Abstract: An improved hydraulic knife assembly is provided for cutting potatoes and the like, wherein the knife assembly includes a cross-cut knife used to facilitate removal of a stuck potato. The knife assembly comprises a grid of knife blades encased within a knife housing adapted for removable in-line mounting along a flow conduit. Potatoes are propelled through the flow conduit by an hydraulic flow stream for cutting engagement with the knife blades as the potatoes pass through the knife housing. In the event that a potato becomes stuck at an upstream side of the knife housing, the cross-cut knife is receivable through an open slot formed between the knife housing and the adjacent end of the flow conduit to sever the stuck potato and thereby permit substantially unobstructed disassembly of the knife housing from the flow conduit. The thus disassembled knife housing and flow conduit can then be cleared preparatory to re-assembly and resumed normal cutting operations.

Abstract: An improved refrigeration system is provided for use in a rail car or the like to refrigerate perishable items such as produce. The refrigeration system includes a plurality of modular ceiling panels mounted near the roof of a rail car or the like to define an upper ceiling compartment disposed over a main storage compartment. The ceiling compartment includes a central bunker for receiving a cryogenic material, such as carbon dioxide snow, wherein the bunker is separated by short partition walls from a pair of elongated plenum chambers extending along both sides of the bunker. Cryogenic gas formed by sublimation spills over the partition walls for passage from the bunker into the plenum chambers, and for further passage from the plenum chambers through downflow ports in the panels into the underlying main storage compartment to refrigerate perishable items therein.

Abstract: Ores containing mineral values are separated into two slurries, one having primarily fine particles and gangue and the other having primarily coarse particles. The slurry having fine particles and gangue is adjusted to a solids content of less than about 15 percent, as necessary, and then conditioned by the addition of appropriate promoter reagents, a flotation collector, and a froth modifier. The gangue, containing a disproportionate share of impurities, is floated in a column flotation cell wherein the fine particulates are not mechanically agitated, and removed. The remaining fine particulate underflow, containing a disproportionate share of the minearl values, is then processed directly, or combined with the slurry containing the coarse particulate to yield a flow having reduced impurity content and increased recovery of the mineral values.

Abstract: A mixture of hydrophobic and hydrophilic extractants is used to separate phosphate values from impurities found in phosphoric acid. In one approach, impurities are removed from phosphoric acid and the phosphate values are recovered, by introducing polyphosphates and ammonium ions into the impure acid, and contacting the impure acid with a mixture of low and high molecular weight alcohols, one of which is hydrophilic and the other hydrophobic, in a single stage. The phosphate values segregate to the high molecular weight alcohol fraction, and the impurities segregate to the low molecular weight alcohol fraction. After separation of the alcohol solutions, the phosphate values and the impurities are separated from their respective extractant solutions, and the alcohols recirculated. Polyphosphates and ammonia are preferably provided by reacting a portion of the original feed acid with ammonia at elevated temperature in a pipe reactor.

Abstract: A process and product for achieving uniform, stabilized working and setting times for phosphate-bonded magnesia cements, wherein a solid phosphate is mixed with an aqueous ammonium phosphate solution and magnesium oxide to form a cement. The solid phosphate may be provided dry or in a slurry, and may be first mixed with the ammonium phosphate solution or the magnesium oxide. Introduction of the solid phosphate into the cement stabilizes the setting time of the cement, which otherwise may vary from a few minutes to several hours, depending upon the characteristics of the ammonium phosphate solution. The ammonium phosphate solution may be supplied as a 10-34-0 composition that is readily available commercially. In one embodiment of the invention, the solid phosphate is provided as an ammonium phosphate mixture of an 18-46-0 composition, having an ammonium phosphate content above the solubility limit of ammonium phosphate in water.

Abstract: A process for reducing the valence state of ferrous and other ions present in phosphoric acid by heating the acid in the presence of a pressurized reducing gas, preferably hydrogen. The pressurized gas reduces the ions without an addition of metallic iron or other impurity. This process is desirably used with processes for recovering uranium from wet process phosphoric acid, wherein ferric or uranyl ions in the phosphoric acid are reduced in a pressurized reducing gas.

Abstract: This invention is directed to improved process for treating whole unpeeled potatoes and other root stock vegetables prior to the freezing thereof so that when the frozen potatoes are reconstituted by heating they have the appearance, texture and taste closely matching those of such vegetables which have been baked in a conventional fashion. The improved process comprises heating the vegetables at a temperature from about 200 to 300.degree. F. for a period of from 2 to 40 minutes with an edible oil on the surface thereof. This step may be followed by a second treatment at a temperature of about 185.degree. F. to 220.degree. F. The potatoe may then be frozen at a temperature of about -30.degree. to -60.degree. F. and stored at freezing temperatures for long periods without any detrimental effects on the taste, texture or appearance of the potato when it is reconstituted by heating.

Abstract: An improved broccoli trimming machine is provided for cutting or scalping broccoli heads in a manner yielding separated broccoli fleurettes of substantially uniform size and shape. The improved broccoli trimming machine includes an indexing mechanism with clamp units for holding and indexing broccoli heads to a scalping station. A bowl-shaped cutter at the scalping station is moved into cutting relation with the broccoli heads to scalp each head along a curved, substantially semi-spherical line to approximate the curved contour of the top of a broccoli head to be cut, thereby separating the head into individual fleurettes of substantially uniform size and shape.

Abstract: An improved process is provided for preparing parfried and frozen French fry potato strips for reconstitution for consumption by finish frying wherein the finish fry time period is substantially reduced. French fry potato strips which have been initially processed to a parfried and preferably frozen state, for example, in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 3,397,993, are subjected to a hot air impingement step including exposure to relatively high velocity air at a selected temperature and for a controlled time period to achieve a rapid yet controlled reduction in strip moisture content and to texturize the outer skin surfaces of the strips without frying. The strips are then frozen and stored awaiting rapid reconstitution by finish frying in hot oil within a substantially reduced frying time, with the reconstituted strips exhibiting substantially optimum taste, color, and textural characteristics.

Abstract: A process for beneficiating phosphate containing ores, wherein promoter reagents are added to the ore slurry prior to the addition of collectors and depressants for flotation of the carbonate and silica components. The promoters aid in increasing the rejection of the magnesium present during carbonate and silica flotation steps and recovery of phosphates, so that acceptably low magnesium levels for phosphoric acid production can be achieved in a phosphate concentrate in a single rougher stage. Preferred promoters include sodium carbonate and ammonium hydroxide.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for cutting broccoli and other similar vegetables into a plurality of longitudinal sections wherein the head of the vegetable is firmly gripped with the stem thereof extending outwardly and then cut longitudinally through the stem and partially through the head. Broccoli can be sectioned in this manner at high production rates without generating an excessive amount of vegetable debris.

Abstract: A process for beneficiating phosphate containing ores, wherein promoter reagents are added to the ore slurry prior to the addition of collectors and depressants for flotation of the carbonate and silica components. The promoters aid in increasing the rejection of the magnesium present during carbonate and silica flotation steps and recovery of phosphates, so that acceptably low magnesium levels for phosphoric acid production can be achieved in a phosphate concentrate in a single rougher stage. Preferred promoters include sodium carbonate and ammonium hydroxide.

Abstract: An improved rotary cutting apparatus is provided for cutting vegetables, particularly such as potatoes, into a distribution of strip sizes not exceeding a predetermined length limit. The apparatus comprises a conventional rotary impeller having peripheral blades for carrying potatoes into cutting relation with a slicing knife on an impeller housing for dividing the potatoes into slices followed by subsequent cutting into strips by strips knives on an adjacent cross-cut spindle. The impeller further includes an axially centered divider ring defining a pair of annular chambers for potato passage outwardly to the slicing knife, wherein longer potatoes are required to orient with their longitudinal axes extending generally radially with respect to the impeller, and generally perpendicular to the slicing knife, to limit the maximum length of the cut slices and the resultant cut strips.

Abstract: This invention is a method of making frozen potato patties which can be final cooked in a wide variety of ways to provide potato patties having excellent taste and texture and handling characteristics. The processing comprises cutting up fresh potatoes into relatively large chunks with a minimum dimension of about 1/4 inch, cooking the chunks in water or steam at about 170.degree.-220.degree. F., cooking the partially cooked chunks in oil at about 300.degree.-375.degree. F., mixing the chunks with an aqueous solution of starches or gums, forming into a patty and then freezing. For patties which are to be final cooked by microwave heating or by toasting, it is preferred to further oil cook the patties after forming and then freeze them or, alternately, to freeze the patties after forming, further cook them in oil and then refreeze them.

Abstract: A process is provided for producing parfried and frozen potato product strips including but not limited to French fries, wherein the potato strips are adapted for reconstitution, immediately prior to consumption, in a microwave oven, conventional oven, convection oven, or finish fryer with highly desirable taste, color, and textural characteristics. The process comprises parfrying the potato strips under controlled time and temperature conditions to include two parfrying steps with an intermediate cooling step wherein the strips preferably are frozen to reduce the moisture content of the strips in accordance with a predetermined relationship of strip size, strip surface area, and moisture loss during processing.

Abstract: A process for preparing granulated fertilizer materials, wherein urea phosphate is used as a granulating agent to assist in the agglomeration of finely divided solid particles into relatively uniformly sized granules. Urea phosphate, prepared by dissolving urea in phosphoric acid, is coated onto finely divided particles of fertilizer materials, and granulation is accomplished at a temperature within the thermoplastic range of the urea phosphate, wherein the urea phosphate plasticizes and induces adherence of the fine particles into relatively uniformly sized granules. Optionally, ammonia gas, clay, or micro nutrients may be added after granulation.

Abstract: A process for the selective recovery of cadmium, molybdenum, zinc, nickel and other metal values from wet process phosphoric acid and other acidic to slightly basic carrier solutions, wherein the metal-bearing solution is contacted with an organophosphene extractant to precipitate the metal values for subsequent separation from the solution. Separation may be effected by mechanical means or by scrubbing with a water-immiscible organic solvent such as kerosene for subsequent recovery of the metal values. The metal specie recovered is determined by the concentration of the organophosphene, which may be selectively adjusted to recover a series of metal values in a sequence of stages.

Abstract: A two stage reductive stripping process for recovering uranium from wet process phosphoric acid, wherein the ferrous ions required for the first-stage reductive strip are supplied by heating a portion of acid raffinate phosphoric acid from the first-stage extraction in the presence of pressurized hydrogen gas. The pressurized hydrogen gas reduces the ferric ions in the raffinate to the ferrous state without any addition of metallic iron or other impurity, so that the uranium-enhanced reductive strip solution supplied to the second stage from the first stage reductive strip has a low concentration of iron impurity, and no further purification to remove iron impurity is required.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for effecting a substantial reduction in retention time of oxidation processes by the autoclave oxidation of ion species dissolved in aqueous solutions. In one embodiment, the invention provides for oxidation of dissolved reduced ion species including ferrous iron (Fe.sup.+2), uranium (U.sup.+4) and vanadium (V.sup.+3) from wet process phosphoric acids, or for conditioning of aqueous solutions for other uses, such as corrosion control, by raising the valence state of dissolved ion species. In accordance with the present invention, pure oxygen, present in quantity of at least 94% by volume, is utilized as an oxidizing agent with specified process parameters: temperature, pressure and mixing conditions in an autoclave reaction vessel.