Abstract: A fuel flow regulating valve installable on a fuel flow line between a fuel flow inlet and a fuel flow outlet and movable between an open position in which it allows a continuous flow of fuel from the fuel flow inlet to the fuel flow outlet through the line and a closed position in which it interrupts the flow of fuel, an electromagnetic actuator connected with the regulating valve and actuating the latter so as to adjust an opening degree of the regulating valve, and a control unit for controlling the electromagnetic actuator in dependence on at least one parameter of the fuel flow so as to correspondingly adjust the opening degree of the regulating valve.

Abstract: A pollutant containment system for containing the spillage of fuels or other hydrocarbons or the like comprises a first layer (14, 60), a containment vessel (16) for receiving liquid passing through the layer (14) and channelling means (22) for directing liquid permeating through the layer towards the containment vessel (16). The layer (14) provides a plurality of active surfaces for the retention of pollutant and is such as to cause water to permeate through the layer at a flow rate to avoid emulsification of oil and water. Water is introduced into and removed from the containment vessel to raise and lower the water surface thereby to cause the pollutant to be smeared over the active surfaces.

Abstract: An electronic transaction payment system is provided having a vendor terminal associated with a vendor who provides goods or services to a purchaser, a vendor smart-card and a vendor smart-card reader for transmitting data to and receiving data from the vendor smart-card. The system also includes a purchaser smart-card reader which is connected to the vendor terminal and which is operable for transmitting data to and receiving data from a purchaser smart-card. In operation, payment for goods purchased by the purchaser is made between the purchaser smart-card and the vendor smart-card. In a preferred embodiment, the payment data is encrypted using an encryption key specific to the transaction between the purchaser and the vendor. A third party registry terminal may also be provided for providing validation of the vendor and/or the purchaser.

Abstract: A method of making a 3-alkylcycloalkanol of formula 2: where R1 represents a methyl or ethyl group, R2 represents hydrogen, R3 represents an ethyl, propyl, butyl, isobutyl or isoamyl group, R4 represents hydrogen and R5 represents hydrogen, or a methyl, ethyl, propyl, isobutyl or isoamyl group comprises the following steps: (1) carrying out an electrophilic substitution reaction of an alkyl group or precursor thereof, on an ortho-substituted alkylbenzene compound of formula 3: where R6 represents hydrogen, or a methyl or ethyl group; (2) hydrogenating the reaction product of step (1); (3) performing an elimination reaction on one or more reaction products of step (2) to produce one or more alkene products; and (4) hydrating the one or more alkene products of step (3) to provide a 3-alkylcycloalkanol of formula 2. The electrophilic substitution reaction of step (1) may be a Friedel-Crafts acylation, e.g. using an isopropyl ketone precursor, or a Friedel-Crafts alkylation, e.g. using an isobutyl group.

Abstract: The novel isomeric alkenes having structure (I) or (II) or (III) exhibit interesting odour characteristics, generally floral in nature, and so find use in perfumes and in perfumed products. The alkenes are also useful as intermediates in the preparation of other compounds, particularly other fragrance compounds, such as 3-(2-methylpropyl)-1-methylcyclohexanol.

Abstract: A fuel flow regulating valve installable on a fuel flow line between a fuel flow inlet and a fuel flow outlet and movable between an open position in which it allows a continuous flow of fuel from the fuel flow inlet to the fuel flow outlet through the line and a closed position in which it interrupts the flow of fuel, an electromagnetic actuator connected with the regulating valve and actuating the latter so as to adjust an opening degree of the regulating valve, and a control unit for controlling the electromagnetic actuator in dependence on at least one parameter of the fuel flow so as to correspondingly adjust the opening degree of the regulating valve.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of carvone comprises hydrogenating carvoxime in the presence of a selecively poisoned catalyst. Preferred catalysts include noble metals supported on inorganic materials poisoned with a catalyst modifier. In a preferred embodiment of the process defined herein, the crude carvone reaction product produced in accordance with the process of the invention, is purified by treating the crude carvone product with an organometallic compound M(X)n wherein M is a polyvalent metal, n is the valence of M and X denotes an inorganic or organic atom or group.

Abstract: A fuel supply for an internal combustion engine includes providing a source of a first fluid fuel and a source of a second fluid fuel which are separate from one another, sensing at least one operational parameter of an internal combustion engine, supplying the first fuel from the one source and the second fuel from the other source in quantities which are determined in correspondence with the sensed operational parameter of the internal combustion engine, and mixing the first fuel and the second fuel in with the quantities determined in correspondence with the sensed operational parameter so as to produce a fuel mixture to be supplied to the internal combustion engine.

Abstract: The invention concerns Diels-Alder reactions between non-activated aldehydes RCHO in which R is a C1-C10 aliphatic group or phenyl group, which is unsubstituted or substituted with one or more C1-C5 alkyl groups or one other functional group, with simple aliphatic dienes R.sub.1 CH.dbd.CR.sub.2 --CR.sub.3 .dbd.CHR.sub.4 in which R.sub.1 -R.sub.4 are H or C1-C5 alkyl groups using as a catalyst a perfluorinated organic sulphonic acid or a Bronsted acid derivative thereof. The reaction leads to dihydropyrans of the structure below in which R1-R4 have the meaning indicated above.The preferred perfluorinated organic sulfonic acids are perfluorooctanesulphonic acid, triflic acid, Nafion or a Bronsted acid derivative of triflic acid. ##STR1## The preferred aldehydes are those wherein R is a C2-C6 aliphatic group or a phenyl group which is unsubstituted or mono-substituted with C1-C3 alkyl or with 4-Cl, 4-nitro or 3-methoxy. The preferred dienes are those wherein the groups R.sub.1 -R.sub.4 are H or methyl.

Abstract: Dihydromyrcene is reacted with a carboxylic acid, eg acetic acid, to produce an ester which is then reacted with an alcohol in a transesterification reaction to produce (dihydro)myrcenol and another ester. The preferred alcohol is 4-tertiarybutylcyclohexanol. Myrcenol can be produced in a similar way.

Abstract: A reheat system for a gas turbine engine includes a plurality of radial flameholders constructed of non-metallic material, such as a ceramic composite or carbon/carbon reinforced material, mounted on a metallic support structure in the engine jet pipe. The metallic support structure may be cooled by air from the engine bypass duct, and the non-metallic flameholders are capable of withstanding higher exhaust gas temperatures in the jet exhaust beyond the capability of currently used metal alloy materials. However, the mounting assembly must be capable of absorbing the considerable differential thermal expansion which will take place.

Abstract: A self acting air supported thrust bearing is formed viscokinetically between a static segmented thrust pad and a rotor connected to a shaft by a flexible link which allows the rotor to rotate about its own center of gravity. Thrust is transferred from the shaft to the rotor by a thrust disc acting as a diaphragm.As a result distortion of the rotor due to centrifugal and thrust forces which would cause the bearing to fail is reduced.

Abstract: A method of marine seismic investigation involves positioning or deploying at a predetermined point close to or within a multi-element seismic source array a calibration source which is an acoustic pressure wave point source which has a far-field seismic signature of broad bandwidth. The radiated pressure wave field of the calibration source (3) is weaker than that of the main source (2). The two sources are fired at separate instants within a predetermined time range, preferably with the calibration source (3) being fired about two seconds before the main source (2). The reflected response of the sub-surface strata is recorded and processed to generate seismic data. In one embodiment, the response is recorded with two hydrophone arrays - a short high-resolution array (4) and a conventional main array (5). The method can be used to determine the far-field signature of the main source array (2). It can also be used to obtain a high-resolution shallow seismic section simultaneously with a deep seismic section.

Abstract: A method of underwater seismic testing is disclosed which does not require the use of long hydrophone streamers and which dispenses with the conventional CDP stack technique. The method enables signal processing to commence as soon as the first shot has been fired. The method involves traversing the region of interest with a survey vessel while firing a single seismic source repeatedly and observing the sub-sea response to the repeated shots using a single seismic receiver to provide thereby single-trace data which is then processed to generate the required sub-sea geological data. The signal processing may be effected in two stages, the first being deconvolution and the second being "3-D" imaging, preferably using the Kirchoff integral formulation.

Abstract: In a non-contacting gas seal for a gas turbine engine a seal ring (12) (FIG. 3) is formed from a ring of overlapping segments (16) mounted in a housing (14) on a static component (9) of the engine, and co-operating to define a sealing face (15) which confronts a sealing face (10) on a rotating component (8) to form a seal. The segments overlap and are spaced at their leading ends from the rotating component to define a tapering gap (19) therebetween so that they lift away from the rotating component in operation to ride on a gas film leaving only a very small clearance.In order to ensure that the relative circumferential dispositions of the segments does not alter significantly due to eccentric movements of the rotating component in operation, a dogged ring (34) is provided which is located in the housing by an anti-rotation dog (38) and has spaced dogs (36) engaging each of the segments to prevent circumferential movement thereof while allowing limited radial movement.

Abstract: In a non-contacting gas seal between static and rotatable components of a gas turbine engine, a seal ring (12) (FIG. 4) is composed of a plurality of overlapping segments (16) which co-operate to define a sealing face (15). The segments are located in a housing (14) preferably on the static component with the sealing face (15) confronting a sealing face (10) on the rotating component the arrangement being such that in operation the segments lift away from the rotating component to ride on a gas film leaving a very small sealing clearance therebetween.A secondary seal must be formed between the seal ring and the housing to avoid leakage around the seal ring and this is achieved by a narrow sealing land (23) on the low pressure side-face of each segment being urged into contact with a side-face (22) of the housing by the higher pressure fluid on the opposite side-faces of the segments.

Abstract: A fluid bearing assembly includes a shaft mounted for rotation in a housing on a fluid film in a gap formed between the shaft surface and confronting surfaces on a plurality of shells mounted in the housing. The shells are relatively thick so that they bend in the manner of a stiff beam, and resilient supports are disposed between the shells and the housing which transmit fluid pressure forces on the shells to the housing and at the same time provide reaction loads on the shells which operate in pre-determined manner in opposition to changes in the fluid pressure forces to bend the shells to increase the load carrying capacity of the bearing.

Abstract: In a foil gas bearing or other similar machine element the relatively rigid shaft is coated with a glaze-forming oxide layer between 0.003 and 0.020 ins. thick, while the relatively thin foils are coated with a layer of a compound comprising cobalt and chromium carbide to a depth of up to 0.003 ins., the surface layer of which is oxidized to a depth of 0.0001 ins. to 0.0005 ins.