Abstract: A catalytic converter of the automotive type comprises a converter housing body with a reduced central section that compresses a support mat around a substrate, the ends of the body being spherical for attachment to spherical flanges on end bushings or being an integral part of the body. The method of manufacturing the converter substrate and converter is also disclosed.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for continuously treating infectious waste, which comprises: (a) introducing bulk unseparated infectious waste material into a receiving container, the receiving container adapted to receive a flow of disinfectant such that the receiving container remains substantially free of infectious contaminants; (b) shredding the waste material by a primary shredder; (c) separating the shredded waste material from waste residue in a separation tank having a predetermined fluid level thereby producing a waste slurry; (d) pumping the waste slurry into a reactor vessel; (e) contacting the waste slurry with a disinfecting fluid in the reactor vessel for a sufficient amount of time to disinfect the waste slurry; and (f) dewatering the disinfected waste slurry to recover solid disinfected waste material.

Abstract: An improved fluidized catalytic cracking-catalyst regeneration process for catalytically cracking heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks is provided which comprises first and second, relatively lower and higher temperature, catalyst regeneration zones, wherein CO-rich effluent flue gas from the first regeneration zone is combusted in a CO-incinerator/combustor means to substantially convert all CO present therein to CO.sub.2. The effluent gas from the CO-incinerator/combustor is then combined with the effluent flue gas from the second regeneration zone, with the combined streams thereafter being sent to an expansion turbine-compressor means to recover the work energy therefrom and to provide at least all the compressed air requirements of the first and second regeneration zones, and preferably in addition the compressed air requirements of the CO-incinerator/combustion means.

Abstract: A thermal decomposition trap includes a trap main body (21) having an inlet port (26) for supplying a gas to be thermally decomposed and an outlet port (27) for exhausting the gas, and a heater (23, 25) for heating the gas supplied in the trap main body (21). An oil trap (28) containing an oil and having an oil discharge port (29) and a valve (V3) connected thereto is formed on a bottom portion of the trap main body (21). Particles generated by thermal decomposition of the gas are precipitated in the oil in the oil trap (28). The oil containing the particles is easily discharged in a short time period by opening the valve (V3) mounted on the oil discharge port (29). An oil-free auxiliary pump is arranged between a reaction chamber and the thermal decomposition trap, whereby a mass flow rate of exhaust from rate in the reaction chamber is not reduced regardless of the arrangement of the thermal decomposition trap.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for catalytic combustion in which a combustible gas stream is mixed with part of the recycled hot product stream and then fed to a combustion zone containing a combustion catalyst, and from which the hot pressurized product is obtained. The recycle is preferably effected by means of a constriction at the end of the inlet gas supply producing a region of lower pressure than the pressure of the product gas.

Abstract: An apparatus for testing performance of a catalyst in a gaseous phase catalytic reaction for a given reactant comprises a reactor receiving a predetermined quantity of fluid reactant discharging the reaction mixture, including reaction products, from the reactor after a predetermined residence time. The reactor comprises a confined reactor volume with an upflow zone and a downflow zone. A device circulates fluids upwardly through the upflow zone and downwardly through the downflow zone where particulate catalysts in the upflow zone are fluidized by the upward flow of the fluid. The circulating device is adapted to circulate the fluid about the reactor volume at a rate which provides at any moment during the residence time for the reactants an essentially uniform concentration of reactants throughout the reactor volume to simulate conditions in a catalytic riser reactor.

Abstract: An endothermic reaction apparatus for converting a raw gas, or a feed gas, into a reaction gas or a produced gas, under the influence of an endothermic reaction catalyst includes a reaction tube having a pair of inner and outer vertical tubular spaces which are separated by a vertical partition wall and communicate with each other at their lower ends. The endothermic reaction catalyst is disposed in the inner and outer tubular spaces to form a continuous catalyst structure. The catalyst structure has an inlet portion for introducing the raw gas into the catalyst structure and an outlet portion for discharging the reaction gas from the catalyst structure. The inlet and outlet portions of the catalyst structure are disposed generally at the same level. A burner is disposed inwardly of the inner tubular space for heating the catalyst structure.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process and apparatus for production liquid reaction mixtures. The invention includes a mix head with a mixing chamber which receives reactants through nozzle openings. The key feature resides in placing an impingement surface between at least one of the nozzle openings of the mix head and the mixing chamber itself.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a method and apparatus for destroying a predetermined living organism in fluid, whereby a predetermined current having a specific waveform and frequency is applied to the fluid in order to destroy the predetermined living organism while it is in a chamber having a cylindrical first electrode, a second rod-shaped electrode and a cylindrical third electrode disposed between said first and said second electrodes. The first, second and third electrodes all have a common axis.

Abstract: Effective quenching is provided in a catalytic cracking unit to increase product yield and decrease thermal cracking. Advantageously, the quench is injected at special locations. In the illustrated embodiment, the quench is injected into the oil product immediately downstream of the oil product exit of an internal gross cut separator in a disengaging vessel.

Abstract: An improved infectious waste treatment system wherein infectious waste is fragmented and converted to a liquid or liquid/sludge form and then is chemically disinfected in a precisely controlled and timed batch process. The disinfection process takes place in an airtight sealed container to insure against release of pathogenic agents into the atmosphere. The process produces a non-toxic and non-infectious liquid or liquid/sludge waste residue which can be safely released into a sanitary sewer, landfilled or otherwise environmentally disposed.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for performing catalytic reactions with intensive heat of reaction in which a reaction mixture is conducted through a catalyst bed, from which the reaction heat is removed or to which it is fed by indirect heat exchange with a heat exchange medium. The catalyst bed adjoins at least one bed of a catalytically inert material, which also is in indirect heat exchange with the heat exchange medium.

Abstract: A device and method for automating immunohistochemical staining of biological material on glass slides is presented. The slides are placed on the base with the tissue section facing upwards. A "chamber" consisting of a rectangular plastic box with a hinged overhead door is clamped directly over the tissue section. A rubber gasket seals the chamber--slide interface. Reagents are dropped on to the tissue section by means of the hinged overhead plastic door. When the door is closed, the chamber is sufficiently sealed so as to prevent evaporation. Washing of the tissue section is accomplished by the addition and aspiraton of buffer through ports in the chamber. The ports are connected via flexible tubing to a manifold. Because the wash steps are performed in tandem and do not require manual manipulation of slides, a significant time savings is realized. A mesh may be placed between reagents and the surface of the slide to spread a reagent over the surface of the slide.

Abstract: A replacement flange for the end of a catalytic converter is provided by a pair of generally L-shaped coupling elements which have their base portions opposed and seated in an elongated channel element which permits one coupling element to slide therein relative to the other. The opposed edges of the flange coupling elements are generally arcuate to fit about the end pipe of the converter and have recesses to seat the flanges on the sides of the converter body. Assembly is effected by mounting one coupling element to the automobile support structure about the converter end and then sliding the other coupling element sideways into engagement therewith and mounting it to the support structure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for triggering and measuring electrochemiluminescent phenomena using a voltage waveform applied at the voltammetric working electrode which improves the precision and accuracy of measurements. This waveform has a decreasing scan rate in the range of voltages for which electrochemiluminescence is triggered and is substantially sinusoidal in shape in this range. The waveform results from locating the reference electrode of a potentiostat in close potential proximity to its counter electrode, and applying a uniform scanning voltage waveform at the reference electrode. The waveform also can be synthesized digitally, converted to analog form, and applied directly to the working electrode with the reference electrode in close potential proximity to the working electrode.

Abstract: In an ebullated bed reactor it has been found that an improved gas-liquid separator effectively removes gas from recycle liquid used to ebullate the catalyst bed. The gas-liquid separator comprises a cup with a plurality of riser conduits. Two stages of cyclone separators effect the final liquid-vapor separation.

Abstract: Modern processes and arrangements for FCC processes can be obtained using a stacked FCC reactor-regenerator arrangement. These processes and arrangements use a stacked FCC unit having a bottom regeneration vessel, a superadjacent reactor vessel, and a stripping vessel laterally offset from and in open communication with the reactor vessel to make a two-stage regenerator having a lower first stage regeneration, an upper second stage of regeneration, and a catalyst cooler for removing feed from the catalyst. The process and arrangement makes complete use of the three existing vessels in the stacked reactor-regenerator arrangement by changing the function of the upper reactor vessel and the stripping vessel and adding a reactor vessel to the side of the stacked FCC arrangement. Therefore, apart from the addition of the new reactor only relatively minor modifications are necessary to more fully utilize stacked FCC reactor-regenerator arrangements.

Abstract: An apparatus for conducting measurements of electrochemiluminescent (ECL) phenomena includes a cell unit having an electrode configuration for inducing the emission of ECL light by the application of a selected voltage waveform to a sample fluid including an ECL moiety. The sample fluid is transported to and from the cell unit by a flow-through pump/tubing system. A photomultiplier tube detects the intensity of light emitted by the sample fluid during the ECL measurement process. A computer control unit both analyzes the detected data and provides digital control signals to the cell unit to generate effective voltage waveforms. The digital control signals are supplied to a novel pulse width modulated digital to analog converter which outputs a ramp voltage waveform having the desired slope.

Abstract: A cage-culture turbidostat as described for growing organisms at a constant population density which avoids the problem of filters clogging and nutrient dilution and facilitates the analysis of the growth and development of the organisms. The cage-culture turbidostat minimizes reintroduction of spent nutrient medium through the filters during backwashing.

Abstract: An automated pipetting system for performing programmed pipetting procedures on an array of fluid containing test tubes, vials or wells. The system includes a frame which is placed above a horizontal table which holds the array. The frame is equipped with a pair of X-axis guide shafts and a pair of X-axis helical screw shafts. A subframe which is mounted on the X-axis guide shafts is equipped with a pair of Y-axis guide shafts and a Y-axis helical screw shaft. A carriage is mounted on the Y-axis guide shafts and at least one row of probes is mounted on the carriage. A Z-axis drive independently drives the probes in a Z-axis direction relative to the array.