Abstract: A shell and tube apparatus (1) includes an outer shell (2); a first tube bundle (3) and a second tube bundle (4) coaxial with each other; a first inner shell (5) and a second inner shell (6); the first inner shell surrounds the first tube bundle and is arranged between the two tube bundles; the second inner shell surrounds the second tube bundle and is arranged in the space between the second tube bundle and the outer shell (2); the first tube bundle (3) operates as a preheater; the second tube bundle (4) operates as a boiler; the coaxial inner shells (5, 6) define a counterflow path for a hot fluid which passes through the shell side.

Abstract: A process for the catalytic oxidation of ammonia, comprising: passing an ammonia-containing gas, in the presence of oxygen, over a catalyst contained in a reactor, obtaining a process gas containing nitrogen oxides, and cooling said process gas with a heat exchanger accommodated in the reactor, wherein a portion of said process gas, located in the shell side, bypasses the heat exchanger and forms a hot current which mixes with cooled gas downstream the heat exchanger, and the bypass is regulated on the basis of a target outlet temperature of the mixed process gas.

Abstract: Shell and tube apparatus (1) comprising: an outer shell (2); a first tube bundle (3) and a second tube bundle (4) coaxial with each other; a first inner shell (5) and a second inner shell (6); the first inner shell surrounds the first tube bundle and is arranged between said two tube bundles; the second inner shell surrounds the second tube bundle and is arranged in the space between said second tube bundle and the outer shell (2); the first tube bundle (3) operates as a preheater; the second tube bundle (4) operates as a boiler; the coaxial inner shells (5, 6) define a counterflow path for a hot fluid which passes through the shell side.

Abstract: A shell-and-tube apparatus (1), suitable for use as a waste heat boiler, comprising a vessel with an exchanging section (2) and a separating section (3), wherein: said exchanging section (2) contains a bundle of U-tubes (4) fed with an evaporable liquid medium such as water (W) and exposed to a hot gas (G) flowing in a hot chamber around said tubes, so that said medium is partially evaporated in the tubes while recovering heat from hot gas flowing in the hot chamber (7); said separating section (3) comprises a collection chamber (16) in communication with outlet of the tubes (4) to receive the partially evaporated medium leaving the tubes; said separating section (3) is arranged to provide separation of vapour fraction and liquid fraction from the partially evaporated medium at least partially by gravity; the apparatus also comprises means for controlling the liquid level in the collection chamber and for a partial recycle of the non-evaporated liquid.

Abstract: A method is described for forming at least one metal contact on a surface of a semiconductor and a device with at least one metal contact. The method is used for forming at least one metal contact (60) on a surface (11) of a semiconductor (10) and has the steps of: applying a metal layer (20) of palladium onto the semiconductor surface (11), applying a mask (40, 50) onto the metal layer (20), and structuring the palladium of the metal layer (20) using the mask (40, 50), wherein lateral deposits (21) of the metal are formed on sidewalls of the mask by the structuring so that the mask is embedded between the deposits (21) and the structured metal layer (20?) after the structuring. Since the mask is conductive, it can remain embedded in the metal. The deposits and the mask form a part of the contact.

Abstract: Isothermal catalytic reactor (1) comprising a catalytic bed (2) and a tubular heat exchanger immersed in said catalytic bed, wherein the exchanger is formed by straight tubes connected to a distributor (6) and to a header (7) formed by preferably toroidal bodies which support the said tubes, and wherein the catalytic bed is of the type crossed by an inward radial flow.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for forming at least one metal contact on a surface of a semiconductor and a device with at least one metal contact. The method is used for forming at least one metal contact (60) on a surface (11) of a semiconductor (10) and comprises the steps of: applying a metal layer (20) onto the semiconductor surface (11), applying a mask (40, 50) onto the metal layer (20), and structuring at least the metal layer (20) using the mask (40, 50), wherein lateral deposits (21) of the metal are produced on the mask by the structuring so that the mask is embedded between the deposits (21) and the structured metal layer (20?) after the structuring. The method is characterized by a conductive hard mask. Since the mask is conductive, it can remain embedded in the metal. It is not necessary to remove the deposits. The deposits and the mask form a part of the contact.

Abstract: A shell-and-tube apparatus (1), suitable for use as a waste heat boiler, comprising a vessel with an exchanging section (2) and a separating section (3), wherein: said exchanging section (2) contains a bundle of U-tubes (4) fed with an evaporable liquid medium such as water (W) and exposed to a hot gas (G) flowing in a hot chamber around said tubes, so that said medium is partially evaporated in the tubes while recovering heat from hot gas flowing in the hot chamber (7); said separating section (3) comprises a collection chamber (16) in communication with outlet of the tubes (4) to receive the partially evaporated medium leaving the tubes; said separating section (3) is arranged to provide separation of vapour fraction and liquid fraction from the partially evaporated medium at least partially by gravity; the apparatus also comprises means for controlling the liquid level in the collection chamber and for a partial recycle of the non-evaporated liquid.

Abstract: An isothermal chemical reactor (1) comprising an array of radially arranged plate-like heat exchange elements (11) inside a reaction space, each element comprising feeding and collecting ducts and a bundle of parallel tubes (15) defining channels (12) for a heat exchange medium, the tubes (15) having an elongated cross section and being disposed with a variable orientation relative to the radial direction of the reactor, so that inner tubes near the axis of the reactor have the cross-section major axis aligned with said radial direction, and outer tubes have the same axis perpendicular to the radial direction. The preferred structure of a plate-like heat exchange element is also disclosed.

Abstract: An isothermal chemical reactor (1) comprising an array of radially arranged plate-like heat exchange elements (11) inside a reaction space, each element comprising feeding and collecting ducts and a bundle of parallel tubes (15) defining channels (12) for a heat exchange medium, the tubes (15) having an elongated cross section and being disposed with a variable orientation relative to the radial direction of the reactor, so that inner tubes near the axis of the reactor have the cross-section major axis aligned with said radial direction, and outer tubes have the same axis perpendicular to the radial direction. The preferred structure of a plate-like heat exchange element is also disclosed.