Abstract: A method of, and bolt for, supporting a structure such as a mine or tunnel roof or side wall or the like.

Abstract: Fine particles of a solid carbonaceous fuel of the coal or coke type are treated to reduce their content of undesired constituents at least including sulfur or ash or both. The treatment comprises forming a mixture of the fuel particles with a liquid aqueous leaching solution, containing one or more cations selected from Groups IA and IIA of the periodic table, which is effective to dissolve the undesired constituents. The mixture is exposed to temperatures in the range of about 150.degree. to 375.degree. C under a pressure of at least the autogeneous steam pressure until the solution has dissolved the undesired constituents of the fuel to such an extent that the undesired constituent content of the fuel particles has been reduced to less than a desired limit.

Abstract: A method of treating fine particles of solid carbonaceous fuel of the coal or coke type that comprises mixing the fuel particles with a liquid aqueous solution comprising essentially (a) sodium, potassium, or lithium hydroxide together with (b) calcium, magnesium, or barium hydroxide or carbonate, or a plurality thereof, with a ratio of (a) to the fuel of about 0.04 to 0.70 (typically 0.10 to 0.35) by weight, a ratio of (b) to the fuel of about 0.02 to 0.30 (typically 0.08 to 0.20) by weight, and a ratio of water to the fuel of about 1 to 10 (typically 2 to 5) by weight; heating the resulting mixture, at an elevated pressure, to a temperature of about 150.degree. to 375.degree. C (typically 175.degree. to 300.degree. C) in such a manner as to improve the usefulness of the fuel particles; and cooling to below about 100.degree. C. The cooled mixture either is dried or filtered to separate the fuel particles from the solution, the particles then being washed and dried.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and device for catalyzing chemical reaction. The reaction system is brought into contact with the surface of a solid, electrically conducting layer provided with an underlying insulating or semi-conducting layer and an electric current is passed successively across both layers. The device comprises a stratified body having at least one electrically insulating or semi-conducting layer, covered at least partially with an electrically conducting layer suitable for contact with the reaction system, and means for applying a voltage for passage of a given electric current across said body.Heterogeneous catalysis of a desired reaction is achieved at the surface of the conducting layer due to said current passage.

Abstract: Into a liquid medium consisting of a solvent having dissolved therein a substance (solute) which is to be separated from the liquid medium, there is introduced a macromolecular substance capable of selectively fixing the molecules of the substance to be separated. The macromolecular substance forms, before and after fixing the substance to be separated, a homogeneous liquid phase in admixture with the liquid medium. After allowing the substance to be fixed by the molecules of the macromolecular substance, the liquid medium thus obtained is passed through a semipermeable ultrafiltration membrane which retains the associations of molecules formed between the macromolecular substance and the substance to be separated but allows the molecules of the solvent to pass through.

Abstract: A method of operating a fluidized bed system, typically as a combustor system for power or steam generation by burning high-sulfur coal, which comprises forming an entrained fluidized bed in a first space region containg a first solid bed particle component, such as a hematite ore containing over 90% Fe.sub.2 O.sub.

Abstract: Low boiling (C.sub.1 to C.sub.4) aliphatic hydrocarbons are obtained by passing a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide at a molar ratio of about 1:2 to 2:1 at a temperature between about 350.degree. and about 450.degree. C. and a pressure of about 600 p.s.i.g. to about 10,000 p.s.i.g. at a volumetric hourly space velocity of about 200 to about 6000 in contact with catalyst comprising a sulfided, interspersed mixture of cobalt oxide, aluminum oxide and zinc oxide. The catalyst, prior to sulfiding, comprises about 1 to about 15 weight percent of cobalt oxide, about 55 to about 85 weight percent of aluminum oxide and about 15 to about 30 weight percent of zinc oxide.

Abstract: Low boiling (C.sub.1 to C.sub.4) aliphatic hydrocarbons are obtained by passing a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide at a molar ratio of about 1:2 to 2:1 at a temperature between about 350.degree. and about 450.degree. C. and a pressure of about 600 p.s.i.g. to about 10,000 p.s.i.g. at a volumetric hourly space velocity of about 200 to about 6000 in contact with catalyst comprising a sulfided, interspersed mixture of cobalt oxide, aluminum oxide and zinc oxide. The catalyst, prior to sulfiding, comprises about 1 to about 15 weight percent of cobalt oxide, about 55 to about 85 weight percent of aluminum oxide and about 15 to about 30 weight percent of zinc oxide.

Abstract: Electric accumulators of the type comprising an anode compartment containing an anode formed from at least one metal selected from the group consisting of metals belonging to Groups Ia, IIa, IIb and IIIb of the periodic table of elements; a cathode compartment containing a cathode formed at least partly from a conducting member comprising a substance capable of accepting electrons, to form anions by cathodic reduction, and an electrolyte consisting of a substance capable of dissolving the product or products generated during discharge of the accumulator; the anode compartment and cathode compartment being separated from each other by a wall impervious to fluids and formed from a solid mineral electrolyte capable of allowing selective migration of the anode metal, in the form of cations are improved by adding to the anode compartment a salt of the anode metal between the anode and the separation wall.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for accurately measuring the volume or mass flow rate of each component phase of a two-phase mixture. In particular, mixtures of crude oil and natural gas in changing proportions and having fluctuating differential flow velocities are encountered at the wellhead. The volume rate of flow of the oil and gas components are separately determined by temporarily isolating successive fractions of the mixture, determining the component proportions and the volume flow rate of each successive fraction and calculating the product thereof. Mass flow rate may be determined by incorporating the densities of the components into the calculation. Total throughput may be calculated by summing the products of the component proportion and the flow rate for all successive fractions.

Abstract: A joint of beam and column-type members comprising essentially concrete of the type wherein intersecting elongate members of reinforcing steel or the like, confined with supporting members in the form of reinforcing hoops, stirrup-ties, supplementary crossties, or the like in the joint region, provide sufficient strength and ductility in the joint to withstand satisfactorily a predetermined amount of reversed flexure. A special concrete mix is prepared with fibers having a modulus of elasticity of at least about 20 million psi substantially uniformly distributed therein with an average spacing between fibers of up to about 0.3 inch and in a quantity sufficient to provide at least a predetermined flexural strength, and the joint is formed with said concrete mix and such intersecting elongate members, the number of said supporting members in the joint region being less than are required to provide said sufficient strength and ductility with concrete not containing any such fibers.

Abstract: Low boiling (C.sub.1 to C.sub.3) aliphatic hydrocarbons are obtained by passing a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide at a volume ratio of about 45:55 to 60:40 at a temperature between about 350.degree. and about 500.degree. C. and a pressure of about 200 p.s.i.g. to about 10,000 p.s.i.g. at a volumetric hourly space velocity of about 200 to about 6000 in contact with a catalyst comprising an interspersed mixture of cobalt oxide, aluminum oxide, zinc oxide and molybdenum oxide. The catalyst comprises about 0.2 to about 2.0 weight percent of cobalt oxide, about 55 to about 95 weight percent of aluminum oxide, about 5 to about 15 weight percent of zinc oxide and about 2 to about 20 weight percent of molybdenum oxide.

Abstract: A motor speed control system which comprises: (a) a power modulator circuit having gating means adapted to control the power supplied to the motor; (b) means adapted to provide a voltage which is directly proportional to the instantaneous motor terminal current; (c) means adapted to provide a sensing current which is directly proportional to the voltage across means (b), and thus to the instantaneous motor terminal current; (d) means adapted to provide a sensing current which is directly proportional to the instantaneous motor terminal voltage; (e) summing means adapted to algebraically sum the instantaneous values of the two sensing currents; (f) integrator means adapted to average the sum of instantaneous values provided by means (e); and, (g) feedback means adapted to generate a signal for operating the gating means, said signal having a phase determined by the output of the integrator means, whereby the output of the integrator means controls the phase of the gating means and thereby controls the power su

Abstract: For collection, retrieval, and utilization of solar energy, there is taught a process and an apparatus wherein a photochemical fluid, containing an isomerizable compound, is passed through a collector for exposure to solar radiation to transform the isomerizable compound to a higher energy level isomer. The irradiated fluid leaving the collector passes in heat exchange relationship with photochemical fluid entering the collector and then proceeds into a trigger reactor means. In the trigger reactor means, higher energy level isomer in the irradiated fluid is triggered, such as by heat and/or catalyst contact, to revert to an isomerizable composition of a lower energy level isomer with exothermic release of heat in excess of that requisite for maintaining conversion of higher energy level isomer to lower energy level isomer.

Abstract: An invention relating to photochemical collection, storage, and retrieval of solar energy through exposing to solar energy in the visible light spectrum of a photochemical valence isomerizable composition for a time converting a significant portion thereof to an intramolecular strained ring structure of higher energy content, retaining the higher energy content intramolecular strained ring structure until energy release is desired therefrom, and subsequently initiating conversion of the higher energy content intramolecular strained ring structure to its initial molecular structure through application of heat and/or catalyst thereto with a resultant exothermic conversion releasing heat in excess of that requisite for initiating and continuing the conversion and with the heat in excess thereof available for useful thermal applications; in the preferred method embodiment employing an organic valence isomerizable compound of a structure which includes two reactive carbon-to-carbon double bonds oriented in relatio

Abstract: A process for photochemical collection, storage, and retrieval of solar energy, including solar energy in the visible and near-infrared light spectrum, comprising: exposing to solar radiation of a trans-isomer of particular geometrically isomerizable compounds, while dissolved in a predominantly (greater than 50 percent by volume) aqueous liquid medium, to isomerize the trans-isomer to a thermodynamically less stable, but kinetically stable, cis-isomer of higher energy content, heating the produced cis-isomer to an activation temperature triggering exothermal conversion (or return) of the cis-isomer to the trans-isomer with release of thermal energy; and continuing exothermal conversion of cis-isomer to trans-isomer through use of a portion of the exothermically released thermal energy and transferring of another portion of the released thermal energy from the region of exothermal conversion for availability of this other portion for useful thermal energy applications; with the therein employed geometrical is

Abstract: A gaseous (C.sub.1 to C.sub.4) hydrocarbon mixture having a high methane content (at least 80 percent by volume on a carbon dioxide-free basis) is obtained by passing a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide at a volume ratio of about 47:53 to 60:40 at a temperature between about 350.degree. and about 450.degree. C. and a pressure of about 200 p.s.i.g. to about 10,000 p.s.i.g. at a volumetric space velocity of about 500 to about 6000 in contact with a sulfur resistant catalyst comprising an interspersed mixture of cobalt oxide, aluminum oxide and zinc oxide. The catalyst comprises about 1 to about 15 weight percent of cobalt oxide, about 15 to 60 weight percent of aluminum oxide and about 35 to about 70 weight percent of zinc oxide.

Abstract: Elemental silicon of utility as a corrosion resistant coating, as an absorber in a solar thermal conversion system, etc. is provided by nonaqueous electrolytic deposition thereof on a cathode body through electrolytic reduction of a silicon halide or haloid silane compound as a solute in a liquid aprotic dipolar organic solvent for the compound by passing therethrough an electrolyzing current, generally at near ambient temperature and near atmospheric pressure yet under cover of an inert gas, and desirably by pulse electrolysis. The electroplating composition consists essentially of a nonaqueous solvent solution of the anhydrous liquid aprotic dipolar organic solvent, for example propylene carbonate, dimethylformamide, etc., containing the silicon solute, such as illustrated by silicon tetrachloride and trichlorosilane, in an amount providing, or providing by inclusion therewith of a dissociable electrolyte (e.g.

Abstract: A method of making a two-phase material comprising a mix of concrete and fibers of a material having a modulus of elasticity of at least about 20 million psi substantially uniformly distributed therein with an average spacing between fibers of up to about 0.3 inch. The flexural strengths are measured for a plurality of substantially different average bond areas of the fibers per unit area in planes normal to tensile stress in test specimens of the two-phase material, and the fibers are provided and distributed in such quantity in the bulk mix that the average bond area of the fibers intersecting planes normal to the stress at known regions of highest tensile stress is sufficient to provide at least a preselected flexural strength in such regions.

Abstract: A digitizer comprising electromechanical and optical components arranged to provide a precision metrology aid for sensing, displaying, recording, and ultimately "playing back" the coordinate values of selected features or locations of all or parts of two dimensional contours taken from drawings, pictures, and other two dimensional media. Data pertaining to a third dimension may also be entered into the digitizer. Precision is achieved from a combination of factors including the inherent rigidness of the structure, built-in mechanical force control, and the inclusion of apparatus for the elimination of input vantage point parallex.