Abstract: A process for removing mercury from a gaseous process stream. The process involves contacting a mercury-containing gaseous process stream with a regenerable mercury scavenger solution to form a treated stream having a reduced mercury content as compared to the mercury-containing gaseous process stream and a used scavenger solution having an increased mercury content. The regenerable mercury scavenger solution contains an oxidizing agent such as nitric acid, a complexing agent such as oxygen-containing agents and/or thiol and a solvent, for example, a mixture of methanol and water.

Abstract: A fossil fuel-fired apparatus for steaming food having at least one housing wall forming a housing, a steam chamber disposed within the housing and forming an annular space between the steam chamber and the housing wall, and at least one fossil fuel burner disposed beneath the bottom portion of the steam chamber and oriented to produce steam from water in a bottom portion of the steam chamber. Disposed within the annular space are guides for directing the hot products of combustion generated by the burners along the exterior wall surface of the steam chamber, thereby maintaining the temperature of the steam chamber walls above the temperature of the saturated steam and preventing condensation of the steam in the steam chamber.

Abstract: An absorption heat pump achieves improved efficiency by lowering the low cycle temperature of the circulation fluid. This is accomplished by adding a crystallization-inhibiting compound to the circulation fluid which substantially depresses the temperature at which the absorbent salt in the fluid begins to crystallize.

Abstract: A method for generating electricity in which sludge is anaerobically digested to form a gas mixture of methane and carbon dioxide and a residue of digested sludge. Water is removed from the digested sludge to form dewatered sludge, which, in turn, is gasified to form a gaseous composition which includes carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The gas mixture containing methane and carbon dioxide produced in the anaerobic digestion step is mixed with the gas mixture containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide from the gasification step and burned in an apparatus, such as a micro-turbine, for generating electricity. The non-carbonaceous fraction of the sludge is melted during the gasification step and rendered environmentally benign.

Abstract: A method for coating stainless steel in which a metallic material layer of Cr and alloys of Cr and at least one of Mo, W, Ni, Si, Ti, Zr is deposited onto a metal substrate. The metallic material layer is then annealed so as to form a diffusion layer between the metallic protective coating and the metal substrate. Thereafter, the metallic material layer may be passivated, forming a stable composition of at least one of carbides, borides, nitrides, silicides, oxides, and mixtures thereof on the metallic protective coating. The protective coatings of this invention significantly reduce the corrosion rate of stainless steel used in bromide-based absorption systems.

Abstract: An absorbent refrigerant composition containing an aqueous solution of zinc and lithium bromides with an added amount of hydroxide ions. The addition of the hydroxide ions lowers the corrosion rate of the composition to an acceptable level without raising the freeze point of the composition. The composition is particularly suitable for use as an absorbent refrigerant composition in the high temperature loop of a dual loop triple effect absorption refrigeration apparatus.