Abstract: In a reactor for gasification of solid carbonaceous materials in a fluidized bed under elevated pressure and at high temperatures using a hot gasification agent, a feed device for the gasification agent is installed in the lower part of the reactor chamber and traverses this chamber in the form of a bridge, which has an arch joined to the walls of the reactor chamber, said arch consisting of refractory brick and supporting a section of metal pipe. The latter is shielded from the outside by the arch and by a top-mounted structure of refractory material. On the inside, the metal pipe is also provided with a tubular lining of refractory material. Metal pipe, lining, and arch have openings for passage of the gasification agent. The size and shape of the openings are selected to assure passage of the gasification agent even if the parts undergo changes in length as a result of the effects of temperature.

Abstract: A method of sterilization for hospital and field use in which an article to be sterilized is submerged in water and ozone, which is supplied from a separate source, is bubbled through said water and over said article so as to provide an ozone concentration in excess of water saturation alone. Such a process can be used to kill even the most difficult bacteria and spores in shorter times than ethylene oxide sterilizers and further can be used for instruments which cannot stand steam temperatures or pressure changes.

Abstract: The apparatus comprises a process vessel, containing a process bed of fluidized particles, having a first submerged port at a first end and a second submerged port at a second end. Both ports are inclined in the same sense so that particles leave the second end of the bed at a higher level than they enter the first end. Fluidized bed material entering the second port becomes defluidized and slides down the port, optionally with the assistance of a fluid injected into the port. The first port conducts particles into the process bed from a second fluidized bed and the second port conducts particles out of the process bed (e.g. into the second bed). The process bed rests on a fluid distributor having a horizontal first part adjoining, and no higher than the level of, the lower end of the first port and a horizontal second part adjoining, and at the level of, the second port, there being a vertical step connecting the first and second distributor parts at a location between the first and second ports.

Abstract: A scrubber is provided with a grate in its sump through which oxygen is introduced to separate the oxidation zone above this grate from a reaction zone below the grate, a calcium containing additive being introduced into this reaction zone. Flue gas to be desulfurized is passed through a washing zone above the sump and there contacted with normally circulating scrubbing liquid containing the additive to absorb sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide. The sulfur dioxide is oxidized to sulfur trioxide and the additive induces precipitation of calcium sulfate in the sump. After a prolonged standstill, settled solids in the sump are induced into movement by drawing a portion of the sump liquid from an upper part thereof and injecting it into a lower part of the sump.

Abstract: A feed pipe is provided for introducing highly reactive monomers into a continuous reactor to effect polymerization of such reactive monomers. The feed pipe has concentric tubes forming a central flow channel and an annular flow channel which are sized to insure laminar flow within said tubes. The feed pipe is particularly useful for feeding melts of organic dianhydride and organic diamine into an extrusion reactor for polyetherimide preparation.

Abstract: A catalytic converter in which at least two catalyst units are arranged within a casing in the direction of exhaust gas flow, with a space between the units transverse to the exhaust gas flow direction. A secondary air supply pipe is inserted into this space in such a manner that a base portion of the inserted pipe is sealingly secured to the casing, while the downstream end of the inserted pipe is supported by a resilient strap or leaf member, one end of which is secured to the downstream end of the inserted pipe and the other end is secured to the casing.

Abstract: A mixing head for two reactive components, e.g. the components of a settable synthetic resin mixture, comprises a mixing chamber in which a plunger is shiftable to block and unblock the nozzle orifices and drive the reaction mixture from the chamber through an outlet. At least one of the nozzles is carried on a readily shifting slider which cooperates with a similarly shiftable obturating member to define a small premixing chamber, as desired, and deflect the mixture through at least 90.degree. within the mixing chamber. This system is especially effective for the mixing of reactive components which have hitherto been found to be difficult to mix with conventional mixing heads.

Abstract: A mixing head for two or more reactive components especially anionically polymerizing caprolactam comprises a piston formed with recess means which, at the end turn toward the outlet of the mixing chamber, intercept respective streams of the components which are normally trained upon one another and thus prevent mixing just before the piston blocks the ports through which these streams are directed into the mixing chamber.

Abstract: A counter-rotational flow of combustion gas within a carbon black reactor is created by a baffle, such as an axially aligned helix-shaped fin, to promote the mixing of combustion gas and feedstock.

Abstract: An apparatus (21) and method is disclosed for keeping interior walls (28) of a reaction vessel (22) free of undesirable deposits of solid materials in gas-to-solid reactions. The apparatus (21) includes a movable cleaning head (36) which is configured to be substantially complementary to the interior contour of the walls (28) of the reaction vessel (22) and which is disposed in close proximity to the walls (28). The head (36) ejects a stream of gas with a relatively high velocity into a narrow space between the head (36) and the walls (28), and in accordance with Bernoulli's principle the head (36) is biased towards the walls (28) by the pressure prevailing in the reaction vessel (22). The gas ejected from the head (36) is of such composition that it does not participate significantly in the chemical reaction conducted in the reaction vessel (22).

Abstract: An aqueous corrosion inhibitor composition of soluble antimony and molybdenum salts in which the weight ratio of soluble antimony salt to molybdenum salt ranges between about 0.01 to 1 and about 5 to 1. This corrosion inhibitor is particularly useful in acid gas scrubbing processes, under alkaline conditions, where alkali metal salts and amine compound promoters are used.

Abstract: An insulation system for protecting metal membranes that seal a fluidization grid floor in a process vessel to the vessel wall or to a standpipe in the vessel. The seal is comprised of erosion-resistant castable refractory, compressible insulation and metal in specifically arranged layers and in a manner such that expansion of the grid floor does not stress the castable refractory.

Abstract: A device for liquid-solid fluidized beds comprises a reactor in which a number of static mixing elements are disposed in superposed relation. A device of this kind, which is preferably used for chemical reactions, ensures high concentrations of solid and stable operation of the liquid-solid fluidized bed and has good radial exchange properties and reduced backmixing.

Abstract: A compressed ceramic fiber blanket insulation is held in place in the domed portion with a plurality of curved ribs, or alternatively, the combination of curved ribs and a wire mesh. Such arrangement is preferable for holding fiber blanket insulation material over possible alternate methods for securing it since the thermal expansion of the ribs at elevated operating temperature of the vessel is designed to progressively compact the blanket lining to counteract any fiber shrinkage or associated expansion of the metal shell casing.

Abstract: A fastening anchor for securing a second refractory layer to a previously applied first insulation layer made of ceramic material is disclosed. The ceramic anchor is partially driven into the first layer prior to setting of the first layer, and the second layer is applied over an enlarged head portion and serations of the anchor.

Abstract: A technique and apparatus for thawing a frozen blood plasma unit while maintaining the unit in a dry condition includes a water bath and a special holder which supports a thin plastic bag in which the plasma unit is contained. The holder maintains the bag and the plasma unit submerged in a manner which affords substantial thermal contact between the plasma unit and the water bath.

Abstract: For processing matter in a turbulent mass of particulate material, a substantially annular processing region (14; 104; 206) is provided and is preferably in the form of a substantially annular processing chamber having a radially inner wall which includes a waist (38; 122). A flow of fluid and matter to be processed are admitted to the processing region through one or more inlets (28, 46; 108, 124; 214, 220) with the flow of fluid being directed generally circumferentially into the processing region. In the processing region, matter to be processed is embedded in a compact turbulent band of particulate material for processing. Once processing is complete, the processed matter is withdrawn from the processing region, preferably by entrainment in an exhaust flow of the fluid.

Abstract: A radial flow reactor design which allows the maintenance of a temperature profile along the height of a catalyst bed which descends through the reactor by gravity flow. Two feed inlet conduits are provided on the inlet side of the annular catalyst bed, with the inlets being divided by a porous flow control and distribution means. The inlet streams have different temperatures and the distribution means produces a changing admixture rate between the two streams along the bed. A preferred form of the distribution means is an open-topped cone located within the centerpipe of the reactor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided in a chemical heat pipe for shifting the reaction equilibrium in order to operate at a "shifted" temperature without also "shifting" the pressure. A diluent is added to the heat pipe in a constant-pressure manner near a reaction zone. The diluent exists in the gaseous phase at the reaction zone so as to shift the reaction equilibrium. This has the effect of "shifting" the temperature required for the reaction to proceed to a predetermined extent. The diluent is chemically inert in the particular reacting system and is removed from the system so as not to increase the pressure therein. In a preferred embodiment, methylcyclohexane is dissociated by endothermic reaction at a heat source position to form toluene and hydrogen and water is added to the heat pipe at or near the heat source position to form a diluent of water vapor at the reaction zone. The diluent is removed from the system downstream of the reaction zone, as by a desiccant.

Abstract: An apparatus for the storage and production of hydrogen from a solid compound.The solid compound is a compound of at least one rare earth and a metal of group VIII of the periodic system, which can selectively fix hydrogen by hydrogenation. It is placed within a sealed container and is in a compact and machinable or workable form.