Abstract: A pipe system for supplying liquid fuel to a underground tank from a supply station and for transfer of said fuel from said tank to at least one dispensing station, said system comprising an assembly of flexible inner piping through which the fuel flows and an assembly of flexible outer piping enveloping the inner piping. The assembly of outer piping is continuous and envelops the inner piping along its entire length without interruption between the supply station and the underground tank and/or between said tank and the dispensing station and advantageously with the inner piping centered within the outer piping by means of concentric spacers perforated to allow gasoline leaking thereinto to flow therepast along the thus formed annular spacing, and preferably also with a branch bypass pipe to interconnect the annular spacing of the outlet conduit with the annular spacing of the inlet conduit to allow collection of gasoline leaking into such spacings into a common gravity fed cup.

Abstract: A plastic number plate cover that can be installed from the exterior of the housing faceplate of a public telephone and which is resistant to tampering. The cover includes an envelope-shaped pocket into which a number plate or card is inserted, and opposed cantilever arms each terminating in a tab having a beveled edge. The cover is inserted into a rectangular-shaped recess on the faceplate when the tabs are brought into contact with a recess edge, causing the arms to flex and allowing the beveled edges to slide past the recess edge. The cover may be fixed or removable once installed within the faceplate, depending on the structure of the tabs.

Abstract: A method of isomerizing n-paraffins into isoparaffins in a cut of hydrocarbons with four carbon atoms or of hydrocarbons with five and/or six carbon atoms. The cut being processed enters at least one reactor containing a stationary catalyst bed. The charge travels over the bed. Either the rate of isomerization in the effluents or a parameter directly dependent thereon (such as the octane number) is preferably continuously measured. Some of the upstream catalyst, specifically between 1/3 and 2/3, is replaced with fresh catalyst once that rate has decreased 10 to 30% below a prescribed point. The charge is redirected through the reactor once the catalyst has been replaced.

Abstract: The use of an asphalt having a penetrability at 25.degree. C. from 0 to 20 in the preparation of a road asphalt (i.e. a mixture of asphalt and mineral aggregate) intended in particular for building and strengthening roadbeds. Wherein, the asphalt content of the road asphalt is higher than 6 wt %. Also the road asphalt having such composition.

Abstract: A process for the uniform distribution of a comminuted solid in an enclosure into which the solid falls essentially vertically onto a mobile mechanism (particularly useful for charging catalyst particles to a reactor vessel) comprising deflector elements rotated around the same shaft and disposed on at least two vertically displaced levels. On each level is provided the same number of deflector elements of essentially identical shape, the deflector elements on the different levels being vertically disposed exactly above each other and, on each level, the deflector elements are rotated at the same speed so as to remain disposed vertically with respect to each other during the entire charging process.

Abstract: A coiled tubing hanger including a hanger bowl, a slip bowl supported in the hanger body, a plurality of slip segments disposed in the slip bowl so as to be movable between a retracted position wherein the tubular member is able to pass through the coiled tubing hanger and an extended position wherein a serrated surface of the slip segments engages the coiled tubing and forces the slip segments along the slip bowl so as to wedge the slip segments between the slip bowl and the coiled tubing to hold the coiled tubing.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of recognizing a shunt caused by formation of dendrites in a rechargeable lithium battery which comprises charging the battery with a charging current, sampling the charging current voltage of the battery at pre-determined time intervals in order to identify one or more point indicating onset of shunting, and terminating charging if the shunt or dendrite is indicated. If a shunt is not recognized charging is continued. Dendrite formation or the beginning of shunting due to such formation is indicated by any one of the following conditions: a negative gradient in sampled voltage values; a negative gradient in sampled steady open circuit values; and a negative gradient in the chemical polarization voltage values which may be calculated by sampling both the open circuit voltage soon after current interruption and steady open circuit voltages during a plurality of currentless phases.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for stripping fluidized solid particles countercurrently with a stripping fluid. This apparatus comprises at least one packing structure consisting of at least one element the flow cross-section of which is essentially transverse to the chamber axis, said element extending over the entire cross-section of the chamber in the circulation zone and consisting of cells or pathways through which pass the particles and the stripping fluid, said cells or pathways orienting the circulation of the fluid and of the particles to be stripped in approximately radial fashion.

Abstract: A device for limiting liquid loss in pressurized liquid dispensers having a membrane, which is elastically deformable and capable of occupying two positions, namely: (a) a resting position in which it has three support zones, namely on a first bearing surface and a second bearing surface and on the protruding part of head of knob; and (b) a deformed position in which its end of larger diameter is raised from the first bearing surface by the stress exerted by the pressurized liquid so as to leave a free passage for said liquid, membrane in this position, however, remaining in contact with the second bearing surface and with the protruding part of knob head.

Abstract: An asphalt-polymer composition containing:a) at least 25 to 97 wt % of an asphalt,b) at least 1 to 25 wt % of a polymer, andc) at least 2 to 50 wt % of aromatic compound(s),whereinthe aromatic compound(s) is present in an amount greater than 2 wt %,the at least one aromatic compound(s) and the polymer are present in amounts such that the ratio of amount present of aromatic compound to amount present of polymer is from 0.5 to 10, andthe composition has a FRAASS point of less than or equal to -13.degree. C. and a storage stability defined by a".DELTA. ring-and-ball" and a ".DELTA. penetrability" of less than or equal to 5. Also a process for preparing such asphalt-polymer composition including mixing the asphalt, the polymer and the aromatic compound at a temperature from 190.degree. to 300.degree. C. for a period of time preferably exceeding 30 minutes. The asphalt-polymer composition can be used as a road asphalt, emulsion or surface coating.

Abstract: A mechanical or acoustic excitation apparatus 26 imparts mechanical vibrations to a pipeline 12 in at least two longitudinally spaced areas of its outer surface. At least one sensor 30 is positioned in proximity to the pipeline, which collects vibration data supplied to it along the pipeline. A processing and analysis apparatus 40 derives from the vibration data information concerning the gas and liquid content of the multiphase fluid, in particular the length and rate of travel of liquid plugs and air pockets, and a control device 42 regulates intake valves of downstream petroleum equipment to adjust the intake flow rate of the phases as a function of the storage and/or treatment capacity of the equipment.

Abstract: A fluidized-bed process for catalytic cracking of a hydrocarbon feedstock where the hydrocarbon feedstock, particularly a feedstock with a high content of basic nitrogen compounds, and a catalyst circulate in the tubular zone co-currently from the top to the bottom, where the catalyst, which is under equilibrium conditions at 150.degree. C., and a pressure of 5 mbar, adsorbs less than 250 micromols, and preferably less than 50 micromols, of pyridine/g, and whose pyridine retention, after heating at 350.degree. C. under vacuum, does not exceed 20%, and preferably not 10%, of the amount adsorbed at 150.degree. C.

Abstract: The method for cleaning the surface of an external wall of a building, includes forming and maintaining a layer of foam of a cleaning agent on the surface of an external wall of a building to detach soil deposited on the surface of the external wall by the cleaning action of the cleaning agent, and subsequently removing the cleaning agent foam from the surface of the external wall by, for example, washing with water. In the method, the scattering of the cleaning agent around the building can be prevented by removing the cleaning agent containing soil as it is, in the state of the foam.

Abstract: A method and device for teaching a given language to one or more users in an entertaining manner is provided utilizing a media series for teaching a given language to one or more users, particularly young children. The media series contains the given language as well as language other than the given language and is made up of series lessons which sequentially contain an increasing percentage of the given language. A user is progressively exposed to the media series by exposing the user to the series lessons in sequential fashion beginning with a first series lesson containing a lowest percentage of the given language and ending with a last series lesson containing a highest percentage of the given language. The given language to be learned is utilized and presented strategically such that the meaning of the given language can be readily and intuitively understood and wherein no supervision is necessary.

Abstract: A modified or bridged asphalt composition. The composition can be obtained by treating at least one asphalt base with an acid-derived compound having at least two functional groups capable, respectively, of being grafted onto one or more sites located on two or more different aromatic entities of the asphalt base, so as to link said entities by bridging.

Abstract: A programmable logic controller (PLC) in an operating system such as a machine includes a software development tool having labels in a first field to identify and describe specific input/output (I/O) points in the PLC. Each label assignment can be used in the formation of rungs in a ladder logic array to facilitate programming of the PLC. The PLC also allows for the entry of descriptive comments in a second comment field associated with each label assignment to assist the programmer. Secondary function instructions replace the descriptive comments in the comment portion of a label, or in the comment field, to generate a diagnostic, or status, indication such as an alarm for the machine when executed by the PLC. Comments for labels are transformed by a translator, with a file containing the labels and associated comments accessed and scanned for label comments with the appropriate syntax. Secondary function instructions are recognized by the use of specific key words in the comment field.

Abstract: A flexible tube is sterilized and ready for coupling to sterile tubing in a sterile environment by steam sterilization in a closed environment in which steam pressure both inside and outside the flexible tube is the same. For this purpose, the flexible tube is coupled to a transfer cup which has door means sealingly attached at its mouth creating a chamber, which is openable when the coupling is to take place. An outlet from the transfer cup chamber thus defined allows sterilizing steam entering said chamber from the flexible tube with the door means in closed disposition to leave the transfer cup therethrough and flow around the exterior of the flexible tube at the same pressure as the steam within the tube. Once the flexible tube and transfer cup are sterilized, the flexible tube is coupled to the sterile tubing by admission of said tubing to the transfer cup chamber through the door means.

Abstract: A unified hydraulic model has been developed by the method according to the invention which is applicable to any slope and diameter of pipeline and can handle most of the steady state as well as transient multiphase flow regimes encountered in practice. The new modelling method differentiates two types of flow patterns: separated flow patterns (stratified or annular) and dispersed flow patterns. Intermittent flow patterns (slug, churn flow) are a combination of these two patterns. The same concept has been successfully applied for transition criteria between different flow regimes, insuring continuity of the solutions across the transitions. This requirement is very important for simulating transient phenomena. The transient resolution is achieved by an explicit time advancing scheme. The advantages of the method are; its ability to follow wave front propagation, an easy implementation for the resolution of complex pipeline networks.