Abstract: A temperature control system for a rotary drum is disclosed. The system utilizes parabolic heat collectors mounted adjacent the exterior of a rotating drum, and heat sensors inside the collectors provide control signals for the system.

Abstract: A carrier for a plurality of transducers is disclosed. The carrier is useful in ultrasonic testing of furnace tubes. The carrier includes provision for positioning a plurality of transducers against the interior of the tubes.

Abstract: A device for providing directional control to a borehole being drilled. The device is used with a drilling system including a drill string, a downhole motor and a bit rotated by the downhole motor. The device exerts a deflecting force perpendicular to the axis of the drill string when a lower than normal thrust is imposed on the drill string, and exerts an opposite perpendicular force when a higher than normal thrust is imposed on the drill string. When normal thrust is being used, the device does not cause deflection in either direction.

Abstract: Mineable coal seams which are in proximity to an overlying or underlying coal seam are degasified in advance of and during mining by drilling a generally horizontal borehole in the overlying or underlying coal seam and producing gas therefrom.

Abstract: A device for placement between a rotary drill motor and a drill rod for use in pumping instruments down the drill rod. The device has pressure seals at each end and an opening for an instrument cable which slides through the opening as the instruments are pumped down the drill rod.

Abstract: Coal is fed to a liquefaction process, and a resulting slurry of ash, unconverted coal, and liquids is fed to a delayed coker. Distillates are hydrotreated and stored or recycled, and the coke is calcined at high temperature to reduce the sulfur content.

Abstract: A method for removing a conduit from a curved borehole by applying a compression load to the conduit to cause it to bend away from the inside of the borehole curve.

Abstract: A pretreatment for use in fracturing coal seams to increase gas permeability of the seams. The pretreatment involves injecting a material capable of swelling coal into a coal seam prior to fracturing the coal seam. The pretreatment material swells the coal and closes the natural cleats therein, enhancing the effectiveness of the subsequent fracturing step.

Abstract: An improved deflecting device is provided for a drilling apparatus having a rotatable drill shaft extending from a power source through said deflection device to a drill bit. The deflection device includes an outer housing affixed to the power source and extending axially therefrom. An inner ring is disposed within the housing and encompasses a portion of the drill shaft. An intermediate ring is disposed between the outer housing and the inner ring and has an inner configuration such that the inner ring is immovable relative to the intermediate ring in a first direction, and is prevented from rotating relative to said intermediate ring about an axis parallel to a second direction perpendicular to said first direction, and such that said inner ring is movable relative to the intermediate ring in said second direction.

Abstract: A rock bolt installation system including a device for applying an insertion force to a rock bolt and a device for supplying high pressure jetting fluid through the rock bolt, and a method of operating the system to rapidly install rock bolts. The rock bolt itself includes a flow passage with a restricted nozzle outlet at one end and an exterior groove for removal of jetting fluid and formation cuttings.

Abstract: A process for fractionating two or more compounds in which the stripping section of the fractionator is maintained at a first pressure and the rectifying section of the fractionator is maintained at a higher pressure. Overhead vapors from the stripping section are compressed in a heat pump where the vapor temperature and pressure are raised, and the heated and compressed vapors are then fed to the bottom of the rectifying section. Overhead vapors from the rectifying section, at a higher temperature than the bottoms from the stripping section, are heat exchanged with stripping section bottoms to condense overhead vapors and to supply reboiling heat to the stripping section.

Abstract: A technique of applying the thermoluminescence phenomenon to uranium prospecting. The thermoluminescence of specimens of quartz isolated from field samples is measured. The samples are then irradiated at several levels, and the thermoluminescence of the samples is measured at the various levels. This enables a determination of the natural radiation received by the samples The current radiation from the samples is measured with a dosimeter, and by using both shielded and unshielded dosimeters the type of radiation from the samples can be determined. Knowledge of the total natural radiation received by a sample and the current rate of radioactivity allows the determination of the present position of uranium or other radioactive source and its geological "migration" path.

Abstract: A process for preparing a blended fuel from lignite and fuel oil type hydrocarbons. The process involves drying lignite to a low moisture level, applying a treating liquid to the dried lignite, storing the treated lignite, and subsequently blending treated lignite with liquid hydrocarbon such as fuel oil.

Abstract: A method for controlling a mine roof by drilling one or more boreholes into the roof formation to a location adjacent the top of a mineral seam and hydraulically fracturing the roof formation to enlarge the natural caving zone or to induce orderly caving of a mine roof.

Abstract: Delayed petroleum coke is calcined in an internally-fired vertical shaft kiln. A downwardly-moving bed of green coke is preheated in the top of the kiln by rising combustion gases, then heat soaked at calcining temperatures in the intermediate section of the kiln, and finally cooled by recycle gas moving upwardly from the lower part of the kiln. Partially cooled calcined coke is recovered from the bottom of the kiln.

Abstract: A drilling fluid circulation system for containing drilling cuttings, gas and drilling fluid in a closed loop. The system includes a separator having two sealed compartments, one for settling out drilling cuttings and one for holding clean drilling fluid. A fine solids separator is provided between the two compartments, and a gas exhaust line for conducting gas released from the returning drilling fluid is provided to conduct the produced gas to a safe location away from the working area. A solids discharge device is provided for removing settled drilling cuttings.

Abstract: A petroleum refinery residual oil derived from a naphthenic crude oil is catalytically demetalized, catalytically desulfurized and then fed to a delayed coker to produce premium delayed coke.

Abstract: A process for producing methanol from air-blown gasified coal. A feed gas stream obtained by the coal gasification step is combined with a recycle gas stream and fed to a reactor where carbon oxides are converted to methanol. Exit gas from the reactor is scrubbed to remove carbon monoxide, and the carbon monoxide-free exit gas is then chilled to remove all components except hydrogen. The hydrogen is then combined with the carbon monoxide and used as a recycle stream. The process enables use of an air-blown gasified coal stream while maintaining the nitrogen content in the reactor at an acceptably low level.

Abstract: A delayed coking process in which the overhead vapors from a delayed coking drum are separated into light hydrocarbon products and a gas oil, and in which the gas oil is hydrotreated after being separated from the light hydrocarbon products. The hydrotreated gas oil is then combined with coker feedstock and fed to the coking drum. The process produces a coke capable of producing a graphitized product having a lower longitudinal coefficient of thermal expansion than that of the coke product produced from the same feedstock by the same process but without the hydrotreating step.

Abstract: A composition for treating particulate hydrocarbon fuel material such as coal and lignite to reduce dust losses, improve cold weather handling and reduce spontaneous combustion. The composition is a blend of aromatic hydrocarbon oil and asphalt and has a high viscosity, high flash point and high initial boiling point.