Abstract: Dialogue enhancement of an audio signal, comprising obtaining a set of time-varying parameters configured to estimate a dialogue component present in said audio signal, estimating the dialogue component from the audio signal, applying a compressor only to the estimated dialogue component, to generate a processed dialogue component, applying a user-determined gain to the processed dialogue component, to provide an enhanced dialogue component. The processing of the estimated dialogue may be performed on the decoder side or encoder side. The invention enables an improved dialogue enhancement.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for decomposing nitrous oxide from a gas stream (1).

Abstract: The invention relates on a process for working-up a nitrous oxide comprising off-gas stream from a production process of adipic acid by decomposing the nitrous oxide contained in the off-gas stream into nitrogen and oxygen in a fixed bed reactor (21) of a N2O decomposition unit (9) at a temperature in the range from 430 to 800° C. to obtain a purified gas, wherein for controlling the N2O decomposition unit (9) a nonlinear model predictive control is used which is based on a reactor model of the fixed bed reactor based on equations of energy transport and species transport for nitrogen, oxygen and N2O.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an integrated process for simultaneously preparing at least two mixtures comprising alkali metal methoxide and methanol in at least two parallel reactive distillation columns, wherein one rectification column is used for providing a methanol stream which is then used as methanol source for the reactive distillation columns, and wherein the top streams of said reactive distillation columns are used as methanol source for said rectification column.

Abstract: Cardiac ablation catheters include an outer balloon positioned at a distal end of the catheter and configured to have an inner balloon disposed therein. The outer balloon is inflated with a first fluid that has a temperature less than 100 degrees Celsius, while the inner balloon is inflated with heated vapor. An area of contact between the two balloons, comprising a surface area less than the total surface area of either balloon, creates a hot zone for ablating cardiac tissue through the transfer of thermal energy from the contact area to the cardiac tissue.

Abstract: Cardiac ablation catheters include an outer balloon positioned at a distal end of the catheter and configured to have an inner balloon disposed therein. The outer balloon is inflated with a first fluid that has a temperature less than 100 degrees Celsius, while the inner balloon is inflated with heated vapor. An area of contact between the two balloons, comprising a surface area less than the total surface area of either balloon, creates a hot zone for ablating cardiac tissue through the transfer of thermal energy from the contact area to the cardiac tissue.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a reactor R with apparatus D, the latter comprising a gas- and/or liquid-permeable tray B, in the edge region of which there is disposed a lateral boundary W which fully encloses the tray B and forms a volume V comprising catalytic and/or noncatalytic shaped bodies (F), wherein there is at least one braid made of precious metal and/or base metal on the upstream side opposite the tray B, and the catalytic and/or noncatalytic shaped bodies (F) are selected from (i) shaped bodies (F1) in the form of straight prisms, the footprint of which is selected from triangle, rectangle, hexagon or fragments of these polygons, and (ii) a combination of the shaped bodies (F1) with shaped bodies (F2) that are smaller than the shaped bodies (F1), wherein groups of m to n shaped bodies (F1), m and n being an integer from 3 to 30 with n>m, are framed in a metal cassette open in the upstream direction and closed in the downstream direction by a gas-permeable tray, in a virtually seamless manner

Abstract: Cardiac ablation catheters include an outer balloon positioned at a distal end of the catheter and configured to have an inner balloon disposed therein. The outer balloon is inflated with a first fluid that has a temperature less than 100 degrees Celsius, while the inner balloon is inflated with heated vapor. An area of contact between the two balloons, comprising a surface area less than the total surface area of either balloon, creates a hot zone for ablating cardiac tissue through the transfer of thermal energy from the contact area to the cardiac tissue.

Abstract: The invention relates to a reactor for carrying out heterogeneously catalyzed gas-phase reactions, having an internal element (11, 35) or a plurality of internal elements (11, 35) which are arranged in succession in the flow direction of the gas mixture of the heterogeneously catalyzed gas-phase reaction through the reactor (10), where the internal elements extend over the entire reactor cross section, wherein the one or more internal elements (11, 35) is/are at least partly made of a fiber composite ceramic material.

Abstract: A composite heat source for use in a smoking article is provided, including a non-combustible porous ceramic matrix; and a particulate combustible fuel embedded within the non-combustible porous ceramic matrix. The non-combustible porous ceramic matrix is formed from one or more particulate materials having a median D50 particle size at least five times less than the median D50 particle size of the particulate combustible fuel. Preferably, the non-combustible porous ceramic matrix includes one or more transition metal oxides.

Abstract: The invention relates to a reactor for carrying out heterogeneously catalyzed gas-phase reactions, having an internal element (11, 35) or a plurality of internal elements (11, 35) which are arranged in succession in the flow direction of the gas mixture of the heterogeneously catalyzed gas-phase reaction through the reactor (10), where the internal elements extend over the entire reactor cross section, wherein the one or more internal elements (11, 35) is/are at least partly made of a fiber composite ceramic material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a reactor R with apparatus D, the latter comprising a gas- and/or liquid-permeable tray B, in the edge region of which there is disposed a lateral boundary W which fully encloses the tray B and forms a volume V comprising catalytic and/or noncatalytic shaped bodies (F), wherein there is at least one braid made of precious metal and/or base metal on the upstream side opposite the tray B, and the catalytic and/or noncatalytic shaped bodies (F) are selected from (i) shaped bodies (F1) in the form of straight prisms, the footprint of which is selected from triangle, rectangle, hexagon or fragments of these polygons, and (ii) a combination of the shaped bodies (F1) with shaped bodies (F2) that are smaller than the shaped bodies (F1), wherein groups of m to n shaped bodies (F1), m and n being an integer from 3 to 30 with n>m, are framed in a metal cassette open in the upstream direction and closed in the downstream direction by a gas-permeable tray, in a virtually seamless manner

Abstract: Process for reducing hexavalent chromium in oxidic solids, which comprises the steps: a) heating of the oxidic solid containing Cr(VI) to a temperature of from 600 to 1400° C. in an atmosphere containing less than 0.1% by volume of an oxidizing gas and b) cooling of the reaction product obtained after step a) to a temperature below 100° C. in an atmosphere containing less than 0.1% by volume of an oxidizing gas, characterized in that no reducing agent is added to the oxidic solid or to the atmosphere in step a) and b) in the process.

Abstract: A composite heat source for use in a smoking article is provided, including a non-combustible porous ceramic matrix; and a particulate combustible fuel embedded within the non-combustible porous ceramic matrix. The non-combustible porous ceramic matrix is formed from one or more particulate materials having a median D50 particle size at least five times less than the median D50 particle size of the particulate combustible fuel. Preferably, the non-combustible porous ceramic matrix includes one or more transition metal oxides.

Abstract: Process for reducing hexavalent chromium in oxidic solids, which comprises the steps: a) mixing of the oxidic solid containing Cr(VI) with a carbon-containing compound which is liquid in the range from 20 to 100° C., b) treatment of the mixture obtained after a) in an indirectly heated reactor at a temperature of from 700° C. to 1100° C., particularly preferably at a temperature of from 800° C. to 1000° C., under a protective atmosphere, c) cooling of the reaction product obtained after b) to at least 300° C., preferably at least 150° C., under a protective atmosphere.

Abstract: A device D accommodated in a reactor R and containing a gas- and/or liquid-permeable bottom B, in the peripheral region of which is arranged a lateral boundary W which completely surrounds the bottom B and forms a volume V which is partially or completely filled with catalytic and/or non-catalytic moldings, there optionally being located on the side facing the bottom B in the upstream direction at least one noble metal and/or non-noble metal fabric, wherein a thermal insulation layer S is located on at least part of the surface of the inner side of the lateral boundary W of the device D, the material for the thermal insulation layer S being selected from the group consisting of ceramic material, microporous material and silicate fibers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing chromium(III) oxide by reaction of alkali metal chromate with gaseous ammonia, subsequent hydrolysis, isolation of the hydrolysis product and calcination.

Abstract: Process for preparing chromium(III) oxide, which comprises the steps: a) reaction of sodium monochromate with gaseous ammonia, in particular at a temperature of from 200 to 800° C., b) hydrolysis of the reaction product obtained in step a) with the pH of the water for the hydrolysis being reduced before the hydrolysis or that of the alkaline mother liquor being reduced during or after the hydrolysis, to a value of from 4 to 11, preferably from 5 to 10, by means of an acid, c) isolation of the hydrolysis product which has precipitated in step b), preferably at a pH of from 4 to 11, in particular from 5 to 10, and optionally washing and optionally drying and d) calcination of the hydrolysis product obtained in step c) at a temperature of from 700 to 1400° C., in particular from 800 to 1300° C.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tray for a mass transfer column, having gas passage openings distributed over the tray (1), and having at least one baffle (11) for flow diversion of liquid flowing on the tray, it being possible for the tray (1) to be fed with a liquid via at least one entry (3). The tray has at least one entry (3), at least one separating weir (5), which separates the inflowing liquid into two streams, and at least two exits (12), or has at least two entries (3) and at least one exit (12) for the liquid, each stream flowing along a flow path (7; 9) to an exit (12). The invention further relates to a mass transfer column comprising the tray, and to a use of tray and mass transfer column.

Abstract: A device D accommodated in a reactor R and containing a gas- and/or liquid-permeable bottom B, in the peripheral region of which is arranged a lateral boundary W which completely surrounds the bottom B and forms a volume V which is partially or completely filled with catalytic and/or non-catalytic moldings, there optionally being located on the side facing the bottom B in the upstream direction at least one noble metal and/or non-noble metal fabric, wherein a thermal insulation layer S is located on at least part of the surface of the inner side of the lateral boundary W of the device D, the material for the thermal insulation layer S being selected from the group consisting of ceramic material, microporous material and silicate fibers.