Abstract: A hydrodesulfurization process is provided for continuously effecting hydrodesulfurization of a liquid sulfur-containing hydrocarbon feedstock which comprises: (a) providing a hydrodesulfurization zone maintained under hydrodesulfurization conditions and comprising a column reactor having a plurality of reaction trays therein mounted one above another, each tray defining a respective reaction stage adapted to hold a predetermined liquid volume and a charge of a sulfided solid hydrodesulfurization catalyst therein, liquid downcomer means associated with each reaction tray adapted to allow liquid to pass down the column reactor from that tray but to retain solid catalyst thereon, and gas upcomer means associated with each reaction tray adapted to allow gas to enter that tray from below and to agitate the mixture of liquid and catalyst on that tray; (b) supplying liquid sulfur-containing hydrocarbon feedstock to the uppermost one of said plurality of reaction trays; (c) supplying hydrogen-containing gas below th

Abstract: When deforming an elongate workpiece, as by forging, rolling, or the like, it is necessary to know the exact position of the workpiece along its length with respect to the deforming device. To this end, one end of the workpiece is secured to a carriage in abutting relation with a stop member and the carriage is moved in the direction away from the deforming device. The position of the stop member with respect to the deforming device is continuously detected thus giving an indication of the position of the workpiece with respect to the deforming device.

Abstract: A tundish for molten metal having a front wall with an opening is provided. A plate with an opening is fitted into the opening in the front wall and retained therein. By replacing the plate with a plate with a plate having an opening at a different vertical level, the tundish can feed horizontal continuous casting molds of different levels.

Abstract: A force applicator comprises a ram operable by fluid under pressure. A pressure pad (7) is located between one movable part of the ram (3) and the load (9) and means are provided which enable relative movement to take place between the pressure pad and the ram in a direction at right angles to the direction of operation of the ram. The means may take the form of a fluid chamber (15) between the pressure pad and the ram or a disc of PTFE between them.

Abstract: In the rolling of metal strip, a detector roll is used to determine variations along the width of the strip and to make sure that one lateral edge of the strip takes up a predetermined position with an individual roller on the detector roll, either the strip is moved sideways with respect to the roll or the roll is moved in the direction of its axis of rotation.

Abstract: An improved process for the production of fatty alcohols is provided. The fatty alcohols are produced by hydrogenation of lower alkyl esters, especially methyl esters, of fatty acids derived from natural triglycerides, under conditions which minimize formation of by-product alkanes and ethers. The hydrogenation is followed by refining of any resulting ester-containing hydrogenation product to produce a substantially ester free fatty alcohol.

Abstract: A pressing machine for reducing the width of a hot metal slab has a pair of platens which are caused to engage with opposite edges of the slab to apply forces which reduce the width of the slab. This pressing action may cause buckling of the slab and to prevent, or at least reduce, the buckling, one or both of the opposite faces of the slab has a restraint provided adjacent thereto. The restraint may be in two parts connected to respective platens and arranged to allow for movement of one platen with respect to the other platen.

Abstract: A method of treating hot metal slabs (6) aims to reduce the width of the slab (6) produced by a continuous casting process to avoid the need for the prolific number of moulds otherwise required to produce slabs of various widths. In order to achieve this the hot metal slab (6) is presented, with its width dimension vertically oriented, to a pressing machine (24) having a vertically movable top platen (26) and a fixed bottom platen (28). The slab (6) is incrementally displaced, longitudinally, through the pressing machine and pressing forces are applied to its opposing edges by the platens, to reduce its width. Subsequently, the slab (6) is turned so that its width dimension is oriented horizontally and rolled between the horizontal rolls of a rolling mill (22). An apparatus for performing the method is disclosed.

Abstract: An improved process for refining alcohols produced by hydrogenation of esters wherein the crude hydrogenation product still contains a minor amount of unconverted ester starting material. In one embodiment, the process includes a method for recovering fatty alcohol or alcohols from a fatty alcohol fraction containing a major molar amount of at least one fatty alcohol and a minor molar amount of at least one lower alkyl fatty acid ester. In another embodiment, there is provided a process for the production of fatty alcohols which comprises, in addition to other steps, hydrogenating a lower alkyl fatty acid ester to yield a mixture of a lower alkanol, a fatty alcohol fraction and a minor amount of unreacted lower alkyl fatty acid ester.

Abstract: A gas mixer and distributor has an array of parallel gas mixing and distributing tubes which extend from a first chamber through successive second and third chambers. Respective coaxial tubular sections surround the tubes and communicate between the second and third chambers. Openings in the walls of the tubes communicate from the third chamber into the tubes. The first gas is fed into the first chamber for distribution into the first ends of the tube. The second gas is fed into the second chamber and passes through the annular passages formed by tubular sections over the tubes into the third chamber. The annular passages provide indirect heat exchange between the first and second gases to produce uniform temperature and density of the second gas in the third chamber before passing into the tubes through the tube wall openings.

Abstract: A liquid phase catalytic hydrogenation process is described in which an organic feedstock, such as an aldehyde containing from 2 to about 20 carbon atoms, is contracted with hydrogen in the presence of a solid hydrogenation catalyst under hydrogenation conditions to produce a hydrogenation product, such as the corresponding alcohol containing from 2 to about 20 carbon atoms, which process comprises passing a feed solution of the organic feedstock in an inert diluent therefor downwardly in co-current with a hydrogen-containing gas through a hydrogenation zone containing a bed of a particulate hydrogenation catalyst whose particles substantially all lie in the range of from about 1.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing high viscosity materials consisting of a heatable, horizontal vessel with a product inlet on the one end and a product outlet on the other end and, parallel to the axis of the vessel, a heatable rotating hollow shaft, supporting a plurality of heatable stirrer elements, and between these stirrer elements, fixed to the wall of the vessel, stationary baffle and scraping elements of different configurations.Each stirrer element comprises one to four stirrer wings, each with two hollow spokes and a peripheral, hollow ring-segment connecting the spokes, and fixed to the peripheral end of these ring-segment connections trailing product dragging blades.

Abstract: Continuous process for hydroformylation of olefins containing, typically, from 6 to 20 carbon atoms to produce the corresponding aldehydes. The rate of formation of high boiling aldehyde condensation products is minimized by use of a high boiling inert solvent whose boiling point, at the pressure prevailing in the product recovery zone, lies intermediate between that of the highest boiling aldehyde product produced in the hydroformylation reaction and that of the ligand, as well as by maintaining the concentration of product aldehyde at or below a predetermined minor amount. In this way the length of a production run can be significantly extended before it becomes necessary to shut down the plant due to accumulation of high boiling aldehyde condensation products.

Abstract: A fan beam of light from a source (L) is directed across the edge of a car body window frame section (10) with an external reflective corner (11) and an internal reflective corner (12). The corners reflect sharp spots of light (S1) and (S2) respectively into a detector (D) which produces an output waveform (FIG. 2) in which sharp pulses (P1, P2) correspond to the spots of light. It is easy to discriminate against other pulses (P3) arising from stray reflections, e.g. the multiple reflection (13, R3). The positions of the pulses (P1 and P2) enable the positions of the corners to be calculated. Two detectors and/or or two light sources may be used to increase the amount of data available so as to allow a complete solution for the coordinates of the centers of curvature (C1, C2) of the corners relative to the detectors and the radii of curvature of the corners.

Abstract: A copper chromite hydrogenation catalyst of enhanced activity is obtained by an ante-pre-reduction treatment in which a copper chromite catalyst precursor is soaked in a reducing atmosphere at temperatures below a pre-reduction temperature (typically about 140.degree. C.) at which appreciable pre-reduction of the catalyst can be detected. This catalyst is characterized by particles of reduced copper substantially all of which have an average particle size of less than about 300.times.10.sup.-10 m (300.ANG.), which have an average particle size of less than about 100.times.10.sup.-10 m (100.ANG.), and which are substantially uniformly distributed on a chromium-containing support. Typically such catalysts exhibit a copper surface area of about 18.5 m.sup.2 /g as determined by N.sub.2 O decomposition at 20.degree. C., compared to a corresponding copper surface area of 4.5 m.sup.2 /g for a catalyst which has been produced by conventional pre-reduction of the same catalyst precursor.

Abstract: Aliphatic aldehydes are hydrogenated to alcohols containing by product ester which ester is removed and separately hydrogenated to provide additional product.

Abstract: A housing structure for a rolling mill stand has two housings spaced apart and secured together with a spacer structure clamped between them by replaceable bolts. The housings support horizontal rolls and optionally vertical rolls and these rolls are supported on the spacer structure when the housings are displaced away from each other and from the spacer structure.

Abstract: A manipulator for manipulating metal ingots comprises a wheeled carriage with a peel assembly supported on it so that the peel assembly can move relative to the carriage. The peel assembly is supported adjacent one end of the carriage by at least one piston-cylinder device and a plurality of elongate links are pivotally coupled to the peel assembly and to a rigid support means on the carriage away from the end.

Abstract: Hydrogen is supplied first to a last hydrogenation zone, and gases recovered from the last hydrogenation zone are passed to the first hydrogenation zone of a continuous multi-zone liquid phase process for hydrogenating an organic compound to a corresponding hydrogenation product. The organic compound, with a suitable diluent or recycle hydrogenation product, flows successively through the zones beginning with the first and ending with the last hydrogenation zone to undergo hydrogenation with the hydrogenation product being recovered from the last hydrogenation zone.

Abstract: A process for the production of linear polyesters, the acid component consisting essentially of terephthalate units and the glycol component of ethylene glycol, by transesterification or direct esterification in the presence of an aluminum silicate-ethylene glycol suspension followed by polycondensation. An acidic phosphorus compound and subsequently an alkaline compound are added to the aluminum silicate before or during the formation of the suspension.