Abstract: The invention relates to a water heater comprised of a cylindrical tank 18 which has a central flue 20 that is mounted with the cylinder axis 40 vertical. The water heater further includes a gas burner 22 provided the base of the tank 18, which burns a gaseous fuel so as to discharge heated gases up through the central flue 20 from the base to the top of the tank 18. A housing 12 surrounds the exterior of the tank and is spaced away from the domed top 34 and side walls of the tank 18, to thereby define a generally annular cylindrical space 36 between the radially outer surface of the tank 18 and the radially inner surface of the housing 12. The annular space 36 is in gas flow communication with the upper end of the flue 20 and is provided with a discharge outlet 48 located at or adjacent the lower most end of the tank 18.

Abstract: A method for efficiently resolving optical isomers, in which a discriminating liquid consisting of a discriminating agent capable of discriminating optical isomers and a diluent are brought into contact with a mixture containing said optical isomers in countercurrent flow, to resolve the optical isomers by adsorption separation, distillation separation, absorption separation or membrane separation, and recovered at an optical isomer content of 5 wt % or less for recycled use, under one or more of the following conditions: (a) the dielectric constant of the diluent is 30 or less and the viscosity of the discriminating liquid is 0.

Abstract: A sheet processing system for continuously producing plastic sheet which is continuously supplied to an intermittent take-up device, utilizing a sheet forming apparatus, a conveyor, an accumulator and take-up apparatus, the sheet being fed along the conveyor to an accumulator positioned integrally with the conveyor, the accumulator being controlled in a cyclic operation which provides for the accumulation of the continuously fed sheet material to permit intermittent operation of the take-up apparatus, and the edge trimming of the sheet subsequently to the action of the accumulator.

Abstract: The process is by injection of calcium chloride into the combustor and lowering the flue gas temperature in sufficient time to enhance oxidation of mercury and nitrogen oxides into more soluble products prior to their absorption in a wet scrubber. The additive also increases the alkalinity and the pH of the scrubber water, therefore, favorably increasing the absorption of the pollutants. The flue gas is then cooled to ambient temperature or less to enhance the removal of mercury.

Abstract: A thermoplastic resin composition which comprises 100 parts by weight of thermoplastic resin as component (A) which is at least one species selected styrene resin, polycarbonate resin, and polyphenylene ether resin, and 0.5-100 parts by weigh of liquid crystalline polymer as component (B), said thermoplastic resin as component (A) having a glass transition point the rate of change of which satisfies the equation (1) below. Rate of change (%)=|(TgA−TgT)/TgA|×100≦5  (1) where TgA is the glass transition point of the thermoplastic resin as component (A), and TgT is the glass transition point attributable to the thermoplastic resin as component (A) in the resin composition.

Abstract: A process for catalytically oxidizing H2S contained in a gas directly to sulphur containing the following steps: combining the H2S-containing gas with a gas containing free oxygen in an amount to produce an oxygen-enriched H2S-containing gas having O2/H2S molar ratio ranging from about 0.05 to about 15; and contacting the oxygen-enriched H2S-containing gas with a catalyst for selective oxidation of H2S to sulphur, wherein the catalyst includes a catalytically active phase combined with a silicon carbide-based support and wherein the active phase of the catalyst consists of at least one oxysulphide of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of iron, copper, nickel, cobalt, chromium, molybdenum and tungsten, at a temperature above the dew point of sulphur formed during H2S oxidation.

Abstract: A fitting for connecting a gas control valve to a water storage tank of a gas water heater comprising a base member having an elongated opening sized and shaped to receive a mating locator attached to the tank, which permits connection of the valve and tank together and allows relative movement while the connection is maintained.

Abstract: A composite filter for removing particulates entrained in a gas has stack of at least two non-pre-bonded tiers of filter material which are bonded together to form a unitary stratified structure. The tiers can include thermally bindable components such as bicomponent or monocomponent polymer fibers, or adhesively bindable components, such as pulp fibers, especially fluff pulp, split film fibers, mixed electrostatically charged fibers and staple fibers. In addition to vacuum cleaner bags, the novel filter composite can be utilized in applications such as heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, vehicle cabin air filters, high efficiency (so-called “HEPA”) and clean room filters, emission control bag house filters, respirators, surgical face masks and the like.

Abstract: Galvannealed steel sheet and method, made by applying hot-dip galvanizing to a steel sheet, heating at a heating rate of at least about 10° C./second to a maximum sheet temperature within a range of from about 470 to 550° C., and applying an alloying treatment; the Al content XAl% in the hot-dip galvannealing layer and the coating weight W g/m2 satisfy the following equation (1); thereby producing a Zn—Fe galvannealing layer having an iron content of from about 7 to 12%; the galvannealed steel sheet has intensities of &zgr;-phase, &dgr;1-phase and &Ggr;-phase that satisfy the following equations (4) and (5) as observed through X-ray diffraction with the galvannealing layer peeled off the galvannealed steel sheet at the galvannealing/steel sheet interface, and the galvannealed steel sheet having excellent press workability, having a whiteness and a glossiness within prescribed ranges: 5≦W×(XAl−0.12)≦15  (1) I(&zgr;:1.26)/I(&dgr;1:2.13)≦0.

Abstract: A laminated film containing a heat resisting resin layer which is soluble in a dipolar aprotic solvent, is laminated on a biaxially oriented thermoplastic film, wherein the biaxially oriented thermoplastic film and the heat resisting resin layer are directly adhered to each other, and the heat resisting resin is stretched at least in one direction after coating; there is no intervening adhesive layer; the resulting laminated film has excellent adhesion and flatness, and a resin laminated film having high flatness and productivity is provided.

Abstract: A formable biaxially-oriented polyester film has a difference of not more than about 0.007 between the maximum and minimum values of face orientation coefficient as determined in a 20 square cm region of the film, and an average face orientation coefficient of about 0.11 to 0.15 as determined in such film region.

Abstract: Disclosed are carbon fibers consisting of a plurality of single filaments, wherein the carbon fibers as a resin impregnated strand are characterized by satisfying the following relations: &sgr;≧11.1-0.75d where &sgr; is the tensile strength of said carbon fibers as a resin impregnated strand in GPa, and d is the average diameter of said single filaments in &mgr;m, and RD≧0.05 where RD is the difference in crystallinity between the inner and outer layers of each of the single filaments evaluated with RAMAN, and an acrylic fibers for producing the carbon fibers and a process for producing the acrylic fibers.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for manufacturing an element formed with semi-conductor(s) for fire detection which consists in applying by evaporation under vacuum on an insulating substrate a phtalocyanine film, which is solidified so as to obtain on the surface of the semiconductor acceptors and donors in such proportion as to enable the detection of a fire with or without flames.

Abstract: An improved traffic management process and apparatus. After a camera gathers information, the system automatically extracts important information by image processing and analysis techniques. The system identifies all types of movement including pedestrians and two-wheel vehicles. The process and the apparatus first simulate and validate the strategy prior to its on-site implementation.

Abstract: An applicator for semi-solid medications comprises a tubular body (20) having a rounded dispensing end (21) provided with at least one opening (26) and a grasping end (22), the inner surface of a proximal portion of said tubular body defining a reservoir for the medication, a plunger (30), initially housed inside the tubular body, which plunger is provided with a rod (31) and grasping means (33), a piston (40), positioned in sealing contact with the inner surface of said tubular body providing a closure for the medication reservoir, wherein said piston has a longitudinal hole (45) through which rod (31) of the plunger is disposed, and wherein said piston initially abuts on a stop means (25) when the applicator is received by the user, a coupling means (35, 46) between rod (31) and piston (40), a closure means for sealingly closing off said opening (26) on said dispensing end, wherein the plunger (30) is extractable from the tubular body until the rod (31) becomes engaged with the piston (40) by the coupling m

Abstract: The invention provides a thin high-strength hot-rolled steel sheet with a thickness of not more than 3.5 mm which has excellent stretch flangeability and high uniformity in both shape and mechanical properties of the steel sheet, as well as a method of producing the hot-rolled steel sheet. A slab containing C: 0.05-0.30 wt %, Si: 0.03-1.0 wt %, Mn: 1.5-3.5 wt %, P: not more than 0.02 wt %, S: not more than 0.005 wt %, Al: not more than 0.150 wt %, N: not more than 0.0200 wt %, and one or two of Nb: 0.003-0.20 wt % and Ti: 0.005-0.20 wt % is heated at a temperature of not higher than 1200° C. The slab is hot-rolled at a finish rolling end temperature of not lower than 800° C., preferably at a finish rolling start temperature of 950-1050° C. A hot-rolled sheet is started to be cooled within two seconds after the end of the rolling, and then continuously cooled down to a coiling temperature at a cooling rate of 20-150° C./sec. The hot-rolled sheet is coiled at a temperature of 300-550° C.

Abstract: In a grain oriented electrical steel sheet used for cores of transformers and generators, a high alignment degree of grain orientations reduces iron loss, by precipitating very fine AlN or/and BN and providing strong inhibiting effect against the growth of the primary recrystallized grains, providing radically improved texture and grain structure in the steel.

Abstract: Polyester composition comprising a polyester and 0.5 to 300 ppm, expressed as titanium atoms, of a compound oxide (A) containing titanium as an essential element and also containing a metal element selected from the group consisting of aluminum, zirconium, germanium, tin and silicon, and 0.001 to 40 wt % of particles having an average particle size of 0.01 to 10 &mgr;m, and a production method, and a fiber or film composed of the polyester composition.