Abstract: Method and apparatus for continuously concentrating liquids in a plurality of stages, the apparatus having an enclosure vented to atmosphere and enclosing a like plurality of overhead spaced sets or rows of nozzles and a plurality of troughs, one for and underlying each nozzle set. In each stage, liquid of one concentration is pumped to one nozzle set and partially evaporated by being sprayed from the set, with immediately prior or concurrent heating, as a flat, fan-shaped spray for fall into the underlying trough as a liquid of higher concentration, which, depending on its concentration, is either the starting liquid of the next stage or the product concentrate, the evaporation for air-sensitive liquids being conducted in an environment inert to the liquid.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the operation of a distillation column which utilizes cost factors to achieve the best economical production of a product within acceptable purity limits while maintaining the column at maximum operating capacity. The control is based on a series of priorities in which each of the following control signals is selectively used in turn to modify the control the heat-input to the column; cost factors applying to the column, cost factors applying to the several columns in the system, the purity of the product, the operating pressure limit of the column and, for lighter products, the rate of fluid velocity through the column. For heavier products, the rate of fluid velocity through the column is used independently of the heat-input control to restrict the flow of overhead product to the condenser to increase the back pressure on the column.

Abstract: A turboexpander preferably for cooling natural gas, comprising a casing whose shaft carries operating stages with blades. Provided in the casing in the direction of the gas-liquid flow is at least one separating stage wherein set in succession are a guiding device with a blade pitch smaller than that of corresponding blades of the operating stage, and a runner. The profile of the runner blades has an extended inlet portion with spouts provided on its back. Besides, there is a ring chamber provided in the casing along the periphery of the runner, said ring chamber having a slit for collection of the separated liquid and a branch pipe located in the lower part of the casing.

Abstract: A thermocompression apparatus for desalting saline water, wherein: the evaporator tubes extend vertically above the separating chamber for steam and non-evaporated water and have their lower ends opening into the separating chamber through a lower header plate; the upper ends of the evaporator tubes extend through an upper header plate into a plenum chamber overlying the latter, said plenum chamber being arranged to provide a pool of saline water submerging the upper ends of the evaporator tubes; and each of said upper ends having means therein arranged to receive saline water from the pool and to discharge it in the form of falling film on the inner surface of its respective evaporator tube, whereby the said film and the steam produced therefrom flow co-currently downwardly in the tubes towards the separating chamber.

Abstract: A process to separate hydrocarbon gases into different fractions by condensing in the high pressure condenser of a staged dual pressure rectification system only that amount of vapor necessary for the reboiler duty of the low pressure column and expanding the excess vapor to provide the low temperature refrigeration duty. The process of the invention lends itself particularly to refinery gases, particularly to an absorber tail gas which comprises a mixture of low molecular weight hydrocarbon gases (e.g. methane, ethane, ethylene, propane, etc.).

Abstract: Ultra high purity hexachlorocyclopentadiene is obtained by a two-stage distillation procedure, in the first stage of which crude hexachlorocyclopentadiene is distilled to separate hexachlorobutadiene as a distillate and in the second stage, ultra high purity hexachlorocyclopentadiene is obtained as a distillate fraction and octachlorocyclopentene is obtained as a distillation residue.

Abstract: A low temperature refrigeration process wherein a feed gas mixture comprising hydrogen or helium as major component and a minor component with normal boiling point above 170.degree. K and molecular weight of at least 28 is dynamically compressed at higher temperature and cooled to intermediate temperature for condensation and separation of the minor component. Pure major component is further cooled and work expanded at lower temperature and recycled for mixing with the condensed minor component during rewarming to form at least the major fraction of the feed gas mixture.

Abstract: 1,1,1-Trichloroethane containing 1,2-dichloroethane as a principal contaminant is purified by extractive distillation, employing as an extraction solvent a saturated or unsaturated tertiary C.sub.4 to C.sub.7 alcohol, e.g., t-amyl alcohol, 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol or 2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol, or mixtures thereof, organic monocarboxylic acids and organic monocarboxylic acid anhydrides.

Abstract: A process for treating an aqueous solution containing organic compounds and having a high chemical oxygen demand (COD) by distilling the aqueous solution at a pH not lower than 9, and recovering the water of low chemical oxygen demand (COD) from said aqueous solution. The aqueous solution containing the organic compounds to be treated is derived from the reaction mixture of the oxidation system of methyl-substituted aromatic compound in the liquid phase with molecular oxygen or a molecular oxygen-containing gas, in the presence of a heavy metal catalyst but in the substantial absence of a lower aliphatic acid solvent, to form the corresponding aromatic acid.

Abstract: A process for recovering alkyl sulfonic acid from a photosulfoxidation reaction mixture of an alkane comprising the steps of: separating a major portion of the unreacted alkane contained in said reaction mixture by settling; subjecting thus treated reaction mixture to steam-distillation to remove the remaining portion of the unreacted alkane together with the sulfur dioxide therefrom; subsequently separating the sulfuric acid without heating from the resulting mixture by settling, thereby recovering the alkyl sulfonic acids.

Abstract: An improved closed-loop process is described for treating waste water resulting from chemical extraction of uranium from ore. The water is evaporated to form a concentrated solution and is then subjected to crystallization of the least soluble salt component thereof via further evaporation, or cooling or simultaneous cooling and a partial vacuum. The crystallized component is then separated from the mother liquor, whereupon the latter is fed back after removal of residual uranium therefrom to the the extraction installation to replace the acids used therein. Additionally, the pure condensate produced during evaporation of the waste waters is employed as a replacement for the fresh water employed in processing of the ore.

Abstract: The reboiler temperature of a depropanizer tower is controlled as the function of the propane content of the feed to the depropanizer tower and of the gasoline provided by the tower in accordance with a control signal. The Reid Vapor Pressure of crude oil feeding a flash tower is determined from the propane content of the depropanizer feed while the Reid Vapor Pressure of the gasoline is determined from the gasoline propane content. A control unit includes a network which determines a change in the Reid Vapor Pressure as the quality of the feed crude oil to the flash tower changes. When the change in the Reid Vapor Pressure exceeds a predetermined limit, the network provides a feed forward signal corresponding to a desired temperature associated with the new Reid Vapor pressure. The feed forward desired temperature signal is determined in accordance with the equations hereinafter disclosed.

Abstract: A coke oven door, having a sealing ring that coacts with a plurality of spring plungers, is provided with a plurality of equalizing pads located between the top and bottom latches to ensure that the sealing ring is seated at these locations. Also the sealing ring is installed in slots in the door frame which are open at both ends.

Abstract: The process of separating a mixture which is in liquid state or solid state or liquid and solid state and contains at least one compound containing an organic group, which comprisesA. contacting said mixture with a gas maintained under supercritical conditions of temperature and pressure such that the gas will take up at least a portion of said mixture in a quantity varying inversely with said temperature, and effecting said contacting in a manner so that this occurs, and so that there is a substantial gas component that is identifiable as gas phase,B. separating the gas in the form of said identifiable gas phase loaded with the compound taken up during said contacting from any of the mixture not taken up by the gas while still maintaining supercritical conditions as aforesaid,C. thereafter separating the compound from the gas.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for vacuum dehydrating heat sensitive liquid material, particularly fruit juices including citrus and tomato juices. A top loading, endless belt conveyor for the thin liquid film is disposed in a vacuum dehydrator chamber which is maintained at about 2 mm. Hg. The belt travels through a cooling zone and a heating zone to attain substantially complete dehydration of the thin film. The liquid material is continuously applied to the upper side of the belt in the cooling zone by means of an applicator system comprising a grooved metering roll and a counter-rotating applicator roll which continuously deposits a uniform film of about 0.005 to 0.05 inches thickness on the endless belt. Dry product at about 0.5-2.5% moisture is removed from the belt in the cooling zone by means of a doctor blade which scrapes the product from the endless belt just prior to the portion of the cooling zone where the applicator system feeds additional liquid material onto the belt.

Abstract: A crystallisable component, for example paraxylene, is separated from solution by chilling, separating crystals, washing them, chilling the mother liquor in the presence of wash liquid, separating further crystals and washing them. The invention enables concentrated solutions to be handled easily by keeping the proportions of crystals at each crystallisation stage low without requiring two separations of wash liquid from mother liquor.

Abstract: In the process for the concentration of volatiles-bearing products by a low-temperature, short-time, multi-effect evaporation method, a forward feed of the product and vapor occurs so that at least from a given stage of evaporation, each subsequent stage of evaporation is carried out at a lower temperature. The volatile constituents, removed with the vapor from one or more effects and subsequently condensed and recovered, are combined with the partially concentrated product before a final stage or stages of evaporation at a temperature lower than that at which they were originally distilled off. Thus a more highly volatile fraction is again removed with the vapor in the said final stage or stages of evaporation.

Abstract: Coke is desulfurized by calcining coke at a temperature of 1600.degree. - 2200.degree. F. in admixture with sodium carbonate, followed by direct contact with phosgene or a mixture of carbon monoxide and chlorine at a temperature of 1200.degree. - 1800.degree. F. to produce coke having sulfur contents of less than 0.5 percent.