Abstract: Preheated saline water, typically sea or brackish water, is further heated by quanta of steam, passed to it at differential temperatures and pressures and condensed in the saline water. Scale compounds are precipitated and scale-forming bicarbonates decomposed, with the evolution of carbon dioxide, which is gathered and expelled by steam accessory to the quanta of steam. Post-thermal saline water, which is formed, is multistage flash vaporized while self-cooling. The flashed vapors are compressed to form said quanta of steam. After being further cooled while preheating saline water, post-thermal saline water is evaporated in a multistage vapor compression evaporator, producing brine at a high concentration factor. Relative to equilibrium in scale-compound precipitation between 302.degree. F and 347.degree. F, the recovery of fresh water is 70% to 80% for sea water, and 80% to 90% for brackish waters over a wide range of salinity.

Abstract: The vapor emissions from process exhausts, containing one or more contaminants of the solid, liquid and gaseous types, are delivered to the inlet of a firebox which, in one embodiment, has a cylindrical side wall and a tangentially arranged oxidizing air-fuel burner. The hot gas outlet of the firebox is so arranged that the hot gases of combustion are retained within the firebox a sufficient length of time to insure substantially complete combustion of combustibles within the firebox. The portions of the firebox which are contacted by the gases of combustion are of a material or combination of materials having a surface capable of being heated to a temperature exceeding the ignition temperature of the air-fuel mixture of the burner and of combustible materials from the process, and an external mass capable of insulating said surface against external cooling below said ignition temperature.

Abstract: In the recovery of natural gas liquids by partial condensation, flashing, and compression, minimum and maximum temperature control of partially condensed feed stream hydrocarbons to a product separator is imposed by a minimum temperature control system which provides the same set point to the pressure controllers on the compressor suction scrubbers for both the product and the flashed vapor produced from the liquid outlet of the product separator with one of the two output signals responsive to the pressure of the product suction scrubber or the flashed vapor suction scrubber manipulating, by way of a selective relay, the engine speed controller of the dual compressor unit taking suction from the two scrubbers; and a maximum temperature controller which controls the rate of by-pass of natural gas feed around the partial condensation-separation system unless, by means of a selective relay, compressor availability is a more limiting criterion.

Abstract: Plastics recovery and polyolefins compounding systems utilize a gear pump for the pumping function. The gear pump is specially designed to include a free media surrounding substantially the entire gear face with minimum sealing to improve volumetric pump efficiencies and provide pumping capacity insensitivity to viscosity over a wide range. A method of monitoring melt index and production rate for reactor control is also disclosed.

Abstract: Saline water is desalted by flowing it in two evaporation stages in series in the form of a film falling on the inside of heat-exchange tubes. The pressure and temperature in the second evaporation stage are lower than in the first stage. The steam evolved in the second stage is compressed and delivered to the first stage where it condenses on the tubes, whereas the steam evolved in the first stage is fed in the second stage where it condenses on the tubes. The condensation heat of the steam is used for vaporizing said saline water from said film. This technique allows a production of 15-50 cu.m/hr of soft water, instead of a production of 15-20 cu.m/hr usually obtained by conventional thermocompression techniques.

Abstract: Device for making monocrystalline gallium arsenide by drawing the crystal from a gallium arsenide-containing melt with adjustment of an arsenic vapor pressure while rotating and lifting the drawing means, said device comprising means for rotating the crucible containing an uncovered melt, and if desired, lifting or lowering the crucible independently of the system, that is to say without rotating the entire quartz apparatus. The means for rotating the crucible includes a ground-in joint formed by the core of the crucible driving shaft and a quartz glass sleeve. The core is made of a material havinga higher coefficient of expansion than quartz glass at the operating temperature of the joint. The accurate seating of the ground-in joint avoids the formation of surface waves on the melt.

Abstract: Improvements in the concentration of solutions in processes involving heating the solution to be concentrated; Processes of solution concentrating where the solution to be concentrated is heated prior to concentration by either direct or indirect heat exchange, including particular concentrating processes where the heating means and media include: (1) high pressure steam; (2) low-pressure steam and (3) submerged combustion; Improved methods of producing and utilizing vapor-liquid phase separation(s) in solution concentrating processes with the vapor phase(s) utilized as a supplemental heating medium applied to the solution to be concentrated; Incorporation of a plurality of counterflow gas-liquid contact stages (cooling towers) as two phases in processes of concentrating heated solution; Utilization in coordination of a plurality of cooling towers and at least one water heater in processes of concentrating heated solutions.

Abstract: The invention of this application relates to the production and transportation of hydrocarbons which are initially or normally in the gaseous state. Specifically, the invention provides processes and an apparatus for drying or removing water vapor and condensable hydrocarbons and other condensable components from the natural gas stream.

Abstract: In a fractional distillation process and apparatus two columns are intercoupled to provide variable reboil in one and variable reflux in the other so as to approach closely to thermodynamically ideal fractionation. The variable reboil column has a series of heat transfer assemblies at different levels up its height and these are fed with vapor withdrawn from respective different levels of the variable reflux column. Partial condensation of each withdrawn stream takes place in the respective heat transfer assembly, after which the partially condensed stream is returned to the variable reflux column at a level close to the level at which the corresponding vapor was withdrawn. The variable reflux column will ordinarily be at a higher pressure, and mounted at a lower level than the variable reboil column.

Abstract: Ethane and other hydrocarbons of higher boiling point are separated as a liquid from natural gas to leave a gas consisting principally of methane for delivery to a pipeline. The natural gas is passed in countercurrent heat exchange with the liquid product and with the pipeline gas to cool the natural gas to a temperature at which a major part of the ethane is condensed. The condensed ethane and higher boiling point hydrocarbons are separated from uncondensed vapors in the natural gas and the vapors are expanded to a low pressure and delivered into the upper end of a fractionating tower. The condensate is expanded to the same pressure and introduced into the fractionating tower at a midpoint thereof. Gases discharged overhead from the fractionating tower constitute the pipeline gas that is returned to the heat exchanger for countercurrent heat exchange with the natural gas.

Abstract: The invention is a method for removing dissolved solids from water by creating a condition of super-saturation of the solid material within a confined water circuit, propagating the formation of solids by a slurry process of evaporative crystallization which utilizes waste heat energy and separating the crystalized solids; the invention also involves the apparatus for carrying out the process which includes a continuous process circuit for circulating a super-saturated liquid and slurry, which circuit comprises a source of waste heat energy for propelling the process and cooling tower to provide evaporation, and further including a separator to remove crystallized solids from the slurry.

Abstract: A process for removing unreacted monomers or solvents from synthetic rubber latex or synthetic resin latex comprising bringing said latex into contact with an inert gas fluid at a temperature ranging from 40.degree. to 100.degree. C by feeding said latex into the upper part of a wetted-wall tower without imposing any substantial mechanical shear stress.

Abstract: A coke oven door has a primary seal that includes a first metal knife edge in contact with a door jamb first sealing surface, and a secondary seal that includes a second metal knife edge in contact with a door jamb second sealing surface. The plenum or space between the sealing knife edges is maintained at super atmospheric pressure by flowing coke oven gas into the plenum. In a modification of the invention, the secondary seal includes a metal strip in contact with an elastic material; the plenum between the sealing surfaces being also pressurized above atmospheric pressure and purged of coke oven gas.

Abstract: Improvements in the concentration of solutions in processes involving heating the solution to be concentrated; processes of solution concentrating where the solution to be concentrated is heated prior to concentration by either direct or indirect heat exchange, including particular concentrating processes where the heating means and media include: (1) high pressure steam; (2) low-pressure steam and (3) submerged combustion; Improved methods of vapor-liquid phase separation in solution concentrating processes with the vapor phase utilized as supplemental heating medium to the solution to be concentrated; incorporation of a counterflow gas-liquid contact stage (cooling tower) as one phase in processes of concentrating heated solutions.

Abstract: A process and installation for vaporizing liquids and in particular radioactive liquids. A two-step flash vaporization is carried out. The vapor exiting from a first vaporizing stage is condensed by means of liquid taken from a second vaporizing stage, the latter liquid being injected into a condenser into which the vapor steam from the first vaporizing stage is being conducted. The thus formed mixture is conducted into the second vaporizing stage.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to reinforced support walls arranged to extend transversely of the length of a battery of coke ovens in a cellar for supporting battery decking of underjet coke ovens. Ducts extend in the cellar for supplying gaseous combustion media to the heating flues of the heating walls and control members are arranged in the cellar to control the flow of the combustion media in the individual ducts. A foundation slab includes reinforcement members bonded to reinforcement members within the support walls. Expansion joints, including slip plates, are arranged between the support walls and the battery decking. The decking may include a projection extending downwardly along the center line of the battery for bonding engagement with the support walls.

Abstract: In the processing of a corrosive liquid mixture, such as 50 to 80% aqueous sulfuric acid, by its passage over one surface of a wall of inert heat resistant material, and heating the other surface of said wall, thereby to evaporate from said corrosive liquid mixture the more volatile component thereof, the improvement which comprises heating said wall by contact with an inert liquid material, and heating said inert liquid material indirectly through heat exchange with a normally solid molten material. Desirably the wall of inert material is a pipe surrounded by a molten metal in a first annular jacket and a molten salt in a second annular jacket.

Abstract: N-lower alkyl lactam solvent is recovered from a solution of polymer such as PVC residue in such solvent by adding to the solution a plasticizer for the polymer and then recovering the lactam from the solution by distillation. The plasticizer has a boiling point of at least about 25.degree. C above the boiling point of the lactam solvent. A stabilizer for the polymer may also be used.

Abstract: A spray drying apparatus includes a chamber through which cyclonic flow of heated gas is maintained. A rotating spray head is located in the chamber adjacent to the heated gas inlet and aligned axially of the cyclonic flow so as to receive the hottest gas. The spray head has spiral vanes which define heated gas flow channels extending spirally in the axial flow direction. The slurry is introduced into the bottoms of these channels to flow in thin film fashion across the vanes whereby the hottest gas scrubs the thin films before the liquid is discharged in finely divided form from the edges of the vanes.

Abstract: Apparatus and a proccess for the thermal decomposition of organic material is disclosed wherein the waste solids concentrates are first mixed in a fluidizing tank with a fluidizing oil to form an appropriate mixture which is then dehydrated to remove water from the waste and oil mixture. Subsequently, the waste solids and oil are separated. The resultant dehydrated, substantially oil free organic waste material is then pyrolized within a temperature range of approximately 700.degree. F. to 1800.degree. F. by which lower molecular weight organic compounds are distilled off as organic vapors and gases while a residue of char and ash remain.