Abstract: A method for fabricating a distillation column in a remote location away from a permanent manufacturing facility is provided. In one embodiment, the method can include the steps of: forming a plurality of column sections each having a diameter D, each column section comprising a plurality of courses that have been horizontally welded together, wherein each course is comprised of two or more partial shells that have been vertically welded together, wherein each of the two or more partial shells was created by vertically rolling a rectangular plate having a length of at least ( 1 N ? ? · D ) , wherein N is the number of partial shells used to form the course; installing a distributor and packing in each column section to form a plurality of packed column sections; and stacking the plurality of packed column sections to form a column.

Abstract: A method of erecting a cold box that includes the steps of anchoring at least one column to a foundation in a substantially vertical orientation; anchoring a pipe rack module to the foundation in a substantially vertical orientation, wherein the pipe rack module is in close proximity to the at least one column; attaching interconnecting piping between the pipe rack module and the at least one column; anchoring at least four corner beams to the edge of the foundation in a substantially vertical orientation; attaching prefabricated panels with bracing to the corner beams, to form an enclosure around the column and piping; and attaching a roof to the enclose is provided.

Abstract: The process for the on-line characterization of a surface in motion, preferably a galvannealed sheet, essentially comprises an industrial microscope associated with a stroboscopic laser illumination device, a positioning assembly, an assembly for acquiring and processing images. The obtained view fields vary between 125 ?m and 2000 ?m in width, the spatial resolution is at least 0.5 ?m, and the focussing of the system is precise to a micrometer. The images are taken on a product moving at a speed of between 1 m/s and 20 m/s and are frozen by the use of a stroboscopic illumination device with a duration of illumination of at least 10 ns. The obtained images are processed in several steps. A background average level is first of all regularly evaluated in order to be eliminated from each current image. The processed image is then divided into several zones. The sharpness of each zone is evaluated and stored in memory.

Abstract: The process for the on-line characterisation of a surface in motion, preferably a galvannealed sheet, essentially comprises an industrial microscope associated with a stroboscopic laser illumination device, a positioning assembly, an assembly for acquiring and processing images. The obtained view fields vary between 125 &mgr;m and 2000 &mgr;m in width, the spatial resolution is at least 0.5 &mgr;m, and the focussing of the system is precise to a micrometer. The images are taken on a product moving at a speed of between 1 m/s and 20 m/s and are frozen by the use of a stroboscopic illumination device with a duration of illumination of at least 10 ns. The obtained images are processed in several steps. A background average level is first of all regularly evaluated in order to be eliminated from each current image. The processed image is then divided into several zones. The sharpness of each zone is evaluated and stored in memory.