Abstract: Apparatus and method are described for the vaporization of liquid fuel oils to produce a gaseous mixture suitable for burning in a burner normally designed for operation utilizing natural gas.

Abstract: Battery separators are produced from nonwoven mats of thermoplastic fibers by wetting the fibers with a surfactant-water mixture to modify the surface properties of the fibers in the nonwoven mat, vaporizing the water while depositing the surfactant on the fibers, heating the nonwoven mat prior to compressing and then compressing to increase the fiber-to-fiber bonding as well as to form the desired structure. During compressing, ribs may be formed by using appropriate embossed rolls or press plate patterns. After the compressing step, slitting, cooling and cutting steps are carried out to produce a battery separator of the desired dimensions.