Abstract: Thermal hydrogenation of solids-containing carbonaceous feed materials to produce hydrocarbon gaseous and liquid products is performed in a thermal reaction zone, in which the feed material flows generally downwardly countercurrent to upflowing hydrogen and recycled hydrocarbon liquid. The recycled hydrocarbon liquid is at a rate sufficient to control the settling of solids-containing feed through the reactor, and is obtained from the reaction zone upper end by phase separation from gaseous effluent at reaction conditions. The gaseous effluent material is removed from the thermal reaction zone upper end, and heavy liquid material containing less than about 40 W % solids is withdrawn from the reaction zone bottom end, with both streams being passed to further phase separation and distillation steps for recovery of the hydrocarbon gas and liquid products.

Abstract: A meter system and method for measuring the velocity and metal concentration of a fluid containing a gamma ray absorbing metal isotope flowing in a pipe. The meter system comprises a radioactive source of gamma rays which is oscillated in a direction angled to the fluid flow, an accelerometer device incorporated with the gamma ray source, gamma ray detector means located adjacent a pipe portion for detecting the presence of a metal isotope in the flowing fluid, and an electrical circuit and meter means arranged for measuring and displaying the velocity of the oscillating source of gamma rays when the metal isotope in the flowing fluid is absorbing gamma radiation. If desired, the concentration of gamma ray absorbing isotopes such as iron compounds contained in the flowing fluid can be monitored by a counter means to measure the metal concentration of the fluid, or ash concentration of a flowing coal-derived liquid.

Abstract: This invention discloses a solar heat collector and system in which radiant heat energy is absorbed by an absorber plate and the heat is transferred by conduction to a circulating fluid. During normal operation, heat loss from the solar panel is reduced by covering the upper side of the absorber plate with an inflatable transparent cover, and also covering the rear side of the panel with an insulating material which can be an inflatable insulating bladder.The invention pertains more particularly to a solar heat collector which can be inactivated to avoid it attaining excessive temperatures by deflating the flexible transparent cover and allowing it to settle close to the absorber plate, thereby establishing increased heat transfer by conductive and convective processes from the absorber plate to the environment. The deflated cover permits sufficient heat rejection to prevent the plate from attaining excessive temperatures during its inactive or stagnant operating mode.

Abstract: This invention discloses a solar heat collector and system in which radiant heat energy is absorbed by an absorber plate and the heat is transferred by conduction to a circulating fluid. During normal operation, heat loss from the solar panel is reduced by covering the upper side of the absorber plate with an inflatable transparent cover, and also covering the rear side of the panel with an insulating material which can be an inflatable insulating bladder.The invention pertains more particularly to a solar heat collector which can be inactivated to avoid it attaining excessive temperatures by deflating the flexible transparent cover and allowing it to settle close to the absorber plate, thereby establishing increased heat transfer by conductive and convective processes from the absorber plate to the environment. The deflated cover permits sufficient heat rejection to prevent the plate from attaining excessive temperatures during its inactive or stagnant operating mode.

Abstract: A multiple thermocouple system for rapidly monitoring wall temperatures of a metal vessel and identifying those thermocouples having voltages and temperature readings above a predetermined level. In the system, a number of first metal insulated conductor wires are metal bonded to the metal vessel to provide hot first junctions, and a second conductor utilizes the vessel metal wall as a portion of the conductor together with an additional metal insulated conductor wire connected to the metal wall. The conductors of each thermocouple pair are connected to the terminals of a rapid switching device and subsequently connected by the switching device to a voltage measuring means, which can be a digital readout type millivoltmeter. If desired, the voltage output of each thermocouple pair can be compared by a computer with the voltage output from a conventional dual conductor reference thermocouple attached to the vessel wall to determine temperature deviations.

Abstract: A process for high hydroconversion of heavy hydrocarbon liquid feedstocks such as petroleum residua containing at least about 50 V % material boiling above 975.degree. F. to produce lower boiling hydrocarbon liquid and gas products, wherein heavy RCR materials and metals compounds are removed in-situ from the reactor effluent liquid by solvent vapor extraction using a process-derived solvent vapor at supercritical conditions. In the process, the feedstock is catalytically hydroconverted at 780.degree.-860.degree. F. temperature, and the resulting liquid fraction is contacted with a process-derived solvent vapor fraction having a normal boiling range of 250.degree.-400.degree. F. and heated to supercritical temperature to dissolve and extract substantially all the hydrocarbon liquid fractions, and separate heavy RCR materials and the metals compounds contained therein.

Abstract: A process for catalytic hydroconversion of heavy petroleum feedstocks containing preasphaltenes to produce lower-boiling hydrocarbon liquid products. In the process, an inorganic acid is added to the reactor effluent residual fraction boiling above about 950.degree. F. to produce substantial precipitation of the preasphaltene materials. The clarified overhead fraction is recycled to the reaction zone, and the precipitated preasphaltene material is passed to further processing, such as coking to recover additional light oils. The reactor can advantageously be an upflow ebullated catalytic bed type and may use fine size catalyst for increased hydroconversion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of tagging a substance to allow subsequent identification thereof comprising incorporating in the substance a polypeptide. Typically, the polypeptide is a synthetic polypeptide having a specific sequence of amino acids to constitute a particular molecular code which can be easily and readily identified.

Abstract: A process for hydrogenation of coal to produce hydrocarbon liquids and gases, wherein the yield of liquid products is increased by feeding particulate coal at temperature below about 600.degree. F. directly into a back-mixed reactor and preferably into an ebullated bed catalytic reaction zone containing coal-derived liquid and hydrogen for rapid heating and conversion. In the process, the coal is pressurized and fed without preheating directly into the reaction zone and additional heat needed in the reaction zone to maintain temperature therein at 750.degree.-900.degree. F. is provided by heating recycle hydrogen and coal-derived liquid streams to temperatures above the desired reaction zone temperature.

Abstract: A process for thermal dealkylation of alkylated phenols feedstocks, which comprises reacting a feed mixture containing mono and poly-alkylated phenols and gaseous hydrogen at temperature ranging from about 900.degree. to about 1100.degree. F. at hydrogen partial pressure of 300 to 1600 psig, and space velocity of 0.2 to 3.0 volume feed/hr/volume of reactor to produce a phenol-containing product at increased selectivity and yield of phenol. For feedstream mixtures containing more than about 10 W % phenols, a prior distillation step is preferably used to remove the excessive phenol as product and thus avoid undesired dehydroxylation reactions in the hydrodealkylation step to which the feed phenol concentration is usually about 2-8 W %.

Abstract: A method for producing L-sugars including L-idose and L-gulose as well as D-fructose from D-glucose. The method comprises epimerizing D-glucose to a mixture of D-glucose and D-mannose, hydrogenating the mixture in a fixed catalyst bed to provide D-sorbitol and D-mannitol, separating the D-mannitol by fractional crystallization, oxydizing separately the D-sorbitol and D-mannitol to provide L-sorbose and D-fructose, respectively; and racemizing the L-sorbose in a weak alkaline solution to provide a mixture of L-sorbose, L-idose and L-gulose, and precipitating the remaining L-sorbose with a dilute lime solution. The unconverted L-sorbose is recovered and recycled.

Abstract: Alditols such as 15-40 W. % sorbitol solution in water are catalytically hydrocracked in a fixed bed reaction process using a high activity nickel catalyst to produce at least about 30 W. % conversion to glycerol and glycol products. The feedstream pH is controlled to prevent catalyst damage by adding a basic promotor material such as calcium hydroxide. Reaction zone conditions are maintained at 420.degree.-520.degree. F. temperature, 1200-2000 psig hydrogen partial pressure, and liquid hourly space velocity of 1.5 to 3.0. To maintain desired activity and glycerol yield, the catalyst is regenerated to provide catalyst age of 8-200 hours. The reaction products are separated in a recovery step, and any alditols can be recycled to the reaction zone for further hydrogenolysis to produce 40-90 W. % glycerol product. Sorbitol conversion is maintained preferably at between about 30-70 W.

Abstract: Heavy oil or bitumen is extracted and removed from underground oil bearing formations having low permeability such as tar sands by injection of hot hydrocarbon solvent vapor into a single well hole at a pressure not substantially exceeding the pressure in the formation to effectively heat and extract the bitumen. The hot solvent vapor is passed downwardly through an annular passage of concentric piping place in the well bore and is injected out through upper performations in the casing and into the formation. The hot solvent vapor condenses in the formation and drains along with recovered oil through lower perforations back into the bottom end of the inner pipe, from which the product oil and solvent mixture is pumped to above ground. The solvent is partially reclaimed from the oil product by distillation means and the solvent friction is reheated and reinjected into the well bore for further use.

Abstract: Organic liquid-water solutions, such as 5-30 W % alcohol in water, are separated efficiently in a two-stage adsorption process using a bed of selected adsorbent material in each stage to produce a concentrated organic product. Each adsorbent is selected to effectively adsorb the minor component from the feed solution and thus provide a dehydrated alcohol product. In the first-stage adsorber bed, activated carbon is used to selectively adsorb the alcohol, after which the desorbed alcohol vapor is passed to a second-stage adsorber bed of molecular sieve adsorbent for virtually complete removal of the remaining water. The process provides a dehydrated alcohol liquid product preferably containing less than about 2 W % water, and requires low energy usage.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of tagging a substance to allow subsequent identification thereof comprising incorporating in the substance a polypeptide. Typically, the polypeptide is a synthetic polypeptide having a specific sequence of amino acids to constitute a particular molecular code which can be easily and readily identified.

Abstract: A process and pressurized, gasification reactor apparatus for converting combustible carbon containing materials such as coal char and other carbonaceous solids or carbonaceous solids/heavy oil combinations to an intermediate heating value fuel gas. The gasification reactor includes an insulated fluidized bed reactor chamber, an upper reactor housing for a freely suspended bayonet bundle type heat exchanger for (a) superheating incoming saturated steam and (b) cooling outgoing high temperature product gas, and a lower reactor housing structure which includes a free-floating, conically-shaped perforated plenum chamber. The superheated steam and oxygen are premixed with the plenum chamber before being pressure directed into the fluidized bed reactor chamber for mixture and combustion with the incoming combustible carbon containing materials such as coal char. After reaction of the superheated steam, oxygen and coal char in the fluidized bed reactor at temperatures ranging from 900.degree. F. to 1750.degree. F.

Abstract: For hot hydrocarbon liquids and slurries containing a vapor portion derived from a hydrogenation process, the vapor portion is separated from the liquid portion within a separation zone by providing a liquid vortex flow pattern having a gas core. The vapor is withdrawn from the vortex core through an inwardly-extending conduit, and the remaining rotating liquid portion is passed to below the vortex. If catalyst particles are also contained in the hot hydrocarbon liquid, such as in a coal or oil hydrogenation reaction effluent liquid at elevated temperature and pressure conditions, such catalysts can be conveniently separated from a product liquid stream and returned to the reaction zone along with the recycled liquid. A clean liquid stream is withdrawn from the recycled liquid for further processing. If desired, the phase separation zone utilizing a liquid vortex can be provided within the catalytic reaction zone.

Abstract: Raw shale oil containing precipitable inorganic compounds such as iron and arsenic are preheated to below the precipitation temperature and then catalytically hydrocracked in an ebullated bed catalytic reactor. The metal compounds are deposited on the catalyst in the reactor, from which they are withdrawing along with used catalyst which is replaced with fresh catalyst. The reactor effluent is further hydrotreated in a fixed bed catalyst reactor, usually at more severe conditions of 800.degree.-840.degree. F. and 2000-2800 psig, hydrogen partial pressure. The resulting material is phase-separated and distilled to provide jet fuel and diesel oil product meeting commercial and military specifications.

Abstract: Alditols such as 15-40 W % sorbitol solution in water are catalytically hydrocracked in a fixed bed catalytic reaction process using an active nickel catalyst to produce at least about 30 W % conversion to glycerol and glycol products. The feedstream pH is controlled to between 7 and 14 by adding a basic promotor material such as calcium hydroxide to prevent damage to the catalyst. Useful reaction zone conditions are 400.degree.-500.degree. F. temperature, 1200-2000 psig hydrogen partial pressure, and liquid hourly space velocity of 1.5 to 3.0. To maintain desired catalyst activity and product yields, the catalyst is regenerated to provide catalyst age within the range of 20-200 hours. The reaction products are separated in distillation steps at successively lower pressures, and unconverted alditol feed is recycled to the reaction zone for further hydrogenolysis to produce 80-95 W % glycerol product.

Abstract: A multiple-zone fluidized bed coal conversion process for producing fuel gas and distillate liquid products. The coal is fed into an upper fluidized bed maintained at 950.degree.-1500.degree. F. for devolatilization. The resulting coke and some tars are deposited on a particulate carrier material, which descends along with the larger particles of unreacted coal through a stripping zone into a lower fluidized bed gasification zone, which is maintained at 1700.degree.-2000.degree. F. by steam and O.sub.2 -containing gas introduced therein to gasify the coke and char. Fine particles of unreacted coal and carrier are passed with gas and distillate vapor through a cyclone gas-solids separation step located in the devolatilization zone, from which the solids are returned to the lower bed for further gasification. Ash produced in the lower bed along with the clean hot particulate carrier is transferred through an up-transport tube to the upper bed.