Abstract: An oxygen absorber includes an iron powder, and a first layer coated on a surface of the iron powder and formed of iron chloride through a chemical reaction. Further, the oxygen absorber includes a matrix material filled with the iron powder covered with the first layer of iron chloride. It is possible to coat the first layer on the surface of the iron powder with a second layer to obtain more uniform coating.

Abstract: Apparatus is described for accurately determining the elevation, E, of a pulse-echo ultrasonic range sensor (2) relative to a datum level (14). The figure shows vertical elevations of the apparatus with plate deployed at level-1 (12) and level-2 (13) above a datum level (14), the levels being separated by a known distance, D. The elevation of the sensor is given by the relationship: R1=D|(dt1/(dt2?dt1))| where dt1 and dt2 are the intervals of time, determined by the sensor, taken by a pulse-echo to transit the distances R1 and R2 respectively. This apparatus may also be used to determine sonic velocity, Sv from: Sv=|2D/(dt2?dt1)|.

Abstract: Air header/manifolds for industrial air filters, sometimes referred to as bag houses, are formed by extrusion and provided with flat mounting and sealing surfaces for accommodating staggered and offset rows of valves secured to the mounting surface and provided with blow pipes extending from the valves through the manifold and through the lower sealing surface.

Abstract: A sludge removal apparatus includes a sludge removal head (10) with a sludge suction duct and an water supply duct with open end portions alongside each other, and a filter (32) adjacent to the open ends of the suction duct (36) and the water supply duct (38) so that the sludge is extracted through the filter (32). A drive mechanism moves the filter so that regions of the filter pass successively over the open ends of the suction duct, where it may become partially blinded with sludge, and then over the water supply duct where it is backwashed.

Abstract: A crystalline material sufficiently pure for use in pharmaceuticals may be made by forming a saturated solution of the material, changing the temperature of the solution so it becomes supersaturated, and subjecting the solution to irradiation by high intensity ultrasound, the frequency of the ultrasound being scanned over a range of frequencies. For example the ultrasound may be varied between 19.5 and 20.5 kHz, and this variation may be sinusoidal. Preferably the ultrasound is provided only briefly, say for less than 5 s, before allowing the solution to cool gradually without further irradiation. The ultrasound may be applied using a vessel with an array of ultrasonic transducers attached to a wall, so each transducer radiates no more than 3 W/cm2 yet the power dissipation within the vessel is between 25 and 150 W/litre. This method can reduce the metastable zone width to less than 10 K. It is applicable in particular to aspartame.

Abstract: Fluids in a vessel are subjected to a high ultrasonic intensity, by means of several ultrasonic transducers attached to a wall of the vessel, each transducer (14) radiating no more than 3 W/cm2, the transducers being sufficiently close to each other, and the number of transducers being sufficiently high, that the power dissipation within the vessel is at least 25 W/liter. The number of transducers, the power of the transducers, and the volume of the vessel may be such that the power density is between 40 and 80 W/liter. The vessel may be double walled, and the space between the two walls be filled by a low attenuation buffer liquid (36) whose cavitation threshold is above that of the liquid being treated.

Abstract: Natural gas is reacted with steam for generating carbon monoxide and hydrogen in a first catalytic reactor. The resulting gas mixture is used to perform Fischer-Tropsch synthesis in a second catalytic reactor. After performing Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, the remaining hydrogen is separated from a hydrocarbon-rich stream using a hydrogen-permeable membrane, and the hydrocarbon-rich stream is returned to be subjected to steam reforming. Preferable, the hydrogen-rich stream is supplied to a combustion channel for providing heat for the endothermic steam-reforming reaction. The overall process converts natural gas to longer-chain hydrocarbons and can provide a carbon conversion of more than 80%.

Abstract: A deck of specially designed cards used to teach the rock cycle though easy to play games. The deck contains cards with the titles of various rock types along with the names and pictures of specific rocks that fit into each type. The cards are color-coded to aid in differentiation between types. The deck also contains cards that indicate the processes by which one rock type is changed into another. Colored squares on these cards that coincide with the color-coded rock cards reinforce the written explanation.

Abstract: Small crystals are made by mixing a solution of a desired substance with an anti-solvent in a fluidic vortex mixer in which the residence time is less than 1s, for example 10 ms. The liquid within the fluidic vortex mixer (12) is subjected to high intensity ultrasound from a transducer (20, 22). The solution very rapidly becomes supersaturated, and the ultrasound can induce a very large number of nuclei for crystal growth. Small crystals, for example less than 5 ?m, are formed. The resulting suspension is treated so as to add or remove ingredients, and then spray dried using an atomizer tuned to create small droplets in such a way that each droplet should contain not more than one crystal. Crystal agglomeration is hence prevented.

Abstract: A catalytic reactor comprises a plurality of fluid-impermeable plates defining flow channels between them. Tight fitting within each flow channel is a sheet of corrugated material whose surfaces are coated with catalytic material. At each end of the flow channels are headers to supply gas mixtures to the flow channels, the headers communicating with adjacent channels being separate. The reactor enables different gas mixtures to be supplied to adjacent channels, which may be at different pressures, and the corresponding chemical reactions are also different. Where one of the reactions is endothermic while the other reaction is exothermic, heat is transferred through the wall of the tube separating the adjacent channels, from the exothermic reaction to the endothermic reaction.

Abstract: A flexible elongate structure, such as a flexible riser (10), comprising at least one layer (20) of steel wires near the surface which extend at least partly along the length of the structure, can be monitored by inducing a small, alternating magnetic field in the steel wires using an electromagnetic coil, and monitoring the magnetic flux density near the surface of the structure so as to asses the stress and hence detect if any wires have broken. By using an array of stress-measuring electromagnetic probes (24) around the structure some spatial resolution can be provided as to the location of any break in the wires.

Abstract: A crystalline material sufficiently pure for use in pharmaceuticals may be made by forming a saturated solution of the material changing the temperature of the solution so it becomes supersaturated, and briefly subjecting the solution to irradiation by high intensity ultrasound, before allowing the solution to cool gradually without further irradiation. The ultrasound may be applied using a vessel with an array of ultrasonic transducers attached to a wall, so each transducer radiates no more than 3 W/cm2 yet the power dissipation within the vessel is between 25 and 150 W/litre. This method can reduce the metastable zone width to less than 10 K. There is no erosion of the wall and consequently no formation of small particles of metal. It is applicable for example to aspartame, and to amino acids.

Abstract: 3D morphological data representative of reference size models of garment brands and respective categorizing data are introduced into an information processing system. These 3D morphological data are indexed by brand names, categorizing data, and volumetric, dimensional, and angular data derived from the morphological data in order to build a database of virtual human body profiles. For selecting a suitable profile matching a consumer's body, his/her personal measurements and categorizing data are introduced into the system, either directly if they are known, or acquired by scanning only a minimum numbers of points on the customer's body in a scanning booth so as to derive these measurements. Instead of methods of the prior art defining the body profiles of the consumers per se from the general population, this method attempts to categorize the body profiles of the specific brands' reference size human models, and all offered sizes, through the brands' grading rules.

Abstract: A valve assembly (10) comprises a vortex chamber (14) with an axial outlet port (20), a main inlet port (16) for a fluid to be controlled, and a substantially tangential inlet port (25); the fluid enters through an inlet chamber (13) in which is a mechanical valve (26) movable so as to obstruct fluid flow into the vortex chamber (14). A duct (24) links the inlet chamber (13) to the tangential inlet port (25) of the vortex chamber. The position of the mechanical valve (26) affects the flow of fluid through the duct (24), so the vortex chamber (14) amplifies the effect of the mechanical valve. Further movement of the valve (26) closes off flow altogether (40). The assembly may include a weir (36) in the outlet, to separate gas and liquid phases.

Abstract: A compact catalytic reactor comprises a stack of plates (72, 74, 75) to define a multiplicity of first and second flow channels arranged alternately in the stack; each flow channel in which a chemical reaction is to take place is defined by straight-through channels across at least one plate, each such straight-through channel containing a removable gas-permeable catalyst structure (80) incorporating a metal substrate. The first flow channels (76) are oriented in a direction that is perpendicular to that of the second flow channels (77), and between successive second flow channels in the stack the reactor defines at least three side-by-side first flow channels (76); and the reactor incorporates flow diversion means (80; 88) such that the first fluid must flow through at least three such first flow channels (76) in succession, in flowing from an inlet to an outlet. The overall flow paths can therefore be approximately co-current or counter-current.

Abstract: A catalytic reactor comprises a plurality of sheets defining flow channels between then. Within each flow channel is a foil of corrugated material whose surfaces are coated with catalytic material. The flow channels extend in transverse dire options, but the foils are shaped to cause the gas in those channels to flow at least partly in counter current to the gas flowing in the other channels. The reactor incorporates header chambers to supply gas mixtures to the flow channels, each header being in the form of a cap attached to the outside of the back and covering a face of the stack. Hence different gas mixtures are supplied to the different channels which may be at different pressures, and the corresponding chemical reactions are also different, and heat is transferred through the sheets separating the adjacent channels. When the catalyst in one set of flow channels becomes spent, it can be replaced by removing a header.

Abstract: A knuckle-swivel (10) is used with well drilling equipment for protecting helical wound line 62, which may be wire rope, cable and/or strand, against torsional forces and also providing for angular displacement of sinker bars or other tools during wireline strip over operations to minimize interference with rig equipment (80) when pulling pipe or tools 64 from a well head.

Abstract: Fischer-Tropsch synthesis is performed using a compact catalytic reactor unit (10) defining channels in which is a gas-permeable catalyst structure (16), the channels extending between headers (18). The synthesis occurs in at least two stages, as the reactor unit provides at least two successive channels (14, 14a) for the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis connected by a header, the gas flow velocity through the first channel being sufficiently high that no more than 65% of the carbon monoxide undergoes conversion. The gases are cooled (25) in the header between the two stages, so as to condense water vapor, and then pass through the second channel at a sufficiently high gas flow velocity that no more than 65% of the remaining carbon monoxide undergoes conversion. This lowers the partial pressure of water vapor and so suppresses oxidation of the catalyst.