Abstract: The apparatus and method of the present invention relates use a dry atmosphere in the component storage portion of the surface mount device placement machine. The dry atmosphere provides the benefit of eliminating the baking process and other moisture management issues. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a component placement machine for placing components on printed circuit boards includes a component storage area, a component placement system for taking components from the component storage area and placing the components on the printed circuit boards, an enclosure surrounding the component storage area, and a dry gas delivery system for delivery of a dry gas to the storage area to prevent moisture from being absorbed by the components.

Abstract: A filter-less regulator is implemented for use in fluid flow systems that process low concentration reactive gases. The regulator includes an inlet, an outlet and a fluid flow path defined between the inlet and outlet by internal surfaces of the housing. The regulator further includes a pressure regulating section to reduce the pressure of a reactive gas flowing through the regulator between the housing inlet and the housing outlet. The internal surfaces of the housing are formed of a suitable material and the combined area of the internal surfaces is sufficiently sized to facilitate use of the regulator in the system without prior passivation for reactive gases at low concentrations (e.g., in the range of about 10 ppm or lower) while minimizing or substantially preventing significant loss of the reactive gas due to reaction and/or adsorption within the regulator.

Abstract: A process for burning a sulfur-containing fuel to produce a flue gas. The process includes introducing a sulfur-containing fuel into a combustion chamber, introducing an oxidant stream into the combustion chamber and mixing it with the sulfur-containing fuel to define a combustion zone, and introducing potassium carbonate into the combustion chamber. The sulfur-containing fuel is burned to produce the flue gas and potassium sulfate.

Abstract: An improved process for burning solid fuel particles in a combustion chamber and creating a flue gas is disclosed. The method comprises creating a fuel gas stream by mixing the solid fuel particles with a conveying gas, transporting the fuel gas stream through a fuel duct terminating at the combustion chamber at a fuel exit plane and injecting an oxygen stream through an injection device into said fuel gas at an oxygen injection location selected to create a mixing zone to mix the oxygen stream and the fuel gas stream immediately prior to or coincident with combustion of the fuel. Operating parameters of the process can be varied to optimally reduce NOx emissions.

Abstract: An air separation unit separates air into an oxygen-rich and oxygen-deficient gas. Fuel gas and the oxygen-rich gas are preheated at heat exchangers through which hot flue gas flows. Combustion of the preheated fuel and oxygen-rich gases result in the hot flue gas. The hot flue gas is cooled at the heat exchangers and flows through a waste heat boiler. Water and/or steam flowing through the waste heat boiler absorbs energy from the cooled flue gas thereby producing heated steam. The heated steam flows through a turbine to produce power. The power is transferred to the air separation unit, thus reducing a power requirement of the air separation unit needed to separate the air.

Abstract: Carbon dioxide may be used to adjust the electrical properties of papermaking compositions. Such papermaking compositions may contain a colloid phase, an aqueous phase, and optionally, pulp fibers. Examples of electrical properties whose values may be adjusted include zeta potential, electrical charge demand, conductivity, and streaming potential. The carbon dioxide may be introduced at many different points in a papermaking process, including calcium carbonate slurry feeds, pulp fiber slurries, diluted pulp fibers slurries, broke, and whitewater. When a value or range of values based upon an electrical property is predetermined, such as an optimal value or range, introduction of carbon dioxide may be used to adjust the value such that it is closer to the predetermined value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring the flue gases of a furnace combustion process is disclosed. A by-pass circuit that communicates a sample of flue gases to be monitored from a furnace, through a measurement chamber and back to the furnace or furnace exhaust duct is provided. The by-pass circuit has a gas sampling probe with a fume inlet opening, the probe being positioned for withdrawing the sample to be monitored and transmitting it through the by-pass circuit. A measurement device is positioned in the measurement chamber and comprises an in situ optical device which provides real-time measurement of targeted flue gas species concentrations.

Abstract: A microstructured electrode coupled with an analytical method designed to simulate the actual conditions on the wafer and to measure critical parameters such as mass transfer of the active plating components, deposition rates of the copper in the plating bath solutions, and/or additive concentration is disclosed. Thus, an offline method for process control is provided. Additionally, the electrode and method can be incorporated into a copper interconnect bath tool or copper interconnect bath distribution system for online control of the process chemistry. The microstructured electrode design consists of a patterned electrode surface that simulates the dimensions of the interconnects and vias. The analytical method can be any type of method that allows diffusion or kinetic information to be obtained, such as electrochemical impedance, electrochemical noise, and other voltammetric or galvanostatic methods.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for combustion of a hydrocarbon fuel in a combustion chamber of a furnace or boiler are presented, the combustion normally using only air as an oxidant, part of the air entering the combustion chamber through one or more burners, and a remaining portion of air entering the combustion chamber at a plurality of locations downstream of the burners. The methods comprise injecting oxygen-enriched gas through a plurality of lances into the combustion chamber at a plurality of downstream locations, the oxygen-enriched gas injected at a velocity ranging from subsonic to supersonic, and the oxygen-enriched gas being present in an amount sufficient to provide an oxygen concentration of no more than 2% on a volume basis greater than when air is used alone as oxidant.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for simultaneous detection of N gas species through laser radiation attenuation techniques is disclosed. Each of the N species has a spectral absorption band. N laser sources operate at a wavelength ?N in a spectral absorption band separated by the cutoff wavelength for single-mode transmission. Each laser source corresponds to a gas species and transmits radiation through an optical fiber constructed and arranged to provide single-mode transmission with minimal power loss.

Abstract: Use of a nebulizer add-gas to reduce metal deposition on the sampling orifices of an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (“ICP-MS”) is disclosed. Specifically, dilute mixtures of Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6) in an inert gas have been used to reduce transition metal deposition on the sampling orifices of an ICP-MS, thereby greatly enhancing the stability of the ICP-MS sensitivity over time without corroding the internal parts and/or chemically attacking the cones of the ICP-MS.

Abstract: A steam-generating combustion system includes an oxygen enriched gas provided as at least part of an oxidant stream. A combustion chamber receives and combusts a fuel in the oxidant stream and generate steam. The combustion chamber generates flue gas having a flue gas volume which is smaller than a volume of flue gas generated by the combustion chamber when operated with air as the oxidant stream. A flue gas pollutant control system receives the flue gas from the combustion chamber and reduces at least one of particulate matter, SOx, NOx, and mercury. The reduction in flue gas volume allows the implementation of much smaller pollutant control equipment, since the size of the pollutant control units is mainly based on the volume or mass flow rate of flue gas to be treated. Moreover, the system including oxygen-enriched gas in the oxidant will lead to concentrated levels of the pollutants in the flue gas.

Abstract: An injection lance for injecting a fluid over a predefined target area within a system includes a support block with an inlet side and an outlet side. A plurality of channels are disposed non-parallel with respect to each other within the support block and extend between the inlet and outlet sides of the support block so as to receive fluid at the inlet side and deliver fluid through the support block for injection from the outlet side of the support block over the target area. At least two channels extend from the inlet side toward the outlet side in a direction away from a central axis of the support block, where the central axis intersects the outlet side. The target area includes a plurality of consecutively aligned sectors, and the channels are oriented within the support block so that a central axis of a fluid stream injected from each channel over the target area is centered between longitudinal boundaries defined by a respective sector.

Abstract: Apparatus and processes are presented to contact a dry, preferably high purity inert gas with a chemical composition in a pressure vessel, or a wetting composition, to form a wet inert gas, which is then used to pressurize the chemical composition out of the pressure vessel. No additional space is needed for an external humidifier. Since a very small amount of vapor is needed to form a wet inert gas, the composition of chemical composition will not be significantly affected.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for lancing gas into an environment, such as a furnace, wherein an inner conduit is in communication with a gas supply and adapted to transport a gas at a first mass flow rate, and an outer conduit is in communication with a gas supply and adapted to transport a gas at a second mass flow rate. The first mass flow rate is greater than the second mass flow rate, preferably at least two times greater. The distal end of the inner conduit is preferably recessed back at a distance from the distal end of the outer conduit.

Abstract: Provided is a novel chamber effluent monitoring system. The system comprises a chamber having an exhaust line connected thereto. The exhaust line includes a sample region, wherein substantially all of a chamber effluent also passes through the sample region. The system further comprises an absorption spectroscopy measurement system for detecting a gas phase molecular species. The measurement system comprises a light source and a main detector in optical communication with the sample region through one or more light transmissive window. The light source directs a light beam into the sample region through one of the one or more light transmissive window. The light beam passes through the sample region and exits the sample region through one of the one or more light transmissive window. The main detector responds to the light beam exiting the sample region.

Abstract: The apparatus and method of the present invention relates use a dry atmosphere in the component storage portion of the surface mount device placement machine. The dry atmosphere provides the benefit of eliminating the baking process and other moisture management issues. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a component placement machine for placing components on printed circuit boards includes a component storage area, a component placement system for taking components from the component storage area and placing the components on the printed circuit boards, an enclosure surrounding the component storage area, and a dry gas delivery system for delivery of a dry gas to the storage area to prevent moisture from being absorbed by the components.

Abstract: Methods of converting a sulfide in a composition to polysulfide are described, one method comprising the steps of exposing the composition to conditions and for a time sufficient to cause conversion of at least a portion of the sulfide, to polysulfide to form a modified composition; and controlling the conversion to polysulfide by measuring a color parameter of the modified composition.

Abstract: A retrofit technology for air-fuel fired, vertical glass furnace for oxygen firing or boosting to provide additional heat to the process to increase furnace production capacity. The additional firing using oxygen is strategically controlled to enable enhanced radiation from oxygen flame for the spheroidizing process without negative effects on the overall process. With proper implementation, an increased production from 50% to 200%, depending on the size of the spheres, can be achieved while maintaining acceptable product quality. Processes in accordance with the present invention can be performed using one of a number of methods of oxygen boosting.

Abstract: Provided is a process for bleaching pulp with ozone. The process involves preparing a slurry of cellulosic pulp having a consistency in fibers of from 1-5 weight %. Such a low consistency slurry is then mixed with ozone under high shear conditions. The ozone is then maintained in contact with the cellulosic fibers to effect bleaching of the fibers. The present process offers the advantages of bleaching using a low consistency slurry, with the added advantages of employing ozone.