Abstract: A solar energy collector which is inexpensive to manufacture and install comprising a heat absorber unit of rubber-like material having channels for the passage therethrough of heat exchange fluid and spaced-apart retainer means on its top for retaining a flexible solar collector cover in a flexed configuration accomplished by wedging it between the retainer means so that the area of the insulating space between absorber and collector can be controlled for different climates by spacing the retainer means and a simple means for assembling absorber and collector is provided. The collector is adapted to be mounted on a base to form a modular unit.

Abstract: A process for recovering aluminum from fly ash containing iron, silicon and titanium which comprises: (a) chlorinating the fly ash in an oxidizing atmosphere to selectively chlorinate and vaporize iron chloride from the remaining chlorides, (b) chlorinating the residue from step (a) in a reducing atmosphere of carbon monoxide, in the presence of added silicon chloride to suppress the chlorination of silicon, and vaporizing the chlorides of aluminum, silicon, titanium, and the residual iron, (c) separating and recovering the vaporized chlorides by selective condensation, and treating the residue of step (b) with sulfuric acid to convert calcium chloride to gypsum, and to regenerate a chloridizing and binder solution for pelletizing fly ash feed.

Abstract: An improvement in the method for recovering marketable values of solder, lead, and a zinc chloride-ammonium chloride solution from solder skimmings which comprises grinding the skimmings, water leaching the skimmings to dissolve the zinc chloride and ammonium chloride, screening the leach residue to recover solder from the leach slurry, separating the ammonium and zinc chloride solutions from the lead chloride in the leach slurry, and contacting the lead chloride with an alkaline flux, a reductant, and an oxygen-containing gas under heat to recover lead from the lead chloride.

Abstract: An improved hybrid bipolar electrode particularly useful in an alkali chloride electrolysis application, having an anodic member and cathodic member connected in spaced apart relationship by a fastener assembly, a seal being formed between portions of the anodic member and the cathodic member to substantially seal electrolyte from the space between the anodic member and the cathodic member. In one aspect, a barrier member is interposed between the anodic member and the cathodic member to inhibit the contact of migrating atomic hydrogen with the anodic member. In one other aspect of the present invention, a portion of the fastener assembly is constructed of an electrically conductive material and electrical continuity is established between the anodic member and the cathodic member via the fastener assembly, the barrier member serving to effectuate a more even distribution of current flow between the cathodic member and the anodic member in yet another aspect of the present invention.

Abstract: An improvement in conventional processes for recovering metal values from sulfide ores containing lead, zinc and silver sulfides in which process the metal sulfides are converted to chlorides by chlorination followed by solubilization of the chlorides with a sodium chloride leach and subsequent recovery of the metals from their chlorides in accordance with a conventional flow sheet including crystallization, cementation, precipitation, fused salt electrolysis, etc., with chlorine being recovered for reuse by electrolysis of the sodium chloride leach solution substantially depleted of lead, silver and zinc, the improvement being a pollution-free process which comprises:1. recycling the sodium chloride solution depleted of a major percentage of lead and silver to the sodium chloride or brine leaching step; and2.

Abstract: A pollution-free process for the recovery of high purity zinc from zinc containing material including sulfide ores which provides for maximum conservation and re-use of reagents, the process consisting of chlorinating the materials either with ferric chloride or chlorine gas followed by selective removal of metals other than zinc by standard procedures, such as, lead chloride crystallization, cementation, etc. to produce a solution containing essentially only zinc chloride and ferrous chloride. To enhance the purity of the zinc end product zinc chloride is separated from the ferrous chloride solution with a zinc selective extraction agent from which the zinc chloride is stripped with sodium chloride solution in a sodium chloride stripping circuit followed by precipitation of zinc as the carbonate.