Abstract: A sulfur purification process is provided. Ash-containing molten sulfur is fed to a centrifuge and subjected to centrifugation under controlled conditions at G forces at least about 4,000 times that of gravity. The centrifugation generates a purified sulfur product and a high-solids sulfur waste stream. A solid bowl disc centrifuge provided with conical discs is used to effect the centrifugal separation of solids from liquids at G forces of at least about 4,000. The centrifuge and related piping system are equipped with heating means so as to maintain the temperature of the sulfur above about 250° F. If large volumes of sulfur are to be treated, e.g., 40 or more long tons per hour, a pretreatment step, where the molten sulfur is first subjected to centrifugation at G forces at least about 4,000 times that of gravity in one or more nozzle bowl centrifuges, is added in order to obtain satisfactory results.

Abstract: An advertising system to be used with personal computers which enables sponsors to present advertisements or commercials to a user during periods of waiting-time which are inherent in normal computer use. A segment of a software product contains one or more sponsors' audio, visual, or multi-modality messages. The advertising system chooses one of these messages and presents it to the user of the computer during the times that the user is not normally able to use the keyboard of the computer because information is being loaded up or sent out. Such times occur during the start-up of a program or during the sending of information from the computer to a peripheral device such as a printer, modem, or fax. The advertisement, or sequence of advertisements, may be chosen based upon the amount of time which the computer will need to achieve a task before being ready for new input from the user.