Abstract: Integrated process for the production of methyl acetate and methanol. The process is carried out by carbonylating dimethyl ether with synthesis gas and recovering methanol and unreacted synthesis gas. The recovered synthesis gas is utilized as the sole fresh synthesis gas for methanol synthesis.

Abstract: An integrated process for the production of methyl acetate and methanol by the carbonylating dimethyl ether with synthesis gas, recovering methyl and unreacted synthesis gas and wherein the recovered synthesis gas is utilized as the sole fresh synthesis gas for methanol synthesis.

Abstract: Process for the in-situ regeneration of a zeolite catalyst in a carbonylation process for the production of at least one of methyl acetate and acetic acid. The process is carried out by (a) contacting a carbonylatable reactant selected from methanol, dimethyl ether and dimethyl carbonate and carbon monoxide in a reactor with a zeolite catalyst and recovering a product stream containing at least one of methyl acetate and acetic acid from the reactor, (b) ceasing contact of the catalyst with the carbonylatable reactant, (c) regenerating the catalyst with a regenerating gas selected from hydrogen or a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide at a temperature in the range 250 to 600 C, and (d) terminating the hydrogen regenerating step and resuming contact of the catalyst with the carbonylatable reactant and carbon monoxide.

Abstract: A process for the in-situ regeneration of a zeolite catalyst in a carbonylation process for the production of at least one of methyl acetate and acetic acid by contacting methanol, dimethyl ethyl or dimethyl carbonate with carbon monoxide in the presence of a zeolite catalyst, ceasing contact of the catalyst with the reactant, regenerating the catalyst with a regenerating gas selected from hydrogen or a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide at a temperature in the range 250 to 600° C., terminating the hydrogen regenerating step and resuming contact of the catalyst with the reactant and carbon monoxide.

Abstract: A method of simultaneously splicing by fusion welding the splicing areas of each of successive adjacent pairs of optical waveguides, the welding being effected by generating an arc between a pair of welding electrodes having a width which overlaps all such splicing areas. A uniformly high quality splice of each pair is attained by establishing a magnetic field between the welding electrodes which interacts with the arc so as to cause it to reciprocate back and forth over the width of the welding electrodes a number of times determined by the number of pairs of waveguides to be spliced. The magnetic field and/or the welding current are controlled so that the average welding energy is the same at all splicing areas.

Abstract: The invention relates to a switch box for producing freely selectable optical connections between the LWGs of incoming optical cables and the LWGs of outgoing optical cables by means of optical shunting lines. The production of any connection is made possible in an ordered and certain way in an arrangement in which LWG groups of the incoming optical cables are connected to a first group of adjacent termination units, LWG groups of the outgoing optical cables are connected to a second group of adjacent termination units, the individual LWGs of the incoming and of the outgoing cables are connected to optical plug connector elements provided on the terminal units, the shunting lines are connected on both sides to mating connector elements, and excessive lengths of the shunting lines not required for producing a connection are stored in storage elements.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of feeding a plurality of optical waveguides into a clamping device, between whose clamping jaws the optical waveguides are clamped in a side-by-side relationship in one plane.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for establishing a connection between two optical lines, in which a spare length of light conducting fibre is withdrawn from a storage container and, after completion of the connections, pushed back in again. To reduce the space required for storage containers, it is proposed that the light conducting fibres of the optical lines to be connected should each be connected to an end of a connecting fibre which is withdrawn as needed from a single storage container and whose excess lengths are slid back into the storage container after the connections have been made.

Abstract: The invention relates to a storage device for a spare length of at least one optical fibre which emerges from a cable end, which stroage device can be arranged in the vicinity of the cable end and comprises a flat stroage space in which the spare length is arranged in the form of a coil, the end of the optical fibre which leads to the joint being extractable, during which operation the diameter of the coil is reduced, the storage space comprising guide walls which define the minimum inner coil diameter, the maximum outer coil diameter and also the axial height.

Abstract: The invention relates to a branching circuit for an optical cable comprising a plurality of optical waveguides in a cable sheath. In order to accomplish that, at low manufacturing costs, low additional attenuations are obtained, it is provided that a longitudinal section from which the cable sheath has been removed is fixed in a stretched condition in a branching box which extends on both sides beyond the end of the cable sheath and that an end of at least one severed optical waveguide or a branched-optical waveguide connected thereto is passed through a branching sleeve which is fitted to branching box, all as illustrated in FIG. 1.

Abstract: A storage container for a section of a light fibre. A flat storage space is provided, whose height is slightly greater than the thickness of the fibre and out of which the ends of the fibre can be pulled to the desired length through openings in the outer peripheral wall. Fairly large spare lengths of a fibre are accommodated in it in orderly fashion and removed in a simple manner at any time. The design is such that the storage container comprises a fixed outer part (10) supporting the outer peripheral walls and a winding part (11, 24) rotatable therein. The central part of the connecting line (1) is led through the winding part (11, 24) along supporting surfaces in an S shape in the winding plane. The ends of the fibre are led with free play through an opening in the outer peripheral wall of the outer part (10). Rotation of the winding part (11, 24), winds the fibre onto or from the peripheral surface of the winding part (11, 24).

Abstract: A storage device for a spare length of an optical line, comprising a flat storage space in which the spare length is wound at a radial distance round a central core and led out by its ends through peripheral openings from which one free end can be withdrawn, accompanied by reduction of the diameter of the turns. The device further comprises lateral guide walls at right angles to the central core and outer peripheral walls to limit the diameter of the turns. To permit the unobstructed withdrawal and sliding back in again of an end of an optical line despite an extremely flat construction, the arrangement is such that the distance between the guide walls (6 to 10 and 11 to 16) is slightly greater than the width of the optical line (1 to 5) and smaller than 1.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a cable. In the cable, the conductors are surrounded entirely or partly by synthetic resin supporting elements. In order to avoid shrinkage of the supporting elements, and hence extra loads on cable at high temperatures, the supporting elements are preshrunk before assembly of the cable. The elements are preshrunk by heating a temperature just below the softening temperature of the synthetic resin in question, maintaining them at this temperature, and then cooling them. During the heating process, the strength elements are mounted in such a way that their contraction will not put them into tension.

Abstract: A sheath for light waveguides. The sheath consists of a tube loosely surrounding one or more light waveguides. In a neutral bending plane, longitudinal elements are provided for absorbing tensile and compressive forces. The coefficient of expansion of the longitudinal elements corresponds to that of the light waveguides. The longitudinal elements are form-coupled and force-coupled to the tube.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical cable element in which a synthetic resin envelope is extruded around one or more optical fibers at elevated temperature. The element is then cooled and wound on a reel in which, after cooling, the element is again heated and maintained (tempered) at the heating temperature to irreversibly shrink the synthetic resin envelope.