Abstract: A reducing agent such as preferably ammonia (NH.sub.3) is blended in a reaction chamber with gaseous products of combustion for the conversion of the nitrogen oxides (NO.sub.x) contained in the products of combustion into innoxious flue gas components. To accelerate the rate of reaction, the reactivity of the reducing agent is increased by the input of energy preferably by radiation of coherent light emitted by a laser. The necessary rate of conversion can thereby be achieved without the use of catalysts associated with undesired side effects.

Abstract: A container handling system is provided for the conveyance of containers from one location to another. The system is able to handle palletized containers and operate as an order picking pallet return system. The manual operations involved in loading and unloading the containers with respect to one apparatus of the system are safeguarded from being conducted incorrectly, thereby enabling accident free use of the system under normal operation.