Abstract: A substantially rigid inner container is positioned on a upper surface of a floor of an outer container. The inner container is sized to receive at least partial support from the outer container and to have a volume such that when filled to a maximum capacity the total weight of the inner container, outer container and cargo do not exceed a predetermined maximum weight.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for transferring a liquid, particularly liquids, such as molten sulfur which are difficult to handle, from a liquid supply, such as a molten sulfur tank truck, to another location, such as a pug mill in which a sulfur/asphalt pavement material is blended. The apparatus comprises a relatively small transfer vessel, which is connected, through a shutoff valve, to the liquid for receiving a gravity flow of liquid therefrom, and an air compressor for pressurizing the transfer vessel through a pressurized air conduit. A check valve installed in the transfer vessel adjacent the liquid inlet of the vessel prevents the trasfer of liquid from the vessel back into the supply when the vessel is pressurized. An electrically-controlled valve in the pressurized air conduit enables an associated control unit to control the flow of pressurized air into the vessel.

Abstract: A process and apparatus useful for preparing a porous, particulate sulfur by combining a coherent molten sulfur stream with a coherent water stream to provide an aqueous slurry of a porous, particulate sulfur having a uniform particle size distribution. In the process, a molten sulfur stream is passed through a substantially downwardly oriented, rectangular slot to provide a sheet of molten sulfur, and said sheet of molten sulfur is sheared by directing at least one sheet of water thereat, at a velocity and flow rate sufficient to disrupt said sheet of molten sulfur and provide solid sulfur particles having a substantially uniform size. The solid sulfur particles are recovered, as an aqueous slurry thereof, and separated from said slurry by substantially removing the water therefrom.

Abstract: Urea and sulfuric acid are reacted in an air-water spray in cocurrent heat exchange therewith to produce concentrated urea-sulfuric acid solutions.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing relatively large and dense, relatively dry sulfur particles from molten sulfur comprises a manifold having a number of small, spaced apart, molten sulfur discharge apertures which are sized, according to the rate and pressure head at which the molten sulfur is received, for enabling the sulfur flow from each aperture to be laminar. Included is a vessel for holding a quenching liquid, preferably water. The manifold is mounted above the vessel with the discharge apertures preferably about one quarter inch to about two inches above the quenching liquid surface. Means are included for continuously moving the manifold in a circular path while the moltlen sulfur is discharged from the manifold apertures so that the discharged streams continually contact different regions of the quenching liquid. A conveyor is connected to the vessel for removing particulate sulfur therefrom.

Abstract: The invention is a process and apparatus useful for preparing an aqueous ammonia solution at a temperature below the boiling point thereof by single stage dilution of anhydrous ammonia with water. In the invention, an anhydrous ammonia fluid comprising ammonia vapor is mixed with water to provide an aqueous ammonia fluid at a first temperature above the boiling point of said aqueous ammonia fluid, the aqueous ammonia fluid is cooled to a second temperature above the boiling point of said aqueous ammonia fluid, and the cooled aqueous ammonia fluid is then indirectly contacted with liquid anhydrous ammonia to further cool said aqueous ammonia fluid to a temperature below its boiling point and thereby heat the liquid anhydrous ammonia to vaporize at least a portion thereof. The heated anhydrous ammonia fluid is utilized in the process of this invention to provide the aqueous ammonia fluid.

Abstract: Apparatus for endothermic dissolutions in water, including: a mixing tank 40, wherein solute is slurried with water; pump 59 and spray pipe 63, for spraying slurry into spray box 70; and fan 75 for drawing ambient air upwardly, in direct heat exchange relationship with descending slurry droplets. Dissolution is promoted, as the droplets extract heat from the countercurrent flow of air.

Abstract: An energy efficient, economical method for dissolving urea, and other endothermic materials, e.g. potassium chloride, ammonium nitrate, etc., in water, without the use of fossil fuel-derived heat, which comprises: forming a slurry of such material and water, said slurry including said material as both a dissolved and solid phase; forming droplets of said slurry; and contacting said droplets of said slurry, in direct heat exchange relationship, with a moisture-containing air stream, having a temperature greater than the temperature of said droplets of said slurry, at conditions whereby both heat and moisture are removed from said moisture-containing air to thereby dissolve at least a portion of said solid phase. This process is especially useful for forming aqueous forming urea solutions, useful in agricultural applications and having from 19 to 23 percent, by weight, nitrogen. An apparatus, useful in said method, is also disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for preparing a porous, particulate sulfur by combining a coherent molten sulfur stream with a coherent water stream to provide an aqueous slurry of a porous, particulate sulfur having a uniform particle size distribution. In the process of this invention, a molten sulfur stream is passed through a substantially downwardly oriented, rectangular slot to provide a sheet of molten sulfur, and said sheet of molten sulfur is sheared by directing at least one sheet of water thereat, at a velocity and flow rate sufficient to disrupt said sheet of molten sulfur and provide solid sulfur particles having a substantially uniform size. The solid sulfur particles are recovered, as an aqueous slurry thereof, and separated from said slurry by substantially removing the water therefrom.

Abstract: The instant invention relates to an apparatus and method for dividing a flowing multi-phase fluid to provide at least two separate fluid streams wherein each fluid stream has substantially the same ratio of phases. This apparatus and method are especially useful for dividing a fluid having a gaseous and a liquid phase e.g. ammonia, to provide at least two separate fluid streams wherein each fluid stream has about the same weight ratio of liquid phase to gaseous phase. The apparatus includes a fluid inlet chamber in fluid communication with at least two separate fluid outlet chambers through a plurality of fluid conduits. Each of the fluid conduits has a fluid conduit inlet opening communicating with the fluid inlet chamber and a fluid outlet opening communicating with one of the fluid outlet chambers.

Abstract: Phosphoric acids having H.sub.2 0/P.sub.2 O.sub.5 mole ratios of about 4.5 or less are converted to aqueous solutions of ammonium polyphosphates of which at least about 40 percent of the P.sub.2 O.sub.5 is present as acyclic polyphosphates. The reaction is conducted at 500.degree. to about 750.degree. F. sufficient to increase the polymeric P.sub.2 O.sub.5 content at least 10 percent by reacting a highly dispersed, unconfined acid spray with substantially anhydrous ammonia. High conversions to polymeric species are obtained while minimizing both reactor fouling when using impure wet-process acids, and corrosion occurring with either wet-process or "white" acids.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method and apparatus for the production of ammonium polyphosphate solutions of high concentrations from phosphoric acid and ammonia. The process is ideally suited for the production of such solutions from wet-process phosphoric acid which has a P.sub.2 O.sub.5 content of from 56 to about 70 weight percent, impurity-free basis, and which, preferably, contains from 5 to about 50 percent of its phosphorus present as polyphosphoric acid. The method comprises introducing the phosphoric acid into a reactor bearing a Teflon liner and reacting it therein with vapors of ammonia while controlling the amount of ammonia from 0.2 to about 0.3 pound ammonia per pound of P.sub.2 O.sub.5 in the feed acid, sufficient to achieve a peak reaction temperature in the reactor between about 525.degree. and 775.degree.F., the absolute value of which is dependent on the bulk water content of the feed acid.