Abstract: Apparatus and processes for removing dioxane from a composition, e.g., an ethoxylated fatty alcohol sulfate paste, utilize an evaporator having an inlet chamber and one or more heated channels. The process includes the step of heating the composition at a location upstream of the flow restriction to a temperature above the flashing temperature of water at a pressure of the channel inlet and applying a pressure to the heated composition to avoid such flashing. The process further includes the step of passing the pressurized, heated composition through the evaporator. The process can further include injecting a vapor into the channel. The purified, concentrated product can be diluted with water to a desired concentration.

Abstract: Apparatus and processes for removing dioxane from a composition, e.g., an ethoxylated fatty alcohol sulfate paste, utilize an evaporator having an inlet chamber and one or more heated channels. The process includes the step of heating the composition at a location upstream of the flow restriction to a temperature above the flashing temperature of water at a pressure of the channel inlet and applying a pressure to the heated composition to avoid such flashing. The process further includes the step of passing the pressurized, heated composition through the evaporator. The process can further include injecting a vapor into the channel. The purified, concentrated product can be diluted with water to a desired concentration.

Abstract: Processes and apparatus for quantitatively converting urea to ammonia on demand are disclosed. One process includes the steps of: receiving a demand rate signal for ammonia; feeding reactants including urea and water into a reactor to provide a reaction mixture; and controlling temperature and pressure in the reactor to produce a gaseous product stream including ammonia and carbon dioxide at substantially constant concentrations. Another process includes the steps of: feeding molten urea or solid urea to a reactor; feeding water (liquid or steam) to the reactor; and reacting the urea and water at elevated temperature and pressure to form a gaseous product stream including ammonia and carbon dioxide.

Abstract: Processes and apparatus for quantitatively converting urea to ammonia on demand are disclosed. One process includes the steps of: receiving a demand rate signal for ammonia; feeding reactants including urea and water into a reactor to provide a reaction mixture; and controlling temperature and pressure in the reactor to produce a gaseous product stream including ammonia and carbon dioxide at substantially constant concentrations. Another process includes the steps of: feeding molten urea or solid urea to a reactor; feeding water (liquid or steam) to the reactor; and reacting the urea and water at elevated temperature and pressure to form a gaseous product stream including ammonia and carbon dioxide.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for continuously, quantitatively producing gaseous ammonia from urea, including the steps of: dissolving urea in water to form concentrated aqueous urea comprising at least 77 wt. % urea; continuously feeding the concentrated aqueous urea into a reactor; continuously feeding a separate, additional supply water into the reactor to form an aqueous urea reaction mixture; heating the aqueous urea reaction mixture; and continuously withdrawing a gas phase product including ammonia from the reactor, is disclosed. Also disclosed are methods and apparatus for continuous and batchwise dissolution of urea to form aqueous urea solutions.

Abstract: Processes and apparatus for quantitatively converting urea to ammonia on demand are disclosed. One process includes the steps of: receiving a demand rate signal for ammonia; feeding reactants including urea and water into a reactor to provide a reaction mixture; and controlling temperature and pressure in the reactor to produce a gaseous product stream including ammonia and carbon dioxide at substantially constant concentrations. Another process includes the steps of: feeding molten urea or solid urea to a reactor; feeding water (liquid or steam) to the reactor; and reacting the urea and water at elevated temperature and pressure to form a gaseous product stream including anmmonia and carbon dioxide.

Abstract: Processes and apparatus for quantitatively converting urea to ammonia on demand are disclosed. One process includes the steps of: receiving a demand rate signal for ammonia; feeding reactants including urea and water into a reactor to provide a reaction mixture; and controlling temperature and pressure in the reactor to produce a gaseous product stream including ammonia and carbon dioxide at substantially constant concentrations. Another process includes the steps of: feeding molten urea or solid urea to a reactor; feeding water (liquid or steam) to the reactor; and reacting the urea and water at elevated temperature and pressure to form a gaseous product stream including ammonia and carbon dioxide.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for continuously, quantitatively producing gaseous ammonia from urea, including the steps of: dissolving urea in water to form concentrated aqueous urea comprising at least 77 wt. % urea; continuously feeding the concentrated aqueous urea into a reactor; continuously feeding a separate, additional supply water into the reactor to form an aqueous urea reaction mixture; heating the aqueous urea reaction mixture; and continuously withdrawing a gas phase product including ammonia from the reactor, is disclosed. Also disclosed are methods and apparatus for continuous and batchwise dissolution of urea to form aqueous urea solutions.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for maintaining the operation of reactors by removing contaminant matter arising from one or more reactants used as a feedstock in such systems, by either intermittent or continuous means, are disclosed.

Abstract: Processes and apparatus for quantitatively converting urea to ammonia on demand are disclosed. One process includes the steps of: receiving a demand rate signal for ammonia; feeding reactants including urea and water into a reactor to provide a reaction mixture; and controlling temperature and pressure in the reactor to produce a gaseous product stream including ammonia and carbon dioxide at substantially constant concentrations. Another process includes the steps of: feeding molten urea or solid urea to a reactor; feeding water (liquid or steam) to the reactor; and reacting the urea and water at elevated temperature and pressure to form a gaseous product stream including ammonia and carbon dioxide.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for maintaining the operation of reactors by removing contaminant matter arising from the solid reactant(s) used as a feedstock in such systems, by either intermittent or continuous means.

Abstract: Apparatus and processes for removing volatile components from a composition utilize a dryer having an inlet chamber and a plurality of channels. A flow restriction is disposed immediately upstream of the inlet of each channel with respect to a direction of flow of the composition through the dryer. The process includes the step of heating the composition at a location upstream of the flow restriction to a temperature above the flashing temperature of at least one of the components at a pressure of the channel inlet and applying a pressure to the heated composition to avoid such flashing. The process further includes the step of passing the pressurized, heated composition through the dryer inlet chamber, the flow restriction, and through the channels.

Abstract: A method of removing solvents from a paste includes introducing a heated paste into a channel of a dryer under pressure selected so as to avoid flashing of any of the components of the paste. At the inlet of the channel, the pressure is dropped, resulting in the flashing of selected components of the paste. As the paste advances through the channel heat is applied to the paste. Vapor liberated during the flashing acts as a motive force to convey the paste along the channel. The resulting concentrate is collected at an outlet of the channel.

Abstract: A method for conditioning flue gas to improve the removal of fly ash by an electrostatic precipitator employs a relatively high concentration (4-71/2%) of SO.sub.3 conditioning agent. The SO.sub.3 is formed by combusting sulfur and excess air in a sulfur burner to produce a mixture of air and SO.sub.2 and converting the SO.sub.2 to SO.sub.3 in a catalytic converter. The ratio of air to sulfur is maintained constant over a wide range of SO.sub.3 production rates, and the air is unheated during most production rates. The mixture of air and SO.sub.2 from the sulfur burner is cooled without increasing the volume of the gaseous mixture.

Abstract: Anhydrous fatty alcohol sulfuric acid or ethoxylated fatty alcohol sulfuric acid is neutralized with dry sodium carbonate powder in the presence of powdered sodium tripolyphosphate in a high shear mixer. The dry, powdered, neutralized reaction product is stored until required for use in the manufacture of a detergent bar whereupon the powder is mixed with liquid ingredients for the detergent bar and subjected to conventional manufacturing steps for a detergent bar. Other dry, powdered ingredients for the detergent bar may be introduced at the high shear mixer.

Abstract: Anhydrous fatty alcohol sulfuric acid or ethoxylated fatty alcohol sulfuric acid is neutralized with dry sodium carbonate powder in the presence of powdered sodium tripolyphosphate in a high shear mixer. The dry, powdered, neutralized reaction product is stored until required for use in the manufacture of a detergent bar whereupon the powder is mixed with liquid ingredients for the detergent bar and subjected to conventional manufacturing steps for a detergent bar. Other dry, powdered ingredients for the detergent bar may be introduced at the high shear mixer.

Abstract: A first slurry containing alkyl benzene sulfonate is spray-dried to form dry, powdery particles which are introduced into a rotary drum mixer along with dry, powdery particles of other detergent ingredients. The dry, powdery particles are lifted and dropped in the mixer to form a descending curtain into which is sprayed a second slurry containing alpha olefin sulfonate, thereby agglomerating the ingredients into composite particles, each of which contains all the ingredients introduced into the mixer.

Abstract: An organic reactant is sulfonated by injecting it into a stream of gas comprising sulfur trioxide, at a venturi, and the resulting reaction mixture is quenched with a stream of cooled, recycled reaction product immediately downstream of the venturi in a conduit in which particles of reaction mixture are agglomerated into a film of the recycle stream and in which additional sulfonation reaction occurs.

Abstract: A relatively large amount of SO.sub.2 effluent gas from a sulfonation process is converted to SO.sub.3 and recycled back to the sulfonation process as part of the SO.sub.3 sulfonating agent. The rest of the SO.sub.3 used as the sulfonating agent is derived from a sulfur burner located downstream of the sulfonation operation and in the recycle path of the SO.sub.2 in the effluent gas. Hydrocarbons in the effluent gas are converted to CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 O in the sulfur burner. The H.sub.2 O and SO.sub.3 are removed from the gas stream at an SO.sub.3 absorber which forms rich oleum from which the SO.sub.3 is subsequently removed for use in the sulfonation operation, leaving lean oleum which is used at the SO.sub.3 absorber to remove H.sub.2 O and SO.sub.3 from the gas stream. Gases leaving the SO.sub.3 absorber include some SO.sub.3 and are passed through an H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 absorber along with water and lean oleum to produce concentrated H.sub.2 SO.sub.4.

Abstract: A scrubbing system including scrubbers having straight through or direct line gas flow, with steam pretreatment of the gases supplied to the scrubber. The scrubbing solution may be recycled. Where steam is present in the process, the effluent gas is partially recycled to the process upstream of the scrubber to maintain a predetermined level of steam moisture in the gases entering the scrubber.