Abstract: Apparatus for operating a shaft furnace, whereby an upper section of the shaft furnace is charged with raw materials which due to gravity descend inside the furnace while the atmosphere prevailing within the shaft furnace causes part of the raw materials to melt and/or to be reduced, and in a lower section of the shaft furnace a process gas is injected so as to at least partly modify the atmosphere prevailing in the shaft furnace. The pressure and/or volume flow of the injected process gas is dynamically modulated within a time span of 40 s. Also, a shaft furnace operable by said method, thus achieving improved through-gassing.

Abstract: Method for operating a shaft furnace, whereby an upper section of the shaft furnace is charged with raw materials which due to gravity descend inside the furnace while the atmosphere prevailing within the shaft furnace causes part of the raw materials to melt and/or to be reduced, and in a lower section of the shaft furnace a process gas is injected so as to at least partly modify the atmosphere prevailing in the shaft furnace. The pressure and/or volume flow of the injected process gas is dynamically modulated within a time span of 40 s. Also, a shaft furnace operable by said method, thus achieving improved through-gassing.

Abstract: According to the invention, a process for the preparation of a statin is provided, comprising the following steps: a) preparation of a compound of the formula II in which S1 denotes a hydrogen atom or a hydroxylprotective group, S2 and S3, independently of one another, denote hydroxylprotective groups and R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a carboxylprotective group, by stereoselective hydrogenation of a compound of the formula III to give a compound of the formula II-a and optionally introduction of a hydroxylprotective group and b) lactonization of the compound of the formula II to give a compound of the formula I-a

Abstract: Process for dyeing cellulose fibers or cellulose blend fibers, which comprises dyeing the fibers mentioned with water-soluble reactive dyes which contain in the dye molecule at least once the structural element of the formula ##STR1## in which Y denotes a hydroxyl, hydroxymethyl, alkoxy C.sub.1 -C.sub.4, aldehyde, carboxamide, monoalkyl C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -carboxamide, dialkyl C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -carboxamide, monophenyl carboxamide, cyano, alkyl C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -oxycarbonyl or sulfo group or a halogen atom, in an aqueous medium within the pH range 4-11.

Abstract: Compounds of the general formula (1) ##STR1## in which the Zs, preferably identical to each other, each denote a hydroxy group or a sulfato, thiosulfato or phosphato group. They can be prepared by first converting biphenyl by sulfochlorination into biphenyl-4,4'-disulfochloride, then reducing the latter with an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal sulfite or hydrogensulfite to sulfinic acid, and in turn reacting the latter with ethylene oxide to give 4,4'-bis-(.beta.-hydroxyethylsulfonyl)-biphenyl, which can be esterified in conventional manner. They are used for modifying and improving the physical and coloristic properties of materials made of natural and/or synthetic polyamide fibers and/or polyurethane fibers and as auxiliaries in dyeing processes for such fiber materials.

Abstract: An improvement in a slide gate for a container holding molten metal comprising a slide housing and refractory bodies made of a refractory composition, which refractory bodies have been impregnated with carbon-containing media, the improvement residing in employing as the carbon-containing medium an oil containing less than 10% by weight pitch.