Abstract: A flame arrestor is provided which can be connected with closely adjacent upstream and downstream portions of a pipeline. The gas flows through an array of narrow tubes immersed in the lower half of a normally liquid heat transfer fluid, thus normally maintaining the gas composition at ambient temperature. Even if a flame front enters either connector of the flame arrestor, the cooling effectively quenches the flame before the flame front can advance through the liquid-cooled narrow tubes to the other connector of the flame arrestor. The array of tubes is arranged as a return loop so that each tube can maintain structural integrity while expanding and contracting during rapid changes of temperature. Moreover, such return loop permits the connectors to be more readily attached to the upstream and downstream adjacent portions of the pipeline.

Abstract: A flame arrestor directs the gas stream to flow through an array of narrow tubes immersed in a normally liquid heat transfer fluid. The gas composition flowing through the flame arrestor is normally maintained at the ambient temperature of such liquid. Even if a flame front enters either connection for the flame arrestor, the cooling effectively quenches the flame before the flame front can advance through the liquid-cooled narrow tubes to the other connector of the flame arrestor, because such a large amount of liquid must be evaporated before the flame arrestor can be heated above the boiling point of the liquid. At both the inlet and outlet zones, where there is a transition between the relatively large cross-sectional area of the array of tubes and the smaller pipes for connecting to the pipeline, a hollow, liquid-cooled member serves as an internal baffle for such transition zone.

Abstract: In a system in which compressed ethylene is scheduled to flow through pipes, and in which there is danger of decomposition of ethylene and danger of the spreading of a reaction boundary of the exothermic decomposition reaction, a method and means are provided for quenching the advancement of the decomposition. Ethylene is directed from large diameter pipes into an array of spaced apart small diameter tubes which are not overheated when subjected to the combination of head and tail boundaries of the advancing plug of decomposition products. Such overheating of the tubes by the leading and trailing flames can be prevented by cooling the exterior of the tubes with a fluid normally maintained at about ambient temperature, thereby cooling the compressed ethylene sufficiently to quench the decomposition reaction. The cooling fluid is desirably an aqueous system adapted to be converted to steam under severe conditions.

Abstract: Described herein is a damper for controlling the passage of hot gases through a duct. The damper has a frame through which are passages. Along these passages coolant is passed to cool the frame and so reduce its thermal expansion as a result of the passage of hot gases through the duct. One or more damper blades are positioned within the opening in the frame, these blades being mounted on shafts rotatably journalled in a bearing cooled by the coolant passing through the frame, a seal being provided where the shafts extend through the frame to allow flow of coolant from the frame into the duct and prevent flow in reverse.

Abstract: A shutoff element comprising a substantially tubular-shaped outer housing and an axially symmetrical inner housing connected by means of rib-like carriers or supports with the outer housing. The axially symmetrical inner housing serves for receiving at least one closure body which can be displaced in axial direction by means of an associated double-acting work cylinder. Each work cylinder is arranged within the inner space of an inner body formed by the inner housing and the inserted closure body in the open position of the shut-off element and is attached to the inner housing. In the free space about the work cylinder there open inlet openings for a cooling medium, the outlet openings of which, in the direction of flow of a work medium, are formed by a ring-shaped opening between the inner housing and the free end of the closure body.

Abstract: A pipe system connects a first supply tank to a flask for dissolving solids, connects the flask to a mixing tank, connects the first supply tank to the flask and to the mixing tank, connects a second supply tank to the mixing tank and connects the mixing tank to an outlet. Valves in the pipe system selectively control the connection of the first supply tank to the flask and to the mixing tank and of the mixing tank to the flask and to the first supply tank. Pumps in the pipe system pump liquids through the pipe system.

Abstract: Mechanism for controlling flow of cleaning fluids under pressure to a discharge nozzle of cleaning apparatus using steam or hot water for industrial cleaning purposes. A control valve for controlling flow of the cleaning fluid is operated by other fluid introduced thereto by an automatically closing manually opened valve. The control valve is arranged to close gradually when the manually opened valve is permitted to close, to prevent shock loads in the fluid system.

Abstract: An evacuation device for removing volatile components from a reaction ves of a protein sequenator and requiring connection to a single vacuum pump is provided. The evacuation device includes a vacuum path having a downstream end thereof connectable through a cooling trap to the vacuum pump and an upstream end defining an input. The vacuum path additionally includes a shutoff valve intermediate the length thereof. A further vacuum path bridges the first mentioned vacuum path upstream and downstream of the shutoff valve and has a smaller vacuum cross-section and houses a throttle therein, the second vacuum path being used for generating a prevacuum in response to the closing of the shutoff valve in the first mentioned vacuum path.

Abstract: An apparatus for the control of the viscosity of fuel oil supplied to burners, which comprises, in series, pump means for supplying the fuel oil to the burner system under a selected pressure, means for heating the fuel oil output of the pump means, strainer means and control valve means and orifice means of selected length and diameter. A differential pressure cell monitors the pressure drop across the orifice due to the flow of fuel oil under a selected pressure set by the control valve. Any variations in differential pressure will be due to corresponding inverse variations of viscosity. The variations in the output of the differential pressure cell are communicated to a valve means which controls the amount of steam passing into the heating means, thus controlling the temperature of the fuel oil, and therefore its viscosity, to a proper value.

Abstract: A heating device formed as a double-wall tubular heat pipe with a closed annular space between outer and inner walls containing a vaporizable liquid heat-transporting medium, and a cylindrical bore defined within said inner tube as the heating space for objects to be heated, said annular space having end walls closing its ends, and means for transmitting heat through one of said end walls into said space.

Abstract: A valve having means for measuring leakage through the valve. The valve body has a small heater in the leakage flow path downstream of the upstream seal and a heat sensor upstream of the downstream seal in the leakage path; fluid that leaks past the upstream seal is heated and its presence detected by the heat sensor which then indicates the fact that the valve is leaking.

Abstract: An arrangement in a gully for draining water to prevent accumulation of snow and ice therein includes a substantially cup-shaped gully member, having a lower outlet socket for connection to a waste pipe and an upper circumferential support flange; and a clamping ring secured on the upper end of the gully member. A circular vertical flange on the clamping ring receives and guides an upper crown-shaped grate resting on the clamping ring and having an upper central opening. A bore through the wall of the cup-shaped member is supplied with heated air from a hot air pipe mounted in the bore in such a manner that the mouth of its free end opens into the gully member. A float valve controls the mouth of the hot air pipe, which is designed for adjustable dispersion of the airstream from the pipe mouth below the grate.