Abstract: An apparently conventional playing card is invisibly coded so that it can only be read face down, by an electrooptic reading means. The card may be of non-laminated conventional card stock which has a substantially white surface conventionally printed with the identification of the suit and value of the card with inks chosen because they are visible but substantially transparent to wavelengths outside the visible range. The face of the card is coded with indicia inklessly marked across its surface with a compound which absorbs wavelengths (outside the visible range) which wavelengths are used by the reading means to read the indicia. The indicia, invisible to the human eye, correspond to a code which uniquely identifies the card. The card may be laminated from top and base sheets and the code concealed behind the front printed face of the top sheet. The upper surface of the top sheet is imprinted with the face value of the card with the inks described.

Abstract: Raw sewage ("black water" from toilets), wastewater from showers, sinks, kitchen facilities ("grey water") and oily water from the bilge of a host vessel ("oily water"), in combination, unexpectedly provide the essential nutrients for a live mass of mixed microorganisms which are peculiarly well-adapted to ingest the nutrients. To facilitate availability of oxygen to the microorganisms so as to provide growth of the microorganisms, and also, to allow them destroy to themselves, excess oxygen is discharged, in a combination of microbubbles and macrobubbles, into a membrane bioreactor ("MBR"). The mixture of bubbles is preferably generated with coarse (>2 mm) and fine (<20 .mu.m) bubble diffusers. An auxiliary stream, whether alone, or a recirculating stream into which air is drawn, may provide the coarse bubbles. The air is entrained, in a jet aerator or eductor, in a recirculating loop of activated sludge taken from the MBR.

Abstract: The present invention relates to low slope roofing systems, particularly in commercial (as opposed to residential) roofing applications. More specifically, the fastener-free roofing system of the present invention is directed to the use of a curing adhesive composition which will simply and safely secure roofing insulation to a roofing deck without the need for mechanical fasteners.

Abstract: When a dispersion of oxide ceramic particles in certain volatile organic solvents is mixed with less than about 2 percent by weight (based on the weight of particles) of an oligomeric polysiloxanol dispersant, and the dispersion allowed to settle, the oligomer provides a multiplicity of OH groups, many of which are available for interactive bonding to the surfaces of the particles. The net result is that the particles settle more slowly; also, the sediment has a density higher than that of sediment from a dispersion of the same particles in the same solvent mixed with the monomeric silane from which the oligomer was formed. Exceptionally dense and strong "tape", for making sintered circuitized multilayered ceramic structures, is produced by capitalizing on this phenomenon. The effectiveness of the oligomer is predicated upon the prehydrolysis of the siloxane, prior to forming the dispersion.

Abstract: "Thin stillage", discharged from a centrifuge in which relatively large >10 .mu.m insoluble solids in an ethanol stillbottoms stream are separated from "whole stillage", is separated in a step-wise membrane separation process to recover lactic acid and glycerol, together. In each step, the permeate recovery is at least 50%. In a first step, an ultrafiltration (UF) membrane means produces a UF permeate stream in which not only essentially all the insoluble portion of said thin stillage >0.0.05 .mu.m is removed as UF concentrate, but also at least 50% of solubles having a molecular weight >2.times.10.sup.5 Daltons, including dissolved proteins in said thin stillage. In a second step to which the UF permeate is fed, a nanofiltration (NF) membrane produces a NF permeate with a rejection of less than 30% of both the lactic acid and the glycerol, preferably less than 25%. Essentially all molecules larger than lactic acid or glycerol are removed in the NF concentrate.

Abstract: A frameless array unconfined in a modular shell, proves to be a surprisingly effective membrane device for withdrawing permeate from a substrate, the flux through the membranes reaching an essentially constant relatively high value because of the critical deployment of fibers of the array as a skein, arching in a buoyantly swayable generally parabolic configuration within the substrate, above at least one of the array's headers in which the terminal end portions of the fibers are potted. The length of each fiber must be greater than the direct center-to-center distance between the array's pair of headers. For use in a large reservoir, an assembly of the array and a gas distributor means has fibers preferably >0.5 meter long, which together provide a surface area >10 m.sup.2. The terminal end portions of fibers in each header are substantially free from fiber-to-fiber contact.

Abstract: A self-contained, transportable reverse osmosis water purification unit has a limited throughput of no more than about 20 gpm of permeate in a single pass operation with reverse osmosis ("RO") modules which can be cleaned in place. When raw water is particularly fouled, the unit is operated in a double pass operation in which the permeate from the first pass is used as feed for a second RO module. The unit, referred to as a "purification container" "PC" or an ADROWPU because the PC is air-deliverable, comprises an enclosed weather-tight housing having a base on which the major components are removably mounted. For transportability, the PC has the overall dimensions of an ISO container, and is fitted with means to load and unload it on standard carriers. A high pressure pump is required to feed water freed from suspended solids to the RO modules.

Abstract: A process for methylating the N.sup.4 atom of a polysubstituted piperazine or piperazin-2-one ("PSP") is effective despite using a much smaller molar excess of formaldehyde and formic acid than dictated by a conventional Eschweiler-Clarke reaction. Particularly in a complex amine in which the PSP substituent is connected to a triazine ring which in turn may be connected to a N atom of an acyclic polyamine, the molar ratio of NH groups:HCHO:HCOOH is in the range from about 1:1:1 to 1:1.5:1.5, the amount of HCHO and HCOOH being sufficient to methylate at least the >NH groups of said PSP substituent if the complex amine contains terminal --NH groups. The same range of molar ratio is maintained when the total number of NH groups to be methylated includes the terminal --NH groups. The effectiveness of the process is attributed to use of an alkylbenzene solvent in which reaction with only a slight excess of HCHO and HCOOH proceeds apace, and in which solvent the methylated product remains dissolved.

Abstract: A squeeze-casting method is taught for manufacturing metal matrix composites which require little or no finishing operations. This method utilizes a combination of techniques, fundamentals of which are found in the investment casting, die casting and metal matrix composite-making arts. The method comprises, forming a wax pattern around the preform and investing the pattern to form a melt-impermeable shell-mold around it. The shell-mold is dewaxed leaving the preform positioned within it. The shell-mold is heated before it is placed in a die cavity of a conventional die caster for high pressure injection of molten metal. Molten metal is poured into the die cavity and pressurized with sufficient pressure and for long enough to impregnate the preform. The metal encapsulates the shell-mold which allows for equilibrated pressures within said die. The pressure is released and the shell-mold is removed from the die cavity before the molten metal in the shell-mold solidifies.

Abstract: Command-cure compositions especially for use in insulated window assemblies permit the composition to be rendered adhesively bonding at a selected time interval after formation of the assembly to firmly bond opposed surfaces of the assembly; a particular adhesive in strip or tape form comprises an adhesive polymer composition which is transparent to curing radiation especially UV, and curable in the presence of the radiation; the curing is inhibited by oxygen; the composition is solvent free and cures to a mass resistant to water; surfaces of the adhesive exposed to oxygen remain tacky and uncured; the adhesive is especially useful in window structures in which adhesion of the tacky surface excludes the cure-inhibiting oxygen and the tacky surface can be cured by UV radiation passing through the window glass.

Abstract: A module is disclosed for use as a membrane device, comprising, a shell with fluid couplings removably affixed to each of its ends and at least one non-disassemblable cartridge operably held within the shell. The cartridge is constructed from plural wafers sequentially coaxially aligned, each wafer consisting essentially of a generally planar frame and an array of hollow fibers of selectively permeable material adhesively held by their ends in opposed portions of the border of the frame, without potting the ends. Several cartridges may be coaxially "ganged" to provide the required filtration area. The cartridges may be removably disposed in the shell, or secured therein so that the entire module may be discarded when its efficiency is unacceptably low. The wafers are adhesively secured to define a fluid-tight conduit with open ends through which a feedstream is flowed transversely over the fibers. The bores of the fibers are in open fluid communication with the permeate zone in the shell.

Abstract: A tubular membrane module for example for use in ultrafiltration has a tubular shell made of standard PVC pipe provided with moulded PVC end fittings that are secured to the pipe by epoxy resin adhesive. A membrane tube within the shell extends between the end fittings and is secured by a similar adhesive in respective sockets within the end fittings. Each socket has a blind end that receives the end portion of the membrane tube so that the tube is protected from shear effects due to fluid entering the tube under pressure in use.

Abstract: This invention relates to a comb-shaped graft copolymer, to a process for making the comb, and to a polymer blend made with the comb. The comb is made by a free radical polymerization of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer with a macromolecular monomer ("macromer" for brevity) of a haloalkylene oxide ("HAO" for brevity) homopolymer, random or block copolymer. The comb copolymer and blends of the comb with a polymer(s) may be cured. A comb with a terminal acrylyl or methacrylyl group or "head" and pendant polyether chains, which always include some HAO repeating units, may be made in an emulsion or suspension polymerization process which provides a comb having adequately high molecular weight so that the comb may be used in blends. The preferred comb of epichlorohydrin has a (meth)acrylyl head at one end, through which it (the macromer) is polymerizable, and a terminal hydroxyl (OH) group, or an end-capping group derived from the OH group at the other end.

Abstract: A two-step process for the post-chlorination of PVC homopolymer and other predominantly vinyl chloride-containing polymers is disclosed, which process produces chlorinated PVC ("CPVC") containing at least 70% by weight Cl, in a fast, but controllable, aqueous, two-step process catalyzed using an organic peroxide catalyst instead of actinic radiation. Less than 10% excess Cl remains after the second stage, even when 75 wt% Cl CPVC is made. In the first step, an aqueous slurry of PVC is chlorinated in the absence of liquid chlorine and free oxygen, preferably at a starting temperature in the range from about 30.degree. C. to 75.degree. C., in the presence of at least an essentially stoichiometric amount of chlorine required to make the desired Cl content in the end product, and, a catalytic amount of the peroxy catalyst, at least sufficient to produce `first step CPVC` having an intermediate Cl level of chemically bound Cl in the range from 67% to 72% by weight. The temperature is maintained below the T.sub.

Abstract: A essentially solvent-free green sheet (or "card") of fine powder particles of frit held together with an organic binder containing an essentially water-insoluble thermoplastic synthetic resin can be dimensionally stabilized by a process which utilizes the physical interaction of aquathermic stimuli on the green card. The process includes contacting the card with liquid water or moisture-saturated air or inert gas (which gas, like water, has no noticeable chemical action on the organic binder) at a temperature in the range from about the freezing point (0.degree. C.) to about the boiling point of water (100.degree. C.) and drying the card until essentially all the moisture from within the pores of the cards is removed before the cards are circuitized with metallurgy. The green cards which are then essentially free of both moisture and solvent, are allowed to equilibrate at storage temperature for a period of at least about 10 minutes before being processed further.

Abstract: Controlling the linear velocity of melt discharge from the discharge outlets of a melt distribution device so as to essentially negate reverse flow from the walls of the mold has been found to produce less oxides and less surface detects in an ingot, particularly an aluminum ingot. This discharge is controlled from the outset of the casting of an ingot because it has been found most defects occur within the initial phase of a cast. A melt distribution device, referred to as a "bag-in-a-bag", is provided which is a pressureless interiorly partitioned receptacle. The partitioning of the receptacle provides an outer bag and a melt-impermeable inner bag in which a pool of melt collects. The pool is deep enough to submerge the discharge end of a spout, to dissipate the kinetic energy of the incoming melt, and to distribute melt from a central zone to discharge zones on either side of the central zone.

Abstract: Substantially optically clear molding compositions comprising polymerized cycloolefin monomers (e.g., norbornene-type polymers) which, subsequent to polymerization have been hydrogenated are provided. The polymers have a weight average molecular weight of from about 37-47.times.10.sup.3.

Abstract: A system to treat wastewater from a metal-working facility, such as an automotive manufacturing plant in a bioreactor using live microorganisms. Such wastewater contains waste fluids which are a mixture of relatively easily biodegradable fats and oils, much less easily biodegradable synthetic fluids, oils and greases, and non-biodegradable material including inorganic finely divided solids such as metal and silicon carbide particles. Such waste fluids require a hydraulic retention time (HRT) and a solids retention time (SRT) which is 10 times greater than for sewage. High quality water is separated from suspended solids which are removed from the reactor at an essentially constant rate and fed to an ultrafiltration membrane. Concentrate is recycled to the reactor, except for a bleed stream to remove solids periodically.

Abstract: A single lightweight thermoelectric module (TEM) is mounted in a housing in turn mounted centrally atop a helmet to be worn by a worker in a hot atmosphere. The heat abstraction side of the TEM is disposed within the housing, the heat dissipation side dissipates heat to the ambient atmosphere. It has been found that the personal comfort of the worker is surprisingly improved by flowing a very small stream, 3-15 SCFM, of cooled air across only his face if the temperature of the air stream is in the range from about 1.degree. F. to 7.degree. F. cooler than the ambient air. This discovery allowed the air duct carrying cooled air from downstream the heat abstraction side of the TEM to be less than about 1 ft long, presenting substantially insignificant pressure drop of air flowing through the duct. This allows the use of a miniature fan means to blow the air through the housing. Two thermistors sense the temperature of air upstream and downstream, respectively, of the heat abstraction side of the TEM.

Abstract: Excellent color stabilization as well as integrity is obtained in thin film and fibers exposed to bright sunlight at relatively high temperature, in polyolefin (PO) articles pigmented with blue and green phthalocyanine, and red azo and disazo pigments. The pigment is combined with two `large molecule` primary stabilizers, the first a piperidyl-based (PDYL) hindered amine light stabilizer (HALS), and the second, a 3,5-disubstituted-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzoate (3,5-DHBZ). The first contains at least two polysubstituted piperidyl rings in its molecule; the second is a hindered phenol with an ester group in the para- position. Stabilization of the PO's color is obtained for as long as the PO articles themselves are stabilized by the combination of primary stabilizers, typically, their useful life. With the combination, the pigmented articles are not only thermooxidatively and light-stabilized, but there is exceptionally low color fade.