Abstract: A method and apparatus for continuously fabricating three-dimensional (3D) filament reinforced foam insulation slabs. Rows of X or longitudinal filaments are fed longitudinally into a machine in spaced, stacked horizontal planes. Rows of Y or transverse filaments are fed transversely into the machine in spaced, stacked horizontal planes. Z or vertical filaments are fabricated into units of four vertical spaced lengths of strands which fit into each of the vertical column squares formed by the X-Y filaments to form the continuous X-Y-Z orthogonal array. Urethane or equivalent foam is discharged onto a moving belt beneath the filamentary array which is moved in the same direction and at the same rate as the belt carrying the foam. The foam material froths or foams upwardly through the filamentary array as they move along to the next station for curing. After sufficient cure, the foamed array is cut from the frames and into desired length, forming planks.

Abstract: Fingerprint powder and method for developing latent fingerprints therewith, such powder comprised of a powder carrier, especially a mixture of silica and talc, containing a coloring agent, preferably a fluorescent dye. The fingerprint powder can be applied by blowing the powder over a surface containing latent fingerprints, or by brushing or pouring the powder on such surface, or by immersion thereof in such powder, thus developing and revealing a bright, sharp fingerprint, which can be photographed or lifted by applying tape or a strippable coating over the print.

Abstract: Cryogenic insulation system for containers for storage of cryogenic liquefied gases such as LNG, comprised of a low temperature resistant metal, preferably high nickel steel, primary membrane or liner supported by a primary layer of reinforced foam insulation, and a secondary liner positioned adjacent to and sandwiched between the primary layer of foam insulation and a secondary layer of reinforced foam insulation. The preferably high nickel steel primary liner or membrane is supported above the primary foam insulation layer by stiffened ends of the reinforcement fibers which extend above the surface of the foam insulation, providing a small gap between the foam and the membrane. There is provided at corners, particularly at 90.degree.

Abstract: Recovery of energy from geothermal brines and other hot water sources by direct contact heat exchange with a working fluid, such as a hydrocarbon working fluid, e.g. isobutane. The process and system consists of a plurality of stages, each stage including mixing and settling units. In the first stage, hot brine and arm working fluid are intimately mixed and passed into a settler wherein the brine settles to the bottom of the settler and the hot working fluid rises to the top. The hot working fluid is passed to a heat engine or turbine to produce work and the working fluid is then recycled back into the system. The system is comprised of a series of stages each containing a settler and mixer, and wherein the working fluid and the brine flow in a countercurrent manner through the stages to recover the heat from the brine in increments and raise the temperature of the working fluid in increments.

Abstract: Apparatus for conducting the flash pyrolysis of a primary material, particularly coal, and employing a secondary material, particularly hot char, as a heat source, comprising a rectangular slot for injection of a stream of particulate coal, which communicates with a substantially rectangular reactor or pyrolysis chamber. Wells are positioned on opposite sides of the pyrolysis chamber and in communication therewith, for introduction of fluidized secondary material, particularly hot char, into the pyrolysis chamber for admixture therein with and for heating the stream of primary material, such as coal. The pyrolysis chamber has a transition chamber, and a cylindrical separator chamber communicates with the transition chamber for receiving pyrolysis products. The separator chamber is provided with a tangential inlet, a solids outlet conduit positioned about 90.degree. around the circumference of the separator chamber from the tangential inlet, and a perforate gas receiver.

Abstract: A varnish composition comprising the components tung oil, pine tar, turpentine oil, tin and lead oxide, preferably within certain ranges of proportions.

Abstract: A water purification unit particularly adapted for household use, and for operation at high pressures, including two main co-operating parts forming a chamber, with a seal positioned between such parts, and a cap compressing the seal and holding the two parts together. The interior of the chamber can contain one or more filtering elements such as a particulate matter filter, a carbon filter or a reverse osmosis filter. To withstand high internal pressures without leakage or damage, mechanical connections are provided within the chamber to form a further positive connection between the two main parts forming the chamber, so as to maintain such filter elements in position within the chamber.

Abstract: Method and system designed particularly for separating or removing nitrogen from mixtures of nitrogen and methane, particularly natural gas, over a wide range of nitrogen concentrations, employing low temperature rectification, for recovery of methane containing a substantially reduced amount of nitrogen, either as a gas or a liquid, including the features of regenerative heat exchange to cool the feed mixture to near its saturation point, prior to introduction into a fractionating column, by-passing a small stream of the feed around the regenerative heat exchanger as a means of controlling feed temperature and reboil heat in the column, passing the overhead nitrogen gas from the column in indirect heat exchange relation with the rectifying section of the column to generate reflux continuously along the separation zone, work expansion of the nitrogen waste stream to provide necessary refrigeration, providing downflow evaporation of the liquid product within the column in the case of gas producing plants, and

Abstract: Polymer-inorganic hybrid foam, having utility as construction materials, comprised of a continuous plastic phase or backbone structure of unexpanded polymer, e.g. polyvinyl acetate, vinyl-acrylic copolymer or asphalt or bituminous pitch, having distributed therein particles of an inorganic phase such as Portland cement particles, such inorganic phase being substantially free of sand, rock or aggregate, the cells of the hybrid foam being highly uniform, such hybrid foam being strong, and load supporting, and of low density, and being fire resistant and thermally insulating.

Abstract: Foldable and portable shelter structure constructed from a rigid or semi-rigid, thin material such as cardboard, plastic, and the like, formed of a pair of hexagons, placed face-to-face and secured to each other, as by taping, along two or three of the contiguous outer edges of the hexagons. According to one embodiment, each hexagon is divided into six triangles, and the lines which separate these triangles are each flexible in one direction. The pair of hexagons can be pulled apart like a "party hat" and placed on a flat surface to form a standing shelter structure. A floor can be added as an integral part of the structure, which is at full strength when set up flat on the ground.

Abstract: Exhaust muffler for sound suppression, particularly designed as an automotive muffler, which comprises a gas inlet tube communicating with a first chamber in an outer, preferably cylindrical, casing, and an exit tube coaxially aligned with the inlet tube within the casing, the inner end of the exit tube being spaced from the inlet tube and communicating with the first chamber. An imperforate boundary or baffle is positioned in the annulus between the outer wall of the exit tube and the inner wall of the outer casing, and intermediate the ends of the exit tube, the annular space to the rear of the baffle, between the exit tube and the casing, forming a second chamber which is filled with a sound absorber such as glass wool. The exit tube is perforated along the area thereof adjacent to the second chamber for fluid communication therewith.

Abstract: Cryogenic insulation system for containers for storage of cryogenic liquefied gases such as LNG, comprised of a low temperature resistant metal, preferably high nickel steel, primary membrane or liner supported by a primary layer of reinforced foam insulation, and a secondary liner positioned adjacent to and sandwiched between the primary layer of foam insulation and a secondary layer of reinforced foam insulation. The preferably high nickel steel primary liner or membrane is attached to the primary layer of foam insulation by tongues of high nickel steel connected to the primary membrane at spaced positions therealong, and engaged in plywood retainers positioned within and bonded to the primary foam insulation layer. The plywood retainers for such tongues include spaces or channels in communication with a manifold for detection of cryogenic gas leakage. There is provided at corners, particularly at 90.degree.

Abstract: Decomposing polyurethane foams and converting the depolymerized reaction product containing amines, both aromatic and aliphatic, into polyols suitable for reaction with polyisocyanate to produce fresh polyurethane foam, by first reacting polyurethane foam with ammonia or an amine such as diethylene triamine or ethanolamine, or with a polyol such as polypropylene glycol, and reacting the resulting decomposition product containing a mixture of polyols, ureas, and amines, which can include primary and secondary amines, with an alkylene oxide such as ethylene oxide or propylene oxide, at elevated temperature, preferably about 120.degree. to about 140.degree. C., in an autoclave under autogenous pressure, to convert such amines to polyols.

Abstract: Acoustical insulation or sound absorbing material particularly useful as automobile muffler material, having high temperature, vibration and chemical resistance, and of sufficient structural rigidity to resist packing or degradation when exposed to engine heat, vibration and exhaust gas pressures, formed of an alumina-silica ceramic fiber matt or blanket impregnated with a colloidal silica binder. The muffler acoustical and thermal insulation can be in the form of a hollow cylindrical body of alumina-silica fibers coated on its inside and outside surfaces and on its ends, with an aqueous colloidal silica sol, and the material dried.

Abstract: Production of composites having increased strength, particularly at elevated temperature, heat resistance and ablative properties, while maintaining low weight, by a process which comprises impregnating fibrous reinforcement, such as a woven fabric of graphite yarns, with a resin, e.g., a phenolic resin, curing the resin to yield a fiber-resin composite, pyrolyzing such composite to convert the resin to a porous carbonaceous matrix, reimpregnating the porous fiber-carbon composite with additional resin, such as a phenolic resin, to fill the pores of the matrix, and curing the reimpregnating resin. The resulting fiber reinforcement-resin matrix-carbon matrix (i.e., bimatrix) composites are particularly useful and valuable as reinforced plastic aerospace components requiring strength at high temperatures and having improved ablative properties.

Abstract: Process and system for recovery of energy from geothermal brines and other water containing or hot water sources, which comprises direct contact heat exchange between the brine or hot water, and a working fluid, e.g. n-butane, in a heat transfer column, the heat transfer column being operated in the subcritical pressure region of the working fluid, close to or approaching the apex of the saturated vapor curve for such working fluid on the Mollier enthalpy-entropy diagram for such fluid. The heated working fluid exiting the top of the heat transfer column is expanded through an expander to produce work. The discharge from the expander is cooled to condense working fluid which is separated in an accumulator, from condensed water vapor present in the working fluid, and the condensed working fluid is pressurized and fed back to the heat transfer column.

Abstract: Process for the gasification of coal in situ comprising driving shafts or tunnels into a coal seam, injecting air into the bore holes to ignite and burn the coal to raise its temperature ceasing the flow of air when the coal is hot enough to support the endothermic water gas reaction, and injecting steam into the hot coal formation, such steam preferably being preheated by the flue gases taken from the same end of the bore holes where the air was injected, and recovering product gases, including carbon monoxide and hydrogen, and also product oil, exiting the tunnel at the other end of the bore holes. When the temperature of the coal drops during injection of steam to a level which will just permit combustion, the steam flow is stopped, and the cycle is repeated by air injection and flue gas removal at the front end of the bore holes, and through the tunnel connected therewith. This cyclic process is repeated until the entire mass of coal within the area encompassed by the bore holes is exhausted.

Abstract: Stiffened structural components, particularly integrally stiffened light weight shell structures, produced by molding astiffening member, preferably formed of a graphite-epoxy composition and having a so-called isogrid rib stiffening configuration, to a partially cured (B-stage) condition, injecting a suitable elastomer, e.g. a silicone, into the open spaces of the isogrid rib stiffener, to stabilize the partially cured composite during subsequent heat forming and curing operations, heat forming the resulting stiffening member to the required contour, e.g. for a cylinder into approximately 90.degree. arcuate isogrid panels, heat forming the skin of the shell structure by laying up a plurality of layers of a pre-impregnated tape within a cylindrical mold, installing a plurality, e.g.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for continuously fabricating three-dimensional (3D) filament reinforced foam insulation slabs. Rows of X or longitudinal filaments are fed longitudinally into a machine in spaced, stacked horizontal planes. Rows of Y or transverse filaments are fed transversely into the machine in spaced, stacked horizontal planes. Z or vertical filaments are fabricated into units of four vertical spaced lengths of strands which fit into each of the vertical column squares formed by the X-Y filaments to form the continuous X-Y-Z orthogonal array. Urethane or equivalent foam is discharged onto a moving belt beneath the filamentary array which is moved in the same direction and at the same rate as the belt carrying the foam. The foam material froths or foams upwardly through the filamentary array as they move along to the next station for curing. After sufficient cure, the foamed array is cut from the frames and into desired length, forming planks.

Abstract: Process for color sorting of particulate glass employing as the basic concept the differential heating by irradiation and absorption of preselected colored glass particles and contacting such irradiated and differentially heated glass particles with an organic thermoplastic material which melts over a narrow temperature range, the preselected colored glass particles being heated by such irradiation to within the aforementioned temperature range and causing melting of the organic thermoplastic material in contact with such glass particles but without causing melting of the inorganic thermoplastic material in contact with the other glass particles, and thereby enabling separation of the differentially heated colored glass particles in contact with the melted organic material from the remaining glass particles.