Abstract: A fractionation column can be used to separate a liquid containing multiple components into its constituent components based on vapor pressure. While the fractionation column may be designed for certain operational performance, the operational characteristics may change, for example, due to changed flow rates through the column and/or fouling in the column. In some examples, a fractionation column is described that includes a fractionation tray formed of multiple tray decks that move relative to each other. The tray decks can have apertures that move relative to each other between a position in which there is a comparatively large amount of open area through the fractionation tray to a position in which there is a comparatively small amount of open area through the fractionation tray. Movement of the trays can control turndown and/or clear fouling buildup on the tray surface.

Abstract: A fractionation column can be used to separate a liquid containing multiple components into its constituent components based on vapor pressure. While the fractionation column may be designed for certain operational performance, the operational characteristics may change, for example, due to changed flow rates through the column and/or fouling in the column. In some examples, a fractionation column is described that includes a fractionation tray formed of multiple tray decks that move relative to each other. The tray decks can have apertures that move relative to each other between a position in which there is a comparatively large amount of open area through the fractionation tray to a position in which there is a comparatively small amount of open area through the fractionation tray. Movement of the trays can control turndown and/or clear fouling buildup on the tray surface.

Abstract: A vertical seed conditioner may be formed of a plurality of sections that can be individually removed for repair and/or replacement without requiring the entire seed conditioner be permanently decommissioned. For example, the seed conditioner may be formed of a plurality of heat transfer sections stacked vertically with respect to each other to form the conditioning vessel. Each heat transfer section may include an inlet manifold, an outlet manifold, and multiple heat transfer tubes extending from the inlet manifold to the outlet manifold. The multiple heat transfer tubes may be spaced from each other to provide a gap between adjacent tubes through which the granular solid can travel.

Abstract: A method of absorbing a solvent from a gas stream may involve flowing a gas stream comprising air and a hydrocarbon through an absorption column in a countercurrent direction with a first lean absorbent liquid to absorb solvent out of the gas stream and generate a first conditioned gas stream and a first rich absorbent liquid. The method can then involve flowing the first conditioned gas stream through the absorption column in a co-current direction with a second lean absorbent liquid to absorb solvent out of the first conditioned gas stream and generate a second conditioned gas stream having a reduced concentration of the hydrocarbon than the first conditioned gas stream and a second rich absorbent liquid.

Abstract: A desolventizer for processing solvent-wet solid material may include a thermal recirculation loop to increase thermal performance. In some examples, the desolventizer includes a housing, an ejector, and a vent. The housing contains a first tray and a second tray vertically elevated above the first tray to define a processing space. The ejector has an inlet located between the first tray and the second tray and an outlet also located between the first tray and the second tray. The vent has an inlet located between the first tray and the second tray. In operation, the ejector can draw gas from the processing space via the inlet and discharge the gas through the outlet back into the processing space, creating a recirculation loop.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and techniques can be provided for processing an oil-containing material with an alcohol-based solvent to extract oil from the material. In some examples, a system includes an extractor configured to process an oil-containing feedstock. The extractor receives the oil-containing feedstock and conveys the material from an inlet to an outlet through the extractor. The extractor also receives an alcohol-based solvent at a solvent inlet and conveys the solvent through the extractor to a solvent outlet. The alcohol-based solvent may be ethanol. A concentration of oil in the feedstock may decrease as the feedstock moves through the extractor from the inlet to the outlet while the concentration of the oil in the solvent increases.

Abstract: Systems and techniques can be used to extract solid material with an alcohol-based solvent. To subsequently recover the solvent after extraction, the solvent-wet solid material having undergone extraction can be desolventized. The solvent-wet solid material may be desolventized in multiple stages, either in a single vessel or in multiple different vessels, to generate multiple corresponding condensate streams containing alcohol and water vaporized from the solvent-wet solid material. By splitting desolventization into multiple stages, the composition of the condensate streams generated during desolventization can be individually controlled to benefit downstream processing. For example, the first condensate stream produced during desolventization may have a comparatively low amount of water whereas a second condensate stream produced during desolventization may have a comparatively high amount of water.

Abstract: An oil extraction process may be performed on an oleaginous feedstock using an alcohol-based solvent, such as ethanol. In some examples, an extraction process involves conveying a material in countercurrent direction with an alcohol-based solvent to generate an extracted material and a miscella. The miscella stream is cooled (14) to form a first solvent-rich layer phase separated from a first oil-rich layer, which is then separated (18) to form a first separated oil-rich stream (100) and a first separated solvent-rich stream (102). In some examples, the first separated solvent-rich stream is recycled back to the extractor and introduced into the extractor at a location (38) different than a location (30) where fresh solvent is introduced into the extractor.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for determining and correcting inter-wafer misalignments in a stack of wafers transported by a wafer handling robot. An enhanced automatic wafer centering system is provided that may be used to determine a smallest circle associated with the stack of wafers, which may then be used to determine whether or not the stack of wafer meets various process requirements and/or if a centering correction can be made to better align the wafers with a receiving station coordinate frame.

Abstract: A liquid extractor may include an extraction chamber containing a bed deck configured to support a solid material as the solid material is conveyed through the extraction chamber. To introduce solvent into the solid material being processed, the extractor may include a solvent injection orifice extending through the bed deck and a solvent injector. The solvent injector can receive solvent from a source and cause the solvent to rotate within the solvent injector before discharging the solvent through an outlet in fluid communication with the solvent injection orifice. The rotational flow motion imparted by the injector can create a vortex that functions to scout out any particles that may be present in the injector.

Abstract: An apparatus for picking, placing, and forming a composite charge over a complex geometry tool comprises a first frame, a second frame, and a plurality of dynamic mechanisms. The first frame is formed from rigid material and includes a first frame member that forms at least a rectangular perimeter. The second frame is formed from flexible material and includes a second frame member that forms at least a rectangular perimeter. Each dynamic mechanism is connected to the first frame and the second frame and located along the perimeters of the first frame and the second frame. Each dynamic mechanism includes a length-variable component positioned between the first frame and the second frame, with at least a portion of the dynamic mechanisms configured to vary a length of the length-variable component for the second frame member to conform to the shape of the complex geometry tool.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for determining and correcting inter-wafer misalignments in a stack of wafers transported by a wafer handling robot are discussed. An enhanced automatic wafer centering system is provided that may be used to determine a smallest circle associated with the stack of wafers, which may then be used to determine whether or not the stack of wafer meets various process requirements and/or if a centering correction can be made to better align the wafers with a receiving station coordinate frame.

Abstract: An apparatus for picking, placing, and forming a composite charge over a complex geometry tool comprises a first frame, a second frame, and a plurality of dynamic mechanisms. The first frame is formed from rigid material and includes a first frame member that forms at least a rectangular perimeter. The second frame is formed from flexible material and includes a second frame member that forms at least a rectangular perimeter. Each dynamic mechanism is connected to the first frame and the second frame and located along the perimeters of the first frame and the second frame. Each dynamic mechanism includes a length-variable component positioned between the first frame and the second frame, with at least a portion of the dynamic mechanisms configured to vary a length of the length-variable component for the second frame member to conform to the shape of the complex geometry tool.

Abstract: A fractionation column can be used to separate a liquid containing multiple components into its constituent components based on vapor pressure. While the fractionation column may be designed for certain operational performance, the operational characteristics may change, for example, due to changed flow rates through the column and/or fouling in the column. In some examples, a fractionation column is described that includes a fractionation tray formed of multiple tray decks that move relative to each other. The tray decks can have apertures that move relative to each other between a position in which there is a comparatively large amount of open area through the fractionation tray to a position in which there is a comparatively small amount of open area through the fractionation tray. Movement of the trays can control turndown and/or clear fouling buildup on the tray surface.

Abstract: An apparatus for picking, placing, and forming a composite charge over a complex geometry tool comprises a first frame, a second frame, and a plurality of dynamic mechanisms. The first frame is formed from rigid material and includes a first frame member that forms at least a rectangular perimeter. The second frame is formed from flexible material and includes a second frame member that forms at least a rectangular perimeter. Each dynamic mechanism is connected to the first frame and the second frame and located along the perimeters of the first frame and the second frame. Each dynamic mechanism includes a length-variable component positioned between the first frame and the second frame, with at least a portion of the dynamic mechanisms configured to vary a length of the length-variable component for the second frame member to conform to the shape of the complex geometry tool.

Abstract: A desolventizer for processing solvent-wet solid material may include a thermal recirculation loop to increase thermal performance. In some examples, the desolventizer includes a housing, an ejector, and a vent. The housing contains a first tray and a second tray vertically elevated above the first tray to define a processing space. The ejector has an inlet located between the first tray and the second tray and an outlet also located between the first tray and the second tray. The vent has an inlet located between the first tray and the second tray. In operation, the ejector can draw gas from the processing space via the inlet and discharge the gas through the outlet back into the processing space, creating a recirculation loop.

Abstract: An apparatus for picking, placing, and forming a composite charge over a complex geometry tool comprises a first frame, a second frame, and a plurality of dynamic mechanisms. The first frame is formed from rigid material and includes a first frame member that forms at least a rectangular perimeter. The second frame is formed from flexible material and includes a second frame member that forms at least a rectangular perimeter. Each dynamic mechanism is connected to the first frame and the second frame and located along the perimeters of the first frame and the second frame. Each dynamic mechanism includes a length-variable component positioned between the first frame and the second frame, with at least a portion of the dynamic mechanisms configured to vary a length of the length-variable component for the second frame member to conform to the shape of the complex geometry tool.

Abstract: A vertical seed conditioner may be formed of a plurality of sections that can be individually removed for repair and/or replacement without requiring the entire seed conditioner be permanently decommissioned. For example, the seed conditioner may be formed of a plurality of heat transfer sections stacked vertically with respect to each other to form the conditioning vessel. Each heat transfer section may include an inlet manifold, an outlet manifold, and multiple heat transfer tubes extending from the inlet manifold to the outlet manifold. The multiple heat transfer tubes may be spaced from each other to provide a gap between adjacent tubes through which the granular solid can travel.

Abstract: An extractor can be used to extract solvent-soluble molecules, such as aqueous or organic-soluble molecules, from solid material feedstock for downstream processing and recovery. In one configuration, the extractor is a percolation extractor having one or more extraction chambers each containing a screen supporting the solid materials as it is conveyed through the chamber, a fluid supply system delivering extraction fluid disposed above the solid material, and a fluid recovery system disposed below the solid materials for receiving the extraction fluid and solvent-soluble molecules contained therein. The extractor further includes a screen washing system disposed under the screen and supported against movement. The screen washing system includes a washing fluid intake and a plurality of outlet nozzles directed upward towards the screen. The screen washing system can keep the screen from plugging during operation, improving the extraction efficiency of the extractor.

Abstract: An automotive splash guard includes first and second molded pieces. The first molded piece has a shape configured to have at least a portion thereof installed outside an automobile wheel well, and the second molded piece has a shape configured to be installed in an automobile wheel well. The first piece has an exterior painted surface, the first piece is separate from the second piece while the first piece is being painted and is attached to the second piece after being painted by mechanical joining or adhering. A method for manufacturing a splash guard includes molding the first piece; molding the second piece; painting the first piece while it is separate from the second piece; and then attaching the second piece to the first piece.