Abstract: An ash containing heavy bitumen recovered from the deashing step of a coal liquefaction process is subjected to vacuum flashing to provide a residual product having a softening point of no less than 350.degree. F. and no greater than 550.degree. F. Subsequently, the flashed product is solidified and pulverized so that 100 percent passes through a 100 mesh screen. The pulverized fraction, without prior coking thereof, is entrained in a gas stream and then subjected to gasification.

Abstract: Organic impurities in aqueous salt solutions; e.g., alkali or alkaline earth chloride solutions in particular, brines, are oxidized with chlorate ions at a pH of no greater than 5.0 and a temperature of at least 130.degree. C. to convert the organics to carbon dioxide. The process has particular applicability to oxidation of organic impurities in an aqueous brine solution derived from the saponification of a chlorohydrin to olefin oxide, prior to introduction of the brine into an electrolytic cell.

Abstract: Hexachlorocyclopentadiene is produced by the use of a molten salt mixture of cuprous and cupric chloride, with the reaction effluent including the product, chlorine, hydrogen chloride, unreacted feed and organic byproduct, as well as entrained molten salt. The effluent is cooled at a temperature and pressure to effect condensation of organics, with the salt being present in the condensate. The salt is then separated from the organics for re-use in the process. Hydrogen chloride and chlorine present in the effluent are also recovered for re-use in the process.

Abstract: A metal containing hydrocarbon feedstock, such as a heavy residue, is contacted with hydrogen and a material characterized by low porosity, less than 0.3 cc/gram; low surface area, less than 5 m.sup.2 /g; high average pore diameter, greater than 1,000 Angstroms; and a high distribution of large pores, at least 40%, and preferably 50 to 80% of pores greater than 10,000 Angstroms. A preferred material is coke.

Abstract: Coal which is liquefied in the presence of a pasting solvent, is separated into an ash free and an ash containing coal liquefaction product. Each of such products is delayed coked in separate zones with the vapors from such zones being introduced into a common combination coker-fractionator to recover ash containing and ash free coking recycle, pasting solvent for the liquefaction and lighter products. The process is particulary applicable to coal liquefaction products produced from high ash containing coals.

Abstract: A solvent recovery portion of a solvent refining plant for producing oil products such as lubricating oils from a crude source of hydrocarbons such as petroleum hydrocarbons wherein there are provided at least three continuous flash stages or zones for which each successive stage or zone operates at pressure and temperature levels higher than the preceding one, the vapor from any successive stage or zone being employed as the heating medium in the preceding one to effect the vaporization in said preceding stage or zone.

Abstract: A nitrile, such as terephthalonitrile or nicotinonitrile is hydrolyzed, in the vapor phase, in the presence of a solid acid catalyst, with ammonia which is evolved in the reaction and absorbed by the catalyst being stripped from the catalyst to reduce the production of intermediate amide products.

Abstract: Solids are separated from a liquid in a gravity settler provided with inclined solid intercepting surfaces to intercept the solid settling path to coalesce the solids and increase the settling rate. The intercepting surfaces are inverted V-shaped plates, each formed from first and second downwardly inclined essentially planar sections which extend from the apex within the vessel to the lower portion thereof adjacent the vessel wall.

Abstract: Acid gases are removed from a coal gasification gas, followed by contacting the gas with a reduced iron catalyst at conditions selected to primarily produce methane, and some olefins together with carbon dioxide as byproduct. After separation of carbon dioxide byproduct, the gas is contacted with a nickel catalyst under methanation conditions to produce additional methane and convert olefins to alkanes to thereby produce a pipeline gas having an increased heating value.

Abstract: A pyrolysis fuel oil (black oil) is contacted with a promoter liquid having a 5 volume percent distillation temperature of at least 250.degree. F. and a 95 volume percent distillation temperature of at least 350.degree. F. and no greater than about 750.degree. F., with the liquid having a characterization factor of at least 9.75 to promote the separation of quinoline insolubles and asphaltenes from the fuel oil. A fraction free of quinoline insolubles and having a reduced content of asphaltenes may be subjected to coking to produce a needle coke, or employed directly for the production of carbon black.

Abstract: Methane is oxychlorinated to one or more chlorinated methanes, without net production of carbon tetrachloride, by contacting methane and chlorine and/or hydrogen chloride with a molten mixture of cuprous chloride, cupric chloride, and copper oxychloride, in the presence of an amount of carbon tetrachloride which inhibits net production thereof.

Abstract: Coke is desulphurized by sequentially heating the coke to desulphurization temperatures, and maintaining the coke at desulphurization temperatures to effect desulphurization thereof, the coke reaching a temperature of at least 1000.degree. C. (preferaby at least 1100.degree. C. and, more preferably at least 1200.degree. C.) during desulphurization, and cooling being effected by direct countercurrent contact with a gas and, all or a portion of the heating being effected by direct countercurrent contact with the gas, with the heat released from the coke during cooling being recuperated by the gas and employed to provide most of the heating to bring the coke to desulphurization temperature. The coke and/or gas is heated between the cooling and heating steps to maintain the gas at a temperature below the coke during cooling and at a temperature above the coke during heating.

Abstract: A pyrolysis fuel oil is treated by soaking in the presence of sulfur for a period of time sufficient to react the highly unsaturated compounds present in the oil, followed by heating the soaked fuel oil at a temperature of from 850.degree. F. to 1100.degree. F. and an outlet pressure of from 300 to 600 psig to provide a treated feed having an API gravity of -3.degree. or less. The feed may be employed for the production of needle coke and/or carbon black and/or electrode binder pitch.

Abstract: Coal is gasified to produce a coal gasification effluent and a char residue. The char residue is cooled by indirect heat transfer in a char bed, and the coal gasification effluent is passed through the cool char bed to effect cooling of the coal gasification effluent, with tars and oil present in the effluent being absorbed by the char bed. In this manner, the gasification effluent is cooled without fouling of heat transfer surfaces, and tars and oils are effectively removed therefrom.

Abstract: A gravity settler comprised of a housing which encloses a plurality of conically shaped hollow members arranged in vertically spaced horizontally disposed layers, each of such layers containing a plurality of the conical members, with adjacent layers defining therebetween separate gravity settling compartments. Each of the compartments includes a feed inlet(s), overflow outlets for withdrawing clarified liquid and underflow outlets for withdrawing liquid containing solid.

Abstract: A purge stream, containing inerts, some unreacted alkane and chlorinated hydrocarbon, is recovered from a chlorinated hydrocarbon production effluent and initially contacted with a first absorption oil recovered from the effluent which is at least one chlorinated hydrocarbon boiling at a temperature of at least 140.degree. F. to absorb chlorinated hydrocarbon, followed by contacting with waste chlorinated hydrocarbon byproduct to absorb any remaining chlorinated hydrocarbon and first absorption oil. The purge gas is introduced into a combustion zone for burning waste chlorinated hydrocarbon byproduct to recover the chlorine values therefrom, and thereby utilize unreacted alkane present in the purge gas as fuel. Subsequent to recovery of the chlorine values, the inerts are purged.

Abstract: In the conversion of a metal oxide to a metal chloride by reaction with chlorine and carbon monoxide wherein hydrogen chloride is produced as byproduct, the byproduct hydrogen chloride is contacted with a molten salt mixture containing the higher and lower valent chlorides of a multivalent metal and oxygen to recover the hydrogen chloride by enriching the salt in the higher valent metal chloride. Essentially all of the chlorine values are recovered from the salt by direct contact with all or a portion of the carbon monoxide fresh feed to the metal chloride production, with such carbon monoxide stripping gaseous chlorine from the salt, as well as combining with the chlorine to produce phosgene. The carbon monoxide, chlorine and phosgene are employed in the metal chloride production.

Abstract: A pyrolysis feedstock, such as a gas oil feed, is hydrotreated in the presence of a bimetallic catalyst which has been promoted by the addition of chlorine and/or fluorine, preferably chlorine, followed by thermal cracking to increase the yields of light olefins and BTX.

Abstract: A process heater which is fired by an ash containing fuel, generally coal, has a housing which includes a front radiant section and a rear convection section. The radiant section is provided with vertically extending process tubes against the walls thereof, arranged in a single row, and horizontal process tubes arranged in a single row across the roof. The horizontal and vertical tubes contain longitudinal fins over the length thereof, with adjacent fins being in contact with each other to provide a fin tube wall which prevents a build-up of ash behind the tubes. The bottom of the radiant section is downwardly and inwardly sloped and terminates in an ash collecting hopper. The process tubes extend along the downwardly and inwardly sloped portion to provide cooling which prevents ash melting whereby ash enters the hopper in solid form for removal. The vertical and horizontal process tubes are interconnected to provide for at least two passes of process fluid through the radiant section.

Abstract: Alkylation of an aromatic is provided in a reactor having a central alkylation zone, and a surrounding transalkylation zone. The reaction mixture flows cocurrently through the alkylation zone and then into the surrounding transalkylation zone, with the mixture flowing in approximate plug flow through the transalkylation zone to the outlet thereof. Polyalkyl aromatics recovered from the effluent are recycled to the inlet end of the transalkylation zone.