Abstract: A cot is designed to be used positioned against the side of a parent bed. A folding leg arrangement enables the height of the cot sleeping base to be matched with the parent bed. The leg arrangement uses support struts and sliding connections to the cot support base to maintain its footprint at all heights. The end walls and side walls are all foldable relative to the sleeping base. The cot can be folded flat by folding the side walls onto the base and the end walls in on top of them. The leg arrangement can also fold flat. One side wall can be folded out to lie on the adjacent parent bed, bridging the gap. It can also be folded at half height to provide partial access when upright, or a shorter bridge when folded out.

Abstract: The present invention is a process for feeding particulate material to a fluidized bed reactor operated at greater than atmospheric through a standpipe wherein the ratio of the absolute pressure where the standpipe enters the fluidized bed reactor to the absolute pressure where the particulate material enters the standpipe is at least about 1.5 and gas is injected into the standpipe at a velocity which is about 20-80 percent of the minimum fluidization velocity of the particulate material.

Abstract: A laser bar code is provided with a check sum that serves to validate the read accuracy with the action of reading itself. A bar code reader system includes a frame grabber in conjunction with video image processing software that utilizes the check sum to ensure accurate reading. The reader is used to check the accuracy and readability of the bar code mark and also for downstream bar bode reading.

Abstract: The invention provides an improved method and apparatus for feeding solids to a fluidized bed reactor. A back pressure control valve regulates the pressure drop between the pressure above a solids column in a standpipe and the pressure in the reactor. Solids are fed from the standpipe via a conduit without valve means, the conduit contains a bend of an angle greater than the angle of repose of the solids.

Abstract: In a fluidized bed process having a bed of fluidized particulate material which is susceptible to having at least some of the particulate material being entrained in the gases exiting the bed, the entrainment is reduced by introducing the particulate material into the process, in the substantial absence of a gas which transports the particulate material, at one or more points which are below the surface of the bed of fluidized particulate material.

Abstract: The invention provides an improved method and apparatus for feeding solids to a fluidized bed reactor. A back pressure control valve regulates the pressure drop between the pressure above a solids column in a standpipe and the pressure in the reactor. Solids are fed from the standpipe via a conduit without valve means, the conduit contains a bend of an angle greater than the angle of repose of the solids.

Abstract: To qualify the heights of inwardly projecting nuclear fuel rod-positioning stops formed in the sidewall of tubular ferrules 12 utilized in fuel bundle spacers, an automated gauging apparatus, seen in FIG. 6, is provided to handle successive ferrules on an automated basis. The apparatus includes an orienting station 32 for longitudinally reorienting each ferrule, if necessary, and angularly orienting each ferrule in a pickup position. A mechanism 68 picks each ferrule from its pickup position and places it on an arbor 84 with the rod-positioning stop surfaces bearing against arbor reference surfaces. A plurality of eddy current probes 96 (FIG. 8) are positioned to measure the proximity of ferrule peripheral surface sites adjacent the stops and thus provide output gauging signals indicative of the heights of the various stops.

Abstract: An improved industrial multistage recirculating-fluidized-bed reactor for producing chlorine and iron oxide having an initial "dense" zone and a downstream "dilute" zone. In the dense zone, a fuel is burned, reactants and recirculated iron oxide particles are heated, ferric chloride is vaporized and at least 50% of the ferric chloride is converted to chlorine and iron oxide. In the downstream dilute zone, a solids fraction from 0.005-0.05 is maintained, along with a superficial gas velocity from 1.5-6 meters/second which is from 5-25 times the superficial gas velocity in the dense zone, and the conversion of ferric chloride is continued to greater than 95% completion.

Abstract: An improved industrial process and apparatus are provided for producing chlorine and iron oxide in a multi-stage recirculating-fluidized-bed reactor wherein ferric chloride in the vapor phase is reacted with an excess of oxygen at temperatures from 550.degree. to 800.degree. C. The improvement comprises utilizing a reactor that includes an initial "dense" zone and a downstream "dilute" zone. In the dense zone, a fuel is burned, reactants and recirculated iron oxide particles are heated, ferric chloride is vaporized and at least 50% of the ferric chloride is converted to chlorine and iron oxide. A solids volume fraction from 0.3 to 0.6 and a superficial gas velocity from 0.15 to 0.6 meters/second are maintained in the dense zone. In the downstream dilute zone, a solids fraction from 0.005 to 0.05 is maintained, along with a superficial gas velocity from 1.

Abstract: An improved process is provided for producing chlorine and iron oxide in a fluidized-bed reactor by treating ferric chloride in the vapor phase with an excess of oxygen at a temperature of 550.degree. to 800.degree. C. in the presence of a catalyst made from sodium chloride and iron oxide. A carbonaceous fuel is fed to the reactor bed to supply supplemental heat. The improvement comprises using a fluidized-bed reactor in which a portion of the bed material is continuously recycled and the carbonaceous fuel is supplied in a pulverized solid form in an amount equal to between 1 and 9 percent of the weight of the iron chloride fed. The fuel has a stable ignition temperature in air of no higher than 500.degree. C. and contains hydrogen amounting to between 0.5 and 2.5 percent by weight of the fuel. The process is particularly useful for avoiding potential pollution problems associated with the disposal of iron chloride by-product from ilmenite chlorination processes while recovering valuable chlorine.