudinal reactor comprising dual reaction chambers with means for applying heat and pressure in the first chamber and maintaining the reaction product in the second chamber at such heat and pressure. The apparatus may also include a chamber for forming a premix of some of the components with a subsequent cooling device prior to the introduction into the circulation reactor. It may furthermore include a stripping column and pulsation column for recovering the final product from the solution.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the heat treatment of volatile containing materials in a rotary hearth type furnace wherein the flue gases emanating from the calciner are employed to create either a positive or negative pressure within the calciner hearth as well as the soaking pit area of the said calciner.

Abstract: A system for reducing sulfur dioxide to elemental sulfur in which a reactor vessel is divided into a plurality of compartments, and coal is fed from a single source into each of the compartments. A sulfur dioxide rich gas is distributed to each of the compartments and is contacted with the coal to form substantially pure sulfur.

Abstract: A thermal syphon-pressure pump neutralizer for neutralizing nitric acid with ammonia, comprising a reaction vessel for containing an aqueous reaction medium and having a gas outlet in its upper end and a product outlet spaced therebelow, a fluid impervious vertically disposed cylindrical member in the vessel defining a second reaction zone therewithin and a first reaction zone between the member and the vessel, the lower inlet end of the cylindrical member being spaced above the bottom of the vessel, ammonia inlet means leading into the bottom of the vessel in close proximity to but spaced below the cylindrical member inlet, nitric acid inlet means leading into the first reaction zone being spaced a predetermined distance above the cylindrical member inlet and below the product outlet, a free gas zone being provided between the reaction zones and the gas outlet and deflector means above the second reaction zone and in communication with the first reaction zone so that solution and gases evolved from the outle

Abstract: In the cellar located below an underjet-type of battery of coke ovens are gas distribution pipes. A gas dispensing nozzle is located within each of the separate pipes which extend from a distribution pipe through the regenerators into the burners for a row of heating flues between two coking chambers. These nozzles are cleaned by injecting compressed air from a pipeline that extends parallel to the rich gas distribution pipe. A nipple opposite each nozzle interconnects the air pipeline and the gas pipe. The nipple receives a plug having either an orifice or a nozzle tube to direct compressed air toward the gas dispensing nozzle. A supply header for compressed air extends along the battery of coke ovens and this header is connected by a valve to each compressed air pipeline in the cellar. A controller responsive to a timer operates the valves during regenerative heating reversals for periodic cleaning of the gas dispensing nozzles with compressed air.

Abstract: An injection assembly for introducing a plurality of laterally spaced sprays of a normally liquid hydrocarbon feedstock into the cracking zone of a carbon black furnace.

Abstract: Automotive exhaust gases, and especially the exhaust gases which have been further oxidized by a treatment in a catalytic converter, are treated by passing them through a filter containing paper coated with a calcium carbonate coating. The paper is desirably coated on both sides with heavy coatings and wound into a roll with spacers extending through the roll to permit the gases to pass therethrough. The calcium carbonate desirably constitutes at least 85% of the weight of pigments and fillers in the coating and the proportion of binder does not exceed 20% of the total weight of pigments and fillers. The acidic gases in the exhaust, and particularly the oxides of sulfur, react with the finely divided particles of calcium carbonate in the coating to form an ash which flakes off from the lower face of the roll while the gases pass upwardly through the roll.

Abstract: In a fluidized catalytic cracking unit a riser discharge head for discharging catalyst and hydrocarbon vapor from a riser conduit substantially vertically downward into a vertical reaction vessel such that erosion of the discharge head and the reaction walls is avoided.

Abstract: A system for regenerating waste acid, comprises (1) a concentrator for concentrating the waste liquor, (2) a reactor for reacting the concentrated liquor at a temperature below 1000.degree. F. in the presence of oxygen and hydrocarbon combustion gases and on a recycled moving bed of particles without vibration of the reactor bottom, (3) a separator for separating the iron oxide dust from the other gases from the reactor, (4) the same concentrator cools these gases, (5) an absorber for absorbing the hydrogen chloride cooled gas in an aqueous solution from the following scrubber, (6) a scrubber for scrubbing the unabsorbed gases in water to absorb the hydrogen chloride gas remaining in the gases from the absorber, and (7) a condenser for condensing any liquids and any residual HCl remaining in the exhaust gases before exhausting them as non-polluting gases into the atmosphere and passing the condensate back into the waste acid concentrator.

Abstract: A tube-type reactor includes a reactor shell surrounding a bundle of vertically-arranged jacketed tube assemblies. An equilateral triangle is formed by lines interconnecting the central axes of the three jacketed tube assemblies in mutual contact. Each jacketed tube assembly includes a reactor tube forming an annular space within a sheathing tube which includes six longitudinally-arranged slots uniformly distributed about its top end and into which connecting elements are received and welded to join together the sheathing tubes. In one form, the connector element includes spacer heads extending along a web to lie within the annular gap between the reactor tube and the sheathing tube and abut against the reactor tube. In a second embodiment, the connector element includes a web having three spider arms with longitudinal recesses, the width of which corresponds to the wall thickness of a sheathing tube.

Abstract: This invention relates to a catalytic converter for transforming polluting gases into non-polluting gases comprising a housing having an inlet for the polluting gases and an outlet for the non-polluting gases, a silver coated grill within said housing adjacent to the housing inlet, a mesh, intermediate said silver coated grill and the housing outlet, said mesh comprising an alloy base consisting essentially of from 1.0% to 1.9% silicon, from 10% to 29% chrome, from 1% to 5.1% copper, from 1.1% to 9.1% molybdenum, from 0.11% to 0.5% titanium, from 0.1% to 1.9% carbon and from 0.5% to 0.9% iron and a coating of silver or palladium on said alloy.

Abstract: A mixing head for a reaction injection molding machine, which incorporates several beneficial features, comprises a body having a bore, which defines a mixing chamber, and a plurality of nozzle orifices opening into the mixing chamber for conducting reactive polymeric components thereto. A plunger is mounted for reciprocal movement in the mixing chamber to control flow of the reactive components through the nozzle orifices to form a homogeneous polymer mix, e.g. a polyurethane or polyisocyanurate mix, in the chamber, and serves also to eject the resulting mix from the chamber. The plunger is controlled by an actuator piston and is linked thereto by a universal coupling that minimizes plunger binding in the mixing chamber due to misalignment between the plunger and actuator.

Abstract: A reaction vessel for heating by helium under pressure comprising an upright container provided with an upper part and with a lower part constituting a heating space. In the lower container part are vertically spaced inlet and outlet openings for heated helium under pressure. The upper container part has spaced walls providing a space therebetween and two covers. The upper end of the lower container part is closed and catalyst-filled reaction tubes pass through such closure into the heating space. Inlet and outlet pipes for the reaction tubes extend in coaxial manner from the reaction tubes head through the inner wall of the upper reactor part below the cover of such inner wall, and thence through the space between the inner and outer walls and finally to the outside through the outer wall of the upper part below the cover for the outer wall. The length of the inlet and outlet pipes inside the space is more than the distance of the walls, and the coaxial pipes may be disposed in serpentine fashion.

Abstract: A waste gas purification apparatus having an elongated vertical hollow furnace shaft adapted to receive pebbles therein with a waste gas inlet at the lower end with a pebble discharge means at said lower end. At the top of the shaft is a narrow exhaust gas duct with a pebble feed chute, a pebble charge device and a pebble recirculating tube extending from the discharge hoppers to the charge device. A blower is coupled to the gas inlet for force feeding waste gas through said gas inlet. At the upper end of the shaft is an inactive travel zone. Between the inactive travel zone and the lower shaft is an intermediate shaft with a temperature control chamber in parallel with said intermediate shaft. Pebbles move downwards in the shaft from the inactive travel zone to the discharge hoppers and are recirculated to the upper end while waste gas is fed to the lower end and travels up through the shaft, a portion of the gas passing through the temperature control chamber, the clean gas leaving the upper end.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing carbon black by pyrolytic decomposition of coal with hot combustion gases. In a cylindrically shaped vertical reactor coal is tangentially introduced, thus establishing a helically flowing mass of pulverized coal. This mass is contacted with hot combustion gases. Fine ashes are withdrawn from the upper portion of the reactor at the periphery and coarse ashes are withdrawn from the lower portion of the reactor from the periphery. Carbon black-containing gases are withdrawn from the area of the vertical axis of the reactor overhead.

Abstract: A sulfonation apparatus comprising a gas feeder for feeding a first stream of SO.sub.3 -containing gas and a second stream of inert gas into contact with an annular film of sulfonatable material.

Abstract: An interconnection arrangement for a dual temperature isotope exchange process of the type having a first stage made up of a cold tower, a hot tower, a humidifier and a dehumidifier with a recycled gas stream passing in countercurrent isotope exchange relationship with a liquid stream in the said towers and a similar second stage, said first stage having heat exchange means between humidifier and dehumidifier formed of humidifier and dehumidifier recycle loops passing through a heat exchanger, the improvement comprising means for feeding a portion of the liquid passing in the dehumidifier recycle loop of the first stage to the top of the humidifier of the second stage, means for feeding the liquid passing through the humidifier of the second stage back to the dehumidifier recycle loop of the first stage, and means for passing a portion of the liquid from the first stage in heat exchange relationship with the liquid in a dehumidifier recycle loop of the second stage.

Abstract: An apparatus for rapidly testing catalyst samples wherein a vertical reactor surrounded by a heat transfer medium and containing a removable catalyst support is arranged for loading catalyst through the reactor top and for its removal through the bottom after testing. A preheater section is provided for preheating the reactant feed stream. It interconnects with the reactor between the catalyst inlet and outlet ports.

Abstract: A reactor including a horizontally disposed, elongated motor housing and at least a pair of mating reactor body sections, end heads for sealing the outer ends of the reactor and closure straps removably and hermetically securing the motor housing and the respective reactor body sections in assembled relation, and fixed and movable cradles supporting the motor housing and the reactor body sections for effecting relative movement thereof upon disengagement of the reactor clamping structure to permit ready disassembly and maintenance of the reactor.

Abstract: A carbonating tower for the production of sodium bicarbonate magma has a hollow casing accommodating perforated plates arranged one above another which divide the inner space of the casing into a separation compartment and reaction compartments communicating with one another via overflow pipes. Each reaction compartment has an annular baffle coaxial therewith arranged adjacent to the upper end of the overflow pipe, the baffle being adapted to define a zone for accumulation of solid crystalline phase in the magma. There are also provided means for removing said magma from one reaction compartment into the next compartment. The provision of the accumulation zone and the means for removal of magma contributes to the reduction of supersaturation of the solution with sodium bicarbonate, whereby crystals of uniform shape and size are obtained.