Abstract: An advantageous blend suitable for compression molding, injection molding, or general molding of plastic articles is prepared by mechanically mixing at an elevated controlled temperature a polyurethane resin and a resin derived from copolymerization maleimide and styrene.

Abstract: The invention concerns thermoplastic molding compositions consisting essentially of a blend of:A. From about 40% to about 70% by weight of an interpolymer comprising from about 8% to about 16% block polyalkadiene, and from about 51% to about 85% styrene and from about 5% to about 35% methacrylic acid.B. From about 30% to about 60% of a polyurethane thermoplastic rubber.

Abstract: An advantageous blend suitable for the molding of plastic articles is prepared by mechanically mixing a polyphenylene ether resin and a resin prepared by conducting the polymerization of a mixture of a rubber, maleimide, and styrene.

Abstract: An advantageous blend suitable for the molding of plastic articles is prepared by mechanically mixing a polyphenylene ether resin and a polymeric resin derived from maleimide and styrene.

Abstract: In a nuclear facility such as a reprocessing plant for nuclear fuel rods, the central air cleaner discharging ventilating gas to the atmosphere must meet preselected standards not only as to the momentary concentration of radioactive components, but also as to total quantity per year. In order more satisfactorily to comply with such standards, reprocessing steps are conducted by remote control in a plurality of separate compartments. The air flow for each compartment is regulated so that the air inventory for each compartment has a slow turnover rate of more than a day but less than a year, which slow rate is conveniently designated as quasi-hermetic sealing. The air inventory in each such compartment is recirculated through a specialized processing unit adapted to cool and/or filter and/or otherwise process the gas. Stale air is withdrawn from such recirculating inventory and fresh air is injected (e.g.

Abstract: Butadiene is polymerized using hydrogen peroxide as a catalyst to provide polybutadiene (partaking of the nature of a polymethylenediol) suitable for use in making polyurethanes by reaction with diisocyanate compounds. Minor amounts of vinyl cyclohexene and related odiferous impurities are contaminants in such polybutadiene. Such contaminants are predominantly removed by selective volatilization during one or more treatments in a hot vacuum zone, the feedstock to the hot vacuum zone containing from about 0.4 to about 6% of a C.sub.9 --C.sub.13 saturated hydrocarbon entraining agent.

Abstract: A plant for the reprocessing of fuel rods for a nuclear reactor comprises a plurality of rectangular compartments desirably arranged on a rectangular grid. Signal lines, power lines, pipes, conduits for instrumentation, and other communication lines leave a compartment just below its top edges. A vehicle access zone permits overhead and/or mobile cranes to remove covers from compartments. The number of compartments is at least 25% greater than the number of compartments used in the initial design and operation of the plant. Vacant compartments are available in which replacement apparatus can be constructed. At the time of the replacement of a unit, the piping and conduits are altered to utilize the substitute equipment in the formerly vacant compartment, and it is put on stream prior to dismantling old equipment from the previous compartment. Thus the downtime for the reprocessing plant for such a changeover is less than in a traditional reprocessing plant.

Abstract: Hazards are dealt with by appropriate placement of high heat capacity flame arrestor packings at suitable zones in the flow of the process streams comprising vapors of flammable mixture containing water and more than 10 mol % tertiary butyl hydroperoxide (conveniently designated as TBHP). Stainless steel mesh or other corrosion resistant high heat capacity packing is inserted in the lower portion of the first distillation zone, from which all components more volatile than dilute aqueous TBHP are removed. Suitable packing is also inserted into the upper portion of the second distillation zone, whereby a flammable mixture containing more than 10 mol % TBHP, is distilled without allowing a large plenum filled with flammable vapor. The vapor line between the top of such distillation zone and a condensation zone features a plurality of flame arrestors (e.g.

Abstract: The entry portions of the tubes of a Worrell-type emergency cooler are modified so that the peak temperature of said modified tube is maintained at less than about 650.degree. F., thereby allowing carbon steel to be employed for heat transfer tubes. Such entry portions feature tubular members (conveniently called ferrules) having controlled thermal conductivity significantly greater than conventional insulators, but significantly less than conventional thermal conductors.

Abstract: Isobutane is oxidized to provide a debutanized oxidate comprising tertiary butyl alcohol, acetone, water and other byproducts including high boiling products. Water is removed by extractive distillation using a combination of water and xylene as the extractant. The molar amount of recycled water is greater than the amount of water to be removed from the oxidate. By thus recirculating water through the decantation zone the acetone is satisfactorily coextracted from the butyl alcohol in such a manner that a stream of acetone and a stream of water, as well as the desired dry stream of tertiary butyl alcohol can be withdrawn. If the water is not recycled, the acetone will concentrate in the upper section of the distillation zone and reduce the volatility of water, thereby inhibiting the water removal from the tertiary butyl alcohol.

Abstract: Phenyl acetic acid is prepared by the reaction of molecular oxygen and the combination of acetic acid and benzene in the presence of a catalytic system featuring both tellurium and halide, the unit atomic ratio of halide to tellurium being within a range from about 3 to about 20, at a temperature within a range from about 100.degree. C. to about 200.degree. C. at a pressure within a range from about 1 to about 15 atmospheres.

Abstract: In an olefin plant in which ethylene, propylene and butenes are prepared, a dripolene fraction is recovered, hydrogenated and a C.sub.6 -C.sub.7 hydrogenated hydrocarbon stream derived from such hydrogenated dripolene is aromatized in the presence of a hydrogen rich recycle stream and in the presence of a catalyst containing platinum and chloride on aluminum whereby the aromatics content is increased above the approximately 64% aromatics content of the hydrogenated C.sub.6 -C.sub.7 hydrocarbon stream. The aromatics are extracted from the liquid effluent from the aromatization zone.

Abstract: The invention concerns thermoplastic molding compositions consisting essentially of a blend of:A. From about 40% to about 95% by weight of a interpolymer comprising from about 8 to about 15% block interpolymers prepared in a stereospecific system using from 5% to 35% vinyl aromatic compound and from 65 to 95% conjugated alkadiene, and about 84 to about 92% of a mixture containing from about 88 to about 93% sytrene and from about 7 to about 12% unsaturated dicarboxylic acid anhydride selected from the group consisting of maleic anhydride and citraconic anhydride.B. From about 5% to about 60% of a polyphenylene oxide.

Abstract: An unsaturated normal aliphatic hydrocarbon of 4 or 5 carbon atoms and an oxygen-containing gas react to form an effluent containing maleic anhydride as a result of a reaction in the presence of a catalyst consisting essentially of a mixture of the oxides of tungsten, phosphorus, a Group A metal, and a multivalent metal having an atomic number from 21 to 47, the sum of the oxides of the Group A metal and the multivalent metal constituting from 1% to 15% of the catalyst, the atom ratio of the Group A metal to the transition metal being within a range from about 1:1 to about 8:1 and the overall atomic ratios are such that W:P:A:M corresponds to 1:0.1-0.7:0.01-0.16:0.01-0.1. In preferred embodiments the reaction is conducted in the presence of from about 3% to about 50% by volume of steam, desirably from about 5% to about 7% by volume steam, whereby catalyst stability and selectivity are enhanced.

Abstract: A mixed C.sub.4 hydrocarbon stream containing from 5 to 60% isobutene is mixed with methanol providing from about 2% to about 20% excess methanol (stoichiometry based on isobutene content) to provide fresh feed for preparing tertiary butyl methyl ether in a reaction zone containing acidic ion exchange catalyst. Formation of trouble-some amounts of diisobutylene is repressed by the presence of the excess methanol. The effluent comprising TBME, excess methanol, and unreacted C.sub.4 hydrocarbons is directed to a unique purification zone. The butenes are distilled from the effluent at a pressure from about 7 to 25 atmospheres, preferably at about 12 to 20 atmospheres. Surprisingly all of the excess methanol is azeotropically removed with the C.sub.4 hydrocarbons by the pressurized azeotropic distillation, leaving a bottoms consisting of a technical grade of TBME free from troublesome amounts of methanol.

Abstract: In a system in which compressed ethylene is scheduled to flow through pipes, and in which there is danger of decomposition of ethylene and danger of the spreading of a reaction boundary of the exothermic decomposition reaction, a method and means are provided for quenching the advancement of the decomposition. Ethylene is directed from large diameter pipes into an array of spaced apart small diameter tubes which are not overheated when subjected to the combination of head and tail boundaries of the advancing plug of decomposition products. Such overheating of the tubes by the leading and trailing flames can be prevented by cooling the exterior of the tubes with a fluid normally maintained at about ambient temperature, thereby cooling the compressed ethylene sufficiently to quench the decomposition reaction. The cooling fluid is desirably an aqueous system adapted to be converted to steam under severe conditions.

Abstract: A flame arrestor directs the gas stream to flow through an array of narrow tubes immersed in a normally liquid heat transfer fluid. The gas composition flowing through the flame arrestor is normally maintained at the ambient temperature of such liquid. Even if a flame front enters either connection for the flame arrestor, the cooling effectively quenches the flame before the flame front can advance through the liquid-cooled narrow tubes to the other connector of the flame arrestor, because such a large amount of liquid must be evaporated before the flame arrestor can be heated above the boiling point of the liquid. At both the inlet and outlet zones, where there is a transition between the relatively large cross-sectional area of the array of tubes and the smaller pipes for connecting to the pipeline, a hollow, liquid-cooled member serves as an internal baffle for such transition zone.

Abstract: A flame arrestor is provided which can be connected with closely adjacent upstream and downstream portions of a pipeline. The gas flows through an array of narrow tubes immersed in the lower half of a normally liquid heat transfer fluid, thus normally maintaining the gas composition at ambient temperature. Even if a flame front enters either connector of the flame arrestor, the cooling effectively quenches the flame before the flame front can advance through the liquid-cooled narrow tubes to the other connector of the flame arrestor. The array of tubes is arranged as a return loop so that each tube can maintain structural integrity while expanding and contracting during rapid changes of temperature. Moreover, such return loop permits the connectors to be more readily attached to the upstream and downstream adjacent portions of the pipeline.

Abstract: Methane reacts with steam and at least some carbon dioxide in a primary fuel conversion zone, the effluent from which is mixed with the effluent from a secondary fuel conversion zone, and the mixture is sent through a dewatering zone, a drying zone, and a zone in which the carbon monoxide product stream is separated from the dry recycle stream. Such recycle stream is sent to a divider so that, if desired, a portion of the recycle can be directed as a part of the total feed to the primary conversion zone, and at least some of the recycle stream plus at least some of the carbon dioxide feed is directed through a secondary fuel conversion zone, in which hydrogen and carbon dioxide react to form water and carbon monoxide.

Abstract: Thermoplastic molding compositions consist of:(a) 10-90% by weight copolymer of maleimide and styrene containing about 5-35% maleimide and 60-95% styrene; and(b) 10-90% by weight of a polycarbonate of a dihydric phenol and a derivative of carbonic acid.