Abstract: A nonacidic catalytic composite comprising a combination of catalytically effective amounts of a platinum group component, a cobalt component, a tantalum component, and an alkali or alkaline earth component with a porous carrier material is disclosed. A specific example of the composite is one containing about 0.01 to about 2 wt. % platinum group metal, about 0.05 to about 5 wt. % cobalt component, about 0.01 to about 5 wt. % tantalum component, and about 0.1 to about 5 wt. % alkali or alkaline earth component.

Abstract: A process for the catalytic dehydrogenation of low molecular weight paraffinic hydrocarbons is disclosed. The process is particularly directed to the separation of hydrogen from the olefinic hydrocarbon products and unreacted paraffinic hydrocarbons.

Abstract: Commercial glucose solutions used as feedstocks for enzymatic conversion of glucose to fructose by glucose isomerase often contain materials which act as poisons toward the enzyme. It has been found that these poisons can be removed, or destroyed, by treatment of the feedstock with reducing agents which are water soluble and water stable metal hydrides, such as sodium borohydride.

Abstract: Zerovalent Group VIII metals dispersed on alpha-alumina are hydrothermally stable hydrogenation catalysts which may be used advantageously in the reduction of aqueous solutions of carbohydrates. The use of ruthenium on alpha-alumina in the hydrogenation of glucose affords sorbitol in excellent yields with quite high selectivity, and with minimal leaching of either ruthenium or alumina.

Abstract: Saccharides such as glucose, fructose, starch, etc. may be hydrogenated by treatment with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst which comprises a metal of Group VIII of the Periodic Table composited on a support comprising a carbonaceous pyropolymer possessing recurring units containing at least carbon and hydrogen atoms at a temperature in the range of from about 90.degree. to about 150.degree. C. and a pressure in the range of from about 500 to about 3000 psi to obtain polyols. In such a manner, glucose may be hydrogenated to sorbitol and mannitol.

Abstract: Alkylation of 4-alkylphenols with 2-methylpropene in the presence of a macroreticular cation exchange resin bearing sulfonic acid groups with an internal surface area greater than about 200 m.sup.2 /g and an average pore diameter less than about 120 Angstroms leads to the 2,6-dialkylated product in high yields. Using a resin with an internal surface area of from about 525 to about 575 m.sup.2 /g and an average pore diameter from about 40 to about 60 Angstroms, there can be prepared from 4-methylphenol the antioxidant 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol in a yield in excess of 90%.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus for mechanically dewatering municipal sewage sludge or peat. The undewatered feed material is passed into the first end of a cylindrical porous wall and pressurized within the cylindrical wall by a rotating screw conveyor, which also transports the solids toward the second end of the cylindrical wall. The screw conveyor comprises a central shaft which has at least two built-up sections of gradually increasing diameter providing a compression ratio of 2.5:1.0. The flight depth of the screw conveyor increases by a factor greater than 2.0 after each built-up section. The distance between the edge of the screw conveyor blade and the inner surface of the cylindrical wall and the structure of the openings in the wall have specific dimensional limitations. Fibrous additives may be used to aid in dewatering peat and secondary sludges.

Abstract: N-Monosubstituted 2'- or 4'-amino-4-alkoxy-diphenyl ethers, where the N-substituent is an arylmethyl group, are effective antioxidants in a wide variety of petroleum products and petroleum related products. Within the class of arylmethyl groups, heteroaryl groups are especially desirable, as exemplified by pyridinylmethyl and thienylmethyl.

Abstract: Racemic amino acids can be readily resolved by conversion to their diastereomeric esters of an optically active 2-isopropyl-5-methylcyclohexanol and separating the diastereomers by chromatography. It has been observed that the separation of the diastereomeric esters is relatively insensitive to the support or the solvent used as eluant. Thus, satisfactory separation occurs under a broad variety of conditions. The optically active amino acid can be obtained by base catalyzed hydrolysis of the purified diastereomer with high optical purity.

Abstract: Mounting arrangement for a bimetallic pipe base well screen which must operate at elevated temperatures utilizes a weld for joining one end of a cylindrical screen member to the outer surface of an internal pipe member which has perforations along a portion of its length underlying the well screen. The opposite end of the screen member, which has a greater temperature coefficient of expansion than the pipe base, has an internal boss or ring portion which, at room temperature, has a smaller inner diameter than the outer diameter of the pipe base. The ring portion is heated and shrunk-fit onto the pipe base to a degree that at operational temperatures it will either expand slightly out of contact with the pipe base, or at least become substantially unstressed, thus preventing damage to the screen member while also blocking out the entry of particles.

Abstract: A vehicle seat mounting device comprises a first frame and a second frame mounted for relative sliding movement by guide rails attached to one of the frames which are engaged by rollers on the other of the frames. An intermediate frame within the device is connected to the first frame by a position adjusting device operable by a first actuator whereby the first frame can be locked to the intermediate frame in any one of a plurality of different selected positions. The intermediate frame is connected to the second frame by springs to allow resilient relative movement therebetween. A lock-out device is operable by a second actuator to lock the intermediate frame to the second frame.

Abstract: A fiber reinforced plastic well screen including a slotted central section and unslotted end fitting portions is formed by manipulating a single bundle of resin-coated filaments longitudinally and circumferentially relative to a mandrel. The mandrel has a series of helically grooved segments which cooperate with each other to cause the filament bundle to form the slotted central section. Longitudinal wraps, which are looped under tension from one end of the mandrel to the other in the region between each adjacent pair of segments, are intimately bonded to all of the helical circumferential wraps which form the central section as well as those that form the end fitting portions. One removable end cap portion of the mandrel is preferably externally threaded to produce an integral internal thread in the formed well screen. A tubular internal sleeve portion of the mandrel is removable to permit the helically grooved segments to be collapsed inwardly after the well screen is cured.

Abstract: Improved lead attachment method accommodates a situation wherein electrical signal leads must be connected to portions of a circuit operating at high temperatures such as 900.degree. F. or more and terminate in equipment operating at or near ambient temperatures. For example, in solid electrolyte oxygen sensors incorporating a tubular ceramic member, a connection wire which is sufficiently thick to resist wire breakage during normal handling has been found to be too thick to bond to a connection pad on the ceramic without having the bond crack during thermal cycling. With improved method, a thin wire is attached to a thicker one in a region where flexing cannot occur. At least the larger wire is shrunk-fit into a hole formed in the ceramic before firing, and then the thinner wire is bonded to the pad with a conductive paste which must also be fired.

Abstract: A catalytic composite comprising a metal chelate mercaptan oxidation catalyst impregnated on a basic anion exchange resin is disclosed. The catalytic composite is particularly useful to effect the oxidation of mercaptans contained in a sour petroleum distillate.

Abstract: A fluid-solids contacting apparatus which is useful in simultaneously contacting several different liquid streams with different parts of a fixed bed of solid material is disclosed. The apparatus comprises an imperforate centerpipe mounted in an outer vessel with discoid layers of fluid distributor pans being suspended from the centerpipe and the vessel. A fluid may be added or withdrawn at any layer through horizontal conduits leading to annular distribution rings mounted on the centerpipe, with smaller pipes branching radially from the distribution rings to the individual distributor pans. Each distributor pan comprises an upper and lower horizontal particle retaining screen and two flat flow diversion plates which force the fluid to flow to a central mixing area between the plates and at which the smaller pipe connects with the distributor pans. The distributor pans thereby serve to mix and redistribute fluids flowing vertically through the apparatus.

Abstract: Imines of 2,4'-diaminodiphenyl ethers are effective antioxidants in petroleum and petroleum-related products. Especially desirable are 2,4'-bis-(N,N'-arylmethylideneamino)phenyl ethers, where the aryl moiety is a heteroaromatic group.

Abstract: A multiple reaction zone process for dehydrogenating light hydrocarbons, preferably propane, is disclosed. The feed stream and intermediate streams are first heated by indirect heat exchange to temperatures slightly below the desired inlet temperature of the dehydrogenation catalyst beds. These streams are then transported to a location which is in close proximity of the dehydrogenation catalyst bed and further heated by the selective combustion of hydrogen present in these streams through the use of beds of oxidation catalyst. This eliminates lengthy high temperature reactant residence times in transfer lines extending between fired heaters and the dehydrogenation catalyst beds, thereby reducing thermal cracking of the feed and increasing the selectivity of the process. The process has special utility with stacked moving bed reactors, which have larger volume reactant transfer lines.

Abstract: Improved framing system for a multi-passenger seat incorporates a generally inverted L-shaped rear leg whose shorter leg portion is joined to the rear stretcher tube at its free end and to a compression member at its point of intersection with its longer leg portion. The compression member and short leg portion form one side of a triangle which includes the front leg and a support member connecting the front and rear stretcher tubes. The longer leg portion forms one leg of a triangle which includes the compression member and a seat track covering member. The design provides greatly improved passenger leg room for close pitch seating arrangements.

Abstract: Molded elastomeric framing member has internal horizontal and vertical slots which are adapted to frictionally engage several of the longitudinal profile surface wires and portions of the transverse support bar members along a side edge of a flat deck screen panel. Parallel top and bottom portions of the framing member are adapted to be engaged by a support surface of a vibrating screen apparatus and a clamping apparatus carried by said screen apparatus. The framing member prevents metal-to-metal contact between the screen panel and vibrating apparatus, thus reducing the noise level of the apparatus. It also helps protect persons handling the panel from possible injury by rough edges and eliminates the expense and labor associated with the welding of side panels to the ends of the support bars. To prevent the screen panel from becoming electrically isolated from the vibrating screen apparatus, the elastomeric framing member can be made electrically conductive.

Abstract: A catalyst regeneration process and apparatus for the oxidative removal of coke from a coke contaminated fluid catalyst. The process comprises a high temperature coke combustion zone, a catalyst disengagement zone and an external heat removal zone. A mixture of coke contaminated catalyst, oxygen containing gas, hot regenerated catalyst and cool regenerated catalyst from the heat removal zone are contacted in the high temperature combustion zone, the temperature of which is controlled by adjusting the rate at which catalyst is recycled from the heat removal zone. The temperature of the catalyst-gas mixture is controlled by adjusting the rate at which hot catalyst is recycled from the disengagement zone.