Abstract: A process and apparatus for the continuous mass polymerization of styrenic and alkenylnitrile monomers.

Abstract: Apparatus for synthesizing ammonia from an ammonia feed gas passing to an ammonia synthesis converter from a horizontally disposed heat exchanger. The synthesis converter comprising a shell and catalyst holder positioned within and spaced slightly from the shell to provide an annular passageway therebetween, is close coupled through a channel to a heat exchanger and a conduit extends through the channel and is adapted to be connected to the tube side of the heat exchanger.

Abstract: A reaction vessel including a generally cylindrical center part and two plates or discs which are secured to and close the ends of the center part. The reactant is fed into the interior of the vessel where the polymerization or other chemical reaction takes place. A heat transfer or heat exchanger system is formed by a smooth liner that is mounted coaxially with and within the interior of the center part. The liner is spaced from the center part and it is secured to the center part by a plurality of support portions. The support portions serve both to brace the liner so that it can withstand the pressure of the reactant, and as partitions which form flow paths for a coolant, between the liner and the center part.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the continuous mass polymerization of styrenic and alkenylnitrile monomers. The process comprises the steps of continuously introducing a feed comprising a predetermined ratio of styrenic and alkenylnitrile monomers into a reaction vessel to produce a reaction mixture; subjecting the reaction mixture to conditions of temperature and pressure under which said monomers copolymerize to produce a styrenic/alkenylnitrile copolymer; subjecting the reaction mixture to sufficient agitation; continuously withdrawing styrenic/alkenylnitrile copolymer from the reaction vessel; and devolatilizing the styrenic/alkenylnitrile withdrawn from the reaction vessel by a two-stage procedure including first adjusting the ratio of styrenic to alkenylnitrile monomer therein followed by heating to volatilize the volatile components and then separation of volatile components.

Abstract: Feed oils are injected axially into a carbon black reactor in a manner which slows buildup of deposits in the reactor. This is accomplished utilizing a nozzle configuration for injecting the feed oil into the carbon black reactor so that deposit-forming contaminants are directed away from the walls of the reactor. In one aspect, the feed oil is separated into two streams, one stream is contaminant-rich and the other is substantially contaminant-free. The contaminant-rich stream is fed into the reactor surrounded by the substantially contaminant-free stream. In another embodiment, a feed nozzle for a carbon black reactor is formed by a first feed tube surrounded coaxially by a second feed tube. The first feed tube can be utilized to inject contaminant-rich feed oil into the reactor. The second feed tube can be utilized to inject contaminant-free oil into the reactor in a manner such that it surrounds the contaminant-rich stream.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the continuous mass polymerization of styrenic and alkenylnitrile monomers. The process comprises the steps of continuously introducing a feed comprising a predetermined ratio of styrenic and alkenylnitrile monomers into a reaction vessel to produce a reaction mixture; subjecting the reaction mixture to conditions of temperature and pressure under which said monomers copolymerize to produce a styrenic/alkenylnitrile copolymer; subjecting the reaction mixture to agitation; continuously withdrawing styrenic/alkenylnitrile copolymer from the reaction vessel; and by withdrawing vapor phase from the reaction vessel in a controlled amount by varying the amount of cooled surface available for condensing the vapors, condensing the vapors by contact with the cooled surface and returning the condensate to the reaction vessel. The process and apparatus also include a novel means for devolatilizing the product copolymer.

Abstract: An automatic extractor apparatus has a rotatable turn table on which are supported a plurality of angularly spaced-apart treating vessels. The treating vessels are mounted around the periphery of the turn table and are supported by pivot pins such that when the turn table is in a non-rotation state, the treating vessels hang downwardly from the pivot pins, whereas when the turn table is rotationally driven at high speed, the heating vessels pivot about the pivot pins and are flung outwardly due to centrifugal force. A drive mechanism rotationally indexes the turn table to different stop positions, and a plurality of treating stations are disposed at the stop positions to treat the solution contained in the treating vessels and extract therefrom the desired substance. The turn table is used both as an indexing table for indexing the treating vessels to different stop positions and a centrifuging table to centrifuge the solutions in the treating vessels.

Abstract: A novel arrangement of cyclone and plenum assembly and support therefor wherein the plenum is a totally separate vessel and is suspended from the main vessel shell on pinned connectors to thereby provide for unrestrained vertical and horizontal movement. In turn, the cyclone weight or load is supported directly from the outer periphery of the plenum chamber in a manner to allow direct load transfer from the heavy cyclones directly upward through the brackets and pinned connectors to the main vessel shell. This arrangement which is in effect a floating plenum and cyclone combination, is connected to the vessel outlet line with a flexible bellows connection providing the necessary seal between the main vessel and the plenum. The use of relatively short radial bracket members on the outer periphery of the plenum chamber, to which the pivoted support links are connected, minimizes the length of the support beam to which the combined load of the cyclones and the plenum is applied.

Abstract: A chamber for the treatment of particulate matter in a fluidized bed, e.g. at elevated temperatures, comprises an apertured bottom for the admission of carrier gas into the overlying space. The latter is divided by upstanding partitions into at least one medial compartment and at least two additional compartments adjoining the at least one medial compartment at the opposite sides of the latter. The apparatus further comprises a duct of substantially triangular cross-section with a horizontal base and an upwardly sloping side walls located in the at least one medial compartment, with the side walls of the duct extending in directions parallel to the partitions, and the base of the duct being imperforate and resting on the wall of the chamber and preventing the entry of the carrier gas into the at least one medial compartment from below; and a nozzle arrangement in each of the upwardly sloping side walls of the duct.

Abstract: An electric egg cooker is converted to a baby bottle sterilizer by mounting an insert thereon formed with seats for the baby bottles and nipples. A hood, which can be fitted over this insert, has a height sufficient to accommodate the baby bottles.

Abstract: A support structure for a distribution grid to be mounted in a reaction vessel wherein the reaction vessel is formed with an inwardly-extending annular shoulder portion to which is mounted, such as by welding, a ring-member whereby the distribution grid is mounted on such support structure.

Abstract: A catalytic converter includes a longitudinally disposed body portion having first and second shell halves and an interior in which first and second catalytic substrates are disposed. A divider is positioned between the first and second catalytic substrates and is selectively attachable to accommodate substrates of various relative sizes. The divider includes first and second divider halves, with each divider half having a pair of flanges which extend perimetrically and substantially completely along the interior wall of one shell half. The portion of the interior wall of each shell to which the divider flanges are attached has a greater longitudinal extent than the longitudinal extent of the pair of divider flanges to allow selective placement of the dividers in the converter body portion. The divider flanges are disposed substantially parallel to the interior wall and are coupled thereto. The divider flanges include a portion which is recessed inwardly from the interior wall.

Abstract: A chemical oxygen generator includes a candle in which oxygen is present and which is chemically combined and which is ignited by starting means to initiate the generation of the oxygen. This takes several seconds before a substantial quantity of oxygen is provided. Because a user of this oxygen must be supplied with the oxygen for respiration immediately, the invention includes a generator which has a pressure space, preferably above, below and around the oxygen candle which is located in the space and which is filled with compressed oxygen. The generator includes a member which is actuated upon release of the starting means for the oxygen to permit outward flow of the oxygen in the pressure space which is supplied until the oxygen being released from the candle is produced by the ignition of the candle.

Abstract: In all refractory gas distributor is used to distribute fluidization gas to a fluidized bed reactor. The distributor slabs contain cast-in gas passages which distribute the gas to uniformly distributed grid holes to the surface. The slabs are continuously supported by a bed of refractory filling the bottom head of said reactor vessel and pressure equalization passages are provided to place the lower surface of the grid plate in fluid communication with the upper surface of the grid plate.

Abstract: A process vessel which contains a control system for maintaining average pressure drop across gas discharge nozzles above a minimum valve to prevent the occurrence of inactive nozzles, said nozzles comprising part of a distributor which is used to distribute gas across the lower portion of the processing vessel, wherein the control system comprises:(a) means for establishing a flow signal representative of the rate of flow of gas in said pipeline supplying the gas to said distributor;(b) means for establishing a temperature signal representative of the temperature of the gas flowing in said distributor;(c) means for establishing a pressure signal representative of the pressure of the gas flowing in said distributor;(d) computing means for calculating the average pressure drop across said nozzles using said flow, pressure, and temperature signals and appropriate constant parameters and equations;(e) means for comparing said average pressure drop across said nozzles with a minimum value, generating a correction

Abstract: A fluidized bed reactor in which at least a portion of the walls of the reactor housing are formed by a plurality of water wall tubes. A fluidized bed is formed in the housing and a plurality of heat exchange tubes are provided, at least a portion of each of which extends into the bed. One or both ends of each heat exchange tube registers with a water wall tube and a water flow circuit is formed that includes the water wall tubes and heat exchange tubes for passing the water in a heat exchange relation with the bed.

Abstract: A process for automatically providing for periodic surge flow or liquid slugs in the catalyst bed to insure that the catalyst is periodically fully wetted. Therefore, before dry spots develop in the bed and some catalyst particles are deprived of the liquid reactants, the aforesaid liquid pulse or slug will rewet the catalyst. This desired periodic introduction of a liquid slug through a catalyst bed is accomplished by the provision of a plurality of automatically actuating and operating siphon means disposed and distributed across the area of the distributor tray means within the reactor.

Abstract: Plants are used for the reduction in volume of solid, bioinjurious wastes, especially radioactive wastes, in closed sheet metal containers, which consist of a closed containment enclosure having roller conveyors and other transportation elements, a container receiving lock, a high pressure press and a container discharge lock; a compacting apparatus is characterized by a container charging lock rotatable around the vertical axis and having a hydraulic cylinder for transporting the sheet metal container into the high pressure press and having a hydraulic for ejecting the shaped sheet metal container whereby a movable gripping element takes charge of transportation of the formed sheet metal container to the container discharge point.

Abstract: A fluid bed reactor system for olefin polymerization composed of a cylindrical reaction vessel equipped with a distribution plate and an agitator, characterized in that the distribution plate satisfies the following conditions,(i) each of many passage holes provided in the distribution plate for passage of the fluidizing gas medium is covered with a cap having an opening,(ii) the opening in said cap is provided only on one side of the cap, and the direction (A) of the opening is not opposite to the direction (B) of the rotational flow,(iii) the direction (A) of the opening varies with the distance (d) from the center (X) of the plate to the center (Y) of the hole,(iv) the opening direction (A) of a cap or caps at a hole or holes whose distance (d) is minimum is directed nearer to the center (X) than is the tangential direction of a circle having the center (X) as a center and the distance (d.sub.min.

Abstract: Surfaces and articles or devices sterilized with an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution are treated with an aqueous solution comprising a sufficient amount of sodium pyruvate to decompose the hydrogen peroxide. The invention includes a method and sterilization system which is particularly useful in medical applications. Hydrophilic contact lenses may be conveniently sterilized with a hydrogen peroxide solution and rendered non-irritating to the eyes by treating the sterilized lenses with a sterile, sodium pyruvate solution which decomposes any hydrogen peroxide remaining with the lenses.