Abstract: A method of monitoring a material yield sensor assembly for upward baseline drift, the method comprising steps of receiving a signal representing a plurality of raw baseline datapoints from the material yield sensor assembly, passing the raw baseline datapoints through an IIR filter thereby producing a plurality of filtered datapoints, fitting the filtered datapoints to a curve via a curve fitter thereby producing a plurality of fitted datapoints, and generating an alarm indicating the material yield sensor assembly should be serviced if a fitted datapoint of the plurality of fitted datapoints is greater than a first threshold.

Abstract: A material yield sensor assembly comprising a photodiode and a processing element. The photodiode is configured to generate a signal representative of an amount of material passing by the photodiode. The processing element is configured to convert the signal from an analog form to a digital form, determine a clipping density of the signal, decrease a gain of the signal if the clipping density is greater than a first threshold, and increase the gain of the signal if the clipping density is less than a second threshold to optimize signal integrity versus signal resolution.

Abstract: A dispensing cart includes a base supported by a plurality of wheels such that the base is suspended above a support surface, a mast operably coupled to the base, a work surface operably coupled to the mast such that the work surface is vertically adjustable, a drawer system comprising a plurality of drawers positioned in the cart lower than the work surface and higher than the base, and a first battery. The cart is configured such that the first battery is hot swappable with a second battery without loss of power as the first battery is removed to be replaced with the second battery.

Abstract: A medication dispensing cart having a computer and monitor, a work surface with pull out keyboard, and plural drawers arranged as a vertical series of cassettes that can be added as needed. The battery powered device uses software and pass codes for controlling access to each drawer, and requires a second pass code for any drawer designated to contain narcotics. Records can be kept of who dispenses what medication and when for each cart in a system of carts. The cart in the system is in wireless communication with a system administrator. Emails alerting the system administrator of low battery power, of a cart switching to off, of an attempted break-in, and of inventory and usage data are sent automatically by email.

Abstract: A process for the alkoxyalkylation of an unsubstituted aromatic substrate or a substituted aromatic substrate, said substitution being via a carbon-carbon bond, said process comprising reacting the aromatic substrate with a dialkoxyalkane in the presence of a catalyst.

Abstract: A process is described for the recovery of substantially pure ethyl acetate from a feedstock including ethyl acetate, ethanol and water. The process includes supplying the feedstock to a first distillation zone maintained under first distillation conditions effective for distilling from the feedstock a first distillate including ethyl acetate, ethanol, and less than about 10 mol % water. The first distillate is recovered from the first distillation zone and is supplied to a second distillation zone maintained under second distillation conditions, which include use of a higher pressure than that of the first distillation zone. The second distillation conditions are effective for distilling from the first distillate a second distillate including ethanol, water, and a minor proportion of ethyl acetate and yielding a substantially pure ethyl acetate bottom product, which is recovered. The second distillate is returned to the first distillation zone.

Abstract: A process for activating a cobalt-containing catalyst by contacting the catalyst with hydrogen in a reaction system suitable for use in a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis wherein a first gaseous stream comprising 0.25 to 5% by volume of hydrogen and 95 to 99.75% by volume of inert gas is continuously introduced into the reaction system and a second gaseous stream is continuously withdrawn from the reactor system wherein the activation procedure comprises the steps of: (A) heating the contents of the reactor system to a temperature which is in a range of 25 to 5° C. below a critical activation temperature; (B) thereafter increasing the temperature at a rate of up to 20° C. per hour to a first hold temperature which is in a range of from the critical activation temperature to a temperature which is at most 20° C. above the critical activation temperature; and (C) maintaining the contents of the reactor system approaches the hydrogen content of the first gaseous stream.

Abstract: A process for the co-production of a diol product (e.g. butane-1,4-diol) and a cyclic ether (e.g. tetrahydrofuran) by hydrogenation of an aliphatic diester or lactone feedstock (e.g. dimethyl or diethyl maleate), which contains a minor amount of acidic material, such as the corresponding monoester. The process utilizes a plurality of hydrogenation zones connected in series, each containing a charge of a granular ester hydrogenation catalyst. The catalyst in the first hydrogenation zone is tolerant of a minor amount of acidic material, while the catalyst in the second hydrogenation zone provides enhanced yields of cyclic ethers compared to the catalyst of the first hydrogenation zone. The catalyst in a third hydrogenation zone exhibits low selectivity towards conversion of the diester to at least one by product (e.g. 2-4?-hydroxybutoxy-tetrahydrofuran).

Abstract: Ethanol is dehydrogenated in the presence of hydrogen over a dehydrogenation catalyst, for example, a copper on silica catalyst. The liquefiable products present in the resulting intermediate reaction product mixture are selectively hydrogenated over a suitable catalyst, such as 5% ruthenium on carbon, so as selectively to hydrogenate reactive carbonyl-containing by-products to the corresponding alcohols. Butan-2-one and n-butyraldehyde are thereby hydrogenated to 2-butanol and n-butanol respectively. A two stage distillation procedure is then used to purify the selectively hydrogenated product. A first distillate of ethyl acetate, ethanol and water produced in the first distillation zone is redistilled in the second distillation zone, thereby producing a bottom product comprising, typically, from about 99.8 mol % to about 99.

Abstract: A process for activating a cobalt-containing catalyst by contacting the catalyst with hydrogen in a reaction system suitable for use in a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis wherein a first gaseous stream comprising 0.25 to 5% by volume of hydrogen and 95 to 99.75% by volume of inert gas is continuously introduced into the reaction system and a second gaseous stream is continuously withdrawn from the reactor system wherein the activation procedure comprises the steps of: (A) heating the contents of the reactor system to a temperature which is in a range of 25 to 5° C. below a critical activation temperature; (B) thereafter increasing the temperature at a rate of up to 20° C. per hour to a first hold temperature which is in a range of from the critical activation temperature to a temperature which is at most 20° C. above the critical activation temperature; and (C) maintaining the contents of the reactor system approaches the hydrogen content of the first gaseous stream.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of substantially pure alkyl alkanoate, such as ethyl acetate, from an impure feedstock. The impure feedstock is contacted with a selective hydrogenation catalyst in the presence of hydrogen in a selective hydrogenation zone maintained under selective hydrogenation conditions effective for selective hydrogenation of impurities containing reactive carbonyl groups thereby to hydrogenate the impurities to the corresponding alcohols. After recovery from the selective hydrogenation zone of a selectively hydrogenated reaction product mixture including the alkyl alkanoate and the corresponding alcohols, this is distilled in one or more distillation zones so as to produce substantially pure alkyl alkanoate therefrom which is recovered.

Abstract: A process for the co-production of a diol product (e.g. butane-1,4-diol) and a cyclic ether (e.g. tetrahydrofuran) by hydrogenation of an aliphatic diester or lactone feedstock (e.g. dimethyl or diethyl maleate), which contains a minor amount of acidic material, such as the corresponding monoester. The process utilizes a plurality of hydrogenation zones connected in series, each containing a charge of a granular ester hydrogenation catalyst. The catalyst in the first hydrogenation zone is tolerant of a minor amount of acidic material, while the catalyst in the second hydrogenation zone provides enhanced yields of cyclic ethers compared to the catalyst of the first hydrogenation zone. The catalyst in a third hydrogenation zone exhibits low selectivity towards conversion of the diester to at least one by product (e.g. 2-4′-hydroxybutoxy-tetrahydrofuran).

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the purification of a butane-1,4-diol feed containing a minor amount of the cyclic acetal, 2-(4'-hydroxybutoxy)-tetrahydrofuran, which comprises hydrogenating the butane-1,4-diol feed in a hydrogenation zone in the presence of a minor amount of water and a hydrogenation catalyst, and recovering from the hydrogenation zone a butane-1,4-diol product that has a reduced 2-(4'-hydroxybutoxy)-tetrahydrofuran content compared with the butane-1,4-diol feed.