Abstract: The invention relates to a method for treating fumes generated during the production, conversion and/or handling of oil-based products and a device for carrying out said method. The invention further relates to the use of the method or device in which the trapping device comprises at least one fluidized bed of granular material in the preparation of a granular material for use in production of road materials.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for treating fumes generated during the production, conversion and/or handling of oil-based products and a device for carrying out said method. The invention further relates to the use of the method or device in which the trapping device comprises at least one fluidised bed of granular material in the preparation of a granular material for use in production of road materials.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the synthesis of "oxo" products or their derivatives consisting of hydrocarbon compounds containing carbonyl and/or hydroxyl groups, characterized in that a hydrocarbon substrate containing an unsaturation, such as an alkene, is reacted with reactants consisting of a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, the reaction taking place after bringing the substrate into contact with the neutral activated species of the mixture of reactants activated to the plasma state.In particular, the present invention relates to a process characterized in that an alkene is reacted to obtain a mixture containing the aldehyde and the alcohol resulting from the fixation on the double bond of the alkene of, respectively, a group ##STR1## or its group ##STR2## obtained by reduction, or only one of these two components by separating it from the mixture.

Abstract: A method of converting natural gas or light alkane(s) into unsaturated hydrocarbons, consisting in providing inside of a reaction space a fluidized bed of particles of a refractory and advantageously catalytic material and feeding a plasma of a hydrogen-containing gas and the natural gas or the light alkane(s) into the bed so that the latter effects the quenching of the reaction medium and catalyses the conversion reaction.

Abstract: A method of cracking heavy hydrocarbons into lighter hydrocarbons consisting in providing an advantageously catalytic bed of particles in a reaction chamber, feeding a bed fluidizing gas with a predetermined flow rate to provide a springing fluidized bed and feeding a plasma jet preferably containing argon into the chamber, the jet being directed towards a determined place of the bed so as to provide a reaction space with at least two reaction zones of different temperatures, the zone of higher temperature being the one where the plasma jet is directed; feeding heavy hydrocarbons into the reaction zone of lower temperature and feeding preferably in the zone of higher temperature at least one light alkane for carrying out the cracking of the heavy hydrocarbons within the fluidized bed, the latter effecting a quenching of the reaction medium and catalysing the cracking and consisting in discharging the products obtained downstream of the zone of lower temperature.

Abstract: Plant for the hydrocracking of a feedstock of high-molecular hydrocarbons comprising a fluidized bed of particles within a chamber, injection tube for injecting a fluidizing gas into the bottom of the chamber, tube reactor means on said container for letting said fluidizing gas escape, and a plasma torch of a gas containing hydrogen, which is suitable for injecting the plasma inside the chamber into the fluidized bed of particles.

Abstract: A substance to be treated is brought into a treatment column (10) and kept in suspension (11) in the latter by the injection (A) of a fluidizing gas into the bottom part of the column.According to the invention, a plasma is injected (D) into the column in at least one direction within a radial plane relative to the column.Preferably, the plasma is produced by high-frequency induction and injected at a pressure of the order of atmospheric pressure, so as not to perturb the fluidization of the bed and so as to permit good interpenetration of the various gas streams.Applications to the synthesis of nitrogen oxides, to the gasification of a carbonaceous substance and to the reduction of ores, as well as to the roasting or drying of materials.

Abstract: Boron is removed from silicon by zone melting purification. A jet of hot plasma obtained by high frequency excitation is directed on a zone of a bar of silicon to be purified. The plasma is formed from a mixture of a plasma-producing gas, such as argon, and an amount of oxygen which is sufficiently low to avoid oxidization of silicon.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of nitrogen oxides (NO and NO.sub.2) by the reaction of nitrogen and oxygen in a plasma furnace.According to this process, a plasma of oxygen and nitrogen is introduced into the reaction chamber of the plasma furnace, whereof the internal surface of the walls is covered with a catalyst chosen from tungsten trioxide (WO.sub.3) and molybdenum trioxide (MoO.sub.3).