Abstract: A heat integrated distillation column including a cylindrical shell having an upper and a lower end and at least one first inner volume and at least one second inner volume in the shell, and being in heat exchanging contact with each other through a wall separating the volumes. The heat integrated distillation column having the capacity to exchange heat through the wall from the first volume into the second volume, whereby the inside of the heat exchanging means is in open connection with the first volume.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for recovering a crystalline material from an aqueous solution, which solution also contains organic contaminants, in which process the material is crystallised from the aqueous solution by freeze crystallising at a eutectic freezing point of the solution.

Abstract: Antenna switches (1,10) in dual-band or multi-band mobile phones are according to a basic idea provided with a serial semiconductor switches (11,21,12,22) per transmitting branch (2,3) and with a further semiconductor switch (13,23) coupled in parallel to a receiving branch (4,5,6), to obtain isolation between branches (2-6) in a simple way. Said semiconductor switches are PIN diodes or MEMS switches or pHEMT switches. Another semiconductor switch (14) coupled in parallel to the receiving branches (4-6) allows together with said further semiconductor (13) the introduction of elements (15,16) without a transmission line. Alternatively, the antenna switch (1,10) may comprise a transmission line (24,25), in which case the receiving branches (4,5,6) can be switched via transistor switches (26,27,28). This all improves isolation, reduces costs, complexity, size and high Radio-Frequency (RF) losses.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a heat integrated distillation column comprising a cylindrical shell having an upper and a lower end and at least one first inner volume and at least one second inner volume in the shell, and being in heat exchanging contact with each other through a wall separating the volumes, the improvement comprising providing means having heat exhanging capacity extending through the wall from the at least one first volume into the at least one second volume, whereby the inside of the the heat exchanging means is in open connection with the said first volume.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating solids from a suspension includes a hollow cylindrical column having a central axis therethrough. The column has an interior with a cross-section, perpendicular to said axis, that is constant along said axis, and that extends from a first end to a second end of the column; one central tube axially disposed in said column and extending from said one end toward said opposite end, said central tube having an outer wall of constant diameter, said cylindrical column and said central tube defining an annular zone between them, extending axially from said first end of the column to at least near said second end of the column; at least one filter in said outer wall of the said central tube, forming the only direct communication between the said annular zone and the interior of the tube and at least one filter in the outer wall.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating solids from a suspension includes a hollow cylindrical column having a central axis therethrough.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for fractionating a liquid mixture ‘L2! containing a low-boiling (most volatile) and high-boiling (least volatile) component, in which use is made of membrane contactors ‘1,2!. The liquis mixture ‘L2! is passed through a liquid channel ‘23,25! of a membrane contactor ‘1,2! whereby a vapor ‘V1,V2! enriched in low-boiling component and a liquid ‘L0,11! enriched in high-boiling component are formed. The invention also relates to a device for carrying out this method, in which a number of membrane contactors are coupled.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for recovering a crystalline material from an aqueous solution, which solution also contains organic contaminants, in which process the material is crystallised from the aqueous solution by freeze crystallising at a eutectic freezing point of the solution.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for the production of sodium carbonate-anhydrate having a bulk density of at least 800 kg/m3, said process comprising: providing a suspension of solid sodium carbonate and/or solid sodium bicarbonate and/or solid double salts at least comprising one of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate, in a mixture containing water and an organic, water miscible or partly water miscible solvent, which solvent influences the transition temperature below which sodium carbonate monohydrate is stable, whereby the type and the amount of solvent is selected in such way that the said transition temperature is below the boiling point of the said mixture of water and an organic, water miscible or partly water miscible solvent, in case sodium bicarbonate is present, converting the bicarbonate into carbonate, crystallising sodium carbonate anhydrate from said mixture at a temperature above the said transition temperature and below the said boiling point, and recovering the sodium carbona