Abstract: A system and method for recycling used oil filters by shredding the filters to facilitate separation of the metal and nonmetal filter components and to release free oil trapped inside the filters, separating the metal and nonmetal filter components using combined magnetic and gravitational means, compressing the nonmetal filter components, and recovering the oil therefrom.

Abstract: A retrievable drill bit and cutter or reamer assembly includes a fluid-drive motor, an eccentric cutter part and a concentric bit in assembly and insertable in and retrievable from the interior of a drill stem without removing the drillstem from a wellbore. The eccentric cutter is disposed on a shaft connected to the output shaft of the motor and journals an accentric cylindrical bearing member mounted on the shaft. In response to rotation of the shaft in one direction, the cutter part is displaced into a position to enlarge the wellbore to permit progress of the drillstem therethrough and in response to rotation in the opposite direction, the cutter centers itself to permit retrieval of the bit assembly throught the drillstem. The fluid-driven motor engages locking splines on a sub at the lower end of the drillstem and may be inserted in and retrieved from the drillstem by drilling fluid in forward and reverse circulation, respectively.

Abstract: An oil boom for containing floating oil spills having an hose with a plurality of tubing members mounted to the periphery of the hose. Each tubing member has a nozzle assembly for directing an air jet stream against an oil spill along the top surface of the water. The oil boom is preferably connected to a tow line by a pair of connecting lines which are in a criss-cross pattern, allowing the hose to form a wave-like configuration so that the air hose may rise and fall with the movement of the surface of the water independent of the tow line.

Abstract: The turbidity of liquids, including oil contaminated water, may be measured by an apparatus having a first elongated shell member defining a turbid liquid measurement chamber and opposed head members forming windows for transmitting a light beam through the measurement chamber between a light source and photosensitive element. A second shell member is disposed around the first shell member and defines with the first shell member and the opposed head members clear liquid supply chambers for supplying a clear liquid to wash over the windows and prevent contact of the turbid liquid with windows during operation of the apparatus. A flow of clear liquid, such as water, may be controlled by a pump and a throttling valve with orifices in each flow line to limit the flow of clear liquid. A mixture of clear liquid and turbid liquid is discharged from the turbidity measurement chamber into a discharge manifold formed between the shell members.

Abstract: Cohesive solids are fluidized in a chamber having a movable perforated wall through which the fluidizing gas flows by reciprocating the movable wall.

Abstract: A self acting pressure air pulse control valve for use with fluidizing and pneumatic conveying systems for dry particulate material comprises a housing having a chamber in which a plate type closure member and an actuating piston are disposed and interconnected by an elongated actuating rod. A spring engages the actuating rod through a pivotally supported lever and biases the closure member toward a closed position. Pressure air acts across the face of the closure member to allow the valve to crack open whereupon pressure air acting on the larger actuating piston face snaps the valve to the fully open and unrestricted flow position. A reduction in pressure of the air flowing through the valve allows the biasing spring to reclose the valve to repeat its operating cycle.

Abstract: A dry bulk cement storage and mixing system comprises one or more generally cylindrical storage tanks or bins having somewhat wedge shaped bottom discharge sections with tapered flight conveyor screws extending across the diameter of the bin at the convergence of opposed sloping sidewalls of the bottom section. The conveyor screw is connected to a pneumatic fluidizing plenum wherein compressed air is introduced into the plenum for conveying material to a mixer or recirculating the material back into a selected storage tank through a distributor device mounted on top of the tank which distributes the material to minimize segregation of smaller or less dense particles during discharge of the material into the storage tank. One embodiment of the storage tank is mounted for rotation about a generally horizontal axis and includes a transversely extending cement unloading and vent conduit extending within the tank chamber.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon gas, such as methane, is partially oxidized by flowing the gas through a moving catalyst bed supported on a rotating drum disposed in a partitioned duct. Catalyst is regenerated by exposure to an oxygen containing gas flowing through a passage formed in the duct. A gas seal is formed between the duct partition and a surface of the catalyst support drum on the downstream side of the drum to minimize the leakage flow of hydrocarbon gas into the regenerator gas. The pressures of the hydrocarbon gas and regenerator gas are regulated upstream of the catalyst bed to minimize leakage flow of one gas into the flow space of the other gas through a space formed between the duct partition and the drum upstream of the catalyst bed.

Abstract: Cohesive solids are fluidized in a chamber having a movable perforated wall through which the fluidizing gas flows by reciprocating the movable wall.

Abstract: The concentration of a gas such as hydrogen sulfide in a liquid such as crude oil or other hydrocarbon liquid is measured by conducting a flowstream of the liquid through a jet or eductor type pump for mixing a recirculating vapor stream with the liquid, separating the liquid and the vapor stream in a separator to provide equilibrium conditions between the vapor and the liquid and withdrawing the vapor flowstream for recirculation and remixing with the liquid flowstream while measuring the concentration of the gas in the vapor flowstream. A known flow rate of the gas is added to the combined liquid and recirculating vapor flowstream and the incremental change in concentration of the gas in the recirculating vapor flowstream is measured to determine the concentration of the gas in the liquid flowstream initially.

Abstract: A tractor-trailer unit with a self steering semi-trailer characterized by a steerable bogie assembly includes elongated cables connected to the bogie assembly by way of a rotatable pulley, the cables being moved in response to a cam and lever arrangement, and a pair of opposed locking levers which are responsive to slack in one or the other of the cables to engage the pulley to prevent further turning movement of the bogie assembly in the direction of the slack cable. The pulley includes a set of circumferentially spaced apart pins which engage the respective locking members in an escapement action to allow the steerable bogie to be turned back toward a centered or aligned position with the trailer frame if one or both cable traces become slack.

Abstract: A dry bulk cement storage and mixing system comprises one or more generally cylindrical storage tanks or bins having somewhat wedge shaped bottom discharge sections with tapered flight conveyor screws extending across the diameter of the bin at the convergence of opposed sloping sidewalls of the bottom section. The conveyor screw is connected to a pneumatic fluidizing plenum wherein compressed air is introduced into the plenum for conveying material to a mixer or recirculating the material back into a selected storage tank through a distributor device mounted on top of the tank which distributes the material to minimize segregation of smaller or less dense particles during discharge of the material into the storage tank. One embodiment of the storage tank is mounted for rotation about a generally horizontal axis and includes a transversely extending cement unloading and vent conduit extending within the tank chamber.

Abstract: Apparatus for pressure testing fluid transmission pipelines comprising spaced apart annular inflatable seal members supported by support members which are interconnected by an elongated flexible tube to define an annular space which may be pressurized to pressure test a section of pipe between the seal members. The tubular member defines a flow passage for pipeline fluid during operation of the apparatus. A fluid motor is disposed in the passage and drivably connected to a hydraulic pump which receives fluid from the pipeline to pressurize the seal members and the annular space. The pump may be remotely controlled by radio control receiver-transmitter apparatus to operate the pressure testing apparatus and to monitor pressures in the seal members and the test space. The pump and control members may be disposed in a housing which is mounted adjacent one end of the apparatus. The apparatus is propelled through a pipeline by pressure fluid in the line.

Abstract: Particulate solids material contaminated with volatile vaporizable fluids are treated by an apparatus comprising an elongated inclined housing having a hollow conveyor screw disposed therein for rotation to move material from a lower inlet end of the housing to an upper inclined end of the housing for discharge through a bottom outlet opening. The conveyor screw is constructed from a hollow hub member having an upper open end and a lower end with a plurality of openings for conveying heat exchange pebbles or spheres from the upper end of the housing to the lower end through the interior of the hub. A combustor is disposed within the interior of the hub for generating combustion gasses which heat the conveyor screw and the heat exchange pebbles prior to entry of the pebbles into mixing with the material being conveyed through the apparatus.

Abstract: Water, oil and gas mixtures such as produced from oil and gas wells are analyzed as to the proportionate content of each component in the total mixture by calorimetric processes in systems which separate the gas from the fluid mixture, withdraw a sample of the liquid mixture and subject the sample at a given or determined flow rate to a heat exchange process. The remaining main flow of the liquid mixture is also subjected to a heat exchange process and a heat balance is calculated for the flowstream based on the change in temperature of main liquid flowstream and the change in temperature of the heat exchange medium. The processes are carried out on the main flowstream by interposing a heat exchanger in the flowstream or by reinjecting into the flowstream a measured amount of heat exchange fluid such as separated water or crude oil.

Abstract: Oil and other contaminants entrained in a water flowstream may be measured to determine the concentration thereof by passing a sample of the flowstream through a vessel defining a chamber in which a light beam is projected to a photo sensitive element. Changes in light intensity caused by changes in concentration of oil or other contaminants are compared with the light intensity measured with a clarified or oil-free sample of liquid. A measuring system utilizes a centrifugal pump having a restricted fluid outlet to provide for thoroughly dispersal of the oil in the liquid flowstream. An alternate source of liquid may include a source of clear water or a source of clarified water which has been held in a holding tank to allow oil to separate from the water sample. The system is adapted for measuring the concentration and absorportion coefficient of oil entrained in a water flowstream such as refinery waste water streams, produced water streams from oil field flooding operations and the like.

Abstract: The total mass flowrate of a multiphase fluid flowstream such as a water, oil and gas mixture being produced from subterranean wells is determined by passing the flowstream through an apparatus which forces a substantial change in direction of the fluid flowstream and wherein a pressure differential is measured across flow paths of known cross-sectional flow area. The total mass flow is determined from the cross-sectional flow areas, the measured total density of the flowstream and the differential pressure. A sample of the flowstream is withdrawn from the flow path, gas is separated from liquid and the liquid fraction of water is measured by passing the liquid mixture through a device which measures the dielectric constant of the liquid mixture using microwave radiation transmissivity or differential pressure between columns of the liquid mixture and a column of water of equal height is compared.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for measuring changes in relative distance between a float and both a signal source and a detector. Also disclosed is the advantageous use of such an apparatus for detecting losses as little as 0.02 gallons of liquid per hour from a tank otherwise capable of storing 1,000 gallons or more of such a liquid.

Abstract: Particulate material such as fluidized bed particles, catalytic particles, and particles used in mechanical processes are measured to determine their attrition rate by providing an apparatus comprising a generally cylindrical housing having a rotary impeller disposed eccentrically in the housing for continuously agitating and impacting a quantity of particulate material being measured. A screen is formed in a sidewall of the housing and a vacuum pump is operably connected to the interior of the housing through the screen for continuously withdrawing fines generated during the attrition rate measurement process. Periodic sampling of the quantity of fines withdrawn is used to measure the mass of fines withdrawn per unit time. An equal mass of makeup material is admitted to the housing chamber after each sampling step until an equilibrium attrition rate is determined.

Abstract: A method for removing small gas bubbles from a liquid stream to produce a liquid stream having a reduced number of gas bubbles by increasing the pressure on the liquid stream.