Abstract: A method for controlling a reactive distillation column for effecting a transalcoholisation reaction, comprising feeding a metal methoxide into the reactive distillation column via a side feed; feeding a reactant alcohol into a lower part of the reactive distillation column; withdrawing methanol from the top of the reactive distillation column; and withdrawing a solution of a product metal alkoxide in the reactant alcohol from the bottom of the reactive distillation column; wherein the method comprises a process control scheme selected from: Scheme A: establishing a signal S1 which is responsive to a temperature in the rectifying section disposed above the feed of the metal methoxide; and manipulating in response to the signal S1 the feed amount of the reactant alcohol; Scheme B: establishing a signal S1 which is responsive to a temperature in the rectifying section disposed above the feed of the metal methoxide; and manipulating in response to the signal S1 the heat supplied to the bottom of the reactive dis

Abstract: A process for preparing metal alkoxides by transalcoholisation, comprising: feeding a lower metal alkoxide and a higher alcohol into a reactive distillation column; removing a solution of a higher metal alkoxide in the higher alcohol from the bottom of the column or from a recycle stream taken from the bottom of the column; and removing a gaseous lower alcohol from the top of the column, at least partially condensing the gaseous lower alcohol, and recirculating a part of the condensate to the top of the column; wherein an auxiliary alcohol is provided in the reactive distillation column, the boiling point of the auxiliary alcohol being between the boiling point of the lower alcohol and the boiling point of the higher alcohol at the pressure prevailing in the reactive distillation column. The process allows for high conversion of a lower metal alkoxide to a higher metal alkoxide while limiting the formation of solid deposits in the column, while having low energy requirements.

Abstract: Process for hydroformylation of olefins having 6 to 20 carbon atoms in the presence of a cobalt catalyst in the presence of an aqueous phase with thorough mixing in a reactor wherein a hydroformylation products-containing first stream is withdrawn at the top of the reactor and an aqueous phase-containing second stream is withdrawn from the bottom of the reactor via at least one line leading out of the bottom of the reactor, which process comprises controlling one or more mass flow parameters of the second stream in accordance with the density of the second stream.

Abstract: An elastic buffer structure and process to avoid overflow or underflow in serial protocol communications using spread spectrum transmit and receive clocks or other separate transmit and receive clocks which may be running at different frequencies. Overflow and underflow are averted by storing received data in a FIFO at different addresses using a receive address pointer incremented at a receive clock rate. Other circuitry senses which addresses have nonessential primitives or nonessential data that can be deleted. Data is transmitted out of the FIFO at a transmit clock rate using a transmit address pointer incremented at the transmit clock rate. Control logic compares the transmit pointer to the receiver pointer, and when the distance between the pointers becomes too large or two small, inserts additional nonessential primitives or nonessential data or deletes nonessential primitives or nonessential data so as to maintain the distance between the pointers at a constant, selected value.

Abstract: A pet carrier, expandable to hold a pet and collapsible to suitcase size, includes a pair of platforms and first and second pairs of spaced walls. The first walls (e.g. front, rear) are pivotably attached at opposite ends to the platforms and are hinged at intermediate positions for collapsing or opening the carrier. The second walls (e.g. side) are pivotable toward an individual one of the platforms, with the platform as a fulcrum, to collapse the carrier and are pivotable toward the other platform to open the carrier. Resilient members at the bottom of the first walls releasably engage the second walls for maintaining the carrier open. The resilient members are constrained to provide for a pivotal movement of the second walls to the carrier's open relationship.

Abstract: A plurality of panels preferably made from a heat insulating material define an enclosure for a pet shelter. One of the panels has an opening for the pet to enter or exit the enclosure. The panels are disposed on a base member. Detents (e.g. hooks) on the panels are removably disposed in detents (e.g. openings) in the base member to position the panels in a particular relationship on the base member. The panels may be integral with one another or may be separate. When separate, the panels may be tilted inwardly to dispose the ends of adjacent pairs of the panels in a contiguous relationship. After being tilted, the panels are joined by locking rails, each engaging the contiguous ends of a different pair of adjacent panels and each removable to disengage the panels. A top cap on the panels defines a roof for the enclosure. When the panels are integral with each other, the top cap may be integral with the panels.

Abstract: A pet housing expansible to hold a pet and collapsible to suitcase size for manual transport includes a pair of platforms and first and second pairs of spaced walls. The walls in the first pair (e.g. front and rear walls) are pivotably attached at opposite ends to the platforms and are hinged at intermediate positions for collapse and expansion. The walls in the second pair (e.g. side walls) are pivotable toward an individual one of the platforms with the platform as a fulcrum to collapse the housing and toward the other platform to expand the housing. In the collapsed housing disposition, detents on opposite sides of the hinge on the first pair of walls releasably engage to maintain the housing collapsed. A manually grippable handle on one of the platforms provides for a transport of the collapsed housing. With the walls in the first pair expanded, detents on the walls in the first and second pairs of housings releasably engage to maintain the expanded housing enclosure.