Abstract: Disclosed are amorphous precipitated silicas, silica gels, and amorphous carbons derived from biomass and methods of producing them with and without adhered or deposited amorphous carbons produced by acidifying a caustic silicate solution produced by caustic digestion of biomass ash containing silica with and without activated carbon, the ash being obtained from thermal pyrolysis of the biomass, the acidifying effective to produce a slurry of the precipitated silica and silica gels with and without adhered or deposited amorphous carbon, and separated from the slurry the precipitated silicas and silica gels with and without the adhered or deposited amorphous carbons. The properties of the precipitated silica with adhered or deposited carbon being within the range as utilized in rubber compositions thereby avoiding the blending of silica and carbon components for such use.

Abstract: Disclosed is a commercial grade of soluble silicate solutions, clear homogenous and water white essentially free of unreacted silica, made by dissolving in a closed container biogenic silica, preferably rice hull ash, in a strong alkali solution, preferably sodium hydroxide in the presence of an agent, such as an active carbonaceous material, which prevents discoloration of the soluble silicates by absorbing and/or reacting with polyvalent metals, organic materials, and the like, in the biogenic silica as it dissolves in and reacts with the alkali solution. The invention takes advantage of the residue of such active carbonaceous material on the biogenic silica, such as rice hulls, left by commercial energy burning thereof which effectively prevents discoloration. A solid residue results from the method which is an active carbonaceous material including concentrated manganese from the biogenic silica, both of which are valuable commercial products.

Abstract: Disclosed is a rigid fine-celled light-weight foam composition and a method of producing it which has improved retention of liquids by absorption/adsorption which improves the thermal insulation and fire retardant properties of the fine-celled foam particularly suited for use in double walled tanks and hollow canopies, building panels, profiles, and the like.

Abstract: Disclosed are amorphous precipitated silicas, silica gels, and amorphous carbons derived from biomass and methods of producing them with and without adhered or deposited amorphous carbons produced by acidifying a caustic silicate solution produced by caustic digestion of biomass ash containing silica with and without activated carbon, the ash being obtained from thermal pyrolysis of the biomass, the acidifying effective to produce a slurry of the precipitated silica and silica gels with and without adhered or deposited amorphous carbon, and separated from the slurry the precipitated silicas and silica gels with and without the adhered or deposited amorphous carbons. The properties of the precipitated silica with adhered or deposited carbon being within the range as utilized in rubber compositions thereby avoiding the blending of silica and carbon components for such use.

Abstract: Disclosed is a hardfacing alloy capable of withstanding abrasion of the order of silicious earth particles and weldable in crack free state on industrial products, such as tool joints and stabilizers used in oil and gas well drilling, and other industrial products. The hardfacing alloy has a low coefficient of friction, high abrasion resistance as welded without working, and in tool joints and stabilizers achieves an optimum balance between tool joint and stabilizer wear resistance and induced casing wear. Other embodiments of the invention include tool joints having the hardbanding alloy welded to the outer cylindrical surface to its box and pin members and to stabilizer ribs on the stabilizer used in earth boring, such as boring for oil and gas, other industrial products, methods of producing the hardfacing alloy, and methods of applying the hardfacing alloy to surfaces including preheat and post-welding conditions to withstand abrasive use.

Abstract: A slide valve for control of product flow through it in which the valve internals are maintained in position by a stub welded to the orifice plate which in turn is welded to an internal end of the support cone and may be released and removed through the bonnet area of the slide valve by cutting the weld between the stub and support cone, and replaced through the bonnet area and rewelding the remaining portions of the stub to the support cone.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved assembly of orifice chambers for reducing pressure of large gas flows effective to reduce noise of the gas flows and wear on orifice chambers by progressive pressure drops in the gas flows through successive orifice plates which are releasably secured, preferably by fillet welding, in each of the orifice chambers, removal of one or more orifice plates in an orifice chamber providing manway access to the next succeeding orifice chamber for inspection, repairs, and replacement of the orifice plates thereby reducing the manway opening or access to only one orifice chamber and eliminating separate access manways or manholes for each of the orifice chamber necessary for maintenance of the orifice chambers. Preferably, an internal shell providing an annular space with the body to which the orifice plates are connected is connected to the body by an annular ring and brace by fillet welding in compressions.

Abstract: Disclosed are highly activated carbon particles derived from caustic digestion of rice hull ash obtained from thermal pyrolysis of rice hulls having an iodine number of at least 650 to 1000. The activated carbon pores are free of silicate residue from the caustic digestion. Also disclosed are methods of removing the silicate residue from the caustic silicate solution during digestion effective to substantially improve the activation of the carbon particles to commercial grade.

Abstract: Disclosed is a control slide valve for control of product flow through it in which the valve internals are maintained in position by the clamping action of a split clamp and may be released and removed and replaced through the bonnet quickly and easily by release and reclamping the split clamp rather than by utilizing bolts which often gall, break, and are difficult to remove and replace. The slide valve is particularly suited for high temperature abrasive flow.

Abstract: Disclosed is a slide valve for control of product flow through it in which the valve internals, an orifice plate and guide assembly, are maintained in position by a circumferentially extending attachment stub surrounding and welded to a circumferentially extending weld-on stub welded to the orifice plate, the circumferentially extending attachment stub being welded to an internal end of the support cone and to the weld-on stub whereby the internals may be released and removed through the bonnet area of the slide valve by cutting the weld between the attachment stub and the weld-on stub, and replaced through the bonnet area and rewelding the weld-on stub and the attachment stub with another fillet weld. This places the fillet weld under compression rather than under tension, and is much stronger than the tension fillet welds in previous embodiments of this slide valve. Also, the refractory material when used can be finished in the shop rather than on site.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of and means for producing ethylene by chilling the ethylene plant demethanizer heat exchange train with a refrigerated stream or streams from a cryogenic natural gas plant effective to provide ethylene level refrigeration, by condensing the ethylene distillation tower overhead with ethylene level refrigeration stream or streams from the cryogenic natural gas plant, by refluxing the ethylene plant demethanizer distillation column with a predominantly liquid methane mixture from the cryogenic natural gas plant, and by combinations thereof. Significant advantages in capital and operating costs associated with ethylene production.

Abstract: The present invention constitutes an improvement over U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,493, and other butterfly valves controlling the flow of hot gases or other fluids under high pressures or velocities by having the valve stem not centered in which there is either no deflection or the deflection of the butterfly valve and rotation of the valve stem is substantially reduced when in a closed position resulting in no or substantially reduced leakage of the disc in closed position with respect to prior art butterfly valves currently in comparable use.

Abstract: Disclosed is a combined flocculating and clarifying medium for flocculating and separating solid particles from waste water comprising a mixture of solid filtering or aggregating particles and a dry flocculating agent effective to flocculate the solid particles to form larger and heavier aggregates with the filtering or aggregating particles in the waste water and filtering or gravity separating the formed aggregate from the waste water. Preferably, the filtering and aggregating particles are silicious particles, such as rice hull ash, diatomaceous earth, and perlite. The flocculating and clarifying medium can be combustible or can chemically fix the aggregated solid particles in a silicious cement, which solid particles can include heavy metal particles in silicious cement.

Abstract: Aqueous solutions of hydratable polymers are prepared by hydrating a hydratable polymer in water without agitation sufficient to shear the molecular structure of the polymer thereby maintaining intact the polymer's molecular structure thereby providing a structurally uniform composition. The resulting solutions are sticky and tacky and are useful in controlling insects and for other uses. The resulting solutions can be dried to form powders. The resulting products readily degrade, are non-toxic, and non-ionic, and hence environmentally benign.

Abstract: Disclosed is a rigid fine-celled foam composition and a method of producing it. The foam composition is nontoxic, environmentally friendly, has improved absorption/adsorption and retention of liquids, is not as hard as prior art foams, does not include polymerization by-products detrimental to flower and plant life, and is a foamed mixture of a caustic silicate solution derived from the caustic digestion of rice hull ash having diffused activated carbon particles from thermal pyrolysis of rice hulls rather than from commercial sodium silicate solutions. Valuable by-products of commodity grade are obtained including activated carbon and sodium fluoride.

Abstract: Disclosed is a commercial grade of soluble silicate solutions, clear homogenous and water white essentially free of unreacted silica, made by dissolving in a closed container biogenetic silica, preferably rice hull ash, in a strong alkali solution, preferably sodium hydroxide in the presence of an agent, such as an active carbonaceous material, which prevents discoloration of the soluble silicates by absorbing and/or reacting with polyvalent metals, organic materials, and the like, in the biogenetic silica as it dissolves in and reacts with the alkali solution. The invention takes advantage of the residue of such active carbonaceous material on the biogenetic silica, such as rice hulls, left by commercial energy burning thereof which effectively prevents discoloration. A solid residue results from the method which is an active carbonaceous material including concentrated manganese from the biogenetic silica, both of which are valuable commercial products.

Abstract: Aqueous solutions of hydratable polymers are prepared by hydrating a hydratable polymer in water without agitation sufficient to shear the molecular structure of the polymer thereby maintaining intact the polymer's molecular structure thereby providing a structurally uniform composition. The resulting solutions are sticky and tacky and are useful in controlling insects and for other uses. The resulting solutions can be dried to form powders. The resulting products readily degrade, are non-toxic, and non-ionic, and hence environmentally benign.

Abstract: Disclosed is a rigid fine-celled foam composition and a method of producing it. The foam composition is nontoxic, environmentally friendly, has improved absorption/adsorption and retention of liquids, is not as hard as prior art foams, does not include polymerization by-products detrimental to flower and plant life, and is a foamed mixture of a caustic silicate solution derived from the caustic digestion of rice hull ash having diffused activated carbon particles from thermal pyrolysis of rice hulls rather than from commercial sodium silicate solutions. Valuable by-products of commodity grade are obtained including activated carbon and sodium fluoride.

Abstract: Disclosed is a combined flocculating and clarifying medium for flocculating and separating solid particles from waste water comprising a mixture of solid filtering or aggregating particles and a dry flocculating agent effective to flocculate the solid particles to form larger and heavier aggregates with the filtering or aggregating particles in the waste water and filtering or gravity separating the formed aggregate from the waste water. Preferably, the filtering and aggregating particles are silicious particles, such as rice hull ash, diatomaceous earth, and perlite. The flocculating and clarifying medium can be combustible or can chemically fix the aggregated solid particles in a silicious cement, which solid particles can include heavy metal particles in silicious cement.

Abstract: Disclosed is a plug valve adapted to be placed in a chamber or vessel containing fluidized particles to control flow of the fluidized particles between the chamber or vessel and the open end of a conduit which has a contained purging system in a sealed space between the valve stem and guide tube effective to keep the fluidized particles out of the space. A purging medium is provided under pressure to the sealed space as a backup and only purges the space of fluidized particles which enter it due to leakage of one or both of the stuffing boxes. Other features of the plug valve are described.