Abstract: A method for improving the capability of a body to withstand stress during rotation of the body by inducing at a selected location in the body a residual compressive stress which opposes the steady tensile stress produced by rotation. The method comprises rotating the body at a succession of increasing peak speeds in excess of the design speed to induce tolerable yielding and residual compressive stress at each location experiencing higher steady tensile stress than the selected location. The succession proceeds from the location experiencing the highest steady tensile stress above that at the selected location to the location experiencing the lowest steady tensile stress above that at the selected location. Then the body is rotated to a still higher peak speed to induce tolerable yielding and residual compressive stress at the selected location.

Abstract: A seal assembly comprising a ring having radial and axial seals thereon positionable between mating parts for sealing flow of fluid from high to low pressure regions between the mating parts.

Abstract: A labyrinth seal for sealing the gap between the rotating impeller assembly and the stationary housing of turbomachinery comprising a seal holder which serves simultaneously to comprise the stationary part of the seal and to contact process gas so as to maintain the stationary seal part temperature at about the temperature of the rotating part, thus reducing differential thermal change between the stationary and rotating members of the labyrinth seal.

Abstract: Apparatus for disposing of pelletized refuse by conversion into useful gaseous products and inert solid residue, comprising a vertical shaft and an enlarged hearth beneath the shaft, with a multiplicity of tuyeres for feeding oxygen-containing gas into the hearth.

Abstract: Process for solid refuse disposal in which a vertical shaft furnace is maintained at 30-250 psia, part of the recycle-condensate is filtered to form liquid waste a portion of which is incinerated with a minor part of the product gas to form hot exhaust gas used to heat feed water in steam boiler zone, and energy from the resulting steam is recovered as part of the process energy requirement.