Abstract: A process and equipment that accelerates the rate at which asbestos is converted into non-asbestos minerals during the process of mineralogical conversion, the process consisting of new methods and equipment for handling the asbestos that promotes absorption of mineralizing agents, increases the heat transfer properties of the asbestos, increases the overall efficiency of the process, and shortens the period of time required for processing.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system to apply a mineralizing agent to an asbestos containing material (ACM) after the ACM is reduced in size, particularly by spraying or injecting the mineralizing agent to a shredded ACM, is provided. The mineralizing agent may include a solution of alkali metal hydroxide, alkali metal silicate, alkali metal borate, alkaline earth borate, or mixtures thereof, which may be heated and mixed and is then delivered to the reduced size or shredded ACM using a piping system that injects the mineralizing agent downstream of an ACM shredding unit. The ACM treated with the mineralizing agent may be heated in a mineralizing furnace to convert the ACM to an essentially asbestos-free mineral. After removal from the mineralizing furnace, the mineralized material is moved to an atmosphere controlled environment where it is cooled gradually for further mineralization.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system to apply a mineralizing agent to an asbestos containing material (ACM) after the ACM is reduced in size, particularly by spraying or injecting the mineralizing agent to a shredded ACM, is provided. The mineralizing agent may include a solution of alkali metal hydroxide, alkali metal silicate, alkali metal borate, alkaline earth borate, or mixtures thereof, which may be heated and mixed and is then delivered to the reduced size or shredded ACM using a piping system that injects the mineralizing agent downstream of an ACM shredding unit. The ACM treated with the mineralizing agent may be heated in a mineralizing furnace to convert the ACM to an essentially asbestos-free mineral. After removal from the mineralizing furnace, the mineralized material is moved to an atmosphere controlled environment where it is cooled gradually for further mineralization.

Abstract: A process and equipment that accelerates the rate at which asbestos is converted into non-asbestos minerals during the process of mineralogical conversion, the process consisting of new methods and equipment for handling the asbestos that promotes absorption of mineralizing agents, increases the heat transfer properties of the asbestos, increases the overall efficiency of the process, and shortens the period of time required for processing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus encodes and decodes machine readable signals in audio signals for producing humanly perceived audio transmissions. The encoding device includes circuitry for identifying portions of the audio signal having relatively low energy in a given band and relatively high energy in a band proximally below the given band. The machine readable signals are then inserted into the identified portions of the audio signal. According to another embodiment, the machine readable signals are encoded as a spread-spectrum signal which is added to the original audio signal. The spread-spectrum signal is scaled using a unique technique referred to as Common Mode Scaling.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for encoding, storing and decoding auxiliary information on an analog source signal in a way which has minimal impact on the human perception of the source information when the source signal is applied to an appropriate output device, such as a speaker or a display monitor. The autocorrelation function of a host signal is modulated according to the value of an auxiliary information signal by adding a host modifying signal to the host signal. The auxiliary signal is decoded by generating the autocorrelation function of the encoded signal and extracting the auxiliary signal according to well-known signal extraction techniques.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for encoding information symbols onto an analog host signal modifies signal peaks of the host signal to fall within predetermined amplitude bands. A set of symbols is defined wherein each symbol corresponds to a defined number of signal peaks or to a particular value of signal peak within a band. An additional information channel may be created by altering polarity changes of signal peaks in accordance with predetermined polarity sequences to represent a second set of defined symbols.

Abstract: A method and apparatus encodes and decodes machine readable signals in audio signals for producing humanly perceived audio transmissions. The encoding device includes circuitry for identifying portions of the audio signal having relatively low energy in a given band and relatively high energy in a band proximally below the given band. The machine readable signals are then inserted into the identified portions of the audio signal. According to another embodiment, the machine readable signals are encoded as a spread-spectrum signal which is added to the original audio signal. The spread-spectrum signal is scaled using a unique technique referred to as Common Mode Scaling.

Abstract: A fluid contacting apparatus is constructed by coiling a ribbed, net-like material into a cylindrical core which is then placed in a retaining vessel through which fluids flow.

Abstract: A packed mass transfer tower for establishing intimate gas/liquid contact and efficient mass transfer that is less susceptible to gas or liquid channeling, gas surging and uneven distribution of gas or liquid across the cross-sectional area of the tower. The packed tower includes a packing arrangement including a lower bed of mobile packing elements, and an adjacent upper bed of fixed packing elements. The packed bed of fixed packing elements acts as a gas distributor, as well as causing good gas/liquid contact, to provide an even flow of gas across essentially the entire cross-sectional area of the packed bed of mobile packing elements.

Abstract: A packed mass transfer tower for establishing intimate gas-liquid contact and efficient mass transfer that is less susceptible to gas or liquid channeling, gas surging and uneven distribution of gas or liquid across the cross-sectional area of the tower. In one embodiment, the packed tower includes a packing arrangement including a loosely packed bed of mobile packing material, and an adjacent, tightly packed bed of mobile packing material. The relatively tightly packed bed of mobile packing material acts as a gas distributor, as well as being a material that causes good gas-liquid contact, to provide an even flow of gas across essentially the entire cross-sectional area of the loosely packed bed of mobile packing material. In another embodiment, mobile packing elements and fixed packing elements are intermixed between the same spaced fluid-pervious grids.

Abstract: A process for removal of dissolved H.sub.2 S from condensed geothermal steam that includes the steps of cooling and oxygenating the sour steam condensate by contacting the sour condensate with air in a cooling tower; collecting the oxygenated condensate in a cooling tower collection basin and initially adding a polyvalent metal chelate catalyst, e.g., iron chelate catalyst solution, to the sour condensate at a very low concentration, e.g., about 0.1 ppm to about 10 ppm, preferably about 0.5 ppm to about 1 ppm by weight, and periodically or continuously adding, to the solution, a chelating agent for the polyvalent metal to account for chelon degradation to maintain active polyvalent metal chelate solution at a concentration of about 0.1 ppm to about 10 ppm, preferably about 0.5 ppm to about 1 ppm by weight. The dissolved H.sub.2 S is removed, by oxidation to sulfur, without the addition of polyvalent metal, e.g.

Abstract: Sour water is treated to remove dissolved hydrogen sulfide by means of an aqueous, non-chelated polyvalent metal solution in a continuous recirculating system, particularly an autocirculation system, having reaction and oxygenation zones. The solution contains a small catalytic amount of polyvalent metal, e.g., ferrous or ferric iron salts, and the dissolved hydrogen sulfide is oxidized to sulfur in the liquid phase, without chelating agent solution, by means of dissolved oxygen in the solution. The sour water feed to the reaction zone is diluted by a massive recycle of oxygenated solution from the oxygenation zone before the sour water is contacted with air or other oxidizing gas used for oxygenating the used solution. A portion of the oxygenated solution containing polyvalent metal, without added chelating agent, is removed as the sweet water product, and replacement polyvalent metal is added.

Abstract: A packed mass transfer tower for establishing intimate gas-liquid contact and efficient mass transfer that is less susceptible to gas or liquid channeling, gas surging and uneven distribution of gas or liquid across the cross-sectional area of the tower. The packed tower includes a mobile bed mass transfer stage including a packed bed of mobile packing material, such as hollow spheres.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the hydrothermal treatment of a catalytic polyvalent metal redox absorption solution, after absorption of the H.sub.2 S from an H.sub.2 S containing gas stream, to avoid substantial buildup of thiosulfate salts, cyanide salts, and cyanide complexes in the catalytic polyvalent metal redox solution. The method and apparatus of the present invention is particularly useful for treating gas streams containing both H.sub.2 S and HCN concurrently for destruction of the cyanide salts and cyanide complexes and conversion of H.sub.2 S and by-product salts to elemental sulfur.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating a catalytic polyvalent metal redox absorption solution, after absorption of H.sub.2 S from a gas, in a first hydrothermal treatment, to separate the polyvalent metal, for example as a polyvalent metal sulfide precipitate, and thereafter treating the redox solution in a higher temperature hydrothermal treatment to decompose thiosulfate salts and, if present, thiocyanide and other cyanide salts and metal-cyanide complexes to decompose the salts and complexes to molecules that can be treated in the H.sub.2 S-absorption process for recovery of sulfur and alkali values.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of contacting a liquid with different gases sequentially in separate mass transfer zones within a single vessel, the mass transfer zones operatively connected in liquid communication with each other, including intimately contacting the liquid with a first process gas in cocurrent flow in a first mass transfer zone to effect mass transfer between the first liquid and the process gas, and introducing the liquid into a second mass transfer zone with a second gas, different from the first gas, in cocurrent flow with the second liquid, thereby effecting mass transfer between the second liquid and the second gas.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing H.sub.2 S from a process gas, including a reaction chamber between an absorption chamber and an oxidizer chamber, in the polyvalent metal redox catalyzed removal of H.sub.2 S from a process gas. The process and apparatus of the present invention inclues a first gas-liquid mass transfer zone or absorber chamber for intimately containing an H.sub.2 S-containing process gas with an oxidized polyvalent metal redox solution for absorption of the H.sub.2 S; and a reaction chamber in fluid communication with polyvalent metal redox solution exiting the absorption chamber through a valve-controlled cross-flow conduit. Cross flow of solution from the absorber chamber through a valve or other circulation control device to the reaction chamber provides controlled, continuous and sequential gas-liquid contact with two or more different gases in separate absorption, reaction and oxygenation zones within a single or multiple vessels.

Abstract: The in situ formation of a supported active metal phthalocyanine catalyst is disclosed. The supported metal phthalocyanine catalyst is useful in sweetening sour petroleum distillates containing mercaptans.

Abstract: A method and apparatus including a reaction chamber interposed in a polyvalent metal redox solution flow path between an absorber chamber and an oxygenation chamber, including one or more oxygenation stages, for contact in the reaction chamber of H.sub.2 S-laden catalytic polyvalent metal redox solution form the absorber chamber with highly oxidized polyvalent metal redox solution from the last oxygenation stage to accomplish oxidation of the dissolved H.sub.2 S species by interaction with the oxidized redox catalyst essentially in the absence of gaseous dissolved oxygen. The highly oxidized polyvalent metal redox solution, including Fe.sup.+3 or V.sup.+5, contacts the H.sub.2 S-laden solution from the absorber chamber for reoxidation of the dissolved HS.sup.-, S.sup.= and any of the polyvalent metal sulfur compounds (presumably a chelated iron sulfide or a vanadium sulfide), to avoid formation of sulfate or thiosulfate salts which reduce the yeild of sulfur and build up in the solution.