Abstract: Process and apparatus to remove colloids and nitrogen compounds from contaminated water by coagulating the colloids and separating them from the water. The solids are floated by sparging and then the floating solids are swept from the surface of the water into an exit port using a conveyor from which downwardly depending flaps skim or near the surface, thus sweeping the floating floc into the exit port.

Abstract: Process and apparatus to remove colloids and nitrogen compounds from contaminated water by coagulating the colloids and separating them from the water. The solids are floated by sparging and then the floating solids are swept from the surface of the water into an exit port using a conveyor from which downwardly depending flaps skim or near the surface, thus sweeping the floating floc into the exit port.

Abstract: Methods and catalysts for producing alcohols, ethers, and/or alkenes from alkanes are provided. More particularly, novel caged, or encapsulated, metal oxide catalysts and processes utilizing such catalysts to convert alkanes to alcohols and/or ethers and to convert alcohols and/or ethers to alkenes are provided.

Abstract: A method comprising reacting an alkane gas with a halogen gas in a halogenations reactor to form a halogenation reaction product mixture comprising alkane halide and hydrogen halide mixture; mixing the halogenations reaction product mixture with a countercurrent flow of a metal organic salt thereby forming an extractor product mixture of a metal halide, organic salt, and organic acid separating the organic ester and organic acid mixture from the metal halide; oxygenating the metal halide to form a metal oxide and halide containing gasses; separating the metal oxide from the halide containing gasses; mixing the metal oxide with water to form a metal oxide slurry; mixing the metal oxide slurry with a countercurrent flow of the organic ester and organic acid mixture to form a raw product comprising alkanol, a metal organic salt is provided.

Abstract: Methods and catalysts for producing alcohols, ethers, and/or alkenes from alkanes are provided. More particularly, novel caged, or encapsulated, metal oxide catalysts and processes utilizing such catalysts to convert alkanes to alcohols and/or ethers and to convert alcohols and/or ethers to alkenes are provided.

Abstract: Methods and catalysts for producing alcohols, ethers, and/or alkenes from alkanes are provided. More particularly, novel caged, or encapsulated, metal oxide catalysts and processes utilizing such catalysts to convert alkanes to alcohols and/or ethers and to convert alcohols and/or ethers to alkenes are provided.

Abstract: Methods and catalysts for producing alcohols, ethers, and/or alkenes from alkanes are provided. More particularly, novel caged, or encapsulated, metal oxide catalysts and processes utilizing such catalysts to convert alkanes to alcohols and/or ethers and to convert alcohols and/or ethers to alkenes are provided.

Abstract: Process and apparatus to remove colloids and nitrogen compounds from contaminated water by coagulating the colloids and separating them from the water. The water is then continuously oxidized with chlorine electrolytically to destroy the nitrogen compounds.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for purifying wastewater, including water which may or may not contain fatty acids or oils, by producing in situ a hydrophobic flocculant including a water-insoluble metal hydroxide. In the preferred methods, metallic cations are produced by the gradual dissolution of consumable, similar metal sources, preferably, a fluidized bed of metallic particles. The motion of the particles of the fluidized bed maintains the surfaces thereof clean of oxides and other contaminants in order to facilitate the gradual dissolution thereof. Oxidation of the dissolved cations to form the water-insoluble metal hydroxide is achieved by flowing an oxidizing agent, e.g., air or pure oxygen, through the system. Contaminants are entrapped and removed within the insoluble flocculants, including the water-insoluble metal hydroxide and, optionally, metallic soaps which are formed in the presence of fatty acids.

Abstract: A non-polluting liquid-phase process and a supporting system of apparatus for producing titanium dioxide from titanium ore or slag provide a more economical sulfate process for preparing anatase. The ore or slag is reacted with hot sulfuric acid. The reaction product is filtered and washed before being combined with acid water, in which the solids are partially dissolved. The resulting suspension is filtered, and the filtrate hydrolyzed to convert titanium values therein to titanium dioxide hydrate, which is calcined to produce anatase pigment.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for converting lower alkanes and alkenes to the corresponding lower alkanols and diols. In the methods of the present invention, a gaseous halogen, preferably bromine, is produced by decomposing a metal halide in a liquid having a melting point below and a boiling point above the decomposition temperature of the metal halide. The preferred liquid is molten, hydrated ferric chloride maintained at a temperature between about 37-280.degree. C. The lower alkane or alkene is halogenated in a gas phase reaction with the produced halogen. The alkyl halide or alkyl dihalide is contacted with a metal hydroxide, preferably an aqueous solution of ferric hydroxide, to regenerate the metal halide and produce the corresponding lower alkanol or diol. The present invention is particularly efficient for converting methane to methanol using ferric bromide to provide the halogen.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods and apparatus for purifying water wherein a highly dispersed, hydrophobic flocculant is produced in situ. In the preferred methods, a dispersion of a water-insoluble, metallic soap is produced in situ by the reaction of an aqueous solution of a water-soluble, multivalent metal salt with an aqueous solution of a water-soluble, alkali soap. The apparatus of the present invention includes a first mixing chamber for producing in situ an aqueous dispersion of a hydrophobic flocculant. The apparatus further includes a second mixing chamber in fluid communication with the first chamber and a flocculation/separation basin. The hydrophobic flocculant is evenly dispersing within the contaminated water by introduction into the second chamber through a high pressure pump and sparger.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus and methods for preparing sulfur hexafluoride within an electrolytic cell by reacting elemental sulfur with fluorine electrolytically generated from substantially anhydrous hydrogen fluoride in the presence of a conductivity-enhancing solute. The reaction occurs at the anode of the electrolytic cell in a liquid electrolyte comprising substantially anhydrous hydrogen fluoride and an alkali fluoride wherein the concentration of hydrogen fluoride is maintained between about 64 and about 88 mole percent. The electrolytic cell is preferably divided into a cathodic half-cell and an anodic half-cell by a non-conductive diaphragm which permits passage of the electrolyte and current to provide communication between the half-cells while being impervious to fluid communication above the electrolyte to keep the generated gases separate. When so divided, substantially pure sulfur hexafluoride may be recovered from the space above the electrolyte in the anodic half-cell.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for preparing sulfur hexafluoride by reacting sulfur tetrafluoride with oxygen. The sulfur tetrafluoride is prepared by contacting molten sulfur with a metal fluoride to produce sulfur tetrafluoride and a metal sulfide. In a preferred method, the metal fluoride is regenerated from the metal sulfide by reacting the metal sulfide with hydrofluoric acid in the presence of oxygen. The preferred metal fluorides are the fluorides of copper, silver, mercury and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: An economic, non-polluting vapor-phase system of extracting titanium values from titanium ore or slag comprises solubilizing titanium (in ore or slag) with sulfuric acid to form titanyl sulfate, hydrolyzing the titanyl sulfate to form titanium oxide hydrate, converting the latter to pigment, and recycling sulfuric acid for extracting titanium values from further ore or slag. Methodology and equipment are provided.

Abstract: Alkali-metal bisulfate is employed in a non-polluting and economically-feasible system for producing titanium dioxide pigment from titanium mineral or slag with recycling of alkali-metal bisulfate and ammonia.

Abstract: Alkene aldehyde sulfoxylates are more effective than their saturated aldehyde sulfoxylate counterparts as systemic pesticides for protecting plants.

Abstract: Lower monobasic or dibasic alcohols are produced by the following steps:a) reacting a starting material with a metallic halide (wherein the metal is in the higher of two possible valence states) to obtain a reaction product, a corresponding metallous halide (wherein the metal is in the lower of the two possible valence states) and hydrohalic acid, andb) reacting the reaction product of step (a) and hydrohalic acid with magnesium oxide to form the corresponding lower monobasic or dibasic alkanol;wherein the starting material for forming a lower monobasic alcohol is a lower alkane, from which the corresponding lower alkanol is obtained; and the starting material for forming a lower dibasic alcohol is either a lower alkanol or a lower alkene, from which the corresponding lower glycol is obtained. Two continuous fluidized-bed systems are provided for conducting the necessary reactions.

Abstract: An alkali-metal dithionite is readily transformed into an aldehyde sulfoxylate microbicide which is absorbed through plant leaves and is more stable against oxidation.

Abstract: A hydrocarbon is converted to a higher-molecular-weight hydrocarbon having greater unsaturation in compact and efficient apparatus, which provides for recirculating materials in a continuous process.