Abstract: A pulsed magnetic procedure and apparatus for measuring wall thickness. It is especially applicable to pipelines. It includes pulsing a magnetic reluctance coil that is located close to the wall, and measuring the inductance of the pulsed coil. Also the distance of the coil from the wall is accurately determined so that the inductance is a measure of the wall thickness.Apparatus may include the combination of an ultrasonic transducer mounted fixed relative to the magnetic pulse coil and arranged so that ultrasonic energy pulses are directed toward the wall. In this manner reflected ultrasonic pulses will provide a measure of the distance. In addition, by proper angle thereof, ultrasonic pulses may also determine the presence of any anomaly.

Abstract: Disclosed is a Process for the recovery of oil from a subterranean oil reservoir by miscible displacement. An initial light hydrocarbon slug is injected into the reservoir at a rate which results in fingering of the hydrocarbon through the reservoir oil to produce a light hydrocarbon-reservoir oil mixture. Thereafter, a predominantly nitrogen containing gas is injected into the reservoir at a rate resulting in a flow velocity which is less than the velocity of the previously injected light hydrocarbon. Injection of the nitrogen containing gas strips the previously injected light hydrocarbon from the oil to form a transition zone of conditional miscibility. The miscible zone is then displaced through the reservoir by injection of a suitable driving agent. By injecting the light hydrocarbon slug, the path length through the reservoir needed to establish the conditionally miscible transition zone at the reservoir conditions of temperature and pressure can be materially decreased.

Abstract: Alcohols may be inhibited against corrosion by addition thereto of a reaction product of a maleic anhydride and certain amines typified by alkyl isopropoxy aminopropyl amines.

Abstract: A hydrogen blistering corrosivity meter includes a cavity filled with a monitoring liquid. A liquid to be tested is separated from the monitoring liquid by a steel membrane. A device, which allows the volume of the measuring liquid to be monitored, is connected to the cavity. Dissolved hydrogen atoms, if any, formed by the test liquid diffuse through the steel membrane and enter the cavity, forming molecular hydrogen and causing an increase in volume in the measuring liquid which corresponds to the rate of corrosion activity.

Abstract: Filter for treating a gas such as the exhaust gas stream from a diesel engine, which exhaust gas often conveys carbon particles into the atmosphere. The treating filter comprises a casing holding a plurality of serially arranged filter beds. The latter are comprised of monolith ceramic discs, and are maintained in spaced apart relationship by spacer rings to define a turbulation chamber between adjacent beds. Said beds are provided with an oxidation catalyst to promote incineration of the retained particles. The beds further serve to reinforce and support a non-rigid filtering media contained within the respective chambers.

Abstract: An improvement for a combination with a fuel injection type internal combustion engine which employs AC type high tension spark that is initiated by the injection valve opening. The improvement includes a gating circuit, and it has means for opening the gate at the beginning of a predetermined crank shaft position. Also, it closes the gate whenever the injection valve has opened, or at the end of a predetermined number of degrees of crank shaft rotation whichever occurs first.

Abstract: A novel fuel composition contains ethanol or gasohol plus, as a wear-inhibiting additive, a quaternary ammonium reaction product of an ether amine (R-O-R").sub.a -NH.sub.3-a, typically C.sub.13 H.sub.27 -O-(CH.sub.2).sub.3 -NH.sub.2 and a phosphate or phosphonate, typically tetradecyl phosphonate.

Abstract: Para-xylene may be separated as front-end product in high purity by contacting charge C-8 aromatic hydrocarbon mixture with NaX-type or LiX-type zeolite in the presence of a pyridine.

Abstract: A method for preparing a lactone reaction product comprising reacting an alkenyl-succinic acid under substantially anhydrous conditions at elevated temperature ranging up to about 100.degree. in the presence of an .alpha. carbon halogen substituted acetic acid. The .alpha. carbon halogen substituted acetic acid may have from one to three halogen substituents and has a pKa of less than 3.

Abstract: Activated agglomerated carbon may be prepared by leaching with a hydrohalic acid followed by displacement of the residual halide with organic carboxylate during subsequent washing with a water-soluble organic carboxylic acid or a water-soluble ammonium salt of an organic carboxylic acid.

Abstract: In the combination of an internal combustion engine which has an electronic ignition system that develops a continuous high-voltage AC type spark signal, there is an improvement which provides for controlling the duration of the spark signals. Such duration control acts to vary the crank angle degrees that are encompassed by the spark duration, which variation is in accordance with an engine parameter. The parameter may be engine load, and the variation control saves spark energy consumed while extending the life of the spark plugs.

Abstract: A paraffin monitor includes a pair of probes which are immersed in a medium having paraffin contained therein. A circuit is connected to the probes which provides an output voltage. The characteristics of the electric circuit changes over a period of time, causing a corresponding change in the voltage output, in accordance with a change in the amount of paraffin on the probes.

Abstract: Reaction of maleic acid anhydride and polyisobutylene to form product polyisobutenyl succinic acid anhydride is effected under controlled conditions whereby tar and sludge formation is minimized.

Abstract: An active alumina composite and a cracking catalyst comprising the composite useful in hydrocarbon conversion processes. The composite and catalyst are particularly useful in fluid catalytic cracking processes, wherein sulfur-containing feedstock is subjected to catalytic conversion at a temperature in the range of about 800.degree. F. to about 1300.degree. F. in the presence of the catalyst which becomes sulfided during the conversion reaction and thereafter the catalyst is subjected to regeneration by burning sulfur-containing coke from the catalyst with an oxygen-containing gas at a temperature within the range of about 800.degree. to 1500.degree. F. The novel catalyst composition comprises 90 to 99 weight percent cracking catalyst and 1 to 10 weight percent of a composite of alumina and bismuth oxides containing 0.05 to 25 weight percent bismuth, calculated as the metal.

Abstract: Apparatus situated in a borehole traversing an earth formation is protected from closing of the borehole by being encased in an inflatable device. Surface equipment inflates and maintains the inflatable device at a sufficient pressure so as to prevent the earth formation from closing in and contacting the apparatus. A pressure sensor senses the maintenance pressure and provides a corresponding signal. An alarm circuit provides an alarm when the pressure decreases below the sufficient maintenance pressure level.

Abstract: The spreadability of marine diesel cylinder oils is improved by the incorporation therein of a polyoxyethylene sorbitol lanolin of the formula: ##STR1## /wherein n ranges from 14 to 16.

Abstract: Alkyl esters, such as ethyl acetate, are prepared by contacting the corresponding next lower carbon number alkyl ester, such as methyl acetate, with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of an iodine or iodide-free catalyst composition comprising a ruthenium-containing compound, a cobalt containing compound and a quaternary phosphonium salt or base, and heating the mixture to an elevated temperature and pressure for sufficient time to produce the desired higher alkyl ester, and then recovering the same from the reaction mixture.

Abstract: A method of testing bottoms of large storage tanks. It involves sealing the outer edges of the bottom plate against gas leakage, followed by feeding a halogen gas to the under side of the bottom plate. Then the top of the bottom plate inside the tank is scanned manually, using a hand-held halogen detector in order to detect any leaks.

Abstract: An improvement for a system used to measure temperature of hot gases that are laden with entrained solids. The system involves use of a pyrometer that is mounted outside of a sight hole through the wall of a vessel containing the laden hot gases. And, the improvement concerns a projecting shelf above the sight hole to divert molten slag in order to keep the sight hole clear. Also there is a sloped recess at the bottom of the sight hole to drain any slag away from the lower portion thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for making wall thickness measurements. It is particularly applicable to pipeline use. It uses a pulse-echo acoustic arrangement with a single piezoelectric transducer sending and receiving acoustic signals from both faces. It has a pair of reflectors, one for each face of the transducer so that acoustic energy is directed both normal to the wall and at an angle in order to simultaneously measure the wall thickness and find any anomaly such as pitting or the like. For pipeline use there may be a plurality of instruments situated around the periphery of a unit to scan the walls as it travels through the pipeline.