Abstract: A gas-liquid separator, adapted for separating liquid and gas in an ebullated bed reactor under operating conditions, is disclosed. The device may be used in the petroleum and chemical processing industries in catalytic reactions of hydrocarbonaceous feedstocks in the presence of hydrogen, at an elevated temperature and pressure, to separate gas and liquid from gas and liquid mixtures within the reactor. The device is generally vertically oriented and may be installed in the flow through pan of an ebullated bed reactor. The device comprises a transfer conduit for transferring a gas-liquid mixture stream from a lower section of an ebullated bed reactor to an upper section of the reactor, a vortex separation section having gas-rich and liquid-rich stream outlets, and a gas-rich stream outlet conduit located on top of and adjacent to the vortex separation section. The transfer conduit includes internal means to produce a spiral flow in the gas-liquid mixture, such as a helical or spiral insert.

Abstract: Various techniques are provided in relation to flocculation and/or dewatering of thick fine tailings, with shear conditioning of flocculated tailings material in accordance with a pre-determined shearing parameter, such as the Camp Number. One example method of treating thick fine tailings including dispersing a flocculant into the thick fine tailings to form a flocculating mixture; shearing the flocculating mixture to increase yield stress and produce a flocculated mixture; shear conditioning the flocculated mixture to decrease the yield stress and break down flocs, the shear conditioning being performed in accordance with the pre-determined shearing parameter to produce conditioned flocculated material within a water release zone where release water separates from the conditioned flocculated material. The conditioned flocculated material can then be subjected to dewatering, for example by depositing, thickening or filtering.

Abstract: Various techniques are provided in relation to flocculation and/or dewatering of thick fine tailings, with shear conditioning of flocculated tailings material in accordance with a pre-determined shearing parameter, such as the Camp Number. One example method of treating thick fine tailings including dispersing a flocculant into the thick fine tailings to form a flocculating mixture; shearing the flocculating mixture to increase yield stress and produce a flocculated mixture; shear conditioning the flocculated mixture to decrease the yield stress and break down flocs, the shear conditioning being performed in accordance with the pre-determined shearing parameter to produce conditioned flocculated material within a water release zone where release water separates from the conditioned flocculated material. The conditioned flocculated material can then be subjected to dewatering, for example by depositing, thickening or filtering.

Abstract: Various techniques are provided in relation to flocculation and/or dewatering of thick fine tailings, with shear conditioning of flocculated tailings material in accordance with a pre-determined shearing parameter, such as the Camp Number. One example method of treating thick fine tailings including dispersing a flocculant into the thick fine tailings to form a flocculating mixture; shearing the flocculating mixture to increase yield stress and produce a flocculated mixture; shear conditioning the flocculated mixture to decrease the yield stress and break down flocs, the shear conditioning being performed in accordance with the pre-determined shearing parameter to produce conditioned flocculated material within a water release zone where release water separates from the conditioned flocculated material. The conditioned flocculated material can then be subjected to dewatering, for example by depositing, thickening or filtering.

Abstract: Various techniques are provided in relation to flocculation and/or dewatering of thick fine tailings, with shear conditioning of flocculated tailings material in accordance with a pre-determined shearing parameter, such as the Camp Number. One example method of treating thick fine tailings including dispersing a flocculant into the thick fine tailings to form a flocculating mixture; shearing the flocculating mixture to increase yield stress and produce a flocculated mixture; shear conditioning the flocculated mixture to decrease the yield stress and break down flocs, the shear conditioning being performed in accordance with the pre-determined shearing parameter to produce conditioned flocculated material within a water release zone where release water separates from the conditioned flocculated material. The conditioned flocculated material can then be subjected to dewatering, for example by depositing, thickening or filtering.

Abstract: Various techniques are provided in relation to flocculation and/or dewatering of thick fine tailings, with shear conditioning of flocculated tailings material in accordance with a pre-determined shearing parameter, such as the Camp Number. One example method of treating thick fine tailings including dispersing a flocculant into the thick fine tailings to form a flocculating mixture; shearing the flocculating mixture to increase yield stress and produce a flocculated mixture; shear conditioning the flocculated mixture to decrease the yield stress and break down flocs, the shear conditioning being performed in accordance with the pre-determined shearing parameter to produce conditioned flocculated material within a water release zone where release water separates from the conditioned flocculated material. The conditioned flocculated material can then be subjected to dewatering, for example by depositing, thickening or filtering.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for conveying a flow of oil-containing liquid into an oil separation skim tank, and a skim tank incorporating such apparatus and methods, are disclosed. One such apparatus includes at least one diffuser, the diffuser defining an intake opening configured to receive the flow of oil-containing liquid and an exhaust opening configured to convey the flow of oil-containing liquid into the skim tank. The diffuser is configured to cause the flow of oil-containing liquid to have a greater horizontal width at the exhaust opening than at the intake opening, while minimizing vertical divergence of the flow at the exhaust opening.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for conveying a flow of oil-containing liquid into an oil separation skim tank, and a skim tank incorporating such apparatus and methods, are disclosed. One such apparatus includes at least one diffuser, the diffuser defining an intake opening configured to receive the flow of oil-containing liquid and an exhaust opening configured to convey the flow of oil-containing liquid into the skim tank. The diffuser is configured to cause the flow of oil-containing liquid to have a greater horizontal width at the exhaust opening than at the intake opening, while minimizing vertical divergence of the flow at the exhaust opening.

Abstract: A tray is provided for positioning objects for digital analysis wherein the objects have two ends defining a length, two edges defining a width and two side surfaces defining a thickness, wherein the tray includes a support surface defined in a plane and having at least one edge pocket adapted to position an object with one of the two edges facing upward for obtaining an image depicting thickness and length of the object, and having at least one side pocket adapted to position an object with one of the two side surfaces facing upward for obtaining an image depicting width and length of the object.

Abstract: In a radiant heating box there is a convection current which flows over the surface of tubes in the box. Adding ribs to the external surface of vertical tubes provides an enhancement to the heat transfer by convection and increases the heat transfer to the tubes.

Abstract: A tray is provided for positioning objects for digital analysis wherein the objects have two ends defining a length, two edges defining a width and two side surfaces defining a thickness, wherein the tray includes a support surface defined in a plane and having at least one edge pocket adapted to position an object with one of the two edges facing upward for obtaining an image depicting thickness and length of the object, and having at least one side pocket adapted to position an object with one of the two side surfaces facing upward for obtaining an image depicting width and length of the object.

Abstract: A method for counting substantially uniformly sized objects includes the steps of obtaining an image of substantially uniformly sized objects; analyzing the image to determine total object area in the image and average object size of the objects; and determining a count of the objects from the total object area and the average object size.

Abstract: A method for counting objects in an image includes the steps of: (a) providing an image including at least one object defined in the image in shades of at least one color; (b) identifying objects in the image having a shade of color which exceeds a threshold shade so as to provide a number of identified objects; (c) evaluating objects of the number of identified objects based upon object criteria to determine whether each object satisfies the criteria and can be counted, or does not satisfy the criteria and is suspect and needs further analysis; (d) repeating steps (b) and (c) for objects which are suspect at shades of color increasingly exceeding the threshold shade until all objects satisfy the criteria; and (e) providing a count of the objects, whereby accuracy of the count is enhanced. Each object is preferably tested for one or more criteria including object size, visibility, color, surface quality and shape.

Abstract: A method for counting objects in an image includes the steps of: (a) providing an image including at least one object defined in the image in shades of at least one color; (b) identifying objects in the image having a shade of color which exceeds a threshold shade so as to provide a number of identified objects; (c) evaluating objects of the number of identified objects based upon object criteria to determine whether each object satisfies the criteria and can be counted, or does not satisfy the criteria and is suspect and needs further analysis; (d) repeating steps (b) and (c) for objects which are suspect at shades of color increasingly exceeding the threshold shade until all objects satisfy the criteria; and (e) providing a count of the objects, whereby accuracy of the count is enhanced. Each object is preferably tested for one or more criteria including object size, visibility, color, surface quality and shape.

Abstract: Radiation-curable coating compositions and inks which have as a component a polymerizable monomer or a mixture of polymerizable monomers, said monomer or monomers being represented by the formula: ##STR1## where Z represents a divalent aromatic, aliphatic or cycloaliphatic radical such as the following: ##STR2## and R is substantially an unsaturated monovalent organic radical of a polyfunctional polyethylenecally unsaturated ester.

Abstract: Radiation-curable vehicles, and compositions containing such vehicles, for use in inks, paints, coatings, or similar compositions, such vehicles being operative without the inclusion of photo-initiators or photo-decomposible materials to accelerate the cure, and comprising condensation products of aldehydes and ketones, and such compositions being substantially free of acrylic or allylic moieties.

Abstract: Radiation-curable coating compositions and inks which have as a component a polymerizable monomer or a mixture of polymerizable monomers, said monomer or monomers being represented by the formula: ##STR1## where Z represents a divalent aromatic, aliphatic or cycloaliphatic radical such as the following: ##STR2## and R is substantially an unsaturated monovalent organic radical of a polyfunctional polyethylenecally unsaturated ester.