Abstract: Steam generation apparatus and methods are presented that are dedicated to oxygen-enriched air combustion of a fuel, wherein the oxygen concentration of the oxygen-enriched air may range from just above 21 percent to 100 percent. One apparatus comprises an oxygen-enriched air preheater through which oxygen-enriched air flows and exchanges heat indirectly with flue gas, creating a preheated oxygen-enriched air stream. The apparatus further comprises a boiler having a radiant section and a convection section, and other heat transfer units adapted to handle reduced flue gas flow rate and higher temperature flue gases than comparable air/fuel combustion boilers, thus allowing a smaller heat transfer surface area, a more compact design and a higher efficiency.

Abstract: Processes and systems to recover at least one perfluorocompound gas from a gas mixture are provided. In one embodiment the inventive process comprises the steps of a) providing a gas mixture comprising at least one perfluorocompound gas and at least one carrier gas, the gas mixture being at a predetermined pressure; b) providing at least one glassy polymer membrane having a feed side and a permeate side; c) contacting the feed side of the at least one membrane with the gas mixture; d) withdrawing from the feed side of the membrane as a non-permeate stream at a pressure which is substantially equal to the predetermined pressure a concentrated gas mixture comprising essentially the at least one perfluorocompound gas; and e) withdrawing from the permeate side of the membrane as a permeate stream a depleted gas mixture comprising essentially the at least one carrier gas.

Abstract: A method for sanitizing a food processing environment includes the preparation of an aqueous ozone was solution for use in sanitizing food contact surfaces and food processing work stations. During preparation of an ozone wash solution, ozone off-gas is collected from the aqueous ozone solution. The ozone off-gas is then introduced into an ambient of the food processing environment. The introduction of the ozone off-gas can be carried out in conjunction with the application of the ozone wash solution to food contact surfaces. Additionally, the ozone off-gas can be introduced at relatively high concentrations for application to food processing equipment and food contact surfaces or, alternatively, the ozone off-gas can be diluted to relatively low levels for introduction into the ambient air of a food processing facility.

Abstract: 1. An inerting system for a vented controlled atmosphere container, for inerting a flammable gas comprising a flammable vapor and oxygen, comprising: (i) a container; (ii) an outlet in the container for the flammable gas; (iii) a compressor, in fluid communication with the outlet, which compresses the flammable gas from the container; (iv) a separator, in fluid communication with the compressor, for removing oxygen from the flammable gas to produce an oxygen-depleted flammable gas; (v) an inlet in the container, which is in fluid communication with the separator; through which the oxygen-depleted flammable gas is fed into the container.

Abstract: This plant comprises N (N>1) air distillation units (1) in parallel, each one of which comprises a main air compressor (3) driven by a steam turbine (4); an air distillation apparatus (8) producing liquid oxygen and/or liquid nitrogen; at least one pump (9) for pumping liquid oxygen and/or liquid nitrogen to a high production pressure; and a cycle compressor (10) adapted to compress part of a cycle fluid. Each cycle compressor (10) is driven by an electric motor (11), and an (N+1)th steam turbine (12) drives an alternator (13) supplying the electric motors (11) with electric current. Application to supplying units (2) for producing synthetic hydrocarbons with high-pressure oxygen.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for delivery of high purity reactive liquids using gaseous assist are described, the apparatus comprising a container body, the container body having fluidly connected thereto a gas inlet and a reactive liquid outlet, the gas inlet fitted with a means adapted to hold a gas filter media, and a gas filter media positioned within said means adapted to hold a gas filter media, the gas inlet having a gas inlet valve, the liquid outlet having a liquid outlet valve.

Abstract: Provided is a process for bleaching pulp with ozone. The process involves preparing a slurry of cellulosic pulp having a consistency in fibers of from 1-5 weight %. Such a low consistency slurry is then mixed with ozone under high shear conditions. The ozone is then maintained in contact with the cellulosic fibers to effect bleaching of the fibers. The present process offers the advantages of bleaching using a low consistency slurry, with the added advantages of employing ozone.

Abstract: Methods of cooling an object are presented, the methods comprising contacting a heat transfer fluid with a liquid cryogen to form a precooled, substantially pure heat transfer fluid, and contacting the object with the precooled substantially pure heat transfer fluid to form a cooled object and a recycle flow of the heat transfer fluid. The heat transfer fluid consists essentially of a compound selected from the group consisting of substantially pure hydrogen, substantially pure helium, substantially pure argon, substantially pure nitrogen, and substantially pure carbon dioxide. Each of the contacting steps may be either direct contact, indirect contact, or combinations thereof.

Abstract: This invention proposes innovative techniques of NOx reduction in boiler operation through an adaptation of staged combustion in combustion boilers. In preferred processes, air is fed into an air separation unit, and a nitrogen-enriched stream is combined with air to produce a nitrogen-enriched first stage air stream, and at least a portion of an oxygen-enriched stream is mixed with air to produce an oxygen-enriched second stage air stream. A reduction in NOx and increase in efficiency is promoted by the inventive processes and systems.

Abstract: On-site blending and distribution of oxide abrasives with other constituents as used in semiconductor applications. Constituent blending is accomplished through weighing components individually into a blending tank. Some components may be added by injection or weight. Alternatively blends can be made to varying concentrations by passing the blended oxide solution in a closed circulation loop through a calibrated encapsulated torroid coil to measure electrical conductivity. The resulting conductivity output may be used to add one or more component.

Abstract: This invention is related to a method for encapsulating bond regions in electronic components comprising, for example, metallic bond regions, the method comprising the steps of exposing an electronic component having at least one bond region through a primary gas atmosphere comprising unstable or excited gaseous species, the gaseous species being substantially devoid of any electrical charges, the primary gas atmosphere having a pressure ranging from about 0.5×105 Pa to about 3.0×105 Pa, thereby forming a treated, non-encapulated electronic component, then encapsulating the electronic component.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for combusting a fuel with an oxidant are described, the apparatus comprising a ceramic burner block, the burner block having a back face and a front face. The burner block has at least one oxidant cavity in an upper portion of the burner block, and at least one fuel cavity in a lower portion of the burner block, each cavity extending from the back face to the front face. The at least one oxidant cavity has positioned therein a fuel supply conduit, the fuel supply conduit having a fuel supply conduit exit positioned a sufficient distance from the front face to allow combustion of at least a portion of fuel exiting the fuel supply conduit exit with at least some of the oxidant traversing the oxidant cavity, and the least one fuel cavity having connected thereto, near the back face, an oxidant conduit, thereby allowing mixing of a minor portion of the oxidant with the fuel.

Abstract: An apparatus of measuring both concentration and amount of a liquid in a liquid chemical container is presented, comprising viewing light emanating from a first optical member that is in visual contact with the liquid, the light emanating from the optical member having a level indicating quality; and routing light from a second optical member that is in visual contact with the liquid to means for optical discrimination between liquid chemical based on different optical properties.

Abstract: A method for operating a boiler using oxygen-enriched oxidants includes introducing oxygen-enriched air, or oxygen and air, in which the oxygen concentration ranges from about 21% to about 100% by volume. Fuel and oxygen-enriched air are introduced into the combustion space within the steam-generating boiler. The fuel and oxygen-enriched air is combusted to generate thermal energy. At least a portion of the flue gases are collected and at least a portion are recirculated through the boiler. In the steam-generating boiler, the oxygen-enriched oxidant is introduced at one or more locations within the radiation zone and the convection zone of the boiler. Additionally, flue gas is collected and recirculated into one or more locations within the radiation zone and/or the convection zone of the boiler.

Abstract: Apparatus and process for removing carbon monoxide from a gas stream comprising a major portion of an inert gas and a minor portion of carbon monoxide are provided. The process involves contacting a feed gas stream with at least a primary metal oxide in a reaction zone of a reactor vessel at conditions effective to convert substantially all of the carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide, thus producing a purified gas stream consisting essentially of the inert gas and carbon dioxide and substantially free of carbon monoxide.

Abstract: Provided are slurry compositions suitable for use in a chemical-mechanical planarization process and methods for making same. The compositions include: (a) abrasive particles dispersed in a suspension medium; (b) a peroxygen compound; and (c) a stabilizing agent. The stabilizing agent includes a phosphoric acid, a salt of a phosphoric acid or combinations thereof. The invention has particular applicability to the semiconductor manufacturing industry.

Abstract: A system and method for purifying liquefied corrosive gases of metallic impurities is described. The principle for this purification method relies on vapor-phase transfilling the vapor phase from a source container into a receiving container. This method has been observed to decrease metal concentrations by a factor of at least 1000 and, decreases the metallic impurity levels in the resulting condensate. The vapor transfer is accomplished by controlled differential pressure rather than mechanical pumping, thereby generating no particle or metal impurities.

Abstract: A mixed matrix membrane for gas separations is provided with a nonporous continuous phase of a polymer and a dispersed phase of molecular sieve particles reacted with a monofunctional organosilicon compound. The monofunctional organosilicon compound is characterized by (a) at least one silicon substituent group which reacts or is compatible with the polymer, and (b) at most one displaceable radical that can react with the molecular sieve. A process for making a selectively gas permeable mixed matrix membrane involves reacting a molecular sieve with the monofunctional organosilicon compound, uniformly dispersing the reacted sieve with a polymer, and forming the resulting mixed matrix composition into a membrane structure. These mixed matrix membranes provide an improved combination of permeability and selectivity as compared to polymer-only membranes and mixed matrix membranes in which the molecular sieve is not reacted with a monofunctional organosilicon compound.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating artificial atmospheres in a furnace for the heat treating of materials. The furnace includes a substantially isolated chamber having a discharge receiving orifice for accepting a bi-phasic cryogen into a hot/work zone of the chamber. A low pressure cryogen source feeds a bi-phasic inert gas into the chamber in order to allow the volumetric expansion of the evaporating liquid constituent of the bi-phasic cryogen to purge a substantial portion of the ambient oxygen from the chamber and to allow a substantial residual concentration of the inert gas to blanket the process area without significant dissipation during the heat treating process. Oxidizable materials heat treated in artificial atmospheres generated by use of bi-phasic cryogens show no signs of scaling or staining through the process and thus do not need to undergo acid bathing prior to subsequent processing.

Abstract: Semiconductor wafers and other electronic parts which similarly require ultra-high purity manufacturing environments are treated with ultra-high purity liquid cleaning and etching agents prepared at the site of use from gaseous raw materials which have been purified to a level compatible with semiconductor manufacturing standards, combined when appropriate with ultra-pure water.