Abstract: The reduction of organic compounds to the corresponding hydroxy compounds which comprises contacting a suitable organic compound selected from the group consisting of organic carboxylic acid compounds, aldehydes and ketones with a reducing agent in the presence of a catalyst comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of copper aluminum borate and zero valent copper on an aluminum borate support.

Abstract: A process is provided in which particulates and sulfur oxides are simultaneously removed from flue gases in a granular bed filter and scrubber with copper-containing adsorbers at special adsorption temperatures. The spent adsorbers can be thermally regenerated in a lift pipe riser, at particular regeneration temperatures.

Abstract: A specially constructed decoking apparatus is provided to effectively and efficiently bore a pilot hole and ream the remainder of a bed of coke with a high pressure stream of water or other cutting fluid without first changing nozzle heads or using different cutting instruments. The novel decoking apparatus has a vertical pilot nozzle and pilot pipe and a separate reamer and reaming pipe which are secured adjacent to each other and work in tandem.

Abstract: A process is provided in which particulates, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur oxides are simultaneously removed from flue gases in a granular bed filter and scrubber with a nitrogen oxide-capturing reducing agent and a bed of sulfur oxide-capturing and particulate-removing material. The spent sulfur oxide-capturing and particulate-removing material can be regenerated in a lift pipe riser.

Abstract: A process is provided in which particulates and sulfur oxides are simultaneously removed from flue gases in a granular bed filter and scrubber with special sulfur oxide-capturing and particulate-removing material. The spent sulfur oxide-capturing and particulate-removing material can be regenerated in a lift pipe riser.

Abstract: There are provided a process for preparing a suspension of elemental sulfur in a fluid, a process for preparing a sulfurized cutting fluid, and products that are obtained from the processes. A high-shearing mechanical device is employed in either process to transform an unfinished suspension of sulfur in a fluid into a stable suspension of finely-divided sulfur.

Abstract: A self-operating automatic control system and process is provided to automatically measure the gross weight, load, and length of trucks, such as at refineries, truck terminals, and depots. A central processing unit compares the truck's weight and length with state highway regulations and activates a laser printer or another printer to print a bill of lading when the measured weight is within legal limits. The system and process can also have various safety and weight indicators as well as a regulated control dispenser coupled to the central processing unit to automatically and remotely dispense authorized legal amounts of the load of material, such as gasoline or oil, into the trucks.

Abstract: A process for incorporating continuous graphite fiber reinforcement impregnated with polyamide-imide polymer onto injection molded polyamide-imide parts. These impregnated parts are useful as automotive parts such as push rods or rocker arms, and for aircraft parts such as fittings and secondary structural parts.

Abstract: Process is disclosed for treating the reaction product of propionic acid and formaldehyde to recover methacrylic acid from an aqueous effluent wherein said effluent contains methacrylic acid, unreacted formaldehyde, unreacted propionic acid, water and by-products.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for measuring a length of logging cable introduced into a borehole, thereby measuring the depth of a logging tool, or sonde, attached to the lower end of the cable. The methods involve producing an electrical signal, which propagates along the cable, and detecting at the mouth of the borehole the time of passage of the initial electrical signal and the time of passage of a subsequent electrical signal reflected or returned upwardly from the lower end of the cable, or, alternatively, the time of arrival of the reflected or returned electrical signal at the upper end of the cable. These times can be determined by means of clocks which are switched on by the passage of the initial electrical signal and switched off by the subsequent electrical signal. Knowing the time intervals and the velocity of propagation of electrical signals in the cable, the length of cable from the mouth of the borehole to the lower end of the cable, and thus the depth of the sonde, is measured.

Abstract: A process for extracting bitumen from tar sands comprises a two-stage extraction wherein both specific and non-specific solvents are used to obtain a bitumen product low in fines and asphaltenes.

Abstract: Di-substituted maleic anhydride compounds are disclosed of the structural formula ##STR1## wherein R and R.sup.1 are selected from the group consisting of aliphatic and phenyl moieties, and R.sup.2 is a divalent aromatic moiety. Polyamide-imide polymers, polyimide polymers and vinyl copolymers derived therefrom are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of evaluating geologic rock samples and particularly sandstone. The sample is saturated with fresh water and the temperature of the sample is reduced to a temperature below the freezing point of the fresh water. As the sample is warmed, nuclear magnetic resonance measurements are made at just below 0.degree. C. and again at about the operating temperature of the NMR probe, i.e., about 32.degree. C. The portion of the water within the sample that can be considered to be residual water can be determined from the relationship of NMR measurements taken at just below 0.degree. C. and at the temperature of the probe.

Abstract: A time variant filter system is employed for removing spurious noise content from a received seismic data signal. The filter passband tracks delayed versions of the pilot signal of a vibrator seismic source. The resulting recorded portion of the received seismic signal is thus restricted to a desired time-frequency band (which is expected to contain the significant mapping information) prior to being recorded. The band is made adjustable in order to allow for optimization with respect to the particular geologic region being prospected.

Abstract: Seismic signals are processed to determine relative location error. In a further aspect, the relative location errors are corrected and the corrected seismic signals are processed to give information on subsurface structure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a combination of open cast strip mining and auger mining of thin seams of hydrocarbonaceous deposits. In this mining method, a first working pit is stripped to expose the deposit, the hydrocarbonaceous material extracted and the exposed deposit seam face of at least one highwall is auger mined. A second and successive working pits are opened parallel to but spaced apart from the preceding working pit by a predetermined distance thereby leaving an undisturbed overburden portion therebetween. In the second and successive working pits, the overburden is stripped and disposed in the void of its preceding pit, the hydrocarbonaceous material extracted and the hydrocarbonaceous material beneath the undisturbed overburden portion between adjacent working pits substantially removed by auger mining from one or both working pits. The stripping is accomplished by the use of a dragline and the width of the undisturbed overburden portion is related to the working radius of the dragline.

Abstract: A process for hydration and condensation of acetylene in a crude acetylene stream containing water in the presence of a zirconia-alumina catalyst containing water to prepare aliphatic, aromatic and oxygenated compounds suitable for use as high octane liquid water fuels and as octane improvers for motor fuels is disclosed.

Abstract: An oil shale process is provided to retort oil shale and purify oil shale retort water. In the process, raw oil shale is retorted in an in situ underground retort or in an above ground retort to liberate shale oil, light hydrocarbon gases and oil shale retort water. The retort water is separated from the shale oil and gases in a sump or in a fractionator or quench tower followed by an API oil/water separator. After the retort water is separated from the shale oil, the retort water is steam stripped, carbon adsorbed and biologically treated, preferably by granular carbon adsorbers followed by activated sludge treatment or by activated sludge containing powdered activated carbon. The retort water can be granularly filtered before being steam stripped. The purified retort water can be used in various other oil shale processes, such as dedusting, scrubbing, spent shale moisturing, backfilling, in situ feed gas injection and pulsed combustion.

Abstract: The catalyst comprises a physical particle-form mixture of a Component A and a Component B, said Component A comprising at least one Group VIII noble metal, preferably platinum, deposed on a solid catalyst support material providing acidic catalytic sites, said Component B consisting essentially of a crystalline borosilicate molecular sieve, and said catalyst having been prepared by thoroughly and intimately blending finely-divided particles of said Components A and B to provide a thoroughly-blended composite.The catalyst can be employed suitably in hydrocarbon conversion processes. In particular, the catalyst can be employed in a process for the reforming of a hydrocarbon stream. More particularly, the catalyst can be used as the second catalyst in a two-catalyst reforming process.

Abstract: A method for producing a kerogen concentrate from oil shale comprises treating shale with a first aqueous caustic treating solution to produce a shale product of substantially transformed mineral content, and then treating the shale product with an aqueous acid solution to produce a first kerogen concentrate. The acid solution extracts minerals from the shale product to make a low ash content first kerogen concentrate. A spent acid solution containing the extracted minerals can be treated to recover minerals therefrom. The first kerogen concentrate is then treated with a second aqueous caustic treating solution to produce a second kerogen concentrate of lower ash content. The first and second aqueous caustic treating solutions are preferably the same.