Abstract: A portable free-standing pole assembly having a vertical pole extending from the center of a platform. The platform is formed from a number of interconnected tubular rails that cooperate to provide a stable platform for the vertical pole and its use as a pole dancing implement.

Abstract: Boric acid is crystallized from saturated aqueous solutions thereof by adding to the solutions small proportions of water soluble polymers which control the particle size distribution of the boric acid during crystallization.

Abstract: A method for continuously controlling the formation of crystal fines in a continuous crystallizing process in which product crystals are produced in a crystallizing zone from crystallizable material in a mother liquor, and in which product crystals are thereafter recovered. The invention is practiced by adding a flocculant, specific to the crystallizable material, to the mother liquor at a rate effective to cause flocculation of particles of crystallizable material in the mother liquor. One embodiment of the invention is practiced in a process for producing sodium bicarbonate crystals by adding anionic polyacrylate and/or polyacrylamide polymers to a sodium carbonate-containing feed brine received in a carbonator.

Abstract: A process for the production of sodium carbonate wherein sodium bicarbonate is recovered from a brine containing sodium carbonate by carbonation of the brine under controlled conditions. The sodium bicarbonate is crystallized from the carbonated brine in a multi-stage carbonating, cooling and crystallization process after which it is filtered to produce wet cake. The wet cake is subjected to predrying to provide a predried wet cake of a specified free moisture content and mixed with recycle light ash to provide a dryer feed of specified moisture content to alleviate problems of product fouling or plugging of the dryer. The light ash from the dryer then is bleached and subjected to recrystallization, screening, centrifuging and drying to provide a dried sodium carbonate possessing, after evaporation of the water of hydration and free moisture, less than 0.10 percent moisture and chemical and physical properties meeting commercial dense ash specifications.