Abstract: In the field of the echography, the present invention is a system and method of preprocessing and transmitting information (such as echo waveform information) from a source (such as a transducer) to a destination (such as a rule-based computer system). The present invention reduces the absolute amount of information that is transmitted without reducing the amount of meaningful information that is conveyed. In this way, the present invention is effectively able to transmit more meaningful information than would be expected for conventional transmission systems. It also acts to reduce the amount of information processing that must be done at the destination.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for separating and immobilizing a radioactive material comprising: contacting an aqueous medium containing said radioactive material with a reactive composition comprising at least one alkali metal, at least one Group IIIB metal and at least one phosphorus oxide; maintaining said reactive composition in contact with said aqueous medium for an effective period of time to react a desired amount of said radioactive material with said reactive composition to form a radioactive-material-containing composition; and separating said radioactive-material-containing composition from said aqueous medium. Radioactive-material-containing compositions exhibiting low leach rates are also disclosed.

Abstract: High polymer content compositions, containing the neutralized salt of a carboxyl-containing polymer suspended in an organic medium, are made by neutralizing the carboxyl-containing polymer in the presence of a neutralizing agent and an equal quantity of already neutralized polymer in an organic medium. These compositions are useful as thickeners and emulsifiers for aqueous solutions.

Abstract: Disclosed is ammoxidation of C.sub.3 to C.sub.5 acyclic alkanes with NH.sub.3 and O.sub.2 using (1) a mole ratio of alkane:NH.sub.3 in the range from 2 to 16 and a mole ratio of alkane:O.sub.2 in the range 1 to 10 and (2) a mixture of particulate catalyst compositions, the first being especially effective to promote formation of an unsaturated nitrile and an olefin from the paraffin, and the second catalyst composition being especially effective to promote the conversion of the olefin to the unsaturated nitrile. Catalyst compositions useful in the process are also disclosed.

Abstract: A multi-component oxide catalyst comprising zinc and an alkali metal is described which is useful particularly for converting methane and/or natural gas to higher molecular weight hydrocarbon products such as ethane and ethylene. The catalyst is characterized by the formulaZn.sub.a A.sub.b M.sub.c M'.sub.d O.sub.xwhereinA is Li, Na, K, or mixtures thereof;M is Al, Ga, Cr, La, Y, Sc, V, Nb, Ta, Cu or mixtures thereof;M' is Cs, Rb, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sm, Pb, Mn, Sb, P, Sn, Bi, Ti, Zr, Hf, or mixtures thereof;a is from about 1 to about 20;b is from about 0.1 to about 20;c is from about 0 to about 5;d is from about 0 to about 20; andx is a number needed to fulfill the valence requirements of the other elements; provided that(i) at least one of c and d is at least 0.1; and(ii) when M' is Sn, c must be at least 0.1.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for remotely connecting an offshore structure to an underwater pipeline using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). The structure has a bell-mouthed bending guide at its base through which a winch line from the surface passes and is temporarily looped back and attached to an accessible place on the structure. Using the ROV and a surface tended messenger line the pull-in line is attached to a terminal assembly at the end of flexible pipe attached to the pipeline. The terminal assembly is pulled in horizontally to the guide, arcuately through the guide and then from the guide in general vertical alignment with a pipe end receiver assembly on the structure above the bending guide. At a location near the receiver assembly a towing head is removed from the terminal assembly and a second pull-in line is attached to the terminal assembly. The two pull-in lines are attached to opposite sides of the terminal for balanced pulling of the terminal assembly to connection with the receiver assembly.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for separating an organic material from a composition comprising said organic material intermixed with particulate solids, the process comprising advancing a light hydrocarbon fluid through said particulate solids at an effective rate to drive said organic material from said particulate solids.

Abstract: Disclosed is the reaction of propane and isobutane with O.sub.2 and NH.sub.3 to make .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated nitriles and olefins, using certain complex metal oxide catalyst compositions and an excess of the paraffin over both the O.sub.2 and the NH.sub.3. Also disclosed are suitable catalyst compositions for such reactions.

Abstract: Disclosed is ammoxidation of C.sub.3 to C.sub.5 acyclic alkanes with NH.sub.3 and O.sub.2 using (1) a mole ratio of alkane:NH.sub.3 in the range from 2 to 16 and a mole ratio of alkane:O.sub.2 in the range 1 to 10 and (2) a mixture of particulate catalyst compositions, the first being especially effective to promote formation of an unsaturated nitrile and an olefin from the paraffin, and the second catalyst composition being especially effective to promote the conversion of the olefin to the unsaturated mononitrile. Catalyst compositions useful in the process are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of making a glass micromodel of a pore system found in petroleum reservoir rock wherein a computer-generated two-dimensional binary image of the actual rock pore system taken in thin section is used to produce a template for etched reproduction of the pore system in the glass model plate of the micromodel. The template is produced by digitizing a video image of a view of the rock in thin section, which thin section includes injected dyed material to make the pore system visible, processing the digitized video image through a digital filter so as to effect projection of the three-dimensional aspects of the pore connectedness and geometry viewed through overlaying meineral onto the plane of the imaged view to obtain a two-dimensional template image of the three-dimensional pore system with pores accurately coordinated and pore geometry relationships reliably preserved.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of making a catalyst precursor by aging an aqueous solution containing the monoperoxovanadium ion, VO(O.sub.2).sup.+, until a vanadium-containing sol or gel is formed, and reacting said vanadium while in said aqueous sol or gel form, with an antimony compound that contains Sb having a valence of 3. In one embodiment, the VO(O.sub.2).sup.+ ion is made by reacting H.sub.2 O.sub.2 with a vanadium compound.Also disclosed is making a catalyst by drying and calcining such precursor. When the drying is effected by spray drying a microspheroidal catalyst is produced. The catalysts useful for ammoxidation of propane are more attrition resitant than catalysts of the same empirical formula made by prior art methods.

Abstract: A process for the one step esterification of aldehydes and alcohols comprises the steps of combining an aldehyde with an alcohol, in the presence of oxygen and in contact with a catalyst having the general formulaPdTe.sub.a Zn.sub.d E.sub.ewhereE is one or more metals from the group consisting of group IA, IIA, IVA, VIIB or VIII metals, As or Sb; anda, d and e are from about 0 to 3 with the proviso that at least d or e.noteq.0.

Abstract: Disclosed is ammoxidation of C.sub.3 to C.sub.5 acyclic alkanes with NH.sub.3 and O.sub.2 using (1) a mole ratio of alkane:NH.sub.3 in the range from 2 to 16 and a mole ratio of alkane:O.sub.2 in the range 1 to 10 and (2) a mixture of particulate catalyst compositions, the first being especially effective to promote formation of an unsaturated nitrile and an olefin from the paraffin, and the second catalyst composition being especially effective to promote the conversion of the olefin to the unsaturated nitrile. Catalyst compositions useful in the process are also disclosed.

Abstract: A variable compression ratio engine has a pair of crankshafts connected by a phase adjuster mechanism operative to change the phase angle between the crankshafts so as to vary the compression ratio of the engine. The phase adjuster mechanism includes two pairs of helical phasing gears. Each of those pairs consists of a gear fixedly mounted on a crankshaft and, operatively engaged therewith, a wider gear fixedly mounted on an axially movable adjuster member. The crankshafts can be arranged in-line or side-by-side in parallel.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining the water stress condition of an agricultural crop growing in a field includes sensors for sensing environmental and crop conditions, such as air temperature, crop canopy temperature and relative humidity, and for generating signals indicative of the sensed conditions, a microprocessor for receiving the generated signals and for calculating a crop water stress index from the signals and a visual display for displaying, in the field, the calculated index. In one embodiment, the sensors are mounted in a pistollike, hand held housing and the microprocessor, display and a keyboard control are carried by a second housing. The microprocessor compares one or more of the sensed conditions to reasonable value limits and rejects a set of measurements containing values beyond the limits. Crop-specific data needed to calculate water stress indices for a particular crop are stored in a programmable, read only memory.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process comprising (1) dehydrocyclization of 2-methylglutaronitrile over Pt or Pd based catalysts to make a mixture containing 3-methylpyridine and lesser amounts of 3-methylpiperidine and (2) reacting such a mixture with NH.sub.3 and O.sub.2 over certain oxide catalysts containing P, V and Mo to obtain 3-cyanopyridine.

Abstract: Disclosed is the reaction of propane and isobutane with O.sub.2 and NH.sub.3 to make .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated nitriles and olefins, using certain complex metal oxide catalyst compositions and an excess of the paraffin over both the O.sub.2 and the NH.sub.3. Also disclosed are suitable catalyst compositions for such reactions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the ammoxidation of paraffins having 3-5 C atoms using a complex metal oxide catalyst having the ingredients and the proportions which are represented by the following empirical formula:VSb.sub.m P.sub.n A.sub.a B.sub.b C.sub.c T.sub.t O.sub.xwhereA is one or more of W, Wn, Mo, B and Ge;B is one or more of Fe, Co, Ni, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Se, Te, Pb and As;C is one or more of an alkali metal and TlT is one or more of Ca, Sr and Baand where m is greater than 1 and up to 10; n is greater than zero and up to 10, a is 0-10; b is 0-3; c is 0-1; t is 0-1; a is equal to or less than m; b is equal to or less than m; n is equal to or less than m; and wherein the antimony has an average valency higher than +3 and the vanadium has an average valency lower than +5, and the catalyst and how to make the catalyst.

Abstract: Disclosed is the reaction of C.sub.3 to C.sub.4 paraffins with O.sub.2 and NH.sub.3 to make .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated nitriles and olefins, using certain complex metal oxide catalysts containing V, Sb, W and certain optional elements.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for dewatering water-containing mineral particles, e.g., pulverized coal and in particular, high moisture content, low rank coal, is described. In one embodiment, the process and apparatus make use of a hydrophobic dewatering aid to displace water chemically and/or interstitially bound to coal particles followed by stripping of the coal particles with a water-miscible solvent to facilitate drainage of such water from the coal particles.