Abstract: A portable dock structure for the temporary docking of boats, particularly of pontoon or houseboats and the like, the dock structure having a gangway having an anchor end adapted for securing the structure to the shore of a body of water and having a boat end adapted for affixing to a boat, a flotation device on the gangway adjacent the boat end whereby the boat end can be first floated from the shore out into the water and the anchor end then secured to the shore and then the boat end affixed to a boat to thereby provide a stable passageway between the boat and the shore.

Abstract: A portable dock structure for the temporary docking of boats, particularly of pontoon or houseboats and the like, the dock structure having a gangway having an anchor end adapted for securing the structure to the shore of a body of water and having a boat end adapted for affixing to a boat, a flotation device on the gangway adjacent the boat end whereby the boat end can be first floated from the shore out into the water and the anchor end then secured to the shore and then the boat end affixed to a boat to thereby provide a stable passageway between the boat and the shore.

Abstract: An apparatus for deagglomerating powder in a mixture of liquid and powder, which contains a mixing tank, a rotatable shaft, at least two agitator disks connected to such shaft, and a vortex suppressor disposed above the topmost of such disks at a distance which is from about 30 to about 60 percent of the inside diameter of the mixing tank. The mixing tank has a height which is from about 9 inches to about 20 feet, and an inside diameter of from about 3 inches to about 3 feet; and the ratio of such height to such inside diameter is at least about 3/1. The distance between the agitator disks is from about 50 to about 200 percent of the diameter of the first agitator disk; each of such disks contains from about 4 to about 12 teeth attached around its periphery; the frontal area of each of said teeth is from about 0.02 to about 1.5 square inches; and each of such teeth is so attached that it forms an angle between the front face of the tooth and the radius of said disk of from about 5 to about 45 degrees.

Abstract: A mixer for delaminating, deagglomerating, mixing, and extruding a mixture of powder and liquid, which contains a mixing chamber, a variable speed rotating shaft disposed within the chamber, a multiplicity of stators extending from the interior wall of the chamber towards the shaft, and a multiplicity of differently configured auger blades connected to the shaft. The device contains a first, second, and third set of auger blades, each of which is connected to the shaft. The first set of augur blades has a pitch which is at least twice as great as the pitch of each of the second and third set of augur blades, and it also has a smaller face area.

Abstract: A predominantly .beta.'-sialon-bonded silicon carbide refractory article is produced by reaction-nitriding a green body containing a plurality of silicon carbide powders, none having an average particle size greater than about 200 micrometers, a metal oxide oxygen source, fine grained silicon, and a source of aluminum. The invention also includes a raw batch and a process for producing the refractory article.

Abstract: An apparatus for deagglomerating powder in a mixture of liquid and powder. This apparatus contains a mixing tank, an agitator disk disposed within the mixing tank, and a baffle. The agitator disc has a maximum dimension of from about 6 to about 40 inches. The disc contains a multiplicity of compound teeth radially and removably attached its perimeter. Each of the compound teeth is comprised of a substrate to which is attached a front plate which preferably consists of a ceramic material, such as tungsten carbide.

Abstract: An apparatus for deagglomerating powder in a mixture of liquid and powder which contains a mixing tank, an agitator disposed within the mixing tank, and a baffle. The agitator disk is circular, has an diameter of from about 6 to about 40 inches, and contains a multiplicity of compound teeth radially and removably attached to its perimeter. Each of the compound teeth is comprised of a substrate to which is attached a front plate, a top plate, and a bottom plate; each of these plates preferably consists of a ceramic material, such as tungsten carbide.

Abstract: A process for preparing a carbonaceous slurry is provided. The process involves the steps of (1) providing a slurry with specified properties, and (2) thereafter mixing said slurry. The slurry provided in the first step of this process contains from at least about 60 weight percent of sold carbonaceous material (such as coal), no more than about 40 weight percent of carrier liquid, and from about 0.1 to about 4.0 weight percent (by weight of dry carbonaceous material in the slurry) of dispersing agent. At least about 5 weight percent of the carbonaceous particles in the slurry provided in the first step are of colloidal size, being smaller than about 3.0 microns. The Brookfield viscosity of the slurry provided in the first step is less than 4,000 centipoise.The mixing step of the process of this invention improves the properties of the slurry provided, decreasing its viscosity.

Abstract: A stabilized coal slurry comprising pulverized and purified coal, water and a dispersing agent, said dispersing agent by selective absorption having produced different charging of particles of coal and particles of other substances to obtain purified coal and maintain the stability of the slurry.

Abstract: A process for pumping a carbonaceous slurry which contains at least about 60 volume percent of solids is disclosed. The slurry used in this process has a carbonaceous consist with a particle size distribution in substantial accordance with a specified CPFT formula. The slurry is pumped in a substantially laminar regime, at a Reynolds number of less than about 2100.

Abstract: A process for burning a carbonaceous slurry is provided. In this process, a high-solids content carbonaceous slurry with a specified particle size distribution and specified other properties is provided. Thereafter, the slurry is atomized and burned.

Abstract: A deashed coal-water slurry and process for preparing the same containing 65-85 percent of solids and 0.01-2.4 weight percent of dispersing agent. The slurry is comprised of a coal compact whose coal particles have a particle size distribution in substantial accordance with a specified formula. The coal-water slurry has a relatively low viscosity of less than 4,000 centipoise at a 75 percent solids content and, when it is pumped at either a constant or an increasing shear rate, its viscosity decreases. Also disclosed are a pumping process and an electrophoretic deashing cell and process.

Abstract: A process for preparing a carbonaceous slurry with a Brookfield viscosity of less than 5,000 centipoise when it is measured at a solids content of 70 volume percent, ambient temperature, ambient pressure, and 100 revolutions per minute, is disclosed. In the first step of this process, a specified carbonaceous compact is provided which has a certain particle size distribution, a specific surface area of from about 0.8 to about 4.0 square meters per cubic centimeter, an interstitial porosity of less than about 20 volume, and which contains at least about 5 weight percent of colloidally sized carbonaceous particles and at least 85 weight percent of particles smaller than 300 microns.

Abstract: A novel grinding mixture useful for preparing a solid-liquid slurry is disclosed. This grinding mixture contains from about 60 to about 82 volume percent of carbonaceous material (such as coal and/or coke), from about 18 to about 40 volume percent of carrier liquid (such as, e.g., water and/or oil), and from about 0.01 to about 4.0 weight percent of dispersing agent. The grinding mixture has a pH of from about 7 to about 12. There are at least two consists in the grinding mixture. From about 2 to about 50 weight percent of the particles in the grinding mixture have a median particle size of from about 0.5 to about 40 microns. From about 50 to about 98 weight percent of the particles in the grinding mixture have a median particle size in excess of 40 microns.There is also provided a process for preparing a liquid-solid slurry wherein the grinding mixture is ground until a slurry is produced whose particle size distribution is in accordance with a specified "CPFT" formula.

Abstract: A process for preparing a carbonaceous slurry which utilizes a reduced amount of dispersing agent is provided. In this process, a grinding mixture which is comprised of from about 60 to about 82 volume percent of carbonaceous solid material and from about 18 to about 40 volume percent of carrier liquid is provided. The optimum concentration of dispersing agent for this grinding mixture is then determined by a specified method. Thereafter, the grinding mixture is ground until a slurry with specified properties and a specified particle size distribution is obtained; during the grinding, a total of from about 10 to about 90 weight percent of the optimum concentration of dispersing agent is added to the grinding mixture by adding at least two separate portions of dispersant at at least two separate times.

Abstract: A process for providing a clean coal-water slurry, which contains from 60-80 volume percent of coal and has a relatively low viscosity, is provided. In one embodiment of this process, a coal-water mixture which contains 60-80 volume percent of solid material is ground until a slurry whose particle size distribution is in accordance with a specified CPFT formula is produced, and the coal is cleaned; in this embodiment, the coal is cleaned either by cleaning the coal-water mixture before grinding it, or by cleaning the coal-water slurry. In another embodiment of this process, a coal-water mixture is blended with at least one additional coal fraction(such as coal, coal-water mixture, or mixtures thereof) until a slurry is produced which contains 60-80 percent of solids and which has the aforementioned particle size distribution; and the coal is cleaned; in this embodiment, it is preferred to clean the coal by cleaning the coal-water slurry.

Abstract: A stable slurry containing carbonaceous solid material (such as coal or coke) carrier liquid (such as water or oil), and dispersing agent is disclosed. Also disclosed is a method of preparing the slurry by grinding a carbonaceous solid material at a high solids content of at least 60 volume percent to generate at least 5 weight percent of colloidal carbonaceous particles and mixing the carbonaceous solid material so ground with carrier liquid and dispersing agent until a slurry with specified properties is produced. A method of stabilizing a carbonaceous solid material-liquid slurry by adding to the slurry either fine carbonaceous solid material and/or dispersing agent and/or stabilizer is also disclosed.

Abstract: A deashed coal-water slurry and process for preparing the same containing 65-85 percent of solids and 0.01-2.4 weight percent of dispersing agent. The slurry is comprised of a coal compact whose coal particles have a particle size distribution in substantial accordance with a specified formula. The coal-water slurry has a relatively low viscosity of less than 4,000 centipoise at a 75 percent solids content and, when it is pumped at either a constant or an increasing shear rate, its viscosity decreases. Also disclosed are a pumping process and an electrophoretic deashing cell and process.

Abstract: A pipeline pumpable coal-water slurry having a novel combination of coal particles and carrier water is prepared by a method wherein the particle sizes and their distribution are controlled in accordance with a particle size distribution formula which is especially beneficial for providing a novel coal compact with a minimum amount of void space between particles and a maximum amount of particle surface area with an advantageous amount of colloidal sized particles present. These features combine to enhance the dispersing effects generated by electrolytes and/or dispersing agents selected and added to the coal compact and/or slurry to provide a near maximum zeta potential to the particles in the slurry and to provide low viscosity to the resulting yield pseudoplastic coal-water slurry. Brookfield viscosities obtained, e.g. 1000 cps, or less, at 60 rpm with 75 wt. % coal, dry basis, make the coal-water slurry especially advantageous for transport by pipeline over long distances.

Abstract: A high strength ceramic product especially adapted for electrical porcelain insulators and including alumina, clay, and flux (nepheline syenite or potassium feldspar). The alumina content is from 45 to 60% by weight of the ceramic body. The product is formed by conventional wet processing. By controlling the size of alumina and flux, a high modulus of rupture (in excess of 30,000 psi) is imparted to the fired ceramic product.