Abstract: Maintaining long residence times during hydrothermal digestion of cellulosic biomass solids may be complicated by a number of factors, including biomass compaction. Advantages in this regard may be realized by digesting cellulosic biomass solids in an inclined digestion unit. Such methods can comprise: introducing cellulosic biomass solids to a hydrothermal digestion unit comprising one or more inclined surfaces therein; introducing a fluid phase digestion medium containing a slurry catalyst to the hydrothermal digestion unit, the slurry catalyst being capable of activating molecular hydrogen; supplying an upwardly directed flow of molecular hydrogen from a source disposed along each inclined surface as the cellulosic biomass solids descend along each inclined surface; and heating the cellulosic biomass solids as they descend along each inclined surface in the presence of the slurry catalyst and the molecular hydrogen, thereby forming an alcoholic component derived from the cellulosic biomass solids.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a continuous or non-continuous ionic liquid alkylation process comprising a step for solids removal, the process further comprising the steps (a) measuring the solids content in the ionic liquid alkylation process stream by on line (in situ) or off line sampling; (b) in response to the solids measurement signal, regulating the flow of the ionic liquid side stream to be sent to the solids removal device; (c) regulating the flow of the fresh ionic liquid inlet stream, for controlling the solids content in the ionic liquid alkylation process to a pre-defined level. The process of the invention provides a means to more efficiently run an ionic liquid alkylation process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing alkylate comprising the subsequent steps (a), (b) and (c): (a) an alkylation step, wherein in a reaction zone a hydrocarbon mixture comprising at least an isoparaffin and an olefin is reacted with an ionic liquid catalyst to obtain an effluent comprising alkylate and solids, which latter are formed as side products in the alkylation step; (b) a separation step, wherein at least part of the alkylate-comprising effluent coming from the reaction zone is separated in a separator unit into a hydrocarbon-rich phase and an ionic liquid catalyst-rich phase which latter phase also comprises solids formed as side products during the alkylation reaction; and (c) a solids removal step, wherein the solids in ionic liquid catalyst-rich phase are separated from the ionic liquid catalyst using a suitable separating device; wherein the process further comprises a step following the separation step (b) and prior to the solids removal step (c).

Abstract: An egg chain gripper actuating device for use with an egg transfer device. The device has an egg conveyor with parallel egg chains movable in a transport direction, each chain supporting egg grippers, which can be individually actuated. The device further comprises an egg receiving unit with a receiving area for receiving eggs released by the egg grippers, and one group of one or more actuators for each egg chain for selectively actuating passing egg grippers. Multiple support frames are provided, each supporting one or more groups of actuators. At least one frame is adjustable parallel to the transport direction and relative to another frame, such that the position of the actuators of the one or more groups supported by the frame can be adjusted relative to the position of the one of more actuators of the one or more groups supported by the other frame.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a regeneration process for producing a regenerated ionic liquid catalyst from solids formed in an ionic liquid alkylation process wherein a first ionic liquid is used as a catalyst which is a composite ionic liquid comprising ammonium cations, and anions being composite coordinate anions derived from two or more metal salts, wherein at least one metal salt is an aluminium salt and any further metal salt is a salt of a metal selected from the group consisting of Group IB elements of the Periodic Table, Group IIB elements of the Periodic Table and transition elements of the Periodic Table, the regeneration process comprising (a) removing the solids from the reaction zone of the alkylation process; and (b) subsequently treating the solids with a second ionic liquid made from an ammonium salt as cation, and an aluminium salt as anion which is the same as the aluminium salt present in the first ionic liquid.

Abstract: An egg chain gripper actuating device for use with an egg transfer device. The device has an egg conveyor with parallel egg chains movable in a transport direction, each chain supporting egg grippers, which can be individually actuated. The device further comprises an egg receiving unit with a receiving area for receiving eggs released by the egg grippers, and one group of one or more actuators for each egg chain for selectively actuating passing egg grippers. Multiple support frames are provided, each supporting one or more groups of actuators. At least one frame is adjustable parallel to the transport direction and relative to another frame, such that the position of the actuators of the one or more groups supported by the frame can be adjusted relative to the position of the one of more actuators of the one or more groups supported by the other frame.

Abstract: Biomass compaction during hydrothermal digestion of cellulosic biomass solids may become problematic, particularly as the vertical height of a cellulosic biomass charge increases. Compaction may be decreased in a horizontally configured hydrothermal digestion unit.

Abstract: Maintaining long residence times during hydrothermal digestion of cellulosic biomass solids may be complicated by a number of factors, including biomass compaction. Advantages in this regard may be realized by digesting cellulosic biomass solids in an inclined digestion unit. Such methods can comprise: introducing cellulosic biomass solids to a hydrothermal digestion unit comprising one or more inclined surfaces therein; introducing a fluid phase digestion medium containing a slurry catalyst to the hydrothermal digestion unit, the slurry catalyst being capable of activating molecular hydrogen; supplying an upwardly directed flow of molecular hydrogen from a source disposed along each inclined surface as the cellulosic biomass solids descend along each inclined surface; and heating the cellulosic biomass solids as they descend along each inclined surface in the presence of the slurry catalyst and the molecular hydrogen, thereby forming an alcoholic component derived from the cellulosic biomass solids.

Abstract: A hair lightening comb applicator (10) contains all of the necessary ingredients and tools to evenly dispense hair dying mix. The comb has teeth (22) spaced apart the proper distance and a mix of dye and accelerator are contained within two separate squeeze tubes (46 and 54) attached to a comb body (20). A mixer insert (42) is in communication with the bleach dye and accelerator tubes and a passageway conduit incorporated within the comb permits the mixed emulsion paste from the mixer insert to be ejected between the comb teeth by manually squeezing the tubes together achieving the desired volume control.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for revamping an HF or sulphuric acid alkylation unit to an ionic liquid alkylation unit, wherein the HF or sulphuric acid alkylation unit comprise at least: —a reactor unit for contacting catalyst and hydrocarbon reactants; —a separator unit for separating a reactor effluent into a catalyst phase and an alkylate-comprising hydrocarbon phase; —a fractionator unit for fractionating the alkylate-comprising hydrocarbon phase into at least one stream comprising alkylate; and which method includes: —providing a second separator unit suitable for the separation of solids from liquids downstream of the reactor unit suitable to reduce the solids content in at least part of the reactor effluent.

Abstract: The present invention provides process for preparing an alkylate comprising contacting in a reactor a hydrocarbon mixture comprising at least an isoparaffin and an olefin with an acidic ionic liquid catalyst under alkylation conditions to obtain an alkylate, which process further comprises: —withdrawing an alkylate-comprising reactor effluent from the reactor, wherein the reactor effluent comprises an ionic liquid phase and a hydrocarbon phase; —separating at least part the reactor effluent into a hydrocarbon phase effluent and a multiple-phase effluent in a centrifugal separation unit; —fractionating at least part of said hydrocarbon phase effluent into at least a stream comprising alkylate and a stream comprising isoparaffin.

Abstract: The present invention provides process for preparing an alkylate comprising contacting in a reaction zone a hydrocarbon mixture comprising at least an isoparaffin and an olefin with an acidic ionic liquid catalyst under alkylation conditions to obtain an alkylate-comprising effluent, in which process: —solids are formed in the reaction zone; —a solids-comprising effluent comprising hydrocarbons and acidic ionic liquid is withdrawn from the reaction zone; and—at least part of the solids-comprising effluent is treated to remove at least part of the solids to obtain a solids-depleted effluent. The invention further provides a process for treating an acidic ionic liquid comprising at least 0.1 wt % of solids based on the total weight of the acidic ionic liquid, wherein at least part of the solids are removed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for revamping an HF or sulphuric acid alkylation unit to an ionic liquid alkylation unit, wherein the HF or sulphuric acid alkylation unit comprise at least: —a reactor unit for contacting catalyst and hydrocarbon reactants; —a separator unit for separating a reactor effluent into a catalyst phase and an alkylate-comprising hydrocarbon phase; —a fractionator unit for fractionating the alkylate-comprising hydrocarbon phase into at least one stream comprising alkylate; and which method includes: —providing one or more cyclone units downstream of the reactor unit to separate at least part of the reactor effluent in a catalyst phase and a alkylate-comprising hydrocarbon phase.

Abstract: A method of integrated circuit (IC) disposition includes the steps of determining one or more disposition criteria based at least in part on statistical timing of a given IC design; and determining whether a given IC according to the given IC design satisfies the one or more disposition criteria based at least in part on one or more measurements of at least one test structure.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing an alkylate, comprising: contacting in a reaction zone a hydrocarbon mixture comprising at least isoparaffin and an olefin with an acidic ionic liquid catalyst under alkylation conditions to obtain an alkylate; withdrawing an alkylate-comprising effluent from the reaction zone; separating at least part of the alkylate-comprising effluent into an hydrocarbon-rich phase and an ionic liquid catalyst-rich phase; fractionating part of the hydrocarbon-rich phase into at least an alkylate-comprising product and a isoparaffin-comprising stream; mixing another part of the hydrocarbon-rich phase with an olefin-comprising stream to form the hydrocarbon mixture; and providing the hydrocarbon mixture to the reaction zone.

Abstract: A method of integrated circuit (IC) disposition includes the steps of determining one or more disposition criteria based at least in part on statistical timing of a given IC design; and determining whether a given IC according to the given IC design satisfies the one or more disposition criteria based at least in part on one or more measurements of at least one test structure.

Abstract: An egg chain gripper actuating device for use with an egg transfer device. The device comprises an egg conveyor with parallel egg chains movable in a transport direction, each chain supporting egg grippers each adapted to support an egg, which grippers can individually be actuated. The device further comprises an egg receiving unit with a receiving area for receiving eggs released by the egg grippers. The device further comprises one group of one or more actuators for each egg chain, which actuators are designed for selectively actuating passing egg grippers. Multiple support frames are provided, each supporting one or more groups of actuators, of which at least one frame is adjustable parallel to the transport direction and relative to another frame, such that the position of the actuators of the one or more groups supported by the frame can be adjusted relative to the position of the one of more actuators of the one or more groups supported by the other frame.

Abstract: A hair highlighting applicator comb is taught which has a hollow body with comb teeth, housing a dual cartridge containing a separate viscous bleach dye compound and a formulated viscous accelerator compound with a dual plunger rod having rack teeth aligned with the dual cartridge. A lever handle is pivoted onto the comb body and includes a ratchet arm pivotally engaging the lever handle and meshing with the plunger rod rack teeth. When the handle is manually pivoted the plunger rod slides linearly forward, and compresses the cartridge forcing the separate compounds to flow between selected comb teeth. A mixer, in fluid communication between the cartridge and the teeth, forces the separate compounds to blend together highlighting a person's hair in a spaced relationship when the comb is drawn through ones hair and the lever is manually compressed simultaneously.

Abstract: A method of integrated circuit (IC) disposition includes the steps of determining one or more disposition criteria based at least in part on statistical timing of a given IC design; and determining whether a given IC according to the given IC design satisfies the one or more disposition criteria based at least in part on one or more measurements of at least one test structure.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing an alkylate, comprising: contacting in a reaction zone a hydrocarbon mixture comprising at least isoparaffin and an olefin with an acidic ionic liquid catalyst under alkylation conditions to obtain an alkylate; withdrawing an alkylate-comprising effluent from the reaction zone; separating at least part of the alkylate-comprising effluent into an hydrocarbon-rich phase and an ionic liquid catalyst-rich phase; fractionating part of the hydrocarbon-rich phase into at least an alkylate-comprising product and a isoparaffin-comprising stream; mixing another part of the hydrocarbon-rich phase with an olefin-comprising stream to form the hydrocarbon mixture; and providing the hydrocarbon mixture to the reaction zone.