Abstract: The present invention provides an integrated process for carbon dioxide capture, sequestration and utilisation, which comprises: a) providing an aqueous slurry comprising an aqueous liquid and a particulate solid comprising an activated magnesium silicate mineral; b) in a dissolution stage, contacting a CO2-containing gas stream with the aqueous slurry at a first pressure to dissolve magnesium from the mineral to provide a slurry comprising a magnesium ion enriched carbonated aqueous liquid and a magnesium depleted solid residue; and c) in a precipitation stage, precipitating magnesium carbonate from magnesium ions dissolved in step b) by multiple successive stage-wise reductions in pressure, with each stage being at a lower pressure than the preceding stage; wherein each successive stage-wise reduction in pressure releases CO2 which is correspondingly stage-wise compressed and recycled back into the dissolution stage.

Abstract: The present invention describes an integrated process for carbon dioxide capture, sequestration and utilisation, which comprises: a) providing an aqueous slurry comprising an aqueous solution and a particulate solid comprising an activated magnesium silicate mineral; b) in a dissolution stage, contacting a CO2-containing gas stream with the aqueous slurry to dissolve magnesium from the mineral to provide a magnesium ion enriched aqueous solution and a magnesium depleted solid residue; c) recovering at least a portion of the magnesium depleted solid residue; d) in a separate acid treatment stage, reacting the recovered portion of the magnesium depleted solid residue with a solution comprising a mineral acid or acid salt to further dissolve magnesium and other metals and to provide an acid-treated solid residue; e) recovering the acid-treated solid residue; and f) in a separate precipitation stage, precipitating magnesium carbonate from the magnesium ion enriched aqueous solution.

Abstract: An integrated process for carbon dioxide capture, sequestration and utilization, includes a) providing an aqueous slurry with a particulate solid including an activated magnesium silicate mineral; b) contacting a CO2-containing gas stream with the aqueous slurry to provide a slurry comprising a magnesium ion enriched carbonated aqueous liquid and a magnesium depleted solid residue; c) subjecting at least part of the magnesium depleted solid residue to a particle size classification process that separates the magnesium depleted solid residue into a fine particle size fraction and a coarse particle size fraction; d) subjecting the coarse particle size fraction to a particle size reduction process; e) providing an aqueous slurry comprising particle size reduced fraction from step d) and repeating step b), wherein this step e) does not include using fine particle size fraction from step c); and f) precipitating magnesium carbonate from magnesium ions dissolved in b) and e).

Abstract: An integrated process for carbon dioxide capture, sequestration and utilization, includes a) providing an aqueous slurry with a particulate solid including an activated magnesium silicate mineral; b) contacting a CO2-containing gas stream with the aqueous slurry to provide a slurry comprising a magnesium ion enriched carbonated aqueous liquid and a magnesium depleted solid residue; c) subjecting at least part of the magnesium depleted solid residue to a particle size classification process that separates the magnesium depleted solid residue into a fine particle size fraction and a coarse particle size fraction; d) subjecting the coarse particle size fraction to a particle size reduction process; e) providing an aqueous slurry comprising particle size reduced fraction from step d) and repeating step b), wherein this step e) does not include using fine particle size fraction from step c); and f) precipitating magnesium carbonate from magnesium ions dissolved in b) and e).

Abstract: The present invention describes an integrated process for carbon dioxide capture, sequestration and utilisation, which comprises: a) providing an aqueous slurry comprising an aqueous solution and a particulate solid comprising an activated magnesium silicate mineral; b) in a dissolution stage, contacting a CO2-containing gas stream with the aqueous slurry to dissolve magnesium from the mineral to provide a magnesium ion enriched aqueous solution and a magnesium depleted solid residue; c) recovering at least a portion of the magnesium depleted solid residue; d) in a separate acid treatment stage, reacting the recovered portion of the magnesium depleted solid residue with a solution comprising a mineral acid or acid salt to further dissolve magnesium and other metals and to provide an acid-treated solid residue; e) recovering the acid-treated solid residue; and f) in a separate precipitation stage, precipitating magnesium carbonate from the magnesium ion enriched aqueous solution.

Abstract: This application provides a process for mineral carbonation, which process comprises the steps of: providing a bed of hydroxylated magnesium silicate mineral particles in a heating vessel; agitating the bed of particles under conditions of a sub-atmospheric pressure and at a temperature of at least 600° C. to produce particles of dehydroxylated magnesium silicate mineral; and reacting the dehydroxylated magnesium silicate mineral with carbon dioxide, carbonate ions and/or bicarbonate ions to form magnesium carbonate. This application also provides a reactor system for carrying out the process, which includes (1) mineral from mine, (2) hydroxylated magnesium silicate mineral, (3) crushing, grinding, sizing, (4) agitated bed of particles, (5) external heating, (6) vacuum system, (7) from carbon source, (8) carbon dioxide or carbonate or bicarbonate ions in solution, (9) carbonation reactions, (10) carbonate product, (11) pre-heat, (12) heat recovery, and (13) magnetic fraction.

Abstract: This application provides a process for mineral carbonation, which process comprises the steps of: providing a bed of hydroxylated magnesium silicate mineral particles in a heating vessel; agitating the bed of particles under conditions of a sub-atmospheric pressure and at a temperature of at least 600° C. to produce particles of dehydroxylated magnesium silicate mineral; and reacting the dehydroxylated magnesium silicate mineral with carbon dioxide, carbonate ions and/or bicarbonate ions to form magnesium carbonate. This application also provides a reactor system for carrying out the process, which includes (1) mineral from mine, (2) hydroxylated magnesium silicate mineral, (3) crushing, grinding, sizing, (4) agitated bed of particles, (5) external heating, (6) vacuum system, (7) from carbon source, (8) carbon dioxide or carbonate or bicarbonate ions in solution, (9) carbonation reactions, (10) carbonate product, (11) pre-heat, (12) heat recovery, and (13) magnetic fraction.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the conversion of fluorocarbons into fluorinated unsaturated compounds useful as monomers or other chemical precursors, such as C2H2F2. The process comprises reacting a hydrocarbon feed (20) arid a fluorocarbon feed (10) in a high temperature reactor (26), at sufficiently high temperature and sufficiently short resident time to form product mixture (28) having the fluorinated unsaturated compound as the major reaction product, and cooling (18) to a temperature sufficiently low to inhibit polymerisation of the unsaturated compound. The reaction product may then be processed by removal of higher molecular weight compounds (35) and acids (32) and optionally separated (44) into product components.

Abstract: A building structure with a tubular frame structure in a hut shape may be provided with cladding in the form of curved panels to provide a temporary or emergency shelter. These panels may consist of two spaced-apart plastic sheets fused together by parallel ribs serving as webs to provide parallel channels therein, e.g., Coroplast™-like sheeting. Such sheeting is preferably stiffening with one or more battens that are inserted through the hollow channels of the panel allowing them to be used as semi-rigid cladding over the entire building structure. The outer tubular members of the frame are all curved to improve rigidity. The frame includes channels for seating the panels as well as contribute to the structural integrity of the shelter.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the conversion of fluorocarbons into fluorinated unsaturated compounds useful as monomers or other chemical precursors, such as C2H2F2. The process comprises reacting a hydrocarbon feed (20) arid a fluorocarbon feed (10) in a high temperature reactor (26), at sufficiently high temperature and sufficiently short resident time to form product mixture (28) having the fluorinated unsaturated compound as the major reaction product, and cooling (18) to a temperature sufficiently low to inhibit polymerisation of the unsaturated compound. The reaction product may then be processed by removal of higher molecular weight compounds (35) and acids (32) and optionally separated (44) into product components.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for gassing an explosive to sensitise the explosive and/or modify the density of the explosive. The method comprises reacting at least one oxidiser with at least one nitrogen containing compound in the explosive to generate nitrogen gas. The explosive is formulated to effect diffusion of the oxidiser and/or the compound into contact with each other, the nitrogen gas being generated by oxidation of the compound by the oxidiser. The invention extends to the explosive compositions themselves.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the conversion of fluorocarbons into fluorinated unsaturated compounds useful as monomers or other chemical precursors, such as C2H2F2. The process comprises reacting a hydrocarbon feed (20) and a fluorocarbon feed (10) in a high temperature reactor (26), at sufficiently high temperature and sufficiently short resident time to form a reaction product mixture (28) having the fluorinated unsaturated compound as the major reaction product, and cooling (18) to a temperature sufficiently low to inhibit polymerization of the unsaturated compound. The reaction product may then be processed by removal of higher molecular weight compounds (35) and acids (32) and optionally separated (44) into product components.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the conversion of fluorocarbons into fluorinated unsaturated compounds useful as monomers or other chemical precursors, such as C2H2F2. The process comprises reacting a hydrocarbon feed (20) and a fluorocarbon feed (10) in a high temperature reactor (26), at sufficiently high temperature and sufficiently short resident time to form a reaction product mixture (28) having the fluorinated unsaturated compound as the major reaction product, and cooling (18) to a temperature sufficiently low to inhibit polymerisation of the unsaturated compound. The reaction product may then be processed by removal of higher molecular weight compounds (35) and acids (32) and optionally separated (44) into product components.

Abstract: A method for gassing an emulsion explosives to sensitise the explosive to detonation and/or for density modification is described. The method comprises reacting a compound having an enol group, or a deprotonated enolate form of the enol group, with a nitrosating agent to generate nitric oxide to gas the explosive. The compound reacted with the nitrosating agent can be a lactone such as ascorbic acid. Dinitrogen trioxide is particularly useful as the nitrosating agent.

Abstract: A building structure with a tubular frame structure in a hut shape may be provided with cladding in the form of curved panels to provide a temporary or emergency shelter. These panels may consist of two spaced-apart plastic sheets fused together by parallel ribs serving as webs to provide parallel channels therein, e.g., Coroplast™-like sheeting. Such sheeting is preferably stiffening with one or more battens that are inserted through the hollow channels of the panel allowing them to be used as semi-rigid cladding over the entire building structure. The outer tubular members of the frame are all curved to improve rigidity. The frame includes channels for seating the panels as well as contribute to the structural integrity of the shelter.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the conversion of fluorocarbons into fluorinated unsaturated compounds useful as monomers or other chemical precursors, such as C2H2F2. The process comprises reacting a hydrocarbon feed (20) and a fluorocarbon feed (10) in a high temperature reactor (26), at sufficiently high temperature and sufficiently short resident time to form a reaction product mixture (28) having the fluorinated unsaturated compound as the major reaction product, and cooling (18) to a temperature sufficiently low to inhibit polymerisation of the unsaturated compound. The reaction product may then be processed by removal of higher molecular weight compounds (35) and acids (32) and optionally separated (44) into product components.

Abstract: A self-powered illumination device includes an illumination source protruding from its lower surface for projecting light into a body of water to provide light that is emitted preferentially outwardly to illuminate the sides of a pool. Light emitted with an upward angle of inclination strikes the underside surface of the water-air interface surrounding the device and is reflected outwardly and laterally away the from the light source after striking such underside surface. Preferably, the illumination source has a length that extends downwardly that is commensurate or greater than its width and may be in the form of a fluorescent tube. The illumination device is fully self righting when inverted on the surface of a body of water.

Abstract: A self-powered illumination device includes an illumination source protruding from its lower surface for projecting light into a body of water to provide light that is emitted preferentially outwardly to illuminate the sides of a pool. Light emitted with an upward angle of inclination strikes the underside surface of the water-air interface surrounding the device and is reflected outwardly and laterally away the from the light source after striking such underside surface. Preferably, the illumination source has a length that extends downwardly that is commensurate or greater than its width and may be in the form of a fluorescent tube. The illumination device is fully self righting when inverted on the surface of a body of water.