Abstract: Hydrophilic glass fibers are formed by coating glass fibers with a blend of an amine-aldehyde with an acrylic. Evaporative cooler pads are produced by coating glass fibers with a blend of an acrylic and an amine-aldehyde during hot melt spinning of the glass fibers into a web, followed by drawing the web to expand the web or mat into a porous pad, and curing the pad to produce a dimensionally stable, hydrophilic, porous, glass fiber pad. Preferably, the glass fibers are coated with a binding/hydrophilic coating formed of a blend of a urea-formaldehyde with an acrylic. A method for cooling air using the hydrophilic, porous, glass fiber pads, and an improved evaporative cooler utilizing hydrophilic, porous, glass fiber pads is disclosed.

Abstract: A distillation-reaction apparatus comprises at least one distillation-reaction zone (G,H) having, on a perforated support (5) permitting the passage of fluids at least one element of type J--container (3b) of volume Vt containing a volume Va of solid catalytic particles--and at least one element of type K--(4) of type K1 and/or (3a) of type K2--the element of type K2 being a container not containing solid catalytic particles, the elements having adequate mechanical characteristics to withstand the loading of the elements in the zone and the perforations of the support being sufficiently small to retain the said elements. The apparatus can be used for performing chemical reactions and the fractionation of the reaction mixture, e.g., for the synthesis of ethers from olefins and alcohols.

Abstract: Packing elements of the Pall ring type having improved resistance to crushing even though made from thinner gauge metal can be obtained by providing attachment means that hold overlapping ends of the ring together and resist deformation.

Abstract: Metal strips are provided which can be bent into the shape of cylindrical packing elements of the Lessing or Pall ring type. These strips have one end bent back at an acute angle to the rest of the strip and have slots cut into the strip in the vicinity of the bend. At the opposed end tabs are provided that engage with the slots when the strip is formed into a cylinder so as to hold the ends together. Such packing elements have a much greater resistance to crushing than conventional elements and can be made of much thinner metal.

Abstract: Mass transfer elements with an essentially four-lobed cylindrical configuration are particularly effective random dumped packing elements for mass transfer towers, providing a combination of high surface area and low pressure drop.

Abstract: In a process for contacting gas and liquid, gas and liquid are simultaneously passed through a layer of irregularly shaped pieces of foamed plastic material having diameters in a range between 1 mm and 50 mm. Since the gas and the liquid are passed through a contact region filled with particles of foamed plastic material, persistence of fine bubbles is increased due to the generation of flow turbulence preferably combined with high pressure. Further, the foamed plastic particles have a low specific weight and is highly durable, it can be used for an extended period of time without losing its processing capability.

Abstract: A reaction-distillation apparatus is provided comprising at least one reaction-distillation zone including at least one bed of solid elements disposed on a fluid-permeable perforated support having perforations small enough to retain the elements wherein the bed of solid elements includes loose solid catalytic particles and at least one receptacle, containing at least one distillation packing body, the external jacket of which is permeable to fluids and the impermeable to the solid catalytic particles and packing body. The apparatus can be used for carrying out chemical reaction and concomitant fractionation of the reaction mixture, for example, to synthesize ethers from olefins and alcohols.

Abstract: A contact body for a cooling tower in which water to be cooled is distributed from the top of the contact body and in which cooling air flows through the contact body in a cross current and/or counter current flow relative to the water flow, is comprised of a plurality of tubular lattice-type plastic bodies that are assembled to form a packaged element such that respective outer mantle surfaces of the tubular plastic bodies contact one another. The tubular plastic bodies are cut to length from a continuously manufactured endless tube that is formed of crossing stays. The cut length of the tubular plastic bodies corresponds to a selected dimension of the contact body, i.e., the height or width of the contact body. The ends of the tubular plastic bodies on at least one side of the packaged element are connected to one another, preferably by fusing.

Abstract: A new tower packing element intended for randomly dumped packed beds. The new tower packing consists essentially of at least two substantially straight legs which are attached tangentially to the ends of an arcuately bent surface. The straight legs contain slots. Tongues either associated with the slots or independent of the slots point away from these substantially straight legs. The arcuately bent portion is free of slots and tongues.

Abstract: A packing for a vessel to contact fluid therein wherein the packing comprises a plurality of insert units, each insert unit comprising a plurality of transversely extending elements disposed longitudinally along the insert unit and angularly thereabout wherein a portion of each transverse element lies in close proximity to a first individual conceptual surface characterized in that the insert units are disposed in side-by-side relationship in a regular manner and the cross-sectional area between adjacent individual conceptual surfaces of adjacent insert units at least at one position longitudinally of the plurality of insert units is no greater than the maximum cross-sectional area within an individual conceptual surface of an insert unit between two adjacent transversely extending elements thereof at any cross-section longitudinally of the plurality of units.

Abstract: A vapor-liquid contacting device comprises: a spherical cage having a movable disk located inside. A weight piece is attached to the disk. The center of gravity of the weight piece is located on the axis of the disk. During the operation of a packed tower, the upward force of the vapor flow will cause the weight piece to seek the lowest position inside the cage, and the disk will end up in the horizontal position. As the liquid falls on the top of the disk, it would be spread and fall around the edge of the disk to form a liquid curtain. As the liquid cascades down the tower, it would be spread laterally and achieve a good liquid distribution and a good vapor-liquid contact.

Abstract: This is a portable effluent gas treating device used on non-active elements of the lead battery. It is composed of an acid-base resistant container and a cover with holes. A sponge-like filler containing alkali liquid is placed inside the container which opening top is connected with the cover and its lower part is provided with a passage communicating with the unit battery box. The present invention not only can eliminate the environment pollution of lead battery effluent gas, but also is convenient to use and to carry.

Abstract: A regular economically producible packing of use in chemical engineering equipment is described. Physico-chemical phenomena in thermal separating and mixing apparatuses in particular are associated with contacts between different phases in cocurrent and countercurrent operation. The important feature of an appropriate packing design is to intensify transverse mixing in the flowing phases and to intensify contact between them. This purpose is served in the packing according to the invention not only by known fan-like vane elements but also by a number of channels rows which are parallel to one another and offset from one another, the effect of such rows being to boost transverse mixing and phase contact of the flowing media, more particularly when the lighter phase flows at elevated speed.

Abstract: A saddle-type random packing element for use in a vapor-liquid tower which packing comprises an arcuate body having generally parallel, upright flanges on either side, the arcuate body having a plurality of alternating, generally parallel, inner and outer arched rib elements extending transversely between the flanges. The method of manufacture of the packing element comprises slitting a flat metal sheet to form rib elements, bending the sheet to form the upright flanges, the arched rib elements and then into the arcuate shape of the packing.

Abstract: An aquarium trickle filter for filtering aquarium water includes a housing. The housing includes an inlet for prefiltered aquarium water and an outlet for filtered aquarium water. Disposed within the housing is a chamber including filter elements. A drip tray having a top surface and edges is disposed adjacent the chamber to form a cover for the chamber. The drip tray top surface includes a plurality of grooves which include a plurality of apertures for allowing prefiltered aquarium water to enter the chamber and be uniformly dispersed over the filter elements. A channel is disposed adjacent to the chamber and in fluid communication with an aquarium. The channel is further disposed adjacent to a side wall of the housing. The channel includes an inlet and an outlet. Structure is disposed adjacent to the channel outlet for directing prefiltered aquarium water from the channel to the edges of the drip tray.

Abstract: A cryogenic distillation system employing a multisection column wherein structure packing of different packing density is employed in at least two sections of the column.

Abstract: A non-welded plate for supporting packing materials or limiting the upward movement of such packing materials in a packed column of a gas and liquid contacting apparatus is comprised of a plurality of first and second support beams. The first support beams have means for fastening to internal support members of the apparatus affixed thereon. The first and second support beams are essentially perpendicular to each other and are attached together by retaining means, such as a pin. Voids between the support beams may be covered with screen to provide further support or limitation.

Abstract: A packing element for enhancing contact between a fluid having a predominant direction of flow and a second fluid, including: a plurality of layers, each layer having a generally flat portion disposed generally in a plane aligned with the direction of flow and having a plurality of fluid deflection surfaces that project from the plane, the deflection surfaces being oriented obliquely to the direction of flow in a manner selected to impart to different portions of liquid flowing on one side of the layer different components of momentum at different angles to the direction of flow, and to cause those different fluid portions to meet on that side of the layer in a region of the flat portion with a tendency to cancel the momentum components; the deflection surface on each layer are arranged to cause portions of the liquid flowing on one side of each layer to be transferred to another side of that layer and mixed with fluid flowing on the other side; and the layers are disposed adjacent to each other so that some

Abstract: A packing element having a cylindrical outer cover (11) with at least one guiding surface (16, 20, 21) of holohedral construction and dividing the outer cover (11) into several subspaces (19). The outer cover (11) has web ribs (12), running in the longitudinal direction of the cover, and annular ribs (13), running perpendicularly to the web ribs, thus forming approximately square net openings (14).

Abstract: This invention relates to a process and reactor system suitable for biological treatment of wastewaters or for other applications wherein effective and intimate contact between biological populations attached to a fixed surface and liquid born chemicals and gaseous atmospheres is required. The reactor includes a sealed housing generally having a plurality of independent-vertical chambers, each open at the top and bottom and each filled with high surface-area packing and disposed annularly around a central-vertical chamber. The central vertical chamber is also open at the top and bottom, but free of packing. The bottom of the central chamber is in communication with the bottom of each of the independent-annular columns by means of a bottom-freeboard chamber. The top of the central-vertical chamber is also in communication with the top of each independent-vertical chamber by means of a top-freeboard chamber created by setting the liquid level in the reactor at a position above the top of all vertical chambers.

Abstract: A tower packing cartridge is formed of strips of fabric-like material placed in face-to-face contact such that the planes of the strips are parallel to the general flow direction through the cartridge. The fabric-like material is formed of generally straight, relatively stiff strands of mono-filament material, arranged in a repeating pattern which is preferably generally triangular in cross section in both directions. The construction provides a substantially non-nestable structure when strips are placed in face-to-face contact, such that the cartridge has an extremely high void fraction. The fabric-like material, in itself known, when assembled in this manner, achieves unique and surprising results in relation to exceptional uniformity of flow distribution across the entire face of the cartridge while at the same time maintaining extremely high void fraction to keep energy losses at a minimum during operation.

Abstract: An evaporative cooler pad has opposing faces and is formed from a substantially noncompressible batt of substantially uniformly distributed natural cellulosic lightweight elongate segments such as aspen wood shavings. The segments are oriented in generally horizontal planes and extend in various directions with respect to each other to form interconnecting interstices and passageways throughout the pad. A preformed hydrophilic foam directly coats substantially all the surfaces of the individual segments. The coating is substantially less than the thickness of the segments so as to increase the cross-section of the segments without interconnecting the segments to each other and without bridging between the segments so that the interstices and passageways throughout the batt remain substantially intact. The foam has a minute cellular structure so that when contacted by water, the foam serves to wick the water along the surfaces of the pad and significantly increase the evaporative efficiency of the pad.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fume purification system used in conjunction with food cooking equipment. The fumes which are generated during cooking pass through a plurality of filter balls washed by an oxidizing liquid which removes the greasy contaminants from the said fumes. A cooling coil is also used in conjunction with the filter balls to accelerate the condensation of the fumes. If required, a charcoal filter is placed before the purified air is returned to the atmosphere or recirculated in the system.

Abstract: Solids plugging problems are often encountered during liquid-gas containing operations using a packed tower contactor. The invention alleviates or avoids such problems by providing a novel packing support grid characterized by a large total open area and large individual openings. The grid comprises vertically spaced upper and lower sets of laterally spaced bars. The vertical and lateral spacings are selected with respect to the size of the packing elements so that the packing elements cannot drop through the grid but at the same time the total open area of the grid is very large.

Abstract: A spherical packing element for biological film processes which is formed of a flat circular base plate having a central, throughgoing opening therein, a flat and imperforate disk reinforcing plate extending along the opening and lying in a plane perpendicular to the base plate and a plurality of spaced apart, imperforate and mutually parallel circular lamellae perpendicular to both plates, traversing the opening, and spaced apart in the direction of the diameter. The packing element has a surface area of at least 250 m.sup.2 /m.sup.3, and wall thickness of the plates and lamellae are 0.1-2 mm.

Abstract: A disposable cooler pad apparatus and method for use in evaporative cooler units requiring yearly maintenance to maintain maximum cooling performance. The apparatus consists of an integrally molded frame assembly having a least one STYROFOAM panel having a plurality of angled louvers and a wood fiber, or the like, evaporative cooler pad lining positioned adjacent each other and between outer and inner frame members. The molded evaporative cooler pad apparatus is designed to be a replacement assembly for the cooler pad assemblies factory provided on evaporative cooler units. The low cost nature of the design and manufacture of the integrally molded cooler pad apparatus renders the entire apparatus disposable at time of maintenance.

Abstract: A fixing carrier for fixing an activated sludge employed in a sewage or waste-water treatment in whicha clay, containing kaolinite minerals, of from 10 to 40 parts by weight and a foaming agent of from 5 to 20 parts by weight are blended with a granulated blast furnace slag of from 60 to 90 parts by weight in the presence of water to prepare a wet mixture which is kneaded and shaped into a shaped mixture; andsaid shaped mixture is baked at a baking temperature of less than 950.degree. C. at maximum, with the proviso that each of a heat-up time required of said shaped mixture to reach said baking temperature for producing a baked product and a heat-down time required of said baked product to reach a temperature of up to 100.degree. C. is about one hour.

Abstract: A fixing carrier for fixing an activated sludge employed in a sewage or waste-water treatment in which:a clay, containing kaolinite minerals, of from 10 to 40 parts by weight and a foaming agent of from 5 to 20 parts by weight are blended with a granulated blast furnace slag of from 60 to 90 parts by weight in the presence of water to prepare a wet mixture which is kneaded and shaped into a shaped mixture; andsaid shaped mixture is baked at a baking temperature of less than 950.degree. C. at maximum, with the proviso that each of a heat-up time required of said shaped mixture to reach said baking temperature for producing a baked product and a heat-down time required of said baked product to reach a temperature of up to 100.degree. C. is about one hour.

Abstract: A support for randomly dumped packings in a gas-liquid contact tower, such as a distillation tower. The support may be horizontal grid,-through the openings of which vertical rods are integrally secured, serving as stilts to directly support, on their top ends, the packings so as to eliminate blocking of air or liquid passage through the support. The rods may be solid or tubular and in some cases may also extend downwardly of the grid terminating in a pointed lower end to serve as drip points. The grid may be of various shapes.

Abstract: A packing element comprising a peripheral sidewall defining an interior space having a central, longitudinal axis; a plurality of holes in the sidewall each having at least two sides, slanted relative to the axis; and a flap extending from at least one of the slanted sides of each of the holes inwardly into the space.

Abstract: A refrigerant recovery device comprises a pressure vessel filled with packings, such as Berl saddles, that provide a large surface area for mass transfer. The vessel is partly filled with a refrigeration-quality oil. The pressure vessel is mounted on a stand and pivoted so that it can easily be inverted periodically for coating the packing material with the oil. A flexible hose connects the vessel with a refrigeration or air conditioning unit, and a shut off valve is provided as is a check valve which prevents out flow of oil from the vessel. The oil in the vessel absorbs the refrigerant, and causes its partial pressure in the vessel to be reduced, so that refrigerant vapor flows from the refrigeration or air conditioning unit into the vessel. After the refrigerant has been absorbed, the valve can be closed, and the vessel returned to a central site for reclamation.

Abstract: A direct-contact type hot water heater includes a perforated plate having a slope allowing water to flow down from its top apex toward its lower surroundings along both or all sides of the slope in the form of a water film. The perforated plate is provided with a number of apertures capable of forming the water film by surface tension. An endothermic material is arranged in a state where it does not project from the lower surface of the perforated plate.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating gaseous bubbles in a liquid body comprises a bubble chamber for mixing a pressurized gas with a liquid at a pressure greater than atmospheric and a fine injector tip for releasing the pressurized gas-liquid mixture from the bubble chamber under a high tip velocity and shear. The apparatus is adapted for supplying bubbles to a flotation column for the treatment of mineral ore materials.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for oxygenating water in an aquaculture system without adding nitrogen or other possibly harmful gases. A columnar housing floats in the aquaculture pond on a float ring with a submersible pump immersed in the pond. The pump draws in water and pumps it to the top of an oxygenation chamber which is packed with a surface expansion medium. The oxygenation chamber is filled with oxygen which is transferred to the water falling through the chamber. The oxygenated water is returned to the pond through outlet ports at the bottom of the oxygenation chamber. A cover on the column can be removed at times to allow infiltration of air for aeration of the water.

Abstract: A support device for supporting a packing material in a packed column having an upwardly flowing gas and a downwardly flowing liquid. The device comprises a plate having a plurality of formations. Each formation comprises spaced side walls connected by an upper wall, with apertures being provided in the side walls to permit the flow of the gas therethrough. A collecting channel is provided on at least one of the formations to collect the downwardly flowing liquid. The formations have a plural-skin construction to reduce the amount of liquid flowing through the apertures. The formations are provided with streamlining in order to improve the efficiency of gas flow.

Abstract: Apparatus for treating fluids flowing at high velocity, for mass and heat transfer, for gas-liquid contacting and for contaminant particulate, mist or fume separation, including a plurality of perforated or unperforated cylinders arrayed staggered in rows perpendicular to the direction of flow of the fluid. The elements are spatially separated from each other. Diagonal by-pass flow through the array is blocked by a partition extending from each element generally parallel to the direction of flow of fluid bisecting the space between a pair of elements of an adjacent row with the elements of the pair symmetrically spaced with respect to the partition.Also, a method of removing contaminants from gas by passing the gas through this array between and injecting a liquid into the array. Capture of the contaminants by the drops is effected because of the difference in acceleration of each as the contaminated gas passes in and out of the gap between each cylinder and its adjacent partitions.

Abstract: An expanded metal random packing for use in gas-liquid or liquid-liquid contact devices, which packing comprises: a longitudinal strip of expanded metal characterized by a plurality of generally uniformly disposed and defined spaces, the spaces defined by a plurality of struts hav ing a one and an other end, and the ends of said longitudinal strip disposed inwardly about a vertical axis to form a partial or fully enclosed body of an expanded metal random packing.

Abstract: This invention is a packing for use in a packed tower. The packing has four axes and six webs and is symmetrical around each axes. The packing is of a geometrical configuration that with one of the axes pointing downwardly and the other three axes pointing upwardly and above the downwardly pointing axes the fluid can flow towards the center of the packing into an opening at its center. In the configuration with the three axes pointing downwardly and the one axis pointing upwardly the fluid is directed away from the center of the packing and flows off of the webs. With this geometrical configuration the flow of the fluid is evenly distributed throughout the packed bed.

Abstract: A method and manufacturing blank for the production of high performance substantially symmetrical open volumed packing bodies is disclosed comprising the steps of forming a blank from sheet material, the blank comprising a plurality of generally identical plates interconnected in linear series by ribbon members coupling adjacent plates and defining a median strip, shaping the plates into troughs having longitudinal axes oriented perpendicularly to the median strip, and bending the median strip to bring the longitudinal axes into close proximity with one another to form an open volumed packing body having a central core defined by the aligned bores.

Abstract: A filling or packing body has an annular cell structure. All walls surrounding each cell are normal to the main plane along which the annular structure extends. Dividing walls between the cells transverse to an outer wall closed upon itself are parallel with each other at least for a row of adjacent cells or for all of them. The ring constituted by the row of cells having the outer wall in common can be of round, in particular of circular or elliptic configuration, or its configuration can be polygonal, especially triangular. The height of the cell walls, normal to the main plane, can be constant or it can be higher at the center than at the periphery of the ring structure.

Abstract: A crossflow reactor and operating technique provides a porous body of contact solids, such as a fixed catalyst bed, contained in a sloping configuration. Liquid, such as hydrocarbon oil, to be treated is applied to the bed surface and flows by gravity through the porous solid. Reactant gas flows transverse to the liquid, providing a horizontal component to the liquid to improve contact efficiency.

Abstract: A gas injector element for use in a mixing apparatus having a plurality of mixing elements, where the injector element is airfoil-shaped and is installed adjacent to the first of the plurality of mixing elements. The airfoil-shaped injector is fabricated from a metal or other suitable material having a porosity within a range of 0.5 to 100 or more microns, such that fluid injected into the mixing conduit through the injector will be released from the injector and will immediately contact material flowing through the conduit without the undesirable result of bubbles of the fluid or gas flowing from the injector coalescing with larger bubbles resulting in ineffective mixing of the gas with the material in the mixer.

Abstract: An efficient, low operating cost evaporative air conditioner is disclosed. Low cost cooling is achieved without increasing the relative humidity of the air being cooled. The air conditioner includes a plurality of hollow heat exchange tubes through which is forced the air to be cooled. The exteriors of the heat exchange tubes, and thus the air passing through the tubes, is cooled by evaporative cooling. The evaporative cooling can be effected, for example, by blowing moist air across the exteriors of the tubes.

Abstract: An improved packing body for use in packed columns which is formed of a longitudinally extending central core from which a plurality of web members generally radially extend. The web members are in substantially axial alignment with the core and are formed of a plurality of open cellular units. The packing body provides a maximal amount of wettable surface area and drip formation points with a minimum of obstruction to fluid flow within a packed column.

Abstract: A cooling tower is formed from fiberglass reinforced polyester resin structural components including a basin, vertically extending columns, vertical side panels, and a cover. The fill material for heat/mass exchange is supported directly by the basin to eliminate the weight of a separate support system and to reduce the load on the columns and panels. A fan is mounted on the cover, and the weight of the fan is supported by the cover and the columns. The panels do not have to support the weight of the cover and the fan, and the panels can be formed of relatively thin, lightweight material. The columns do not have to support the weight of the fill material and can also be relatively lightweight.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to the art of gas humidification and more particularly to an improved apparatus for humidifying a gas.

Abstract: Metal vapor-liquid contact plates disposed in face-to-face contact with respective corrugations inclined to the horizontal across an open notional plane. The metal packing is disposed within a vapor-liquid contact column for the purpose of bringing about mass and heat transfer between liquid and vapor passing in opposite directions therethrough. The body portion of each metal plate comprises metal that has been slitted to provide both surfaces thereof with a very large number of apertures with little wasted material. The metal lands defining the apertures are, moreover, twisted and angulated. The apertures in the plates also trap liquid and expose it to the vapor stream on both sides of the metal affording self-spreading of the liquid and turbulent vapor flow therethrough. In this manner, the assembly affords optimal pressure drop characteristics, surface to vapor passage area ratio, and vapor-liquid distribution characteristics.

Abstract: A packing unit having a set of deflectors within a cage for deflecting each of two fluids moving through the unit, the deflectors being arranged so that in any image of the unit formed by parallel rays projected onto a plane, regardless of how the unit is oriented with respect to the plane, at least half of the area enclosed by the perimeter of the image will be a shaded area, no more than 35% of the shaded area being produced by surfaces of said deflectors oriented at more than 60.degree. to said rays.

Abstract: Apparatus for treating fluids flowing at high velocity, for mass and heat transfer, for gas-liquid contacting and for contaminant particulate, mist or fume separation, including a plurality of perforated or unperforated cylinders arrayed staggered in rows perpendicular to the direction of flow of the fluid. The elements are spatially separated from each other. Diagonal by-pass flow through the array is blocked by a partition extending from each element generally parallel to the direction of flow of fluid bisecting the space between a pair of elements of an adjacent row with the elements of the pair symmetrically spaced with respect to the partition.Also, a method of removing contaminants from gas by passing the gas through this array between and injecting a liquid into the array. Capture of the contaminants by the drops is effected because of the difference in acceleration of each as the contaminated gas passes in and out of the gap between each cylinder and its adjacent partitions.

Abstract: System and method for removing volatile organic compounds from water are described which comprise a substantially closed housing, a column of fluid permeable extended surface packing disposed between a pair of screens within said housing and extending substantially from the top to the bottom thereof, the packing and housing defining therebetween first and second diametrically oppositely disposed chambers (air plenums) extending generally from top to bottom of the housing, a liquid inlet and air outlet at the top of the housing and a liquid outlet and air inlet at the bottom of the housing for flowing water generally downwardly through the packing and for passing air generally upwardly through the first and second chambers within the housing, and a plurality of baffles with the housing dividing the first and second chambers into a plurality of stages for directing the generally upward flow of air in a crisscross fashion through the packing and generally perpendicularly to the generally downwardly flow of water