Abstract: Cement clinker is produced in that raw cement powder is preheated in a suspension-type heat exchanger and is de-acidified in a precalcining apparatus and clinkered in a fluidized bed and the clinker is subsequently cooled. An de-acidification of at least 95% is effected at a temperature above 85.degree. C. in a circulation system comprising a fluidized bed reactor, a cyclone separator and a recycling duct. The carbonaceous fuel required for the calcining and clinkering processes is fed in an amount of at least 65% (related to the total heat requirement) to the de-acidifying fluidized bed reactor and in an amount of at least 10% (related to the total heat requirement) to the clinkering fluidized bed reactor. The fuel supplied to the fluidizing bed reactor is burnt near stoichiometrically in two stages with fluidizing gas and secondary gas. The ratios of the rates and volumes of fluidizing gas to secondary gas are so selected that a means suspension density of 100 to 300 kg/m.sup.

Abstract: An improvement in the production of a natural gas substitute comprising at least about 80% of methane by volume by multi-stage methanation of a synthesis gas containing hydrogen and oxides of carbon over fixed-bed nickel-containing catalysts under a pressure of about 5 to 100 bars. The starting synthesis gas, preferably produced by oxygen and water gasification of coal, has about 8 to 25% by volume of methane on a dry basis. It is methanated in a first stage at an inlet temperature of about 230.degree.-400.degree. C. and an outlet temperature of about 550.degree. to 750.degree. C. and then in a second stage at about 230.degree. to 500.degree. C. The process is economical with respect to heat consumption and equipment cost.

Abstract: In the production of methanol from gaseous and liquid hydrocarbons having a higher C/H ratio than is stoichiometrically required to produce methanol, wherein said hydrocarbons are catalytically cracked in the presence of water vapor and at a temperature of about 350.degree.-950.degree. C. and under a pressure of about 5-30 bars to produce a synthesis gas containing hydrogen and oxides of carbon, followed by a catalytic reaction of the hydrogen with the oxides of carbon at a temperature of about 230.degree.-280.degree. C. and under a pressure of about 30-150 bars to produce methanol, the improvement which comprises treating the methanol synthesis exhaust gas so as to remove therefrom carbonaceous gaseous constituents so that the residual gas is high in hydrogen, and adding said high-hydrogen residual gas to the hydrocarbons prior to cracking in an amount such that the C/H ratio of the material to be cracked is up to about 5.7, thereby reducing the energy consumption per unit of methanol produced.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the manufacture of foams based on phenolic resins, wherein phenolic resins are reacted, in the presence of metal powders and/or metal oxide powders, with organic diisocyanates and/or polyisocyanates.