Abstract: The process using multiple waste streams to manufacture synthetic lightweight aggregate includes providing a mixture of aggregate wash and at least one of another waste stream, such as waste lube oil or sewage sludge. The mixture is formed into pellets and subjected to various firing stages and temperatures in which the calcination and subsequent bloating occurs. The mixture can also be added to natural clays to form corresponding pellets. The bloating promotes formation of porous cavities, and once cooled, the pellets form lightweight, low density synthetic aggregates suitable for use as building materials, thermal insulators, and the like.

Abstract: The floating breakwater includes various different embodiments, as can have an anchored or moored float. The float is desirably in the geometric form of a generally rectangular solid configuration, but can include other forms. One or more baffles or skirt walls extend from the bottom surface of the float, thereby attenuating subsurface wave action to a greater depth than the bottom of the float. Each of the baffles or skirt walls desirably includes a thin, flat, monolithic plate member for enhancing hydrodynamic resistance. The one or more baffles or skirt walls can be continuous and unbroken, or can have a plurality of apertures therethrough. When three or more baffles or skirt walls are provided they can be evenly spaced, or the spacing therebetween can vary. When two or more baffles or skirt walls are provided they can have equal depths, or their depths can differ from one another.

Abstract: The fluid expansion engine uses a liquid working fluid contained by primary pressurized cylinders. A heat exchange system alternately cycles hot and cold through the primary pressurized cylinders. As a result, the liquid working fluid in the cylinders reciprocally expands and contracts. The work done by the fluid expansion engine is extracted via a hydraulic pump and gearbox connected to secondary pressurized cylinders attached to the primary pressurized cylinders.

Abstract: The gelling agent for water shut-off in oil and gas wells is a composition that forms a gel to reduce or eliminate the flow of water in a gas or oil well. The composition is formed by mixing polyvinyl alcohol, a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer, or mixtures thereof with an amino-aldehyde oligomer, such as urea formaldehyde or melamine formaldehyde, with or without a cross-linker. The polymer composition can be used to minimize or completely shut off excess water production with insignificant reduction in hydrocarbon productivity.

Abstract: The nanocomposite mixed-matrix membrane is a nanocomposite made from a nanofiller of Halloysite nanotubes or polypropylene-grafted maleic anhydride nano-layered silica dispersed or embedded in a hydrophobic polymer matrix. The Halloysite nanotubes are a 1:1 layered alumino-silicate clay having the chemical formula Al2O3 Si2O4 4(H2O)) formed into multi-layered hollow cylinders having walls that are formed from alternating layers of alumina and silica. The membrane is formed by extrusion of the nanocomposite with stretching over rollers during the extrusion, followed by annealing, cold stretching at room temperature, and hot stretching. The resulting membrane is microporous and can be used as a membrane distillation (MD) membrane for seawater and brackish water desalination.

Abstract: A bivalent vaccine against Scuticociliatosis, Vibriosis and marine ich in zobaidy, sobaity and hamoor includes a formalin killed whole cell Vibrio encapsulated Uronema spp. The vaccine is made by collecting a mass of infected zobaidy and scraping the moribund fish with a plastic spatula to transfer live Uronema into a pretri dish. The cerebro-spinal fluid is removed from the zobaidy and added to the fluid containing the Uronema at different concentrations formed with the BHIB. A mass of zobaidy juvenile are fed a commercial pellet feed coated with formalin inactivated Uronema spp. encapsulated in Vibrio four times a day for a period of ten days.

Abstract: An anesthetic and therapeutic composition for use in aquaculture includes an essential oil preferably thyme oil that is mixed with ethanol in an amount of one part essential oil preferably thyme oil to five parts ethanol. The essential oil ethanol mixture is then dispersed in water preferably seawater to provide 10 to 60 ppm of essential oil. The oxygen in the composition is between about 5.00 and 6.5 mg/L and in a preferred embodiment is enhanced by an agar stabilizer. The invention also contemplates treating fish such as sheam and sobaity and shrimp and seahorse to reduce stress and maintain a temperature of about 20°-27° C.

Abstract: A bivalent vaccine against Scuticociliatosis, Vibriosis and marine ich in zobaidy, sobaity and hamoor includes a formalin killed whole cell Vibrio encapsulated Uronema spp. The vaccine is made by collecting a mass of infected zobaidy and scraping the moribund fish with a plastic spatula to transfer live Uronema into a pretri dish. The cerebro-spinal fluid is removed from the zobaidy and added to the fluid containing the Uronema at different concentrations formed with the BHIB. A mass of zobaidy juvenile are fed a commercial pellet feed coated with formalin inactivated Uronema spp. encapsulated in Vibrio four times a day for a period of ten days.

Abstract: A process for the selective recovery of Mo, V, Ni, Co and Al from spent hydroprocessing catalysts includes the steps of treating the spent catalysts to recovery metals, support as well as chemicals. The process steps include deoiling, decoking, washing, dissolving, complexing agent treatment, acid treatment and solvent extraction. This process uses limited steps than conventional processes by the use of ultrasonic agitation for metal extraction and the presence of a chelating agent particularly Ethylene Diamine Tetra-Acetic Acid (EDTA). The process also discloses the compete recovery of the extracting agent EDTA with high purity for reuse.

Abstract: A pressure exchange apparatus includes a main section having a plurality of internal chambers and a piston disposed in each of the chambers. The apparatus also includes a pair of fluid distributor assemblies fixed to the main section and co-axial therewith. Each of the distributors include inlet and outlet ports for communicating with one of the internal chambers and sealingly separated from the other chambers. A pair of dual disk controller assemblies each of which includes a fixed disk and a moveable disk housed in a dual disk holder for directing fluid streams from one of the ports into and out of one of the chambers is also provided.

Abstract: A forced air cooling tower includes an upright casing, and elevated water distribution system disposed in an upper portion of the casing and one or more fans for drawing air through the tower. The tower also includes a catch basin for collecting the cooled air and a pump for circulating the cooled water through a condenser and back to the top of the tower and to the water distribution system. The cooling tower also includes a controller and a variable frequency device for regulating the flow of air through the tower. A first temperature sensor senses the temperature T1 of the hot process water delivered to the water distribution system and a second sensor senses the dry bulb temperature of the air leaving the tower Tdbt2. A third sensor senses the temperature of the cooled water leaving the tower. The controller such as a computer and variable frequency drive controls the speed of the fan to minimize the difference in T1 and Tdbt2.

Abstract: A methanol-utilizing bacterium selected from the group consisting of Methylophilus KISRI 5 (NCIB 12135), Methylophilus KISRI 6.1 (NCIB 12136), Methylophilus KISRI 512 (NCIB 12137), Methylophilus KISRI 5112 (NCIB 12138) and mutants and variants thereof. Also, bacterial cultures comprising these novel strains of Methylophilus and a method of producing single cell protein comprising culturing one or more of the Methylophilus strains of the invention in a methanol-containing aqueous culture medium, preferably in the culture medium of the invention which has been optimized for culturing these novel Methylophilus strains. The culture method preferably further comprises the recycling of spent culture medium.

Abstract: Novel anionic polymeric hydrogels based on sulfonated amino aldehyde resins and a process for preparing such hydrogels are described. The hydrogels may include poly(N-vinyl 2-pyrrolidone) and other additives. Such hydrogels may be prepared by a four step process in which melamine and/or urea are reacted with formaldehyde, sulfonated, condensed to form a viscous gel and dried.

Abstract: A degradable agricultural mulch film as disclosed herein includes a plurality of layers for the controlled release of plant nutrients. The first layer is formed from a water-soluble synthetic resin, a releasable form of nitrogen and a releasable form of a plant nutrient in addition to nitrogen. A second layer includes a water-soluble synthetic resin having an average molecular weight which is greater than the average molecular weight of the water-soluble synthetic resin in the first layer and a releasable form of nitrogen admixed therein. The second layer also includes a thin film of water-resistant polymer to retard the degradation rate of the second layer and to slow the release of nitrogen in the second layer. And in the preferred embodiment of the invention a second film of water-resistant polymer which is relatively thin with respect to the first film separates the first and second layers.

Abstract: Thermally stable water soluble resins are prepared in a multistep process by reacting the waste solids from the mother liquor waste stream of a melamine manufacturing plant with an aldehyde and a sulfonating agent under controlled conditions of pH and temperature. The resin compositions are useful, for example, as superplasticizing agents for concrete admixtures, as mud drilling additives, and in the paper and textile industry. The process not only provides useful resin compositions, but also recovers solid wastes which are considered to be a major contributor to the pollution problems of melamine manufacturing plants.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for improving the mechanical properties of soil. The method uses an aqueous solution of a sulfonated urea melamine formaldehyde resin and a water soluble polyvinyl alcohol having a molecular weight between 40,000 and 120,000. The aqueous solution is sprayed onto the surface of the soil.A number of water soluble compositions which include a sulfonated urea melamine formaldehyde resin and polyvinyl alcohol and methods for making the same are also disclosed.

Abstract: An agricultural mulch film is prepared by mixing conventional plant nutrients with a water-soluble polymer such as polyvinyl alcohol. The mixture is cast in the liquid form and allowed to dry to form a thin film. The dried film is then coated with a thin layer of a water-resistant resin such as polyvinyl acetate to form a composite mulch film. The release of the nutrients contained in the mulch film is controlled by the addition to the water-soluble polymer mixture of either (1) a nitrification inhibitor along with urea, or (2) a water-soluble urea-formaldehyde condensation product. The release of the nutrients is also controlled somewhat by the water-resistant resin coating. Other additives may be added to the mulch film to produce a multi-purpose product.

Abstract: Stable, water soluble, sulfonated melamine-formaldehyde and sulfonated melamine-urea-formaldehyde resin solutions are prepared in a four stage procedure, wherein (1) melamine or melamine and urea are condensed with formaldehyde in an aqueous medium at a relative low temperature and a pH of 10-13, followed by (2) the addition of a sulfonating agent, such as sodium metabisulfite, and continued reaction without pH adjustment, followed by (3) lowering the temperature of the reaction medium to 40.degree.-60.degree. C., adjusting the pH to 2.5-4 and continuing the reaction for about 5-150 minutes, and finally followed by (4) adjusting the pH to 6.5-9, heating the reaction medium to 70.degree.-100.degree. C. for 30-180 minutes, adjusting the final solids content to a predetermined value, such as 20%, and adjusting the pH to 8-11. The resulting aqueous solutions are suitable for use as superplasticizer additives to hydraulically settable cementitious materials.

Abstract: Thermally stable water soluble resins are prepared in a multistep process by reacting the waste solids from the mother liquor waste stream of a melamine manufacturing plant with an aldehyde and a sulfonating agent under controlled conditions of pH and temperature. The resin compositions are useful, for example, as superplasticizing agents for concrete mixtures, as mud drilling additives, and in the paper and textile industry. The process not only provides useful resin compositions, but also recovers solid wastes which are considered to be a major contributor to the pollution problems of melamine manufacturing plants.

Abstract: Aromatic hydrocarbon impurities are removed from a liquid paraffin containing the same by contacting the liquid paraffin in the liquid phase at relatively low temperatures with an X-type zeolite molecular sieve material. The contacting is performed without recycle and purified liquid paraffin containing less than about 0.01% by weight aromatics is obtained.