Abstract: A first stage, sub-stoichiometric reaction chamber (12) reacts a carbon-based fuel with an oxygen-carrying gas to produce a combustible gas, heat, and residual ash. A rectangular grate (B) supports a fuel pile (34) in the reaction chamber. A fuel supply (20) continuously supplies the carbon-based fuel from overhead in sufficient quantity to maintain the desired pile configuration with minimum particle entrainment in the generated gas. A fabric chute (36) may be provided to further limit particulate entrainment in the generated combustible gas. A temperature sensor (78) monitors temperature at the grate or another preselected reaction condition. When the preselected condition is sensed, the grates are reciprocated to step residual ash to an ash removal conveyor (74). Nozzles (82) combust a portion of the generated gas to inhibit condensation of vaporized constituents. A second stage, combustion chamber (C) completely combusts the generated gas to derive useful work therefrom.

Abstract: The invention discloses a method of gas separation which pressurizes part of a raw gas issuing from the outlet of an adsorbing tower by employing a compressor portion of an expander compressor, cools the pressurized gas by means of a main heat exchanger, and expands the cooled gas by means of an expansion turbine of the expander compressor, thereby efficiently carrying out gas separation with a simple arrangement.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for calcining limestone to produce lime wherein coal is combusted to provide heat for the calcination. The coal is combusted in a two stage combustion unit, with at least seventy-five percent of the slag formed by the coal combustion removed from the first stage of the combustion unit. Residual gases and fuel are further combusted in the second stage of the two stage combustor, with hot combustion gases therefrom, having the molten slag removed, fed directly to the calcining chamber of a rotary lime kiln. The coal may be carbonized to form a char and a fuel gas for use in the two stage combustor.

Abstract: A method for metal-mirror cryofixation of bio-medical or similar technical specimens in which a specimen is brought into contact with a highly polished, cooled metal mirror in order to cool at least a marginal zone of the specimen suddenly to a low temperature. In order to avoid deformation of the specimen caused by freezing, provision is made, immediately after the first contact between the specimen and the metal mirror, to press the latter against one another by an additional independent force until the specimen is completely frozen. A cryofixation device for this purpose comprises a force generating device, for example, a separate power storage device (135) which, under control, functions after contact between the specimen (106) and metal mirror (102), in other words exerts the additional force between the specimen and the metal mirror (FIG. 7).

Abstract: A water-cooled air supply system for the combustion chamber of an incinerator. A longitudinal trough is formed in the lower end of the combustion chamber and a plurality of air supply tubes are spaced above the bottom of the trough. Elongated shrouds are secured in spaced relation to the upper and lower portions of each air supply tube and define cooling passages that receive a cooling medium. A plurality of outlet ports are located in each side of each air supply tube between the spaced edges of the shrouds and air is discharged from the ports into the lower end of the combustion chamber.

Abstract: An ash removal apparatus for an incinerator. The combustion chamber of the incinerator is provided with a longitudinally extending bottom trough and a pair of endless chains are mounted to travel in longitudinal grooves in the sides of the trough. A plurality of cleats connect the chains and the cleats extend only along a portion of the length of the chains so that during the combustion process, the cleats are not located in the combustion chamber where they would be exposed to the intense heat of combustion to remove ash, the chains are operated to move the cleats along the trough to convey ash out of the combustion chamber to a discharge site.

Abstract: A water heater having improved efficiency. The water heater includes a tubular member that is mounted in an opening in the side of the tank and extends generally horizontally across the tank. The tubular member defines a combustion chamber and a fuel burner is located within the combustion chamber. The outer end of the tubular member communicates with the atmosphere and air is drawn into the tubular member and mixed with fuel to provide a mixture which is ignited. The waste gases of combustion are discharged from the inner end of the tubular member into a heat exchanger which is located in the tank beneath the tubular member, and the hot waste gases being discharged from the combustion chamber and passing through the heat exchanger transfer heat to the water in the tank. The heat exchanger is connected to a stack and a blower is mounted in the stack downstream of the heat exchanger and serves to draw the waste gases of combustion from the combustion chamber through the heat exchanger to the stack.

Abstract: For continuous combustion air control in a hazardous waste incinerator, two signals are generated which totalize the air required on a fuel supplied basis. One signal is responsive to measured totalized fuel flow and this total can include fuel flow signals which are limited to the fraction of available air which corresponds to the fuel flow. The other signal is responsive to the totalized fuel flow that is commanded for maintaining an incinerator condition. In use the signal which requires the greater air flow is selected as the actual control signal for combustion air, and this control signal is biased to increase the air flow to obtain complete combustion of the hazardous waste by a controller acting on the measured amount of oxygen in the flue gas. In this manner the combustion air is manipulated in parallel with the waste fuel and if the fuel flow is limited by the available air, the air flow is limited to match the limited fuel flow.

Abstract: A rapper system particularly adapted for removing slag and other encrustations from heat transfer tubes or walls of heat exchanger components. The rapper systems according to this invention employ an electro-impulse type actuator. Linkages couple the heat exchanger components to the actuator such that the actuator exerts simultaneous but opposing forces to the driven surfaces to generate a modal response at the surfaces. Such deflection causes ash encrustations to be removed from the heat exchanger components. According to one embodiment, an elongated cross beam is used with an actuator mounted to it and driving a single connecting rod, whereas other connecting rods are coupled to the cross member. In another embodiment, a pair of cross members are provided which are oriented along skewed axes and drive four or more points on the heat exchanger components.

Abstract: The flow rate of multiple fuel streams supplied to an incinerator are controlled so as to provide maximum temperature and heat release conditions in the incinerator that will allow complete combustion of hazardous waste fuel. In addition, a minimum temperature for the incinerator is maintained by manipulating the flow rate of an auxiliary fuel such as natural gas, that is also supplied to the incinerator. In use, a control signal for manipulating a waste fuel flow is selected as the lowest signal of signals representative of a maximum temperature for the incinerator, a maximum heat release rate for the incinerator, a maximum heat release rate for a particular waste fuel, a maximum pressure for the incinerator, and the combustion air available.

Abstract: In a refrigerated fruit store 1, the atmosphere is controlled to low levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide using an activated carbon bed 2, by continuously repeating the following cycle of operations:(1) expose the carbon in the bed 2 to the atmosphere in the fruit store 1, until saturated with CO.sub.2 (12 minutes);(2) evacuate the bed 2, down to 7 kPa, to the gas reservoir 5, whereby the O.sub.2 and N.sub.2 (but not CO.sub.2) are released in "fruit store" proportions into the reservoir (2 minutes);(3) expose the bed 2 to air to purge it of the CO.sub.2 (18 minutes);(4) evacuate the bed 2 to waste (7 kPa is adequate) to remove O.sub.2 and N.sub.2, which would otherwise remain in the bed in substantially "air" proportions (i.e. excessive oxygen) (2 minutes);(5) expose the bed 2 to the gas put in the reservoir 5 at operation (2) above, so that the bed 2 now contains O.sub.2 and N.sub.2 in "fruit store" proportions (2 minutes);(1) expose the adsorptive medium to chamber atmosphere; and so forth indefinitely.

Abstract: A hydrogen-containing inlet gas stream is countercurrently extracted with lean solvent to produce an overhead stream of at least 90% purity hydrogen and a bottoms stream of rich solvent which is flashed in one to a plurality of stages. The flashed gas from at least the first stage, after compression, is recycled to the extracting step. The flashed gases from the remaining stages are recovered as fuel gas. When a hydrogen purity of more than 95% is needed, a minor portion of the stripped solvent from the last flashing stage is regenerated in a distillation column to form very lean solvent which is fed to the top of the extractor column while the major portion of the stripped solvent is fed to its middle.

Abstract: A coal-fired steam generator that has a water-steam circulation and a low pressure-heat carrier-circulation which, via a heater that is disposed in the flue gas flow of the steam generator and that has at least one heat transfer surface, absorbs heat from the flue gas flow and conveys this heat to a process that utilizes heat, especially a gas turbine process in conjunction with a coal-combination unit having a steam turbine connected in the water-steam circulation. To optimize the position of the heater for the low pressure-heat carrier-circulation, especially a sodium circulation, there are provided at least two flue gas passes that are connected in parallel with a combustion chamber of the steam generator, whereby the flue gas flow coming from the combustion chamber is distributed to these flue gas passes, at least one of which is associated with a water-steam circulation, while the other is associated with the low pressure-heat carrier-circulation.

Abstract: Apparatus for supplying an air curtain into a pit to facilitate combustion of material disposed within the pit includes an air supply tube mounted on wheels and having an inlet end and an outlet end, a nozzle structure disjointably mounted on the air supply tube at the outlet end thereof and in transverse relation thereto, a motor driven fan for supplying air through the air supply tube and the nozzle and into the pit, the junction between the air supply tube and the nozzle being readily disjointable to accommodate mounting of the nozzle atop the air supply tube for transport along a roadway.

Abstract: A steam boiler which includes a rear flue containing superheaters, reheaters, economizers and the like, a plurality of gas passages, and one or more dampers for regulating the flow of gases passing through the plurality of gas passages. In this arrangement, a gas mixer is provided to evenly mix the gases at the outlets of the gas passages.

Abstract: Waste heat steam generator for hot, dust-loaded gases under overpressure, with a gas feedline, with a gas exhaust line as well as with heat exchanger elements through which a coolant flows. The gas feedline is conducted inside a gas exhaust line, which opens from above into heat exchanger space which is concentrically arranged in a pressure vessel. The heat exchanger space is open at the lower end and in it the heat exchanger elements are supported. The space between the containment walls of the heat exchanger space and the pressure vessel wall at the upper end of the pressure vessel is connected to the gas exhaust line. The pressure vessel bottom in the form of a funnel is connected to an ash removal device. The containment walls of the heat exchanger space are provided with heat exchanger tubes.

Abstract: An air vent or louver for flush mounting to exterior walls of building comprises a wooden frame having a polygonal shape, a plurality of aluminum fins resembling wooden slats, and an aluminum facing resembling wood brick molding. The aluminum facing is formed around the wood frame and includes novel interlocking means for interengaging abutting corners of the aluminum members on the exterior face of the air vent or louver.

Abstract: In a steam generator, there is provided an annular foraminous or perforated flow distribution plate (100) which may be in the form of a single-piece annulus fixedly secured to the lower end of the heat exchange tube wrapper (146) for installation within new steam generator facilities, or alternatively, may comprise a plurality of arcuately-shaped segments (210) secured together by suitable bolt fasteners (226) for installation within existing steam generator facilities. The plate (100) is adapted to be wedgingly interposed between the lower end of the tube wrapper (146) and the upper surface (204) of the heat exchange tube bundle tubesheet (122), and the plate (100) has the configuration of a conical frustum for stability.

Abstract: The inefficiency of the nitrogen stripping section of a high purity oxygen-producing air distillation plant is reduced. This allows increased recovery of byproduct argon and in some cases increased recovery of refrigeration work also. The improvement is obtained by evaporating kettle liquid with condensing argon rectifier vapor in two sequential stages, to yield vapor streams respectively having more and less O.sub.2 content than the kettle liquid, and separately feeding them to the N.sub.2 removal column. The improvement is applicable to both dual and triple pressure processes. Referring to FIG. 1, kettle liquid is supplied via valve 11 to the top of contactor 18, and overhead reflux condenser 13 of argon rectifier 14 reboils the bottom of contactor 18. Vapor streams of differing O.sub.2 composition are withdrawn from above and below 18.

Abstract: A fluidized bed heat generator with improved collector for ash removal and heat recovery comprises a central hearth having a fluidization grid at its lower end. The side wall of the hearth is enclosed by a hollow peripheral enclosure to define an intermediate volume therebetween which is connected both to the upper part of the hearth and to fume tubes. These fume tubes extend through the peripheral enclosure and open into a fume exit conduit such that fumes and entrained ash from the hearth can be directed via the intermediate volume and the fume tubes to the fume exit conduit. Water is arranged to circulate within the peripheral enclosure around the hearth and fume tubes.