Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed which is useful in simulating the countercurrent flow of several fluid streams through a bed of solid contact material such as a selective adsorbent. The apparatus comprises a plurality of multi-port valves and is used to direct the flow of different streams into and out of a fixed bed of material at points which are periodically changed. The invention arises in the arrangement of the valves, which minimizes the number of required valves and also minimizes the undesired admixture of different streams in the process lines connecting the contacting bed to the main fluid transfer lines. The valves are arranged in three tiers, with the first tier having sets of valves arranged in series flow and the second tier having sets of valves arranged in parallel . The third tier of valves directs flows between two adjacent fluid feed or withdrawal conduits entering the contacting bed.

Abstract: Solvents which may be used as mediums for the polymerization of olefinic hydrocarbons to form polymers useful as membranes in a gas separation process require purification to remove any impurities which will effect the aforesaid polymerization. Purification of these solvents such as cyclohexane may be effected by treating the solvent with titanium tetrachloride, contacting the solution with an adsorbent such as silica gel and thereafter distilling the solvent in the presence of a purification agent such as an alkaline metal aluminum hydride or borohydride.

Abstract: A process for the separation of a trans-olefin from a cis-olefin. A mixture of the trans- and cis-olefins is contacted with an adsorbent comprising silicalite which is selective for the trans-olefin. The process is particularly suitable for the separation of trans-2-butene from cis-2-butene.

Abstract: A catalytic reforming process is disclosed wherein the reboiler heat requirements of the stabilizer column are supplied by means of indirect heat exchange with hot combustion gases in the reforming reactants fired heater convection heating section. Heat in excess of the reboiler requirements is passed to the stabilizer column with control being effected by removal of excess heat from the column.

Abstract: A process for producing hydrogen-enriched hydrocarbonaceous products from coal which comprises: (a) contacting the coal in a solvent extraction zone at solvent extraction conditions with a coal solvent, hydrogen and a first residual oil containing asphaltenes and at least one finely divided, unsupported metal sulfide to provide a liquid effluent slurry which includes a low boiling hydrocarbon soluble fraction; (b) contacting at least a portion of the liquid effluent slurry from the solvent extraction zone of step (a) with a low boiling hydrocarbon solvent in a solvent separation zone at solvent separation conditions to separate the low boiling hydrocarbon soluble fraction from a low boiling hydrocarbon insoluble fraction which comprises ash, unconverted asphaltenes and finely divided, unsupported metal sulfide; (c) contacting the low boiling hydrocarbon soluble fraction from step (b) with hydrogen and a second residual oil containing asphaltenes and at least one finely divided, unsupported metal sulfide in a

Abstract: An improved process for separating a component from a feed mixture comprising an aqueous solution of a mixture of different components, such as a mixture of saccharides. In the process the mixture is contacted with a zeolite which selectively adsorbs a component from the feed mixture. The adsorbed component is then recovered by contacting the adsorbent with a desorbent material such as water to effect the desorption of the adsorbed component from the adsorbent. There is an undesirable tendency for the silicon constituent of the zeolite to dissolve in the aqueous system. The improvement to the process comprises the impregnation of the zeolite with a binder material comprising a water permeable organic polymer which substantially reduces the undesirable dissolution. The adsorbent is manufactured by mixing together powder of the zeolite, powders of the organic polymer binder, and a liquid organic solvent, extruding the mixture into an extrudate and drying the extrudate.

Abstract: Group VIII metals immobilized on an aminated polysaccharide in a highly dispersed state are active catalysts in the hydrogenation of unsaturated organic materials. Chitin and chitosan are preferred supports, with platinum and palladium among the more active Group VIII metals in hydrogenation.

Abstract: An absorption process is disclosed for the recovery of normally liquid hydrocarbons from a gas stream. The process is useful in recovering hydrocarbons from the gas stream discharged by the main fractionation column of a fluidized catalytic cracking unit. The feed gas is compressed and passed through an absorption zone to produce a high pressure lean gas which is depressurized in a power recovery turbine. The turbine compresses air used within the catalyst regeneration zone of the fluidized catalytic cracking unit.

Abstract: This invention relates to a new catalyst for converting hydrocarbons. The catalyst comprises a platinum group component, a Group IVA component, especially tin, an alkali or alkaline earth component, more than 0.2 weight %, calculated on an elemental basis, of a halogen component and a porous carrier material, wherein the atomic ratio of the alkali or alkaline earth component to the platinum group component is more than 10. The catalyst is particularly useful for dehydrogenating paraffins having from 2 to 5 or more carbon atoms to the corresponding mono-olefins, or for dehydrogenating mono-olefins having from 3 to 5 or more carbon atoms to the corresponding di-olefins.

Abstract: An apparatus suitable for use as the regenerator of a fluidized catalytic cracking process is disclosed. The apparatus is characterized by the novel heat removal system used to cool the internal volume of the apparatus. The heat removal system comprises banks of vertical hairpin-type cooling coils suspended through the sidewall of the vessel. The manifolds used to supply and remove coolant are located outside the vessel, with each manifold being separately controllable to allow the shutdown of individual banks of heat exchange coils.

Abstract: Alkylamine compounds which contain at least two alkyl substituents containing from about 2 to about 6 carbon atoms may be alkylated at temperatures ranging from about 50.degree. to about 300.degree. C. and pressures ranging from about 20 to about 300 atmospheres in the presence of a metal carbonyl or a metal compound capable of forming a carbonyl at reaction conditions.

Abstract: An apparatus for regenerating coke-contaminated fluid catalyst is disclosed which comprises a vertical combustion chamber, an inlet to said chamber for spent catalyst and regeneration gas, a heat removal chamber located superadjacent to the combustion chamber and in communication therewith, heat removal means disposed within the heat removal chamber, a catalyst withdrawal conduit connected at one end to the heat removal chamber for withdrawing regenerated fluid catalyst from the heat removal chamber, and a catalyst recycle conduit connecting the withdrawal conduit with the lower portion of the combustion chamber, such that regenerated fluid catalyst can pass from the heat removal chamber to the combustion chamber. There may also be a means and control system for manipulating the extent of immersion of the heat removal means.

Abstract: End fitting assembly for a spiral wire wound well screen includes a fitting portion which is internally threaded at one end to threadedly engage with a plurality of external wire wraps of the well screen which are wound around a plurality of longitudinal support rods at a greater pitch than the main body of the screen. Preferably, the longitudinal support rods are welded at their tips to the interior surface of the fitting. The assembly technique greatly increases the tensile strength of the joint between the screen and fitting and can be equal to a combination of the individual strengths of a conventional welded fitting and a threaded fitting. Where utmost joint strength is not necessary and welding would not be desirable for reasons such as corrosion prevention, the wire wrap threads can provide all of the joint strength.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for generating steam or electrical power from surplus heat transferred to the total bottoms liquid of a fractionation column. Preferably the reboiler of the column is supplied with more fuel than required in the operation of the column. A portion of the total bottoms liquid stream in excess of the net bottoms stream is diverted from the bottoms liquid destined for the reboiler. This diverted stream is used to vaporize a working fluid and this vapor is removed as a product or passed into the turbine of an electrical generator. The excess bottoms liquid is then split off and passed into the reboiler. The remainder of the bottoms liquid is the net bottoms stream and is used to preheat the working fluid. The process has the advantage of an exceptionally high thermal efficiency in terms of converting the surplus heat released in the reboiler into electricity.

Abstract: In the manufacture of tubing, and particularly finned tubing, for use by the heat transfer industry in the manufacture of heat exchangers, annealed ends and lands are desirable in certain applications to facilitate the assembly of the tubes to headers and baffles by expanding techniques. Such spot-annealed portions can be produced on a continuous basis by the described apparatus in which the moving tube is passed through a heating chamber which reciprocates on a carriage in the direction of tube movement. The heating chamber has a pair of spaced, power-actuated clamps which grip the tubing at the ends of a discrete length portion. The heating chamber and carriage are moved with the tube while it is clamped to provide sufficient heating time to anneal the discrete length portion. The carriage then returns to its starting position. Heating of the discrete clamped tubing portion can be by a resistance technique through the clamps or by other techniques such as induction heating or gas radiant heat.

Abstract: An integrated hydrocarbon conversion process wherein two different heavy oil feed streams are thermally processed is disclosed. Preferably a vacuum gas oil is charged to a thermal cracking zone and a reduced crude fraction is charged to a visbreaking heater. The effluent of each thermal operation is separated into vapor and liquid fractions, with the vapor fractions being fed to a product fractionator. The liquid fractions each enter separate but interconnected subatmospheric pressure separation zones, one of which is a vacuum column. The bottoms of a product fractionator and distillate from the vacuum column are also charged to the thermal cracking zone.

Abstract: Improved double wall tubing assembly which is especially useful in heat exchangers of the "coil-in-can" type for solar applications has a double wall construction which insures that a leak developing from a failure in either of the walls will not result in a mixing of fluid external to the outer tube with the fluid flowing internally of the inner tube. An outwardly projecting helical fin configuration formed on the outer surface of the inner tube provides an effective heat transfer medium between the inner and outer walls of the tube assembly while defining a spiral flow channel through which leakage entering through either wall can flow and be detected. A method of making the double wall tube assembly is disclosed wherein a finned outer tube is assembled over a previously finned inner tube. The assembled tubes are then brought into firm mechanical contact by the step of forming the assembled tubes into a coil and/or by expanding the inner tube.

Abstract: An FCC sulfur oxide acceptor, its method of manufacture and use in the FCC process. The acceptor, a particulate solid containing magnesium, sodium and aluminum, the precursor of which comprises a mixture of precipitates. One precipitate is a compound of aluminum and another is a compound of magnesium. The precipitates are simultaneously precipitated from a common solution in which they have a highly limited solubility.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for driving a turbine, which preferably is connected to an electrical generator, using energy supplied by the reboiler system of a fractionation column. The portion of the bottoms liquid of the column which is to be recycled through the reboiler is pressurized by a pump, and the high pressure liquid is heated and vaporized or brought to a supercritical state in the reboiler. The resultant high temperature stream is then depressurized through the turbine down to the desired pressure and temperature of the vapor stream used to reboil the column. The process is an extremely efficient method of generating electrical energy in a petroleum refinery or petrochemical installation.

Abstract: The separation of mono- or disaccharides such as glucose or maltose from polysaccharides such as starch may be effected by passing a mixture of these saccharides through an ultra-filtration membrane whereby the glucose or maltose is separated from the starch. The ultra-filtration membranes which are employed for this purpose will comprise a cross-linked polyurethane composited on a support. As an example of the type of membrane which may be employed, an amine-modified polyepihalohydrin such as epichlorohydrin which has been cross-linked with toluene diisocyanate is composited on a polysulfone. This type of ultra-filtration membrane will permit the use of a relatively high flux with a good separation efficiency.