Abstract: The invention provides a method of extending the useful life of high temperature heat exchangers, e.g., reactor feed/effluent heat exchangers, in installations where the heat exchanger is contacted by a process fluid stream, e.g., a feedstock comprising ethylbenzene at a temperature where the process stream may cause deterioration of contacted metal surfaces of the heat exchanger and/or undergo catalytic reaction as a result of contact with the contacted metal surfaces. The new method comprises the step of mechanically removing material from those surfaces of the heat exchanger that are to be contacted by the process fluid stream, so as to render said surfaces less susceptible to attack from said high temperature process fluid stream.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of extending the useful life of high temperature heat exchangers, e.g., reactor feed/effluent heat exchangers, in installations where the heat exchanger is contacted by a process fluid stream, e.g., a feedstock comprising ethylbenzene, at a temperature where the process stream may cause deterioration of contacted metal surfaces of the heat exchanger and/or undergo catalytic reaction as a result of contact with the contacted metal surfaces. The new method comprises the step of mechanically removing material from those surfaces of the heat exchanger that are to be contacted by the process fluid stream, so as to render said surfaces less susceptible to attack from said high temperature process fluid stream.

Abstract: The invention is an improved method and apparatus for recovering waste heat from a low temperature process stream by means of a vaporizable heat sink liquid, characterized by an effective lowering of the boiling temperature of the heat sink liquid without need to reduce its boiling pressure. The heat sink liquid essentially comprises a mixture of two immiscible liquids that form a low boiling azeotrope. The heat sink liquid is brought into indirect heat exchange with the low temperature process stream for heat extraction. The invention involves simultaneous boiling of the two immiscible liquids to suppress the temperature of the heat sink liquid to below the low temperature of the process stream, whereby the heat sink liquid is able to recover heat from the process stream. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the heat sink liquid comprises the reactants that are fed to a reactor, and the low temperature process stream is the reaction effluent from the reactor.

Abstract: The invention provides an improved method and apparatus for operating a fluidized bed chemical processing unit of the type having steam generating coils, so as to reduce the occurrence of thermally-induced stresses in the coils and thereby extend the useful life of the coils.The invention involves causing the tube wall temperature of a coil being brought into service to be lowered from bed temperature prior to initiating water flow in the coil, so as to decrease the thermal shock temperature gradient and thereby reduce the magnitude of thermally-induced stress in the coil.The invention utilizes a base coil in addition to the steam generating coil that is being cycled, and a pair of steam drums which operate at a pressure differential. The method involves generating saturated steam in the base coil and superheating the saturated steam in the coil being brought on line. Steam is directed from one drum to the other in a predetermined manner so as to provide proper temperature control of the coil being cycled.

Abstract: An improved process of enhancing the recovery of fatty acids from tall oil pitch is disclosed. The process includes a hydrolysis step for increasing the free fatty acid available for recovery from tall oil pitch during the distillation process. The hydrolysis step also enables the recovery of sterols where the tall oil pitch is of the type which is rich in sterol esters.

Abstract: A method and system for conducting wet grinding of mined phosphate rock before utilizing the same for the production of phosphoric acid by the wet process method, the method comprising the steps of: (1) wet grinding the phosphate rock in a medium of fresh water at a first stage so as to form a fresh water slurry comprising ground rock and fresh water, (2) sending the fresh water slurry from the first stage to a second stage, (3) dewatering the fresh water slurry at the second stage so as to recover most of the fresh water from the slurry and leave substantially only wet ground rock, (4) recycling the fresh water recovered at the second stage back to the first stage for use in further wet grinding, (5) sending the ground rock from the second stage to a third stage, (6) refluidizing the ground rock at the third stage with acidic pond water so as to form a pond water slurry comprising ground rock and pond water, and (7) thereafter passing the pond water slurry on to a reactor for standard processing so as to pro

Abstract: A system for producing phthalic anhydride by the catalytic oxidation of naphthalene, wherein without creating a significant pressure drop in the system substantially all of the catalyst particles are removed from the product stream before the product stream is sent to a battery of switch condensers for recovery of the phthalic anhydride.

Abstract: A system for producing phthalic anhydride by the catalytic oxidation of naphthalene, wherein the system is characterized by reduced capital and operating costs due to lower operating pressures.

Abstract: This invention constitutes an improved method for condensing fatty acids, particularly from steam streams exiting from distillation columns. Steam streams containing entrained high-titre fatty acids can be condensed in surface condensers if certain conditions are maintained. A surface condenser, having a shell and tube configuration, is oriented in a vertical position rather than the horizontal position often employed. Quite contrary to normal processing, the cooling medium is passed through the shell side of the surface condenser and the steam stream containing entrained high-titre fatty acids is passed through the tube side. Conditions must be maintained within the tube side of the condenser so that a velocity of at least 30' per second is provided and the steam stream must contain at least about 70% steam, by weight, in the tube side of the surface condenser.

Abstract: A vacuum evaporator is provided with an integral cyclonic-type entrainment separator at the top of the evaporator vapor body which comprises a helical spin plate for imparting a centrifugal action to the vapor and entrained liquid rising from the boiling liquid in the flash chamber. Liquid entrainment is deposited on the vertical wall of the evaporator and flows downward countercurrent to vapor flow into a collecting trough, from which it is discharged into a pipe that returns it to the boiling liquid.

Abstract: A process and system are provided for economic utilization of solar energy. Solar energy is absorbed and converted to thermal energy by means of at least two systems, operating in different temperature ranges, for circulating a primary fluid heat transfer medium through separate collector sections of a solar receiver to recover solar heat and through separate output heat exchangers to supply heat to a second heat transfer medium functioning as a working medium, with heat storage means being associated with each system for the purpose of satisfying the heat requirements of the working fluid and also to prevent cooling down of the collector during the time that little or no solar radiation is available.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for producing vinyl chloride monomer characterized by conjoint chlorination and dehydrochlorination reactions carried out in the presence of fluidized solids which provide efficient heat transfer within and between the two reaction zones.

Abstract: The invention is directed to improving the quality of fluidization of fluidized solids and comprises the addition of fluidization promoters in particle form that have a smaller density and particle size than the neat solids. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the catalyst is a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst and the fluidization promoter comprises carbon particles.

Abstract: A sinuous shaped heat exchanger made up of a plurality of generally U-shaped heat exchanger units or sections or banks arranged with one of the ends of each of the U-shaped banks in opposing end to end relationship with one of the ends of a next succeeding bank in such a manner that places the outlet tube sheet of such bank supporting the outlet ends of the tubes of such bank face to face with the inlet tube sheet of the next bank supporting the inlet ends of the tubes of such next succeeding bank. The tubes at the outlet side of the outlet tube sheet and the tubes at the inlet side of the inlet tube sheet protrude toward each other beyond the surfaces of the tube sheets. A removable transition connecting piece in the form of an apertured plate with the same hole diameter and pitch as the tube sheets is sandwiched between the outlet tube sheet and the inlet tube sheet. It is removably secured in that position by securing it to the aforementioned ends of the banks.

Abstract: In the preheating of a liquid reaction mass of polyolefin dissolved in liquid olefin monomer by passing it through a multiple pass preheater, the improvement of using generally U-shaped heat exchanger tubes in a generally U-shaped shell.

Abstract: A method of producing fluid organic products from kerogen in situ in a body of oil shale by the application of alternating electric fields having a frequency between 100 kilohertz and 100 megahertz to heat the kerogen in the oil shale to a temperature in the range of 200.degree. C. to 360.degree. C. and to maintain the kerogen in this temperature range for a period of time sufficient to convert a substantial portion of the kerogen in oil shale to fluid organic products which may be collected through fissures produced in the oil shale formation by flowing to a well bore having a collection sump.

Abstract: In the catalytic polymerization of olefins from liquid olefin monomer under positive pressure, the use of a fuel gas, required in any event for providing energy elsewhere in the system, as a regenerative drying gas to regenerate the beds of a molecular sieve dryer used to dry the liquid olefin to be polymerized.

Abstract: The invention provides a system for purifying tallow. Tallow received from rendering plants typically is contaminated with suspended plastic polymer fines. According to this invention plastic polymer fines are removed from tallow containing such fines by adjusting the temperature of the tallow to just above its freezing point, and contacting the tallow in a selected organic solvent to form a solution comprising the solvent containing dissolved tallow, and particles of undissolved plastic polymer. The resulting solution is then filtered to remove the particles of undissolved plastic polymer, and the filtrate which results is treated to separate the tallow from the solvent, e.g. as by evaporating the solvent under reduced pressure. The separated solvent may be condensed and recycled to treat fresh tallow.

Abstract: In the polymerization under pressure of liquid olefin to polyolefin using a Ziegler type catalyst in which the reaction mass, comprising a mixture of catalyst and polyolefin dissolved in liquid monomer, is mixed in a mixer with water to kill the catalyst and reaction after which the highly corrosive aqueous solution of Ziegler catalyst is separated from the monomer and dissolved polymer in a settling tank; lining the inner wall of the mixer and/or settling tank and/or any other part of the equipment coming into contact with the aqueous Ziegler catalyst solution with an acid resistant brick lining having an intermediate membrane lining between it and such inner wall and in which the mortar of the brick lining is a carbon-filled furan polymer, in which the membrane is a fiber glass reinforced furan polymer and in which the brick lining is cemented to the membrane and the membrane is cemented to the inner wall by a carbon-filled furan polymer adhesive.

Abstract: Removing water and light ends from recycle liquid olefin monomer and fresh liquid olefin monomer feed before catalytic polymerization thereof in said liquid state with a water sensitive catalyst, by flowing them through a mass transfer plate tower with a reboiler which vaporizes them upwardly through openings in the plates of said tower and in the form of bubbles through layers of liquid monomer reflux maintained on said plates by weirs and downcomers by means of which said reflux is flowed from each plate downwardly to the plate below it and, as a layer, along the top of the plate and thence downwardly to the next lower plate, condensing in a reflux condenser the vapor from the top of said tower, removing from said condenser as a vapor said light ends, removing water from said condenser as a heavy condensed liquid fraction and refluxing back to the top of said tower as a lighter liquid fraction, condensed liquid monomer. Preferably the tower is a valve tray tower and the plates are valve trays.