Abstract: A process for preparing an ethylene-unsaturated polycarboxylic graft copolymer is disclosed. In this process an ethylene polymer having terminal double bond functionality is contacted with an unsaturated polycarboxylic compound in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of an organic peroxide.

Abstract: A method for plasma sterilization within a controlled temperature range includes exposing the interior of a chamber and any articles therein to a gas plasma flowing from a plasma generating chamber until the temperature in the chamber rises to a preselected maximum temperature. The flow of the plasma gas to the chamber is terminated when the temperature in the chamber falls to a temperature below the preselected maximum temperature. These steps are repeated until sterilization of the interior of the chamber or any articles therein is effected. The temperature below the preselected maximum temperature when gas plasma flow is again initiated is preferably not more than 3.degree. C. below the preselected maximum temperature. The gas plasma can be generated from a gas mixture that includes oxidizing and/or reducing agents. Preferably the pressure in the sterilizing chamber rises to from 0.

Abstract: Oil well production fluid is gravitationally segregated into different phase within a tank whose top has a regulated exhaust line to remove any gas phase. An outlet end of the tank has a water phase discharge line from a lower region and an emulsion phase discharge line from the upper region of the tank. Both discharge lines have normally closed dump valves that are operationally coupled to a pneumatic actuator and a probe that measures the electrical capacitance of the oil emulsion and water phases that are alternately present at an intermediate level of the tank. Oil emulsion overflows from the liquid packed tank into a downcomer that opens into the upper region of a water manifold to displace water out of the lower region of the manifold and into a water chamber on one side of a bladder of a pressure vessel. A gas charged chamber of the pressure vessel is operatively coupled to a high-low pressure switch that is electrically coupled to the probe.

Abstract: A multi-port valve internally supports a rotatable trunnion having an elbow passage between a nozzle portion of the trunnion and a lower end outlet that communicates with a test port of the valve body. The outer end of the nozzle has an axially reciprocable hollow seal piston with a seal support ring whose outer face is formed with an endless groove to receive an O-ring. An actuating shaft is coaxially mounted in an upper end of the trunnion and has a lower end with an eccentric pin engaged in a slot of the seal piston to reciprocate the seal piston into and out of sealing registration around a port selected by rotation of the trunnion. External ends of the actuating shaft and trunnion are respectively drivably coupled to a coaxial sprocket wheel and geneva wheel. A housing on top of the valve contains an input rotor fitted with a cam and a drive roller for engaging radial slots of the geneva wheel alternately with cam engagement of the dwell notches of the geneva wheel.

Abstract: A process for preparing ionomers is disclosed. In this process a vinyl acetate polymer is contacted with a hydroxide of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal. The in situ formed acetate of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal of this reaction is in turn reacted with a polymer having carboxylic acid or diacid anhydride funtionality to produce the ionomer.

Abstract: A flow splitting junction of a pipeline network for a two-phase fluid is internally fitted with a static mixer, a multi-duct stratifier and a divider wall. The turbulent fluid exhausted from the mixer is separated by the stratifier into two separated sets of alternating laminarly flowing strata to be discharged to opposite sides of the divider wall as two separate fluid streams of the same gas-liquid ratio which are conducted into separate downstream branches of the junction.

Abstract: An oil/water emulsion, such as oil well production, is treated to recover its oil phase at pipe line specifications by passing the emulsion through an emulsion treater tank to an oil recovery zone in the tank. The emulsion flow path is through successive horizontal emulsion preheating, direct heating, post heating and settling zones of the tank while removing vapor from the top of the zones and water from the bottom of the zones. Water and gas are thus removed from the emulsion in the preheating zones prior to direct heating of the emulsion in the direct heating zone to reduce heat loss and fouling of the emulsion heating means in the direct heating zone, and additional separation of the emulsion phases occurs in the post heating zone prior to final phase separation in the settling zone to improve the settling action.