Abstract: To provide fuel for a vehicle, a product of fermentation such as a water/ethanol mixture is circulated in the cooling circuit of the engine of the vehicle. The fuel is distilled from the cooling circuit and at least a portion of the distilled fuel is burned in the engine, either as a vapor or as a condensate. Also disclosed are a sensor for determining when the fuel content of the distillate is sufficiently high for combustion and a carburetor for the distilled fuel, which is of varying alcohol content.

Abstract: A continuous method and apparatus for distilling a liquid include conducting the distilling liquid through at least two successive distillation units operating at different temperature levels. The distilling liquid is vaporized in each distillation unit and the obtained vapor condensed into distillate by conducting the vapor into heat exchange relationship with the liquid discharged from the evaporators in a succeeding distillation unit which operates at a lower temperature level. At least one of the distillation units includes a plurality of communicating distillation stages, each distillation stage including an evaporator and a corresponding condenser.

Abstract: The present invention entails a method and apparatus for producing alcohol and mixing the produced alcohol with a conventional petroleum fuel to form an alcohol-petroleum fuel mix which is typically referred to as gasohol. A grain base material such as animal feed or crushed corn is allowed to ferment and during this process there is produced an alcohol base solution which is removed from the mash fermentation and delivered to a boiler mounted on a vehicle. During operation of the vehicle, heat from the vehicle engine exhaust is selectively directed to the boiler and the fermented alcohol base solution contained therein is heated by this exhaust air. As the alcohol base solution is heated there is produced an alcohol vapor which is directed from the boiler to a condenser where the alcohol vapor becomes liquid alcohol. The liquid alcohol is then collected and selectively mixed with a petroleum fuel carried by said vehicle to form the gasohol mix.

Abstract: Reconcentration of moist glycol, which has been used to dry natural gas, by heating the moist glycol with flue gas from a reboiler and by thereafter stripping water from the moist glycol with the dried flue gas or with a hydrocarbon gas by-product of the natural gas being dried.

Abstract: A process and apparatus especially suited for distilling alcohol from aqueous fermentation liquors wherein liquid vapors from a body of a liquid mixture (4) which is to be distilled pass from a container (2) holding the liquid mixture to a vapor heating chamber (8) disposed above the container where the vapors are heated by solar radiation and/or heat exchange with a source of process heat. The vapors are then withdrawn from the vapor heating chamber, compressed, passed in heat exchange relation with the liquid mixture and introduced into a reflux column (15) disposed in the interior of the body of liquid to be distilled near the center of the container. An aqueous fraction (24) is collected from the bottom of the reflux column, and an alcohol vapor fraction is withdrawn from the top of the reflux column and further condensed in heat exchange contact with the liquid mixture to produce an alcohol fraction (32).

Abstract: In a process of preparing triaryl phosphates by direct esterification which comprisesA. Reaction Steps:The steps of(a) Reacting a hydroxyaryl with phosphoric acid or equivalent to form an aryl phosphate and water(b) Removing the water by entrainment by means of hydroxyaryl vapor, and(c) Condensing the water-containing entraining vapor, andB. Dehydration Step:The step of separating the water from the water-containing entraining vapor by distillation, andC. Recycling Steps:The steps of(a) Evaporating the dry hydroxyaryl liquid and(b) Using its vapor as the entraining vapor in step (A, b).the improvement which comprisesI. Carrying out the Reaction Steps A at essentially higher pressure than the Dehydration Step B, andII. Using all, or part of, the water-containing hydroxyaryl vapor from Step (A, b) as the heating medium in Step B.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved method of forming polyol (allyl carbonate) monomers. In the disclosed method, the organic by-products as diallyl carbonate and unreacted reagents as allyl alcohol are separated from the brine and wash water derived aqueous phase and returned to the allyl carbonate synthesis reaction. The aqueous phase is further separated to recover allyl alcohol therefrom, which is returned to the allyl carbonate synthesis reactor as an azeotrope.

Abstract: In a distillation process, the heats of distillates and bottom product are recovered to preheat the feed and to generate the steam of higher than 5 kg/cm.sup.2 G which in turn may be utilized to improve the distillation efficiency.

Abstract: Apparatus for continuously fermenting a moist particulate feed and distilling the fermentation product is disclosed in which a pressure-locked auger forces a moist particulate feed from a hopper into a fermentation tank, liquor is removed from the tank and solids are separated therefrom to produce a beer which is distilled in a distillation column. A combustion engine powers the auger and the means for separating solids, and the engine exhaust surrounds an inlet section of said auger to help heat the pressurized feed therein to produce fermentable sugar within the auger, and the auger includes a section passing to the tank in heat exchange relation to the distillation column to provide heat for distillation. The column is a multistage column angled to face the sun and has an upper glass plate to allow solar radiation to enter and penetrate between the foraminous plates of the column.

Abstract: A mechanical energy conversion method and system for the restoration of dissipated heat energy, contained in natural or artificial water bodies at or near ambient temperatures, to industrial process heat, mainly in the form of steam up to 200.degree.-400.degree. C. The sensible heat contained in a water body is concentrated as latent heat in low pressure water vapor which is thermo-compressed by steam ejection to an intermediate pressure level, wherefrom mechanical compression takes over, generating highly superheated output steam. The ejecting steam is not generated in a boiler, but is continuously regenerated by the compressor and routed back for repeated ejection. The compressor is driven by a heat engine whose reject heat is collected and upgraded as well. The output of heat energy is essentially equal to the sum of the heating value of the fuel consumed and the intake of latent heat and amounts thus to substantially more than the heating value of the fuel alone.

Abstract: Reconcentration of moist glycol, which has been used to dry natural gas, by heating the moist glycol with flue gas from a reboiler and by thereafter stripping water from the moist glycol with the dried flue gas or with a hydrocarbon gas by-product of the natural gas being dried.

Abstract: A control system is provided for a fractional distillation column where at least a portion of the overhead vapor stream from the fractional distillation column is utilized in a refrigeration and heating system for a process with which the fractional distillation column is associated. The liquid level is an overhead accumulator associated with the fractional distillation column is maintained at a level sufficient to insure that a sufficient supply of the overhead vapor stream from the fractional distillation column is available to supply the refrigeration and heating needs of the process with which the fractional distillation column is associated.

Abstract: A method is provided for the transfer of heat from a source of thermal energy to at least one thermal user or heat consuming apparatus wherein waste water, such as from an industrial process, is used as the heat transfer medium and wherein a portion of the waste water flow is evaporated in an indirect heat exchanger under pressure to yield a mixture of steam and heated liquid waste water. The steam is supplied to an indirect heat exchanger for supplying heat to the heat consuming apparatus and the heated waste water is subsequently vaporized in a plurality of stages by reducing the pressure on the waste water in each stage and by using the steam formed by the vaporization in each stage to supply part of the heat of vaporization for the waste water in the subsequent stage. When the heat requirement of the heat consuming apparatus is reduced, the heat exchanger supplying heat to the heat consuming apparatus may be valved out of the system or the steam flow thereto may be reduced.

Abstract: Water-containing glycol is heated first at atmospheric or superatmospheric pressure to partially remove water and concentrate the glycol and is then heated at subatmospheric pressure to further concentrate the glycol.

Abstract: A methanol production process including synthesis gas generation, methanol synthesis and methanol distillation includes an autonomous system in which low pressure steam is raised by heat exchange with a fluid stream at 120.degree.-300.degree. C. in the process, the low pressure steam is used as live steam to heat at least distillation column in the distillation section and bottoms water from a distillation column in that section is used as feed to the autonomous steam system.

Abstract: A process for the production of alkylaromatic hydrocarbons by the alkylation of benzene wherein the alkylation zone effluent is fractionated to form a bottoms stream comprising benzene, the alkylaromatic hydrocarbon and a light paraffin. The light paraffin is then removed from the bottoms stream in a first recycle column which produces a recycled overhead stream comprising the paraffin and benzene. The bottoms stream of the first recycle column is separated in a second recycle column, which is operated at about the same bottom temperature but a lower pressure than the first recycle column. The benzene-rich overhead stream of the second recycle column is preferably recycled to the alkylation zone.

Abstract: A municipal water supply system for providing potable water under pressure from sea water including a nuclear reactor heated boiler for raising the temperature of sea water to at least 250.degree. F and at superatmospheric pressure means for conveying the superheated steam to an expansion turbine, whereby the superheated steam drives the turbine while the temperature of the steam is reduced to about the boiling point of water at atmospheric pressure, a heat exchanger for condensing the exhaust from the turbine while simultaneously preheating incoming sea water to the system, and liquid pumping means driven by the expansion turbine for conveying the condensed water under pressure to a municipal distribution system. Additionally, means are provided for controlling the temperature within the boiler chamber by controlling the volume of incoming sea water.

Abstract: An electronic system for automatically controlling the operation of a desalination system, and particularly such systems utilizing waste heat from internal combustion engines. The automatic control system is responsive to physical parameters within the desalinator and is particularly useful during warm-up and cooling periods at the beginning and end of use of such a desalination system for minimizing wear on system components and for maximizing the operational life of the system.

Abstract: The steam which develops during water cooling of a furnace is withdrawn from the cooling system of the furnace, introduced into a distillation plant wherein it is subjected to at least partial condensation, and the thus-obtained condensate is recirculated into the cooling system of the furnace. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A vapor generating and recovering apparatus for separating one component from a second component of a liquid solution and recovering the first component including at least one chamber for generating vapor from the liquid solution and recovering the vapor in a liquid form, the vapor generating portion of the chamber being in heat emitting relation with a heat emitting means and the vapor recovering portion chamber being in heat absorbing relation with a heat absorbing means. A preferred system for providing heat to the vapor generating portion of the chamber and removing heat from the vapor recovering portion of the chamber is a refrigerating system which includes condensing coils and evaporating coils in heat transfer relation with the vapor generating and vapor recovery chamber.