Abstract: An invention relates to an inflatable gas bag (10) for an occupant restraint system of a vehicle, in particular of a motor vehicle. In order to avoid the formation of creases in the inflated state, which occurs with conventional gas bags and in order to be able to employ more lightweight textile materials for the manufacture of a gas bag, the gas bag (10) consists of a multilayered textile composite material which comprises at least one layer of a textile material and one layer of a polymer material whose melting range is lower than the melting range of the textile material. The textile composite material is formed into a specified three-dimensional shape which is to develop during inflation of the gas bag (10), and the individual layers of the textile composite material are joined together in this three-dimensional shape.

Abstract: Apparatus (10) for treating a substrate, comprising: a vacuum chamber (12); a substrate carrier (14) adapted to carry a substrate (16) to be treated; a source material holder (22) for holding a source material (34) with which the substrate (16) is to be treated; and vaporising or sputtering means (20) for vaporising/sputtering the source material (34); wherein the source material holder (22) includes a positioning means (24) for relatively moving the source material (34) towards the substrate carrier (14).

Abstract: A guard restricting access to a rack of goods comprises: an access-restricting cover having an open bottom, a left side to which is substantially vertically mounted a track means, and a right side to which is substantially vertically mounted a track means; a left extensible member comprising a track means which is lockably engageable with the track means of said left side so as to slide said left extensible member from a retracted storage position to an extended use position; a right extensible member comprising a track means which is lockably engageable with the track means of said right side so as to slide said right extensible member from a retracted storage position to an extended use position; and a bottom member having a left end reversibly securable to a lower end of said left extensible member, and a right end reversibly securable to a lower end of said right extensible member.

Abstract: A process for recovering and purifying vanadium found in petroleum coke is disclosed. Coke containing V and sulfur is charged to a molten metal bath and dissolved to form a molten metal bath with dissolved carbon, dissolved V metal and dissolved sulfur. At least a majority of the dissolved sulfur is released as H2S by maintaining reducing conditions in the bed, by maintaining a high concentration of dissolved carbon or addition of steam or hydrogen rich hydrocarbon such as methane or some combination of these approaches.

Abstract: A low softening point pitch is disclosed. A high melting point (100° C.+) pitch is blended with an aromatic rich liquid hydrocarbon stream to form a pourable pitch mixture having a softening point of 30-50° C. which can be used as a partial or complete replacement for coal tar pitch used in driveway sealer and other sealer and coating applications. Driveway sealer (an emulsion of clay, water and binder) made with this pitch has enhanced durability. The low softening point pitch, even when blended with coal tar pitch, is phase stable on storage.

Abstract: Sequential processing of hydrogen rich and hydrogen deficient feeds (14 and 16) in a heat balanced, single molten metal bath (40) to produce both 90+ mole % hydrogen (90) and one or more lower purity vapor streams (140) is disclosed. The molten metal bath is heated by oxygen addition (18) to burn dissolved carbon from the bath and then cooled by sequential addition of two feeds with differing hydrogen contents. Preferably a 98% hydrogen product with a pressure of at least 2 atm., absolute is obtained, along with a lower purity hydrogen containing stream and a separate carbon oxides flue gas stream.

Abstract: A method is provided for improving high temperature performance grade properties of unblown asphalt by i) heating an asphalt cement to 200.degree. F. to 500.degree. F. (93.degree. C. to 260.degree. C.), ii) adding 0.1 wt. % to 10 wt. % ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer based on weight of said asphalt cement to the heated asphalt cement, iii) adding 0.05 wt. % to 1.0 wt. % phosphorus-containing acid, e.g., polyphosphoric acid, based on weight of said asphalt cement and iv) mixing the resulting blend, thereby providing an unblown asphalt composition of greater useful temperature index (UTI). The invention further relates to asphalt compositions thus made and paving compositions containing these asphalt compositions.

Abstract: A process in which a high-purity, high-pressure hydrogen-rich gas stream and a high-purity, high-pressure carbon monoxide-rich gas stream are simultaneously produced separately and continuously using a molten metal gasifier that contains at least two zones, thereby avoiding the need to separate or compress the gases in down-stream equipment.

Abstract: Asphaltene concentration of a hydrocarbon feed is measured by IR spectroscopy using mid-range IR frequencies between 3800 cm.sup.-1 and 650 cm.sup.-1 (corresponding to wavelengths between 2630 nanometers (nm) and 15,380 nm) together with mathematical techniques and statistical techniques in which measurements of absorption are made, and combines these with multiple regression analysis, or other statistical technique and modeling to determine asphaltene concentration. The output signal can be used to control refinery and chemical processes, e.g., atmospheric crude column, vacuum distillation column, solvent deasphalting and visbreaking.

Abstract: A process is provided for recovering lube oil base stocks from used lubricating oil formulations containing base oil stock and organo-metallic component which obviates preseparation of water and light hydrocarbons contaminants. The process comprises directly contacting used lubricating oil with a heated vapor, e.g., steam, under conditions which at least partially decompose the organo-metallic component and provide a desired volume of pumpable bottoms containing organo-metallic compound decomposition products and an overhead comprising gases and distillatable hydrocarbons, with no substantial carryover of metals into the overhead. The process may be carried out under conditions which minimize decomposition of high molecular weight additives such as VI improvers, to provide a bottoms fraction which may be added to asphalt or fuel oil.

Abstract: A deodorant composition is disclosed which comprises a body odor suppressing effective amount of an optically active bactericide comprising D-amino acid, e.g., at least one selected from the group consisting of .beta.-chloro-D-alanine and D-cycloserine, in a dermatologically acceptable carrier. A method is also provided for inhibiting body odor by applying to the skin a body odor suppressing effective amount of the bactericide.

Abstract: A method is provided for improving high temperature performance grade properties of asphalt which comprises i) heating an asphalt cement to 200 to 500.degree. F. (93 to 260.degree. C.), ii) adding 1 to 10 wt. % crosslinkable polymer, e.g., styrene-butadiene-styrene triblock copolymer based on weight of said asphalt cement, iii) adding a useful temperature index (UTI) improving amount of dioxime(s) of 1,4-benzoquinone and its derivatives and optionally, free radical initiator, e.g., organic peroxide, and iv) mixing the resulting blend, thereby providing a paving asphalt having a greater useful temperature index (UTI) than a corresponding blend to which no dioxime is added. The invention further relates to asphalt compositions thus made and paving compositions containing these asphalt compositions.

Abstract: An asphalt composition is provided which contains i) an asphalt component containing solvent-deasphalted bottoms, ii) a rerefined lube bottoms fraction, iii) an optional fluxing component, and iv) an optional vacuum bottoms component. The invention further relates to a method of preparing the asphalt composition and a paving composition containing same.

Abstract: Paraffinic fluxing components, e.g., paraffinic base stocks such as neutral oils or foots oil, can be added to asphalt composition and the resulting blend oxidized, e.g., by blowing, to improve low temperature properties at low addition rates (e.g., oil 1-5 wt. %). The resulting asphalt compositions exhibit important improvements in low temperature properties, resistance to thermal cracking and expanded useful temperature range.

Abstract: A method is provided for preparing asphalt composition, e.g., solvent deasphalting (SDA)-produced asphalt composition comprising a mixture containing SDA bottoms with or without vacuum tower bottoms and lube plant extract, which method comprises treating the asphalt composition with 0.05 to 0.5 wt % reactive sulfur under conditions sufficient to improve rheological properties of said composition as measured by increased complex shear modulus relative to a corresponding untreated mixture. The invention further relates to such asphalt composition and paving composition containing same.

Abstract: Circulating equilibrium catalyst (ECAT) in a fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) is gently attrited in an internal or closely coupled attriter to produce fines and attrited catalyst which is recycled to the FCC unit for fines removal. Average particle size of the circulating ECAT is slightly reduced coupled with some fines formation, improving fluidization. Some metals removal is possible as metals tend to accumulate on the surface of the ECAT. The existing fines removal equipment in the FCC is used to remove produced fines, though operating conditions may be altered to reduce particulates emissions during periods of catalyst attrition. A dual orifice plate attriter closely coupled with and discharging into the FCC regenerator is preferred, but a high velocity gas jet within the FCC regenerator may also be used. The process operates without a magnetic catalyst separation unit.

Abstract: An environmentally improved asphalt paving composition which contains a solvent-precipitated asphaltene, such as solvent deasphalting bottoms, and a viscosity reducing amount of paraffinic fluxing component, e.g., 325 Neutral Oil.

Abstract: A nozzle, and hydrocarbon conversion process using the nozzle for atomizing heavy feed to conversion zone, are disclosed. A liquid feed stream is atomized by radial out-to-in impingement of atomizing vapor, discharged onto an imperforate central region of a perforated plate in one end of a nozzle barrel, then sprayed through an outlet in the other end of the nozzle barrel. Preferably two perforate plates are used, a first at one end of the nozzle barrel and a second between the first plate and the outlet, which is preferably an elliptical orifice.

Abstract: Mineral lubricant base oils (e.g., neutral oils) can be added to asphalt composition to improve low temperature properties at low addition rates (e.g., oil 1-5%). Rerefined oils (boiling above about 177.degree. C. (350.degree. F.)) have the same properties as virgin mineral lubricant base oils, but most rerefmed oils are too dark in color to be used as lube oil base stocks. Their use in asphalt would be ideal as color is not a problem and they are much cheaper in cost than virgin base oils. This can permit disposing of rerefined motor oil. The resulting asphalt compositions exhibit important improvements in low temperature properties, resistance to thermal cracking and expanded useful temperature range.

Abstract: An oriented film combination of (a) a base layer of polypropylene at least one surface of which comprises a maleic acid anhydride modified polypropylene; and (b) on at least one surface, a skin layer of an amorphous polyamide or a blend of an amorphous polyamide and a semicrystalline polyamide.