Abstract: The invention relates to an improved evaporator and condenser unit for use in distilling a liquid such as water. The evaporator and condenser unit includes a plurality of stacked, spaced-apart plates disposed within a housing. The plates are horizontally arranged around a common, vertical axis for rotation. Adjacent plates define spaces between their oppositely facing surfaces, which are alternating configured as evaporating and condensing chambers. An outlet tube transfers vapor generated within the housing to a compressor and an inlet tube delivers compressed vapor to central receiving space within the stack of plates. A sump containing the liquid to be distilled is located at a lower portion of the housing. Each plate includes a plurality of ports for distributing liquid to be distilled and for extracting a condensate.

Abstract: A method of removing a ceramic coating, such as a thermal barrier coating (TBC) of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), from the surface of a component, such as a gas turbine engine component. The method generally entails subjecting the ceramic coating to an aqueous solution of ammonium bifluoride, optionally containing a wetting agent, such as by immersing the component in the solution while maintained at an elevated temperature. Using the method of the invention, a ceramic coating can be completely removed from the component and any cooling holes, with essentially no degradation of the bond coat.

Abstract: A method for producing fiber-reinforced polymer compositions and a plasticating extruder for carrying out the method. The method includes passing the fiber strand along at least one coating nozzle into a feed opening; winding the fiber strand onto and around at least one extruder shaft; drawing the fiber strand into barrel bores of a screw barrel; applying a liquid polymer onto a first flat side of the fiber strand from the first coating nozzle; pressing a second side of the fiber strand into a liquid polymer film that was already applied on the screw shaft; and feeding the polymer impregnated fiber strand into screw barrels in a discharge and conveying zone. The plasticating extruder has a drawing-in and impregnating zone and a discharge and conveying zone. The plasticating extruder has a heater.

Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition process for laying down a tin or titanium oxide coating on a glass substrate through the use of an organic oxygen-containing compound and the corresponding metal tetrachloride. The organic oxygen compound is preferably an ester having an alkyl group with a &bgr; hydrogen in order to obtain a high deposition rate. The resulting article has a tin or titanium oxide coating which can be of substantial thickness because of the high deposition rates attainable with the novel process, and, in the case of titanium oxide coating possesses a desirable refractive index greater than 2.4. The coating growth rates resulting from the method of the present invention may be at least 130 Å per second.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for depositing a layer based on a fluorine-containing metal oxide, especially a layer of fluorine-doped tin oxide F:SnO2, on a glass substrate by a chemical vapor deposition technique using at least two precursors, including at least one metal precursor and at least one fluorine precursor. According to the invention, the fluorine precursor consists essentially of nitrogen trifluoride NF3.

Abstract: The application of (for example, elongated strip-shaped) spots of adhesive paste to successive objects (such as paper or cardboard blanks which are to be converted into soft or hinged-lid packs for arrays of cigarettes) which are advanced stepwise below the nozzle or nozzles of one or more pasters at an adhesive-applying station is regulated by a control unit which receives signals denoting the speed of the conveyor for the objects and the position of the object at the adhesive-applying station. The control unit regulates the operation of the valve for each nozzle of the paster by taking into consideration the inertia of electrical and mechanical constituents of the paster. This ensures the application of spots having an optimum shape and an optimum position relative to the respective objects and containing predetermined quantities of adhesive.

Abstract: The present invention relates to new biopolymer resistant coatings for materials that come in contact with such molecules in solution. Additionally, the present invention discloses a process for the fabrication of these coatings, under mild and scaleable reaction conditions, from simple, low molecular weight molecular components. Furthermore, the present invention teaches a general conceptual strategy for the design of additional protein resistant coatings.

Abstract: A method for producing a self decontaminating surface to decontaminate chemical and biological contaminants that are deposited on the surface and decontaminatable through reaction with free hydroxyl radicals. The method first includes determination of a surface to be treated and which is exposable to ultraviolet light. Second, a coating of nanoparticles of a transition metal oxide, non-limitedly exemplified by anatase titanium dioxide, is applied to the chosen surface. Application of the coating is accomplished by spraying heated nanoparticles or clusters thereof from a feed stock onto the surface to form a nanoparticle coating, with the nanoparticles being at a temperature of at least about 750° C. upon exit from a spray apparatus and of a size between about 5 nm and 100 nm.

Abstract: A rod 1 made of superconducting oxide is soaked in a molten normal conductor 2 to join the rod 1 and the normal conductor 2, whereby a superconducting oxide current lead is prepared. As a result, a contact resistance at the interface between the superconducting oxide and the normal conductor can be reduced. Consequently, Joule's heat at a current lead having a small cross sectional area can be suppressed low, which in turn realizes the reduction of the load on a freezer and the amount of evaporated cooling solvent, with respect to a superconducting coil.

Abstract: A method and composition for waterproofing a substrate includes applying a coating composition to a surface of the structural unit. The coating composition includes a) an organic solvent, b) a hydrocarbon resin and c) a copolymer having styrene and diene monomer units, a polymer having olefin monomer units, or a copolymer having styrene and olefin monomer units, or mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A resin-impregnated endless belt for a long nip press or calender of the shoe type, or for other papermaking and paper-processing applications, has an open base fabric in the form of an endless loop with an inner surface, an outer surface, a machine direction and a cross-machine direction. A coating of a polymeric resin is on the inner surface of the base fabric. The polymeric resin impregnates and renders the base fabric impermeable to liquids, and forms a layer on the inner surface thereof. The coating is smooth and provides the belt with a uniform thickness. The belt is manufactured by mounting the base fabric about a first roll and a second roll, which are separated to place the base fabric under tension in the machine direction. A conveyor belt is placed within the base fabric at a preselected distance from the inner surface thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of partially forming oxide layers on a surface of a substrate such as a glass plate by forming an oxide layer on the surface of the substrate, partially contacting the surface of the oxide layer formed on the substrate with an inorganic compound different from the oxide, dissolving partially the layer with the inorganic compound and removing the dissolved components of the layer together with the inorganic compound, by which the oxide layers are partially formed on the surface of the substrate efficiently and surely.

Abstract: An open-pored body (11), in particular a carbon component of an aluminum production cell, which is to be exposed to oxidizing conditions or chemical attack at high temperatures is treated to protect the body against oxidation or corrosion at high temperature by impregnating the surface of the body at about ambient temperature with a hot non-saturated liquid (10). This liquid contains a treating agent at a temperature above the temperature of the body. The concentration of treating agent in the hot liquid is such that when the liquid is cooled, before it reaches the temperature of the body, the liquid saturates and treating agent precipitates. A pressure differential is applied to cause the liquid to impregnate into the surface pores of the body (11) and precipitate a layer of the treating agent from the liquid inside the body by cooling as it impregnates the pores of the body.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a composite inorganic membrane, comprising depositing one or a mixture of organometallic compounds according to formula (1): M[allyl][cyclopentadienyl]  (1) in which: M is Pd, Nb, or Ni; on a surface of a porous supporter and then passing a reductive gas through the opposite side of said porous supporter to form a metal film at room temperature is discussed.

Abstract: The method of the present invention for conformally coating a microtextured surface has the steps of (a) flash evaporating a coating material monomer in an evaporate outlet forming an evaporate; (b) passing the evaporate to a glow discharge electrode creating a glow discharge monomer plasma from the evaporate; and (c) cryocondensing the glow discharge monomer plasma on the microtextured surface and crosslinking the glow discharge monomer plasma thereon, wherein the crosslinking results from radicals created in the glow discharge monomer plasma and achieves self curing.

Abstract: In a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit, a regenerator or a stripper includes a standpipe for circulating catalyst from one vessel to another, the standpipe having an inlet design which reduces gas entrainment during catalyst transport by partial de-fluidization in the standpipe inlet region. The standpipe inlet design could include multiple inlet openings through the top of the standpipe or from the side wall by means of slots, or both, and a horizontal disk surrounding the standpipe below the slots for blocking the upward flow of bubbles, the combination thereby forming a dense fluidization zone above the disk and surrounding the inlet, including the slots. Additionally, the disk may include a downwardly-projecting lip or edge forming an inverted void space around the standpipe and the downwardly-projecting edge may further include vent holes around its circumference which allow bubbles trapped under the disk to be vented outside the standpipe inlet region.

Abstract: A semi automatic coke drum deheader device for use on a coke drum wherein the coke drum includes an upper opening, a flange surrounding the upper opening and a first vessel cover releasably attached to the flange. The deheader device comprises a frame attached to the coke drum, a bridge for supporting the first vessel cover and a second vessel cover, a central shaft having a distal end connected to the bridge and a thrust collar surrounding the shaft below the distal end. A lift assembly is attached to the frame for engaging the thrust collar to selectively raise and lower the bridge relative to the flange, and a rotational assembly is operatively connected to the central shaft for rotating the bridge to selectively align the first vessel cover or the second vessel cover above the flange during the delayed coking process.

Abstract: A method to maintain a consistent thin film thickness deposited by chemical vapor deposition is described in which method a compensative coefficient K is provided. The initial preset deposition time T0 is multiplied by the compensative coefficient K to obtain an actual deposition time T, where T=K×T0. Using the actual deposition time T to conduct the deposition, the expected thickness of the thin film is obtained.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of protecting a surface of a carbonatic material from corrosion, the method comprising treatment of the material surface with an acidic cationic silica sol, the pH of the sol preferably being from about 4 to about 7. The invention also concerns a new silica sol useful for performing the method and a method of preparing the new silica sol. Further, the invention concerns carbonatic material comprising a surface layer of silica, the surface of the silica particles comprising a polyvalent metal oxide/hydroxide.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and device for manufacturing coated sleeves, whereby the sleeve is positioned vertically and held stationary, while a feed pipe is introduced from below, by vertical displacement, concentrically into the sleeve. Also from below, an excess of fluid is supplied under pressure, through the feed pipe. The fluid is allowed to emanate from an upper end outlet of the feed pipe and allowed to flow by gravity in the small gap which is formed between the feed pipe and the internal walls of the sleeve. The internal walls of the sleeve are thereby coated with the fluid, while at the same time, the coating of the outside of the sleeve is prevented. The invention also relates to a writing pen comprising a coated sleeve.