Abstract: An apparatus and method for recovering constituents and/or heat energy from a fluidized bed combustion process utilizes a single vessel which combines a combustor for fluidized bed combustion of a chemical mixture fed therein and a heat exchange section. Characteristics of the fluidized bed are controlled by withdrawing an appropriate portion of the larger, unburned constituent particles from the bottom of the combustor, and smaller constituent particles are withdrawn by becoming entrained within the gases of combustion and being transported to the heat exchange section. The smaller particles are separated from the gases without the use of a cyclone separator and accumulate as another fluidized bed in the heat exchange section where heat is adsorbed from the particles for recovery purposes and to cool the particles. A portion of the cooled particles is then recirculated to the combustor by, for example, pneumatic transport methods for controlling the operating temperature of the combustion process.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for recovering constituents and/or heat energy from a fluidized bed combustion process utilizes a single vessel which combines a combustor for fluidized bed combustion of a chemical mixture fed therein and a heat exchange section. Characteristics of the fluidized bed are controlled by withdrawing an appropriate portion of the larger, unburned constituent particles from the bottom of the combustor, and smaller constituent particles are withdrawn by becoming entrained within the gases of combustion and being transported to the heat exchange section. The smaller particles are separated from the gases without the use of a cyclone separator and accumulate as another fluidized bed in the heat exchange section where heat is adsorbed from the particles for recovery purposes and to cool the particles. A portion of the cooled particles is then recirculated to the combustor by, for example, pneumatic transport methods for controlling the operating temperature of the combustion process.

Abstract: A system for producing phthalic anhydride by the catalytic oxidation of naphthalene, wherein the system is characterized by reduced capital and operating costs due to lower operating pressures.

Abstract: A system for producing phthalic anhydride by the catalytic oxidation of naphthalene, wherein without creating a significant pressure drop in the system substantially all of the catalyst particles are removed from the product stream before the product stream is sent to a battery of switch condensers for recovery of the phthalic anhydride.

Abstract: This invention constitutes an improved method for condensing fatty acids, particularly from steam streams exiting from distillation columns. Steam streams containing entrained high-titre fatty acids can be condensed in surface condensers if certain conditions are maintained. A surface condenser, having a shell and tube configuration, is oriented in a vertical position rather than the horizontal position often employed. Quite contrary to normal processing, the cooling medium is passed through the shell side of the surface condenser and the steam stream containing entrained high-titre fatty acids is passed through the tube side. Conditions must be maintained within the tube side of the condenser so that a velocity of at least 30' per second is provided and the steam stream must contain at least about 70% steam, by weight, in the tube side of the surface condenser.

Abstract: A process and system are provided for economic utilization of solar energy. Solar energy is absorbed and converted to thermal energy by means of at least two systems, operating in different temperature ranges, for circulating a primary fluid heat transfer medium through separate collector sections of a solar receiver to recover solar heat and through separate output heat exchangers to supply heat to a second heat transfer medium functioning as a working medium, with heat storage means being associated with each system for the purpose of satisfying the heat requirements of the working fluid and also to prevent cooling down of the collector during the time that little or no solar radiation is available.

Abstract: In the catalytic polymerization of olefins from liquid olefin monomer under positive pressure, the use of a fuel gas, required in any event for providing energy elsewhere in the system, as a regenerative drying gas to regenerate the beds of a molecular sieve dryer used to dry the liquid olefin to be polymerized.

Abstract: The invention provides a system for purifying tallow. Tallow received from rendering plants typically is contaminated with suspended plastic polymer fines. According to this invention plastic polymer fines are removed from tallow containing such fines by adjusting the temperature of the tallow to just above its freezing point, and contacting the tallow in a selected organic solvent to form a solution comprising the solvent containing dissolved tallow, and particles of undissolved plastic polymer. The resulting solution is then filtered to remove the particles of undissolved plastic polymer, and the filtrate which results is treated to separate the tallow from the solvent, e.g. as by evaporating the solvent under reduced pressure. The separated solvent may be condensed and recycled to treat fresh tallow.

Abstract: In the polymerization under pressure of liquid olefin to polyolefin using a Ziegler type catalyst, the reaction mass, comprising a mixture of catalyst and polyolefin dissolved in liquid monomer, is mixed in a mixer with water to kill the catalyst and reaction after which the highly corrosive aqueous solution of Ziegler catalyst is separated from the monomer and dissolved polymer in a settling tank. The inner wall of the mixer and/or settling tank and/or any other part of the equipment coming into contact with the aqueous Zeigler catalyst solution is lined with an acid resistant brick lining having an intermediate membrane lining between it and the inner wall. A carbon filled furan resin is used as a mortar for the brick lining and the membrane is a fiber glass reinforced furan resin to which the brick lining is cemented by a carbon filled furan resin adhesive. The membrane is also cemented to the inner wall by a carbon filled furan resin adhesive.

Abstract: In the polymerization under pressure of liquid olefin to polyolefin using a Ziegler type catalyst in which the reaction mass, comprising a mixture of catalyst and polyolefin dissolved in liquid monomer, is mixed in a mixer with water to kill the catalyst and reaction after which the highly corrosive aqueous solution of Ziegler catalyst is separated from the monomer and dissolved polymer in a settling tank; lining the inner wall of the mixer and/or settling tank and/or any other part of the equipment coming into contact with the aqueous Ziegler catalyst solution with an acid resistant brick lining having an intermediate membrane lining between it and such inner wall and in which the mortar of the brick lining is a carbon-filled furan polymer, in which the membrane is a fiber glass reinforced furan polymer and in which the brick lining is cemented to the membrane and the membrane is cemented to the inner wall by a carbon-filled furan polymer adhesive.

Abstract: Cooling the highly viscous reaction mass during catalytic polymerization of liquid olefins to polyolefins by pumping it to and from the reactor through the tubes of a heat transfer single pass cooler rather than a heat transfer multi-pass cooler as has been done in the past, increasing the number of the tubes in the single pass cooler as compared to the multi-pass cooler, reducing the diameter of the tubes and increasing the pump capacity. The number of tubes and pump capacity are increased sufficiently and the internal diameters of the tubes are decreased sufficiently so that the heat transfer coefficient of the single pass cooler is between 10 and 20 BTU/ft.sup.2 hr. .degree. F.

Abstract: Removing water and light ends from recycle liquid olefin monomer and fresh liquid olefin monomer feed before catalytic polymerization thereof in said liquid state with a water sensitive catalyst, by flowing them through a mass transfer plate tower with a reboiler which vaporizes them upwardly through openings in the plates of said tower and in the form of bubbles through layers of liquid monomer reflux maintained on said plates by weirs and downcomers by means of which said reflux is flowed from each plate downwardly to the plate below it and, as a layer, along the top of the plate and thence downwardly to the next lower plate, condensing in a reflux condenser the vapor from the top of said tower, removing from said condenser as a vapor said light ends, removing water from said condenser as a heavy condensed liquid fraction and refluxing back to the top of said tower as a lighter liquid fraction, condensed liquid monomer. Preferably the tower is a valve tray tower and the plates are valve trays.

Abstract: Removing oligomers (short chain polymers of from two to seven atoms in the chain) from olefin monomer vapor recovered for recycle from the reaction mass resulting from the catalytic polymerization of liquid olefinic monomers by flowing such recovered vapor through a mass transfer plate tower upwardly through openings in the plates of said tower and in the form of bubbles through layers of liquid oligomer reflux maintained on said plates by weirs and downcomers by means of which said reflux is flowed from each plate downwardly to the plate below it and, as a layer, along the top of the plate and thence downwardly to the next lower plate, condensing in a reflux condenser the vapor from the top of said tower, removing olefin monomer from said condenser as a vapor and refluxing condensed liquid oligomers back to the top of said tower. Preferably the tower is a valve tray tower and the plates are valve trays.