Abstract: A substrate support assembly 30 comprises a substrate support 38 and a collar 130 which may comprise at least one slit 150. The slit allows for thermal expansion compensation in the support assembly 30. The collar 130 may, for example, protect the dielectric 45 from erosion in a process chamber 25. In one version, the collar 130 comprises a clamping ring 200 on the dielectric 45.

Abstract: Processes for oxidative dehydrogenation of alkane to one or more olefins, exemplified by ethane to ethylene, are disclosed using novel catalysts. The catalysts comprise a mixture of metal oxides having as an important component nickel oxide (NiO), which give high conversion and selectivity in the process. The catalyst can be used to make ethylene by contacting it with a gas mixture containing ethane and oxygen. The gas mixture may optionally contain ethylene, an inert diluent such as nitrogen, or both ethylene and an inert diluent.

Abstract: A combustion method and apparatus in which combustible matter, e.g., waste matter, coal, etc., is gasified to produce a combustible gas containing a sufficiently large amount of combustible component to melt the ash by its own heat. A fluidized-bed furnace (2) has an approximately circular horizontal cross-sectional configuration. A moving bed (9), in which a fluidized medium settles and diffuses, is formed in the central portion of the furnace, and a fluidized bed (10), in which the fluidized medium is actively fluidized, is formed in the peripheral portion in the furnace. The fluidized medium is turned over to the upper part of the moving bed (9) from the upper part of the fluidized bed (10), thus circulating through the two beds. Combustible matter (11) is cast into the upper part of the moving bed (9) and gasified to form a combustible gas while circulating, together with the fluidized medium.

Abstract: A detonation safety device having a flame-arresting device positioned in a housing. A pipe extends into the housing and proximate to the flame arresting device. In order to render a detonation front traveling in a pipe harmless, the detonation front is conveyed near the flame-arresting device. The flame-arresting device includes a diameter larger than the pipe and the detonation front such that the detonation front impinges only on a partial surface of the flame-arresting device. The detonation front is expanded in front of the arresting device so as to create a deflagration, which then impinges on the outer cross-section of the flame arresting device.

Abstract: A quench zone mixing apparatus is supported within a vessel of a reactor by a support structure that includes a concentric hub, which may be formed to act as a torsion tube, and at least a first set of radial beams extending radially outward from the hub and terminating at a support ring that is attached to the reactor vessel wall. In particular, the radial beams comprise a flange that supports the redistribution tray and a web of the beams preferably includes a plurality of openings to allow the passage of fluids across the vessel. In addition, the webs also carry the channels. The radial beams also support the mixing chamber and, in the area between the wall of the mixing chamber and the vessel wall, the radial beams may have a vertical height that slopes downward from the vessel wall to the mixing chamber wall.

Abstract: A panel-type filter employs a rectangular filter element having shifted pleats wherein the peaks of the pleats on the upstream and downstream sides of the filter medium alternate between high and low peaks. By so configuring the filter medium, turbulence is decreased at the upstream side of the filter which reduces restriction. The reduced restriction increases air flow to the engine which results in reduced fuel consumption and higher engine output power. Moreover, compression and turbulence is reduced at the downstream side of the filter resulting in flow past sensors to the engine which is more laminar, thus increasing the effectiveness of the sensors.

Abstract: A C4-hydrocarbon mixture essentially containing 1,3-butadiene, butenes, butanes and other C4-hydrocarbons is separated into at least 4 fractions, a) the fraction (a) essentially comprising 1,3-butadiene, b) the fraction (b) essentially comprising butenes, c) the fraction (c) essentially comprising butanes and d) one or more fractions (d) essentially comprising 1,3-butadiene and the other C4-hydrocarbons, by extractive distillation by means of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone or an aqueous solution of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP).

Abstract: A tubular reactor passes a flowing stream of reactants through a plurality of mixing devices that simultaneously provide indirect heat exchange of the reactants to improve the uniformity of reactant temperatures and concentrations. The mixing devices provide intimate mixing by passing the reactants through a plurality of narrow channels defined by parallel plate elements that channel a heat exchange fluid on their opposite side to provide the simultaneous indirect heat exchange. The heat exchange channels can have any desired degree of mixing intensity by providing irregularities in the channel walls or flow path that supply the desired degree of fluid shear. Preferably the mixing reactor provides a series of mixing devices with heat exchange along the length of the conduit flow path with space between the devices for remixing of the fluid reactants.

Abstract: This invention provides a PCB decomposition reactor which can decompose PCB efficiently. In this PCB decomposition reactor, an injector for injecting a mixture of water and sodium hydroxide into a reaction vessel is connected to the lower part of the reaction vessel. An outlet pipe for withdrawing the fluid treated within the reaction vessel is connected to the sidewall of the reaction vessel. The other end of the outlet pipe is connected to a cyclone for separating sodium carbonate from the treated fluid. A discharge pipe is connected to the top of the cyclone, so that the treated fluid from which the precipitated sodium carbonate has been removed is discharged therethrough. A downcomer for the separated fluid is connected to the bottom of the cyclone, so that the precipitated sodium carbonate and some fluid containing it are discharged therethrough. The lower end of the downcomer is connected to an injector, which has connected thereto a feed pipe for feeding a mixture of PCB and mineral oil.

Abstract: A plasma process reactor is disclosed that allows for greater control in varying the functional temperature range for enhancing semiconductor processing and reactor cleaning. The temperature is controlled by splitting the process gas flow from a single gas manifold that injects the process gas behind the gas distribution plate into two streams where the first stream goes behind the gas distribution plate and the second stream is injected directly into the chamber. By decreasing the fraction of flow that is injected behind the gas distribution plate, the temperature of the gas distribution plate can be increased. The increasing of the temperature of the gas distribution plate results in higher O2 plasma removal rates of deposited material from the gas distribution plate. Additionally, the higher plasma temperature aids other processes that only operate at elevated temperatures not possible in a fixed temperature reactor.

Abstract: A mixing chamber receives pyrophoric gas for mixing with oxygen prior to discharge into an upright housing of the apparatus. Tubular members within the housing define annular passageways through which the mixed gas and oxygen flow in a serpentine manner with reversal of flow direction promoting the precipitation of matter. A receptacle is removably attached to the housing for collection of matter with mounting means enabling periodic receptacle removal for cleaning. An enclosure about a housing end includes a door for access to the receptacle. Provision is made for ventilating of the enclosure to an exhaust conduit during door opening to prevent escape of gas and particulate to the atmosphere. A modified form of apparatus includes a filter and chemical bed for further treatment of the flow.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a reactive distillation process and system for the alkylation of liquid aromatic compounds with a liquid olefin or olefin/paraffin mixture. The aromatic compound may have from about 6 to about 30 carbons and the olefin may have from about 8 to 30 carbons. The system has a reactor configuration utilizing an alkylation catalyst, a reboiler with product takeoff, and a feed inlet above the catalyst bed. The system may also include a means for in-situ mixing of the aromatic compound and olefin or olefin/paraffin mixture, an overhead condenser and/or a water takeoff.

Abstract: A process and apparatus is disclosed for generating a mixture of phosphine and diluent gas(es). A hydrolysable metal phosphide, preferably magnesium phosphide, is released directly into liquid water under an atmosphere of gas inert to phosphine and in a free-flowing particulate form, composed of loose metal phosphide particles. The generated mixture of phosphine and inert carrier gas, e.g. CO2, is used as such or is diluted into a gas mixing chamber with air to a concentration below the ignitability limit before being used in fumigation. Using argon as a carrier gas the phosphine mixture is suitable for semiconductor doping.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for separating finely divided solids from a hydrocarbon slurry by using an additive that comprises a polymer and, optionally, an alkylbenzene sulfonic acid; and a composition of the additive thereof. The polymer is a polymer having (a) a polymeric backbone comprising polyol units and at least one unsaturated polycarboxylic unit, (b) acrylate units coordinated via unsaturated polycarboxylic units, and (c) oxyalkylated alkyl phenol units.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for isomerizing aromatic compounds containing 8 carbon atoms, the catalysts containing at least one group VIII metal, comprising at least one sulfurization step and at least one passivation step using ammonia.

Abstract: Heavy hydrocarbons are upgraded to higher value distillates in a hydrocarbon conversion process which employs several parallel reaction zones which each contain both hydrotreating and hydrocracking catalyst beds. The feed and liquid recycle from the bottom of the reaction zone is charged to the top of the uppermost catalyst bed. Hydrogen flow is countercurrent to the descending liquid, and products are removed overhead through vapor-liquid contactors. The flow of feed to one of the reaction zones is periodically stopped to allow sequential on-stream hydrogenative regeneration of the catalysts within the reaction zone.

Abstract: A furnace construction for cracking of saturated hydrocarbon feed stocks to olefinic product mixtures, wherein the reaction lines of such furnace are fabricated of a ceramic refractory feed inlet pipe coaxially located with a ceramic refractory tube to define an annular space there between which in part is located without and within the radiant heating firebox volume of such furnace, this to provide for a zone wherein hot cracked olefin product gas is quenched in temperature in such annular space outside of such firebox and a cracking zone within the firebox within which hydrocarbon feed is cracked to an olefin containing product gas composition. The ceramic refractory material construction permits of such pipe-tube reaction line structure to be exposed to a much greater heat/temperature content of which the firebox is capable than reaction lines of metallic construction.

Abstract: A process for etching a dielectric layer, including the steps of forming, over the dielectric layer, a layer of polysilicon, forming over the layer of polysilicon a photoresist mask layer, etching the layer of polysilicon using the photoresist mask layer as an etching mask for selectively removing the layer of polysilicon, removing the photoresist mask layer from over the layer of polysilicon, etching the dielectric layer using the layer of polysilicon as a mask. Subsequently, the layer of polysilicon is converted into a layer of a transition metal silicide, and the layer of transition metal silicide is etched for selectively removing the latter from over the dielectric layer.

Abstract: The invention is a ceramic membrane reactor for syngas production having a reaction chamber, an inlet in the reactor for natural gas intake, a plurality of oxygen permeating ceramic slabs inside the reaction chamber with each slab having a plurality of passages paralleling the gas flow for transporting air through the reaction chamber, a manifold affixed to one end of the reaction chamber for intake of air connected to the slabs, a second manifold affixed to the reactor for removing the oxygen depleted air, and an outlet in the reaction chamber for removing syngas.

Abstract: A process for removing sulfone from a liquid hydrocarbon containing a concentration of sulfone by mixing a liquid acid therewith and thereafter separating the resulting admixture into an acid phase and a hydrocarbon phase. The hydrocarbon phase has a concentration of sulfone less than such concentration in the liquid hydrocarbon.