Abstract: An improved process is provided for the production of anhydrides from hydrocarbons by reaction with an oxygen-containing gas comprising oxygen, air or a gas enriched in oxygen relative to air, in the presence of a suitable catalyst. In the process, a selective separator provides recycle of a substantial portion of the unreacted hydrocarbon as well as for a controlled amount of a gaseous flame suppressor in the system. The gaseous flame suppressor comprises a substantially unreactive hydrocarbon containing 1 to 5 carbon atoms, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen when present in the feed to the oxidation reactor. The use of air or oxygen-enriched air in the feed to the oxidation reactor is particularly advantageous from an economic view in combination with a pressure swing adsorption unit as the selective separator. The process is characterized by high selectively to the formation of the anhydride product.

Abstract: A refrigerated container 2 has associated therewith a compressor 6 which receives filtered air and passes it to a small apparatus 12 for separating air by pressure swing adsorption or by different rates of permeation of gas through semi-permeable membranes. Resulting air depleted in oxygen and water vapor flows into the interior of the container 2 and displaces atmosphere from the container 2 through a vent tube 20. Reducing the oxygen and water vapor content of the atmosphere in the container 2 (which may be a refrigerator or freezer) helps to preserve food stored therein and reduces the deposition of water or ice.

Abstract: The present invention provides a diaphragm valve including a housing having a chamber and an outlet opening within the chamber. A projecting valve seat, formed by a projection extending into the chamber, has a sloping, annular sealing surface surrounding the outlet opening. A valve body, preferably forming an armature of an electromagnetic coil, is also located within the chamber. The valve body has, at one end, a recess and a metal diaphragm covering the recess and chemically non-reactive with a flowing fluid passing through the chamber and out of the outlet opening. The valve body is adapted for movement towards and away from the valve seat between closed and open positions. In the closed position the diaphragm is flexed into the recess by the projection, conformingly and sealingly contacting the sealing surface and covering the outlet opening, to prevent the passage of flowing fluid.

Abstract: A process for producing substantially pure liquid carbon dioxide from a carbon dioxide feed containing about 35 to about 98% by volume of carbon dioxide wherein a waste stream containing carbon dioxide is separated from contaminants in a pressure swing adsorption apparatus and then recycled to the carbon dioxide feed, and a system for recovering spent carbon dioxide from a refrigeration system using liquid carbon dioxide as a freezing agent.

Abstract: An improved process and apparatus for separating air to form oxygen and nitrogen in at least one cryogenic distillation column is disclosed. Nitrogen vapor taken from the colunm is warmed in countercurrent flow to incoming air in a heat exchanger wherein compressed air is being cooled for separation. A portion of the warm nitrogen is compressed, cooled in the heat exchanger and passed through an expansion turbine. The expanded nitrogen is passed through a reboiler associated with the column and further cooled in the heat exchange means. Part of the resulting liquid nitrogen is used to provide reflux for the column and the remainder is taken as product. Preferably, at least a portion of the compressed air stream is expanded in a turbine, passed through the reboiler associated with the column to provide reboil therefor, liquified by heat exchange and introduced to the distillation column through a throttling valve.

Abstract: Process for the recovery of nitrogen from air in which gaseous air is compressed, cooled and optionally purified in a heat exchanger, and then distilled to obtain pure gaseous nitrogen overhead and an oxygen enriched liquid bottoms, wherein all of the bottoms and a portion of the overhead is passed to a condenser to form an oxygen enriched gas and liquid nitrogen and wherein at least a portion of the oxygen enriched gas is compressed and recycled to the distillation column to enhance recovery of the nitrogen product.

Abstract: A five-layer coating, commonly called a "stack", for glass windows in order to control the proportion of solar radiation permitted to pass through the window, the remainder being reflected by the coating, while maintaining a desired visible light characteristic transmission. Particularly, the technique is applied to vehicle glass windows, such as truck and automobile windshields, where the amount of solar radiation allowed to pass into the vehicle through the window is minimized within the constraints of maintaining visible light transmission above a certain legal level. The characteristics of the coating are also selected for visible light reflected from the window to the outside to be a substantially neutral color, highly desirable for the overall appearance of trucks and automobiles.

Abstract: Highly purified gaseous hydrogen and liquid carbon dioxide are produced from a steam reformer/shift converter by passing the effluent from the latter through a multibed hydrogen PSA unit followed by an uncoupled carbon dioxide PSA unit. The carbon dioxide PSA unit produces a hydrogen-rich stream which is recycled to the feed to the steam reformer, a carbon dioxide-rich recycle stream which is recycled to the carbon dioxide PSA unit feed and a carbon dioxide-rich product stream which is introduced under pressure to a liquifier. A waste stream from the liquifier is recylced to the carbon dioxide PSA unit feed. A portion of the carbon dioxide-rich product stream is withdrawn from the compressor at a stage such that its pressure is higher than that of the carbon dioxide PSA unit and returned thereto as a cocurrent purge preceding bed regeneration to obtain product.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cryogenic air separation wherein both fuel gas and electrical power are produced. Respective operating pressures of the lower and higher pressure rectification columns can be set independently of one another, allowing flexibility in selecting the purity of the oxygen product.

Abstract: Apparatus for removing small particles from a substrate including superimposed plates forming at least two parallel chambers and a film-like member interposed between the plates and adapted to provide flow communication between the chambers to enable fluid carbon dioxide to form a mixture of solid particles and gaseous carbon dioxide which flows out of an ejection port toward the substrate.

Abstract: An improved oxygen analyzer device is disclosed which comprises a gas flow passage having inlet and exhaust ports, an oxygen concentration detector in proximity to the exhaust port and first and second parallel intermediate flow passages, one of which contains a purifier to remove oxygen from the gas flowing therethrough. The device is characterized by the use of metal, diaphram-type, three-way valves in the branch-off and junction points between the intermediate flow passages. The valves eliminate dead space in conventional devices that extends both the calibration and analysis time of such devices.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the separation of air by pressure swing adsorption utilizing two beds of adsorbent material which are operated out of phase, thereby providing a more or less continuous flow of product oxygen with reduced argon content. A first adsorbent bed comprises a carbon molecular sieve which adsorbs oxygen more rapidly then nitrogen. The adsorbed oxygen is desorbed from the first bed and flows to a second bed, comprising a zeolite molecular sieve that adsorbs nitrogen preferentially to oxygen, thereby producing product oxygen as the non-adsorbed gas. Alternatively, the second bed comprises a carbon molecular sieve, and the adsorbed oxygen is desorbed as the oxygen product gas.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed in the separation of a gaseous mixture by pressure swing adsorption utilizing two beds of adsorptive material which are operated out of phase in the cycle thereby providing a more-or-less continuous flow of product. Each adsorbent bed contains a heat exchange chamber holding a volatile liquid. The liquid gives up vapor in the bed undergoing adsorption and condenses in the bed undergoing desorption. Heat is thereby transferred between the beds, thus improving the efficiency of each stage by retaining heat which would otherwise be lost.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for converting liquid fats into solid particles for blending with dry feed ingredients comprises spraying atomized liquid fat into the upper portion of the mixing chamber while directing a plurality of fine jets of liquid nitrogen against the liquid fat spray so as to produce solid fat particles which fall into the dry ingredients at the bottom of the mixing chamber. A homogeneous mix free of fat lumps is thereby readily obtained, even at the higher percentages of fat required for some animal feed.

Abstract: A process for producing substantially pure liquid carbon dioxide from a carbon dioxide feed containing about 35 to about 98% by volume of carbon dioxide wherein a waste stream containing carbon dioxide is separated from contaminants in a pressure swing adsorption apparatus and then recycled to the carbon dioxide feed, and a system for recovering spent carbon dioxide from a refrigeration system using liquid carbon dioxide as a freezing agent.

Abstract: An improved process is provided for the production of nitriles and oxides from hydrocarbons by reaction with oxygen, air or a gas enriched in oxygen relative to air, preferably the latter, and ammonia where a nitrile is desired, in the presence of a suitable catalyst. An alkane, e.g. propane, is converted to an alkene in a catalytic dehydrogenator. The product stream is introduced into an ammoxidation reactor. The product formed therein is recovered in a conventional quench tower. The pressure of the gaseous effluent from the quench tower is raised and it is introduced into an absorber/stripper unit to form a recycle stream containing unreacted alkane and alkene as well as a minor amount of oxygen, typically 1-2 percent by volume, and a waste stream comprising the remainder of the quench tower gaseous phase. The recycle stream is introduced into a selective oxidation unit to remove the oxygen therefrom and then recycled to the dehydrogenator.

Abstract: A fault detection and locating test instrument for indicating wiring and station equipment faults on telephone lines, such as grounds, foreign batteries, resistance across lines, and open circuits. It can be portable or wired, and required no internal power source. Visual display or detected faults are by means of light-emitting diodes. A feature of the instrument is an output circuit including a pair of connected transistors associated with light-emitting diodes for indicating current flow or lack thereof, and a capacitor-diode circuit for indicating presence of an alternating current at the output terminals. An input test circuit also provides an indication of the presence of the normal voltage and its polarity supplied by the telephone company. A jack connection is provided for to enable normal use of the lines when the instrument is connected and as fault appears at the output. A reversing switch in the output can be used to test the telephone set capacitor to determine whether or not the line is open.

Abstract: A chemical composition for warding off racoons, dogs and the like from garbage comprising a combination of chemical agents including a member of the isothiocyanate family (commonly referred to as mustard oil), preferably allyl isothiocyanate.The combination of mustard oil with lemon grass oil together with masking agents is particularly preferred so that the composition as applied to household garbage and receptacles is not unpleasant to human smell while nevertheless repulsive to foraging animals.In addition to use about homes, restaurants and the like, the present composition may be used at camp sites for similar purposes.

Abstract: A propulsion system for a vehicle comprising a hydrostatic transmission wherein the system typically includes an electric motor, a hydrostatic pump preferably of the continuous variable displacement type, hydrostatic motors for cooperation with the wheel axles of the vehicle, and a gas accumulator which provides for the compression and expansion of a gaseous medium depending on whether the transmission fluid is being pumped into or withdrawn from the gas accumulator. The gas accumulator comprises a pressure vessel which serves as a structural member of the vehicle. It may have a tubular configuration disposed as a load-bearing structural member of the chassis or it may comprise a number of interconnected pressure-retaining panels, that form the vertical sides and/or roof sections of the vehicle. Suitable mechanical and electrical/electronic controls are provided to monitor the gas pressure in the gas accumulator and to regulate the stroke and function of the hydrostatic pumps and motors.

Abstract: This invention relates to the production of a plastic material from new or waste polyvinylchloride (PVC) compounds with waste red-mud. The compositions may preferably also contain used machine lubricating oil. The degradation products in the PVC are neutralized by the free alkalies in the red-mud. The plastic material may also contain other additives, such as fillers and plasticizers to obtain desired physical properties.