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 method of repairing pavements employing an elastomeric pavement repair composition comprised of paving grade asphalt and rubber. The asphalt is heated to an elevated temperature and the rubber is combined therewith. The resulting composition is mixed to form a hot jellied composition which is applied to cracked or distressed pavements to repair the same. The resulting composition can also be formed into a ready made elastomeric cold patch which is applied to cracked pavement surfaces after tacking of the surface.

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: A process for the extraction of metallic impurities from an unpurified aqueous phosphoric acid phase by solvent extraction employing an organic extractant phase containing an organic sulfonic acid in its H.sup.+ form. After the extraction step and separation of the organic extractant phase from the aqueous phosphoric acid phase, residual P.sub.2 O.sub.5 values are recovered from the organic extractant phase by washing the organic extractant phase with a wash phase consisting of water or dilute phosphoric acid. The sulfonic acid in the organic extractant phase can be regenerated to its H.sup.+ form with a mineral acid and recycled.

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.

Abstract: An elastomeric pavement repair composition for pavement failure and a method of preparation thereof comprising of paving grade asphalt and rubber. The asphalt is heated to an elevated temperature and the rubber is combined therewith. The resulting composition is mixed to form a hot jellied composition which can be applied to cracked or distressed pavements to repair the same.

Abstract: Process for recovery of glass from municipal waste, comprising shredding the waste, subjecting the shredded waste containing the glass to treatment in an air classifier, recovering the overhead including glass from the air classifier, the latter being operated under conditions such that the major portion of the glass particles contained in such overhead are of a fineness smaller than about 6 mesh, and usually of a size such that a substantial portion of such glass particles are less than about 20 mesh, screening such overhead fraction and recovering an enriched glass fraction of the aforementioned fineness, subjecting the screened glass-enriched material to treatment on an air table, and recovering a fine glass product of substantially reduced organic content, and having a particle size less than about 6 mesh, with a substantial portion less than about 20 mesh.

Abstract: Water immiscible organic acid phosphates used in conjunction with water immiscible organic sulfonic acids results in an improved process for the purification of phosphoric acid. An increase in the extraction of ionic metallic impurities and a decrease in the extraction of P.sub.2 O.sub.5 values from the aqueous phosphoric acid phase is observed in the improved solvent extraction process.

Abstract: Apparatus for melting sulphur, including an upstanding tube, or tubes, each being adapted to receive solid sulphur in its top open end and each having a heating jacket therearound. The sulphur along the tube wall is melted and caused to flow along the wall surface and out of the lower end of the tube. A heated plate is spaced from the lower end of the tube whereby flow of the melted sulphur from the tube is permitted, additional sulphur being melted by the plate, and flow of solid sulphur is stopped. The plate is sloped to permit the flow of the liquid sulphur into a trough for flow for storage or use elsewhere.A method of melting sulphur by which solid sulphur is fed into the upper end of a vertical tube. The tube is heated to melt the sulphur against the tube wall. A film of melted sulphur is caused to flow down the wall and out of the tube bottom onto a sloping, heated plate and into a trough for removal or use. The flow of solid sulphur is stopped by the plate.

Abstract: Apparatus to convert the internal energy of hot fluids to mechanical work comprising a pair of nozzles, e.g. convergent-divergent nozzles, mounted oppositely on hollow support arms which are in turn mounted on a rotating hollow shaft which is coupled to a conventional electric generator or other device requiring mechanical power. The hot liquid, e.g. hot brine, flows through the hollow shaft and the hollow support arms to the nozzles, where the hot fluid expands and creates a thrust and torque on the shaft, causing it to rotate and create shaft power. The nozzles and rotating shaft are mounted in a closed container from which the exhaust fluid, gases and liquid are removed by conventional means so as to maintain a reduced pressure within the container.

Abstract: Solid sulfur pellets are prepared from molten sulfur using a gun and pelletizing chamber. Sulfur is ejected from a gun in a form of a thin sheet and dispersed and solidified into solid pellets with a water jet. The pellets and water are separated.

Abstract: A water immiscible amine-solvent system, preferably a solution of a water immiscible amine in mineral spirit solvent, is used to extract phosphate values from crude aqueous phosphoric acid solutions leaving behind impurities, e.g., calcium, magnesium, iron and aluminum. Phosphoric acid of water white quality may then be produced and removed from the amine-solvent organic phase by contacting the amine-solvent containing the extracted phosphate values with sulfur dioxide and water substantially in the absence of oxygen, the amount of water employed determining the concentration of phosphoric acid produced, thermally stripping the sulfur dioxide from the amine-solvent system substantially in the absence of oxygen in order to recycle both the amine-solvent system and sulfur dioxide.