Abstract: A new combination is disclosed of (I) a process for producing a substance enriched in a desired isotope of hydrogen and/or oxygen from a flow of liquid substance, e.g. water which becomes depleted in its content of said isotope, and (II) replenishing the liquid substance with said isotope by (a) direct contact with a flow of steam from a source external to the process, preferably geothermal steam, and (b) supplying feed flow of the process (I) from the so replenished liquid substance.

Abstract: Certain impure steams, especially those from geothermal sources, are polluted with hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, carbon dioxide, other gases, and finely divided particulate solid matter in a form resembling dust or smoke. These contaminants reduce the efficiency of the steam as a heat transfer fluid, are detrimental to equipment utilizing steam as an energy source, and result in environmental pollution or expensive requirements for limiting the same. Herein so polluted steam is selectively processed in the gaseous state to remove hydrogen sulfide therefrom, with or without removing other pollutants, to recover valuable materials therefrom, and to improve the utility of the steam as an energy source. This is done by contacting a flow of the steam with aqueous liquid reactant media comprising one or more reactive compounds of certain metals electropositive with respect to hydrogen. The valuable materials subsequently may be recovered from said media as useful byproducts. The reactant compounds may be recycled.

Abstract: A process for purifying impure water, e.g. heavy water, which provides for the removal of dissolved inorganic and organic contaminants by distillation of the water and washed vapor withdrawal, and optional chemical pretreatment of oxidazable matter.

Abstract: Certain impure steams, especially those from geothermal sources, are contaminated with gaseous substances such as hydrogen sulfide, ammomia, carbon dioxide, substances comprising boron, arsenic and mercury, other gases, as well as finely divided particulate solid matter in a form resembling dust or smoke. These contaminants reduce the efficiency of the steam as a heat transfer fluid and are detrimental to equipment utilizing steam as an energy source. Furthermore, discharges from the utilization of such impure steams result in pollution of the environment or necessitate expensive requirements for limiting the same. The present invention describes apparatus wherein so contaminated steam is selectively processed at superatmospheric pressure for removing one or more of said contaminants and, after reduction of its energy content by pressure reduction and/or condensation of the steam, gases substantially free of hydrogen sulfide are discharged to the atmosphere.

Abstract: Steam from a geothermal source is usually contaminated with gaseous impurities including, inter alia, one or more substances comprising boron, arsenic and mercury. Such contaminants are detrimental to the equipment utilizing the steam as an energy source and also result in environmental pollution. Herein, a flow of geothermal steam at elevated temperature and superatmospheric pressure is processed upstream of said equipment by contacting the steam with an aqueous liquid whereby said impurities are extracted from the steam and transferred to the aqueous liquid while maintaining the steam at substantially said elevated temperature and pressure.

Abstract: Certain impure steams, especially those from geothermal sources, are polluted with hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, carbon dioxide, other gases, and finely divided particulate solid matter in a form resembling dust or smoke. These contaminants reduce the efficiency of the steam as a heat transfer fluid, are detrimental to equipment utilizing steam as an energy source, and result in environmental pollution or expensive requirements for limiting the same. Herein so polluted steam is selectively processed in the gaseous state to remove hydrogen sulfide therefrom, with or without removing other pollutants, to recover valuable materials therefrom, and to improve the utility of the steam as an energy source. This is done by contacting a flow of the steam with aqueous fluid reactant media comprising one or more reactive compounds of certain metals electropositive with respect to hydrogen. The valuable materials subsequently may be recovered from said media as useful byproducts. The reactant compounds may be recycled.

Abstract: An apparatus for purifying impure vaporizable liquid, e.g. heavy water, which provides for the removal of dissolved inorganic solid contaminants from such liquid to produce a high purity liquid product.

Abstract: A processing method is provided in which flows of separate fluid streams, at least one of which is liquid, are intimately contacted and subjected to centrifugal force by being passed as a cocurrent turbulent flow circumferentially, axially, and inwardly and outwardly through sets of openings in the side walls of one or more cylindrical chambers having first and second elements coaxially positioned in a housing, the openings being provided with flow guide means for directing said cocurrent flows in the same circumferential direction at all times, and the axial direction of passage of said cocurrent flows in preferred embodiments of the invention being non-ascending and hence not counter to the force of gravity.

Abstract: In a dual temperature isotope exchange system--exemplified by exchange of deuterium and protium between water and hydrogen sulfide gas in hot and cold towers, in which the feed stream (water) containing the desired isotope is passed through a pair of towers maintained at different temperatures wherein it effects isotope exchange with countercurrently circulated auxiliary fluid (H.sub.2 S) and is impoverished in said isotope and then disposed of, e. g. discharged to waste,--the flow of isotope enriched auxiliary fluid between said towers (hot H.sub.

Abstract: Certain impure steams, especially those from geothermal sources, are polluted with hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, carbon dioxide, other gases, and finely divided particulate solid matter in a form resembling dust or smoke. These contaminants reduce the efficiency of the steam as a heat transfer fluid, are detrimental to equipment utilizing steam as an energy source, and result in environmental pollution or expensive requirements for limiting the same. Herein apparatus is provided wherein so polluted steam is selectively processed in the gaseous state upstream of said equipment to remove hydrogen sulfide therefrom, with or without removing other pollutants, to recover valuable materials therefrom, and to improve the utility of the steam as an energy source.

Abstract: A new combination is disclosed of (I) a process for producing a substance enriched in a desired isotope of hydrogen and/or oxygen from a flow of liquid substance, e.g. water which becomes depleted in its content of said isotope, and (II) replenishing the liquid substance with said isotope by (a) direct contact with a flow of steam from a source external to the process, preferably geothermal steam, and (b) supplying feed flow of the process (I) from the so replenished liquid substance.

Abstract: Carbonate waters from subterranean and other sources which are contaminated with dissolved sulfides contribute to environmental pollution. Herein the sulfides are removed without otherwise polluting the environment by conversion to insoluble metal sulfide reaction products separable from the carbonate waters with production of CO.sub.2 -free H.sub.2 S as a valuable byproduct. The dissolved sulfides are reacted with metal salt to form an insoluble sulfide reaction product from which the decontaminated carbonate water is separated, the reaction product is then decomposed by reacting with an aqueous acid comprising the negative radical of the metal salt thus producing H.sub.2 S essentially free of CO.sub.2 as a valuable product. The reformed metal salt is recycled. Conditions are provided for extracting ammonia contained in the carbonate water and for removing arsenic and/or mercury matter therefrom.

Abstract: Certain impure steams, especially those from geothermal sources, are polluted with hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, carbon dioxide, other gases, and finely divided particulate solid matter in a form resembling dust or smoke. These contaminants reduce the efficiency of the steam as a heat transfer fluid, are detrimental to equipment utilizing steam as an energy source, and result in environmental pollution or expensive requirements for limiting the same. By the invention herein so polluted steam is selectively processed in the gaseous state upstream of said equipment to remove hydrogen sulfide therefrom, with or without removing other pollutants, to reduce environmental pollution from effluents thereof, to recover valuable materials therefrom, and to improve the utility of the steam as an energy source.

Abstract: Apparatus for thermal control in dual temperature systems in which both liquid and gas are present together at different temperatures in different locations in the system. Hot humidified gases rather than being cooled with water are circulated in a cyclic treatment reclaiming their heat which is then used for heating and humidification of gases entering a hot tower.

Abstract: Improvements in the dual temperature exchange system wherein the feed supply substance traverses selected portions of one of the two temperature zones, said selected portions being correlated with the availability and/or cost of a supply of the feed substance concerned; e.g.

Abstract: A liquid feed and effluent system to recover dissolved process gas (e.g. H.sub.2 S) from an effluent process liquid (e.g. water), which liquid may also contain dissolved solid components (e.g. soluble salts); the system heats the feed liquid with heat recovered from the effluent liquid, saturates the so heated feed liquid with process gas, which gas may also contain inert gas components, and separately discharges from the system such inert gas components and effluent liquid from which process gas and heat have been recovered. In the combination the dissolved process gas is preferably recovered from the effluent liquid by flashing at progressively reduced pressures and final vapor stripping thereof at the most reduced pressure.

Abstract: A processing method and apparatus are provided in which flows of a plurality of phases, at least one of which is a liquid phase, are intimately contacted and subjected to centrifugal force by being passed as a cocurrent turbulent flow circumferentially, axially, and inwardly and outwardly through sets of openings in the walls of one or more cylindrical chambers having first and second elements coaxially positioned in a housing, the openings being provided with flow guide means for directing said cocurrent flows in the same circumferential direction at all times, and the axial direction of passage of said cocurrent flows in preferred embodiments of the invention being non-ascending and hence not counter to the force of gravity.

Abstract: Certain impure streams, especially those from geothermal sources, are polluted with hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, carbon dioxide, other gases, and finely divided particulate solid matter in a form resembling dust or smoke. These contaminants reduce the efficiency of the steam as a heat transfer fluid, are detrimental to equipment utilizing steam as an energy source, and result in environmental pollution or expensive requirements for limiting the same. Herein so polluted steam is selectively processed in the gaseous state upstream of said equipment to remove hydrogen sulfide therefrom, with or without removing other pollutants, to recover valuable materials therefrom, and to improve the utility of the steam as an energy source. This is done by contacting a flow of the steam with aqueous liquid reactant media consisting essentially of one or more reactive compounds of certain metals which form solid metal sulfide reaction products and which preferably are electropositive with respect to hydrogen.

Abstract: A liquid feed and effluent system to recover dissolved process gas (e.g. H.sub.2 S) from an effluent process liquid (e.g. water), which liquid may also contain dissolved solid components (e.g. soluble salts); the system heats the feed liquid with heat recovered from the effluent liquid, saturates the so heated feed liquid with process gas, which gas may also contain inert gas components, and separately discharges from the system such inert gas components and effluent liquid from which process gas and heat have been recovered. In the combination the dissolved process gas is preferably recovered from the effluent liquid by flashing at progressively reduced pressures and final vapor stripping thereof at the most reduced pressure.

Abstract: A dual temperature exchange system, wherein, inter alia, the feed supply substance traverses selected portions of one of the two temperature zones, said selected portions being correlated with the availability and/or cost of a supply of the feed substance concerned is disclosed, and in connection therewith also disclosed is an improved system for humidification and dehumidification of a gaseous flow by effecting evaporation of a vaporizable liquid thereinto with the aid of heat recovered from the subsequent condensation from said gaseous flow of vaporized liquid carried thereby.