Abstract: Oxygen or oxygen-enriched air is employed to support combustion in furnaces (16) and (26) of part of the hydrogen sulphide content of a first feed gas stream. Sulphur vapour is extracted in condenser (32) from the resulting gas mixture so as to form a sulphur vapour depleted gas stream. The sulphur vapour depleted gas stream is passed into a catalytic reduction reactor (40) in which all the residual sulphur dioxide is reduced to hydrogen sulphide. This reduced gas mixture has water vapour extracted therefrom in a quench tower (52). The resulting water vapour depleted gas stream flows to a Claus plant for treatment typically together with a second feed gas steam comprising hydrogen sulphide. Employing both furnaces (16) and (26) makes it possible to obtain effective conversions to sulphur of the hydrogen sulphide in the feed gas without having the recycle any of the water vapour depleted gas.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for producing nitrogen trifluoride. The invention involves passing a working fluid through a heat engine cycle and using the mechanical energy generated by the working fluid to produce sufficient mixing intensity within a nitrogen trifluoride reactor. The method utilizes a working fluid vapor jet, such as a hydrogen fluoride vapor jet, to impart sufficient energy to the mixing zone of a reactor in order to disperse gaseous fluorine within a liquid ammonium acid fluoride melt. A gaseous reaction product stream is removed from the reactor, the reaction product stream comprising nitrogen trifluoride and a working fluid vapor. The working fluid is then separated from the nitrogen trifluoride and recycled for reuse in the process, thereby completing a heat engine cycle.

Abstract: Oxygen or oxygen-enriched air is employed to support combustion in furnace (16) of part of the hydrogen sulphide content of a first feed gas stream. Sulphur is extracted from the resulting gas stream in a sulphur condenser (26). Catalyst Claus reaction between hydrogen sulphide and sulphur dioxide in the resulting sulphur vapour depleted gas stream takes place in a catalytic reactor (32). Sulphur is extracted in a further sulphur condenser (34). The resulting sulphur vapour depleted gas stream is passed into a catalytic reduction reactor (40) in which all the residual sulphur dioxide and any sulphur vapour are reduced to hydrogen sulphide. The resulting reduced gas mixture has water vapour extracted there from in a quench tower (52). The resulting water vapour depleted gas stream flows to a Claus plant for further treatment typically together with a second feed gas stream.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for recovering and recycling a tracer gas from a leak testing process. The apparatus comprises a leak testing section, a gas recovery/blending section, and a gas analysis/recycle section. The leak testing section operates to perform various leak testing functions and comprises a plurality of test parts, a plurality of gas supply valves, and a plurality of gas discharge valves. The gas recovery/blending section functions to blend gases together and comprises a virgin gas storage means associated with a flow control means and a recovered gas storage means having a pressure analysis means and recovered gas analysis means. The gas analysis/recycle section operates to analyze, store, and deliver a tracer gas and comprises compressor, blended gas storage means, blended gas analysis means, pressure analysis/adjustment means, and temperature analysis means.

Abstract: Nitrogen is rejected from a feed gas stream comprising methane and nitrogen so as to form a methane product. The feed gas is separated in a double rectification column comprising a higher pressure rectification column 14, a lower pressure rectification column 16, and a condenser-reboiler 18. Product methane is withdrawn from the column 16 by a pump 42 and is vaporised. A flow of gas is recycled from the column 16 to the column 14, being warmed in main heat exchanger 4. A first part of the warmed recycle gas being compressed in compressor 48 to a first pressure and introduced into the higher pressure rectification column 14. A second part of the warmed recycle gas is compressed in the compressor 48 and condensed in a second condenser-reboiler associated with an intermediate main exchange region of the lower pressure column 16 and is returned to the higher pressure rectification column 14.

Abstract: A cap assembly for collecting cooling gas from a coolant chamber tube is disclosed. The cap assembly having connecting means and outlet means extending from its side walls being generally shaped and sized for detachable mounting on the body of the cooling gas chamber tube. The cap assembly is also employed in a hot optical fiber process which is being cooled by helium.

Abstract: Improved method for recovering hydrogen and carbon monoxide from hydrocarbon conversion processes are disclosed. A monolith catalyst reactor means is utilized in treating the waste gas stream from the hydrocarbon conversion process to assist in recovering hydrogen and carbon monoxide from the waste gas stream. The present invention also provides a method for improving the yield of hydrogen and carbon monoxide from a hydrocarbon conversion process utilizing a monolith catalyst reactor means.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for removing nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, mercury and mercuric oxide from gas streams such as furnace or utility boiler flue gas streams, particularly those derived from coal-fired utility boilers, or from a gas stream from another pollutant abatement process. Ozone will react with the impurities in the gas stream to form mercuric oxide and higher oxides of nitrogen which can be removed by scrubber means. Additionally, and alternatively, the present invention provides for the use of ozone and ultraviolet radiation to remove nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides and mercury from gas streams.

Abstract: Partial oxidation of hydrocarbons to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide is carried out by a cyclical process, which includes (a) contacting an oxygen ion conducting ceramic with air at a pressure between about 1 and 50 bara in a reactor, wherein oxygen from the air reacts with the ceramic, thereby producing an oxygen-enriched ceramic, and (b) contacting the hot, oxygen-enriched ceramic with hydrocarbon gas and optionally steam in the reactor. During the partial oxidation reaction phase of the process, the oxygen-enriched ceramic reacts with the hydrocarbon, thereby producing the desired gas products and regenerating the oxygen ion conducting ceramic for the next cycle of the process.

Abstract: A structured packing element comprises a plurality of corrugated sheets and one planar member positioned adjacent to each of the corrugated sheets. The planar member has a top edge and a bottom edge that are at least proximally aligned with the top and bottom edges respectively of the corrugated sheets. The planar member is further characterized by a middle portion having an open area percent that is higher than the open area percents of the top and bottom portions of the planar member. The structured packing element can be used to form structured packings for distillation applications.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a sparger system provided for appropriately feeding reactant streams to fluidized bed reactors of hydrocarbon partial oxidation processes that are retrofitted to selectively recover and recycle unreacted hydrocarbons. As a result of the sparger system, the reactor productivity and selectivity is enhanced while employing only two spargers. Also, the capital cost required for retrofitting existing sparging equipment is minimized, while at the same time, the desired fluidization and catalyst oxidation characteristics are achieved without the formation of flammable mixtures within the sparging system.

Abstract: A method for depositing a material onto a plurality of features located on a surface of a substrate provides more accurate and consistent control over where the material is deposited. The method comprises evaporating the material to create an evaporant stream, positioning the substrate so that the evaporant stream strikes the plurality of features over a range of exposure angles between the evaporant stream and the substrate, moving the substrate to vary the range of exposure angles over which the evaporant stream strikes the plurality of features, and moving one or more shutters into the evaporant stream to block any part of the evaporant stream that has an exposure angle greater than a critical exposure angle.

Abstract: A structured packing with improved packing elements and method of using the structured packing. Each structured packing element comprises corrugated sheets and planar members alternating with and located between the corrugated sheets The planar members are positioned so that at least the lowermost horizontal edges of the planar members and the corrugated sheets are situated proximal to one another. Perforations provided in the planar members and the corrugated sheets are designed to avoid turbulent flows and bulk fluid flow across the packing element while allowing transverse pressure equalization. Different configurations of corrugated sheets may be used with the planar members to form the structured packing.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for recovering and recycling a coolant gas from a heat exchanger. The apparatus comprises a coolant gas recovery section, and analysis section, and a coolant gas blending section. The coolant gas recovery section recovers a coolant gas containing contaminants from the heat exchanger. The analysis section monitors a condition of an analysis portion of the recovered coolant gas. The coolant gas blending section operates to produce, based on the condition of the recovered coolant gas monitored by the analysis section, a blend coolant gas comprising a virgin coolant gas and a reclaimed coolant gas that comprises at least a portion of the recovered coolant gas. The blend coolant gas has a predetermined contaminant concentration and is recycled into the heat exchanger. Thus, the coolant gas is recovered from, and recycled to, the heat exchanger at the predetermined contaminant concentration without using a purification device.

Abstract: Air separation units are designed and constructed by selecting two or more modules from libraries containing different module designs. Each library comprises at least two modules with standardized interface point layouts. The standardization of interface points for each module in a given library allows for module interchangeabilty and flexibility in the design and construction of air separation units.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for removing nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxides and mercury from gas streams such as furnace or utility boiler flue gas streams, particularly those derived from coal-fired utility boilers. A stream containing relatively low concentration of ozone from an ozone concentrator is feed to a barrier discharge reactor. Nitrogen oxides and mercury in the flue gas are oxidized by oxygen and hydroxyl radicals formed in the reactor. The flue gas is then directed to a reactor duct along with the ozone at a greater concentration wherein the remaining nitrogen oxides and mercury in the gas stream will react with the ozone to form nitric acid, nitric acid precursors, mixtures thereof and mercuric oxide. These impurities can then be removed from the gas stream by use of an aqueous scrubber, a wet electrostatic precipitator, a dry scrubber or a semi-dry scrubber.

Abstract: Methods for depositing a low-k dielectric film on the surfaces of semiconductors and integrated surfaces are disclosed. A substituted organosilane compound precursor is applied to the surface by chemical vapor deposition where it will react with the surface and form a film which will have a dielectric constant, K, less than 2.5.

Abstract: An air-oxygen hydrogen sulphide burner (108) fires into a furnace (102). The burner comprises a main passage for combustion-supporting gas containing air (112), a multiplicity of spaced apart outer elongate fluid-conducting open ended tubes extending in parallel with each other along the main passage, each of the outlet tubes surrounding at least at the distal end of the burner a respective inner elongate fluid-conducting open ended tube, the inner tubes extending in parallel with one another, a first inlet to the burner for oxygen or oxygen-enriched air, and a second inlet to the burner for feed gas containing hydrogen sulphide, the first inlet communicating with the inner tubs, and the second inlets communicating with the outer tubes.

Abstract: Nitrogen is rejected from a feed gas stream comprising methane and nitrogen so as to form a methane product. The feed gas stream is cooled in a main heat exchanger and is rectified in a double rectification column comprising a higher pressure rectification column, a lower pressure rectification column, and a condenser-reboiler placing the higher pressure rectification column in heat exchange relationship with the lower pressure rectification column. At least part of the feed gas stream is expanded into the higher pressure rectification column through an expansion valve, the feed gas stream being partially liquefied upstream of the double rectification column. Over a period of time the mole fraction of nitrogen in the feed gas mixture increases. At a suitable increased nitrogen mole fraction, operation of a second double rectification column in parallel with the first double rectification column is commenced.

Abstract: Sour gas containing hydrogen sulphide has hydrogen sulphide absorbed therefrom in an absorbent in a vessel 4. A hydrogen sulphide rich gas stream is formed by desorbing hydrogen sulphide from the absorbent in a vessel 12. The resulting hydrogen sulphide rich gas stream is partially burned in a furnace 32. Resulting sulphur dioxide reacts therein with residual hydrogen sulphide to form sulphur vapor which is extracted in a condenser 44. Residual sulphur dioxide and sulphur vapor are reduced to hydrogen sulphide in catalyst stage 54 of a reactor 50. Water vapor is removed from the resulting reduced gas stream by direct contact with water in a quench tower 60. At least part of the resulting water vapor depleted gas stream is sent to the vessel 4 with the incoming sour gas stream.