Abstract: A self-supporting, submersible generating plant for producing electricity from ocean currents, consisting of two counter-rotating, rear-facing turbines with a plurality of rotor blades extending radially outward from two separate horizontal axis that convey the kinetic energy from the two side-by-side, counter-rotating turbine rotors through separate gearboxes to separate generators that are housed in two watertight nacelles that are located sufficiently far apart to provide clearance for the turbine rotors. The two generators and their gearboxes serve as ballast and are located far below a streamlined buoyancy tank that extends fore and aft above and between them. A combination of a leverage system and a pressure-controlled system adjusts the hydrodynamic lifting forces to maintain constant depths. There are systems to purge the ballast water to facilitate the recovery of both individual submersible power plants and a group of many submersible power plants.

Abstract: A submersible generating plant for producing electricity from ocean currents. The apparatus consists of two counter-rotating, rear-facing turbines with a plurality of rotor blades extending radially outward from two separate horizontal axis that convey the kinetic energy from the two side-by-side turbine rotors through separate gearboxes to separate generators that are housed in two watertight nacelles that are located sufficiently far apart to provide clearance for the turbine rotors. The two generators and their gearboxes serve as ballast and are located below a streamlined buoyancy tank that extends fore and aft above and between them. A leverage system having no moving parts adjusts lifting forces to balance changing downward vector forces that result from changes in drag acting on the downward angled anchor line.

Abstract: A submersible generating plant for producing electricity from ocean currents. The apparatus consists of two counter-rotating, rear-facing turbines with a plurality of rotor blades extending radially outward from two separate horizontal axis that convey the kinetic energy from the two side-by-side turbine rotors through separate gearboxes to separate generators that are housed in two watertight nacelles that are located sufficiently far apart to provide clearance for the turbine rotors. The two generators and their gearboxes serve as ballast and are located below a streamlined buoyancy tank that extends fore and aft above and between them. Changing downward vector forces resulting from changes in drag acting on the angled anchor line are automatically balanced by changing lifting forces.

Abstract: Operative fluids containing lower glycol are contacted with semi-permeable membranes under reverse osmosis conditions to permeate lower glycol to provide a reclaimed lower glycol product. Exemplary operative fluids include antifreeze solutions, heat transfer fluids, deicers, quenchants, hydraulic fluids, lubricants, solvents and absorbents.

Abstract: Operative fluids containing lower glycol are contacted with semi-permeable membranes under reverse osmosis conditions to permeate lower glycol to provide a reclaimed lower glycol product. Exemplary operative fluids include antifreeze solutions, heat transfer fluids, deicers, quenchants, hydraulic fluids, lubricants, solvents and absorbents.

Abstract: A process for the catalytic hydrolysis of alkylene oxide to alkylene glycol using a hydrothermally stable, mixed metal framework catalyst composition selected from(a) material having the formulaM.sub.x.sup.2+ Q.sub.y.sup.3+ (OH).sub.2x+3y-nz A.sub.z.sup.n- .multidot.a H.sub.2 O (I)wherein M is at least one divalent metal cation; Q is at least one trivalent metal cation; and A is at least one anion providing a valence (n.sup.-), wherein n is at least 1, and wherein a is a positive number, M, Q, and A are provided in a proportion such that x/y is a number equal to or greater than 1, z has a value greater than zero and 2x+3y-nz is a positive number, and M, Q and A are selected to provide a layered structure, and(b) material prepared by calcining the material of formula (I) having the formulaM.sub.x.sup.2+ Q.sub.y.sup.3+ (O).sub.(2x+3y-nz)/2 D.sub.z.sup.n-(II)wherein M, Q, x, y, z and n have the same meanings defined above in connection with formula (I) and D is at least one nonvolatile anion.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for separating impurity components, UV absorbers and/or UV absorber precursors contained in an ethylene glycol-water stream thereby desirably allowing the recovery of the glycols contained in such stream in an economical and efficient manner. Specifically, these undesirable components are separated by contacting the ethylene glycol-water stream with a suitable semi-permeable membrane to effect such separation.

Abstract: Alkylene glycols are produced by the reaction of alkylene oxide with water in the presence of a metalate-containing solid wherein the metalate is in association with electropositive complexing sites on a solid support such as an anion exchange resin.

Abstract: A process for the catalytic hydrolysis of alkylene oxide to alkylene glycol using a hydrothermally stable, mixed metal framework catalyst composition selected from(a) material having the formulaM.sub.x.sup.2+ Q.sub.y.sup.3+ (OH) 2x+3y-nz A.sub.z.sup.n-. a 1 H.sub.2 O (I)wherein M is at least one divalent metal cation; Q is at least one trivalent metal cation; and A is at least one anion providing a valence (n.sup.31), wherein n is at least 1, and wherein a is a positive number, M, Q, and A are provided in a proportion such that x/y is a number equal to or greater than 1, z has a value greater than zero and 2x+3y-nz is a positive number, and M, Q and A are selected to provide a layered structure, and(b) material prepared by calcining the material of formula (I) having the formulaM.sub.x.sup.2+ Q.sub.y.sup.3+ (O).sub.(2x+3y-nz)/2D.sub.z.sup.n-(II)wherein M, Q, x, y, z and n have the same meanings defined above in connection with formula (I) and D is at least one nonvolatile anion.

Abstract: Novel vicinal dioxyalkylene organometalates comprising a cation having a hydrocarbyl-containing substituent are disclosed. The vicinal dioxyalkylene organometalates can be reacted with water to yield alkylene glycols.

Abstract: The process for the liquid-phase hydration of a vicinal alkylene oxide(s) to the corresponding alkylene glycol(s) comprising carrying out such hydration in an aqueous medium containing a water miscible alkylene glycol ether co-solvent.

Abstract: An improved process for the hydrolysis of alkylene oxide to produce alkylene glycol which comprises:(a) reacting alkylene oxide and water in the presence of a selectivity-enhancing metalate-containing solid until about 90-95% of the alkylene oxide is converted to alkylene glycol; and(b) completing the hydrolysis reaction of (a) in the absence of the selectivity-enhancing metalate-containing solid.

Abstract: Novel vicinal dioxyalkylene organometalates comprising a cation having a hydrocarbyl-containing substituent are disclosed. The vicinal dioxyalkylene organometalates can be reacted with water to yield alkylene glycols.

Abstract: Alkylene oxides are hydrolyzed in a reaction menstruum containing an aqueous phase, a water-immiscible liquid phase, and a selectivity-enhancing, dissociatable metalate anion-containing material. The concentration of the metalate anion-containing material is greater in the water-immiscible liquid phase than that in the aqueous phase. The water-immiscible liquid phase can be separated from the aqueous phase to recover metalate anion-containing material.

Abstract: A continuous process for making alkylene glycols by the hydrolysis of alkylene oxides in the presence of selectivity-enhancing organometalate wherein the alkylene glycol-containing hydrolysis product contains organometalate comprises recovering organometalate by extraction with a water-immiscible solvent, separating the resulting organometalate-containing solvent into an organometalate-lean stream for reuse in the extraction and an organometalate-rich stream for reuse in the hydrolysis.

Abstract: High selectivity to monoalkylene glycol is obtained by contacting in an associated moiety-forming zone alkylene oxide and a selectivity enhancing, dissociatable metalate anion under conditions sufficient to associate at least a portion of the alkylene oxide with metalate anion, and then contacting the associated moiety with water in a glycol-forming zone to form alkylene glycol. The alkylene glycol can be separated from metalate anion. Desirably, the metalate anion can be recycled to the associated moiety-forming zone.

Abstract: The process for the liquid-phase hydration of a vicinal alkylene oxide(s) to the corresponding alkylene glycol(s) comprising carrying out such hydration in the presence of a vanadate salt wherein the pH of the liquid phase is between about 5 and 12.