Abstract: The present invention is a method for covering an object with a film resulting from the melting of a thin layer of powder, in which method comprises: (a) having a bed of electrified fluidized powder in a tank, this powder being charged by a forced-circulation tribocharging device; (b) dipping the object, connected to zero or sufficient potential, into the tank in order to cover it with powder; (c) placing the object, covered with the powder, in an oven at a temperature high enough to obtain the coating film by melting the powder. According to one advantageous embodiment of the invention, the oven includes electrodes raised to a high electrical potential so as to cause a corona effect which compensates for the relaxation of the charge on the powder particles while they are being heated. The charge on the particles is maintained and therefore they remain on the object and thus can form the film by melting. The present invention also relates to the apparatus for implementing the method.

Abstract: Vinyl chloride monomer is selectively prepared by intimately contacting, in the absence of steam, a feedstream of 1,2-dichloroethane with a flow of fluid or solid particulates heated to such elevated temperature and for such minim period of time, e.g., 0.010 to 0.5 second, as to flash transfer a dehydrochlorinating amount of thermal energy to the 1,2-dichloroethane and thereby ultrapyrolyzing at least a fraction of same into vinyl chloride and HCl, and recovering the vinyl chloride from the medium of ultrapyrolysis.

Abstract: A co-current separator is provided which makes it possible to separate a light phase contained in a mixture from a dense phase. Disposed downstream in the direction of circulation of the dense phase is an internal output opening of an interior enclosure. Fins are provided on the interior enclosure for limiting the progression of the light phase to the outside of the interior enclosure. The mixture is introduced tangentially into an inlet, and the dense phase is recovered at one outlet with the light phase recovered at another outlet. This makes it possible to rapidly separate the dense phase from the light phase, providing an apparatus useful for separating, for example, a solid from a gas.

Abstract: A co-current cyclone mixer-separator which makes it possible to separae a light phase L1 contained in a mixture M1 which also contains a dense phase D1 from the dense phase and to mix this phase L1 with a dense phase or with a mixture containing this phase and a light phase. The mixture M1 is introduced at and the phase D1 is recovered at. The dense phase of a mixture is introduced at and enters a second inner enclosure at, at least a part of the phase likewise entering the latter enclosure. A mixture comprising the phases, if it has been introduced, is obtained at. Preferably, the apparatus comprises blades which make it possible to limit the progress of the vortex into the outlet. This apparatus permits of a rapid heat exchange, for exmple the hardening, of a phase by a phase or a mixture. It can also be used for the rapid replacement of a phase contained in a mixture also containing a phase by a phase other than.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for determining one or more physical characteristics of individual bubbles in a gas-liquid system and a gas-liquid-solid system at high temperatures and pressures. An in situ probe device is inserted into the system over which individual bubbles flow. The probe device has a plurality of independent probes. Each has a rounded fibre optic end portion projecting into the system. A source of incident light is directed onto each of the probes. The rounded end portion of each probe is formed with a radius of curvature sufficiently large whereby the angle of incidence of the source light at the rounded portion is greater than the angle of total reflection for the fibre optic when in contact with the gas. The angle of incidence is less than the angle of total reflection for the fibre optic when in contact with the liquid. The plurality of probes are spatially arranged to detect one or more of the bubble physical characteristics as a bubble flows over the probe device.

Abstract: The invention discloses a process and apparatus for the heating or cooling of light solid particles having a low free-fall speed, by means of flowing gas-solid exchangers. The process makes it possible to heat or cool light solid particles dispersed in a gas flow by contacting them with a countercurrent flow of heavy solid particles having a greater final free-fall speed and that are hot or cool in relation to the light particles, thus effecting a heat transfer between the particles.