Abstract: A partial oxidation process for the production of a stream of cooled and cleaned synthesis gas, reducing gas, or fuel gas substantially free from entrained particulate matter and slag. The hot raw gas stream from the partial oxidation gas generator is quench cooled with deaerated grey water in a quench tank to produce black quench water or cooled in a radiant and/or convection cooler. The cooled gas is scrubbed with deaerated grey water in a scrubbing zone to remove all of the entrained particulate matter and to produce black scrubbing waters. The black water is resolved in a flashing zone and reused by flashing it in two or three flash stages connected in series and separating the overhead flash vapors comprising vaporized grey water and sour gas from the bottoms comprising concentrated black water. The flash vapors from the first flash stage are used to heat a stream of deaerated grey water being recycled to the quench tank and gas scrubbing zone or to the gas scrubbing zone.

Abstract: Railroad wheel flange lubricating is carried out with a lubricating composition which is particularly useful in a locomotive-mounted applicator. The water base lubricant comprises a compatible blend of two polyoxyalkylene glycols, one a synthetic lubricant and the other a synthetic thickener. The lubricating composition is persistent and environmentally innocuous.

Abstract: A multi-phase fluid flow meter based on passive and non-intrusive acoustics is described for use in field applications on pipes. The present design uses the pipe's characteristic acoustic frequency and its amplitude variation in conjunction with a differential pressure measurement to obtain the total mass flow rates and mass flow rates of each phase. In addition to the mass flow rates the void/liquid fraction, fluid velocities and densities become viable estimates. Instrument construction is simple and very robust, allowing for use in extreme environments. This includes down hole as well as surface measurements.

Abstract: Unequal phase splitting at branch T pipe junctions, wherein the branch line is of substantially lesser diameter than the main line, is substantially eliminated by structure (either a weir or sump) in the main line which collects at least a portion of the liquid phase and a bypass line which connects the weir or sump to the branch line downstream of a constriction creating a reduced pressure section in the branch pipe.

Abstract: Heavy oils may be hydrotreated in the presence of a porous alumina support bearing metals of Group VIII and VI-B and optionally phosphorus, the catalyst having a Total Surface Area of 165-230 m.sup.2 /g, a Total Pore Volume of 0.5-0.8 cc.g, and a Pore Diameter Distribution whereby less than about 5% the Total Pore Volume is present as primary micropores of diameter less than 80 .ANG., and secondary micropores of diameter of +20 .ANG. of a Pore Mode of 100-135 .ANG. are present in amount of at least about 65% of the micropore volume having pores with diameter less than 250 .ANG., and 22-29% of the Total Pore Volume is present as macropores of diameter >250 .ANG..The process of the instant invention is particularly effective in achieving desired levels of hydrodemetallation, hydrodesulfurization, and hydrocracking of asphaltenes in the fraction of hydrotreated/hydrocracked petroleum resid product having a boiling point greater than 1000.degree. F.

Abstract: A method of recovering hydrocarbons from an underground reservoir with a cyclic injection/production process, wherein after one or more injection and production cycles, a second recovery fluid is injected into the formation comprising a cosolvent, a solute, preferably polydimethylsiloxane, and the primary recovery fluid such as carbon dioxide, said second fluid composition designed for solute to drop out of solution in the formation during the later soaking and production phases.

Abstract: Dialkyl ethers having 5 to 7 carbon atoms; e.g. MTBE, and alcohols having 1 to 4 carbon atoms are extracted from wastewater with contaminant-free gasoline. Wastewater saturated with contaminants is reduced to 200 ppm contaminants in the absence of stripping. An octane enhanced gasoline is recovered. Additional ether may be added to the recovered gasoline to increase octane. The method is particularly effective in wastewater/gasoline system containing emulsifiers such as surfactants, gasoline detergents and colloidal particles.

Abstract: A low-cost low-pressure drop critical flow venturi is formed from a single rigid member with mirror image inlet and diffuser sections. The mirror imaging allows the member to be mounted in a flow stream, without regard to the direction of flow, and to still be operative.

Abstract: A method for preparing tertiary butyl alcohol wherein a solution of a tertiary butyl hydroperoxide feedstock in tertiary butyl alcohol is charged to a hydroperoxide decomposition reaction zone containing a catalytically effective amount of a hydroperoxide decomposition catalyst consisting essentially of palladium and gold supported on alumina, and is brought into contact with the catalyst in liquid phase under hydroperoxide decomposition reaction conditions to convert the tertiary butyl hydroperoxide to decomposition products, principally tertiary butyl alcohol and ditertiary butyl peroxide.

Abstract: A method for preparing tertiary butyl alcohol wherein a feedstock comprising a solvent solution of tertiary butyl hydroperoxide in tertiary butyl alcohol or a mixture of tertiary butyl alcohol with isobutane is charged to a hydroperoxide decomposition reaction zone containing a catalytically effective amount of a hydroperoxide decomposition catalyst consisting essentially of pentagonally cross-sectioned alumina having palladium deposited thereon and is brought into contact with the catalyst in liquid phase with agitation under hydroperoxide decomposition reaction conditions to convert the tertiary butyl hydroperoxide to decomposition products, principally tertiary butyl alcohol.

Abstract: Tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA) is prepared by non-catalytically reacting isobutane with oxygen to provide a reaction product comprising isobutane, peroxides including tertiary butyl hydroperoxide and impurities, charging the de-isobutanized reaction product and a soluble hydroperoxide decomposition catalyst to a first hydroperoxide decomposition reactor fitted with a fractionating column to provide a liquid reaction product comprising TBA, catalyst, hydroperoxides, and contaminants, and a vaporized decomposition product, cooling said vaporized reaction product to provide a condensate, and recovering a portion as a TBA reaction product, charging the liquid reaction product to a second hydroperoxide decomposition reactor to substantially completely decompose the peroxides therein and to form a second hydroperoxide decomposition product, which is charged to a second distillation column and separated therein into a third lighter overhead fraction comprising TBA, and a third heavier liquid fraction comprising normal

Abstract: A method for preparing tertiary butyl alcohol wherein a feedstock comprising a solvent solution of tertiary butyl hydroperoxide in tertiary butyl alcohol or a mixture of tertiary butyl alcohol with isobutane is charged to a hydroperoxide decomposition reaction zone containing a catalytically effective amount of a hydroperoxide decomposition catalyst consisting essentially of titania or zirconia and is brought into contact with the catalyst in liquid phase under hydroperoxide decomposition reaction conditions to convert the tertiary butyl hydroperoxide to decomposition products, principally tertiary butyl alcohol.

Abstract: The means and method of the present invention includes a source of microwave energy and associated elements which provide microwave energy to a petroleum stream. Other circuitry include elements which receive microwave energy from the petroleum stream. Electronic apparatus provides at least one outputs utilizing the provided microwave energy, the received microwave energy and known values for 100 percent oil, 100 percent gas and 100 percent water, corresponding to a ratio of gas to liquid. From the readings of attenuation and phase shift, an estimate of the proportions in the mix is extracted by interpolation.

Abstract: In a regulated process wherein propylene is reacted with tertiary butyl hydroperoxide in solution in tertiary butyl alcohol to produce propylene oxide and tertiary butyl alcohol in a reactor system comprising a first isothermal segment comprising a plurality of at least four sequentially interconnected internally cooled reactors, and a second adiabatic segment,an initial feed mixture is continuously charged to the first reactor, comprising propylene and a recycle stream composed of about 25 to about 75 wt.

Abstract: Steam quality at both outlets of a T junction is equalized by a static mixer immediately adjacent the inlet to the junction causing substantial homogenization of the liquid and vapor phases of wet steam entering the junction so that the steam exiting both legs of the junction will have substantially the same quality as the steam entering the junction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining and monitoring the quality of steam by measuring the critical velocity of the steam flowing through a nozzle.

Abstract: A partial oxidation process for the production of a stream of hot clean gas substantially free from particulate matter, alkali metal compounds, hydrogen halides, hydrogen cyanide, sulfur-containing gases, and with or without ammonia for use as synthesis gas, reducing gas, or fuel gas. A pumpable hydrocarbonaceous fuel selected from the group consisting of liquid hydrocarbonaceous fuel or liquid emulsions thereof, an aqueous slurry of petroleum coke, and mixtures thereof and wherein said hydrocarbonaceous fuel contains halides, alkali metal compounds, sulfur, nitrogen and inorganic ash containing components, is reacted in a gasifier by partial oxidation to produce a hot raw gas stream comprising H.sub.2, CO, CO.sub.2, H.sub.2 O, CH.sub.4, NH.sub.3, HCN, HCl, HF, H.sub.2 S, COS, N.sub.2, Ar, particulate matter, vapor phase alkali metal compounds, and molten slag. The hot raw gas stream from the gasifier is cooled in a radiant cooler and cleaned.

Abstract: A partial oxidation process for the production of a stream of hot clean gas substantially free from particulate matter, ammonia, alkali metal compounds, halides and sulfur-containing gas for use as synthesis gas, reducing gas, or fuel gas. A hydrocarbonaceous fuel comprising a solid carbonaceous fuel with or without liquid hydrocarbonaceous fuel or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel, wherein said hydrocarbonaceous fuel contains halides, alkali metal compounds, sulfur, nitrogen and inorganic ash containing components, is reacted in a gasifier by partial oxidation to produce a hot raw gas stream comprising H.sub.2, CO, CO.sub.2, H.sub.2 O, CH.sub.4, NH.sub.3, HCl, HF, H.sub.2 S, COS, N.sub.2, Ar, particulate matter, vapor phase alkali metal compounds, and molten slag. The hot raw gas stream from the gasifier is split into two streams which are separately deslagged, cleaned and recombined. Ammonia in the gas mixture is catalytically disproportionated into N.sub.2 and H.sub.2.

Abstract: A method for preparing tertiary butyl alcohol wherein a feedstock comprising a solution of tertiary butyl hydroperoxide in a cosolvent mixture of tertiary butyl alcohol with isobutane is charged to a hydroperoxide decomposition reaction zone containing a catalytically effective amount of a hydroperoxide decomposition catalyst and is brought into contact with the catalyst in liquid phase with agitation under hydroperoxide decomposition reaction conditions to convert the tertiary butyl hydroperoxide to decomposition products, principally tertiary butyl alcohol.

Abstract: A method for recovering surfactants from produced fluids by mixing with produced fluids about 0.1% to about 5% of a nonionic surfactant having a phase inversion temperature above the temperature of the produced fluids, heating the mixture above the phase inversion temperature, mixing the phase containing oil and the surfactants with water, and cooling the mixture below the phase inversion temperature to extract the surfactants into an aqueous phase, provided that if a sufficient concentration of the nonionic surfactant is already in the produced fluids, it need not be added.