Abstract: Provided is a probe device for testing a sensor chip that detects a target material from an analysis specimen, has a reactant reacting specifically with the target material, and transmits a generated electrical signal through a pad. The probe device can include a lower housing accommodating a circuit board electrically connectable to an external test device; a middle housing positioned on the lower housing, coupled to the lower housing, and having the sensor chip mounted thereon; a probe module having probe pins for connecting a pad of the sensor chip and a connection pad of the circuit board to each other; and an upper housing positioned on the middle housing, coupled to the middle housing, having a recessed portion that opens the sensor chip, and having a guide area for aligning the probe module on the pads of the sensor chip and the circuit board.

Abstract: A method for determining a calibrated measurement value for a concentration of the target gas comprises obtaining a measurement signal based on the concentration of the target gas. The method further comprises determining the calibrated measurement value based on the measurement signal and based on a calibration model. The calibration model is based on calibration data of a plurality of test sensor units having the same type as the sensor unit.

Abstract: Systems and methods related to desalination systems are described herein. According to some embodiments, the desalination systems are transiently operated and/or configured to facilitate transient operation. In some embodiments, a liquid stream comprising water and at least one dissolved salt is circulated through a fluidic circuit comprising a desalination system. In some embodiments, a portion of the desalination system (e.g., a humidifier) is configured to remove at least a portion of the water from the liquid stream to produce a concentrated brine stream enriched in the dissolved salt. In certain cases, the concentrated brine stream is recirculated through the fluidic circuit until the concentrated brine stream reaches a relatively high density (e.g., at least about 10 pounds per gallon) and/or a relatively high salinity (e.g., a total dissolved salt concentration of at least about 25 wt %).

Abstract: This desulfurization device is for desulfurizing a discharge gas which contains sulfur oxides and which was discharged from a device for sulfuric acid production that includes a concentrated-sulfuric-acid production step in which sulfur trioxide gas obtained by oxidizing sulfur dioxide gas is absorbed in an aqueous sulfuric acid solution while supplying water thereto to thereby produce sulfuric acid having a concentration as high as 90 wt % or more but less than 99 wt %, the desulfurization device comprising: a desulfurization tower in which the sulfur oxides are removed from the discharge gas and, simultaneously therewith, dilute sulfuric acid is formed from the sulfur oxides; and a dilute sulfuric acid mixer which, in the concentrated-sulfuric-acid production step, mixes the dilute sulfuric acid with the aqueous sulfuric acid solution.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for configuring an advection diffusion model may include retrieving, via a processor, a plurality of advection diffusion model parameters indicative of model extremes of the advection diffusion model, retrieving, via the processor, convergence area information indicative of a convergence area for the advection diffusion model, determining, via the processor, an accuracy metric for each of the plurality of advection diffusion model parameters, selecting, via the processor, an optimal advection diffusion model parameter from the plurality of advection diffusion model parameters, and configuring, via the processor, the advection diffusion model with the optimal advection diffusion model parameter.

Abstract: Systems and methods related to desalination systems are described herein. According to some embodiments, the desalination systems are transiently operated and/or configured to facilitate transient operation. In some embodiments, a liquid stream comprising water and at least one dissolved salt is circulated through a fluidic circuit comprising a desalination system. In some embodiments, a portion of the desalination system (e.g., a humidifier) is configured to remove at least a portion of the water from the liquid stream to produce a concentrated brine stream enriched in the dissolved salt. In certain cases, the concentrated brine stream is recirculated through the fluidic circuit until the concentrated brine stream reaches a relatively high density (e.g., at least about 10 pounds per gallon) and/or a relatively high salinity (e.g., a total dissolved salt concentration of at least about 25 wt %).

Abstract: Systems and methods related to desalination systems are described herein. According to some embodiments, the desalination systems are transiently operated and/or configured to facilitate transient operation. In some embodiments, a liquid stream comprising water and at least one dissolved salt is circulated through a fluidic circuit comprising a desalination system. In some embodiments, a portion of the desalination system (e.g., a humidifier) is configured to remove at least a portion of the water from the liquid stream to produce a concentrated brine stream enriched in the dissolved salt. In certain cases, the concentrated brine stream is recirculated through the fluidic circuit until the concentrated brine stream reaches a relatively high density (e.g., at least about 10 pounds per gallon) and/or a relatively high salinity (e.g., a total dissolved salt concentration of at least about 25 wt %).

Abstract: Methods and devices for controlled evaporation of solvent from a solution are provided. In one embodiment, a method for controlled evaporation of solvent from at least one solution includes filling a selected first set of wells in a multi-well plate with a first solution comprising at least one first solvent. The method also includes attaching an inlet manifold to the plate, the inlet manifold comprising an inlet port connected to and in fluid communication only with each of the wells in the selected first set of wells. The method further includes attaching an exhaust manifold to the plate, the exhaust manifold comprising an exhaust port connected to and in fluid communication only with each of the wells in the selected first set of wells. The method also includes introducing a gas into the inlet port and removing solvent vapor from the selected first set of wells.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for recovering Li values from a sodium saturated brine. The process includes recovering Li values from a sodium saturated brine which contains LiX. The process includes concentrating the sodium saturated brine to at least 9000 mg/l LiX, passing the concentrated brine through a bed of polycrystalline hydrated alumina pellets until the pellets are loaded with LiX from the concentrated brine, displacing brine held-up in the bed by using concentrated NaX, unloading LiX from the pellets by flowing through the bed an aqueous solution of LiX which is not saturated, displacing the LiX from the bed using concentrated NaX, and repeating the steps at least one additional time to provide the Li values.

Abstract: A material distribution measuring device (1) for measuring a reaction distribution or a concentration distribution of a material contained in a solution.

Abstract: A method is provided for recovering a catalytic element from a fuel cell membrane electrode assembly. The method includes grinding the membrane electrode assembly into a powder, extracting the catalytic element by forming a slurry comprising the powder and an acid leachate adapted to dissolve the catalytic element into a soluble salt, and separating the slurry into a depleted powder and a supernatant containing the catalytic element salt. The depleted powder is washed to remove any catalytic element salt retained within pores in the depleted powder and the catalytic element is purified from the salt.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a comprehensive, efficient, and cost effective portable evaporator unit, method, and system for the treatment of brine. The evaporator unit, method, and system require a pretreatment process that removes heavy metals, crude oil, and other contaminates in preparation for the evaporator unit. The pretreatment and the evaporator unit, method, and system process metals and brine at the site where they are generated (the well site). Thus, saving significant money to producers who can avoid present and future increases in transportation costs.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the destruction of chemical weapons. In particular, the present invention relates to methods for treating hydrolysates of chemical agents. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method comprising oxidizing a hydrolysate of a chemical agent to produce an aqueous layer and an organic layer, the aqueous layer comprising an organophosphorus concentration and the organic layer comprising an organosulfur concentration, and separating the organic layer from the aqueous layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a measurement instrument (2) which is used as an attachment to a concentration measuring device (1) for calculating concentration based on concentration measurement information, and which outputs the concentration measurement information to the concentration measuring device (1). The measurement instrument (2) includes an attribute information output section (28) to output attribute information about the attributes of the measurement instrument (2) as an electric physical value. The attribute information is based on at least one of the conditions including a resistance of the attribute information output section (28), a location of the attribute information output section (28), and the size of a region on which the attribute information output section (28) is formed. The attribute information may be used to select the calibration curve suitable for the measurement instrument (2).

Abstract: Process for the treatment of by-products from a reaction for the production of organic compounds comprising a stage of evaporation of a liquid phase comprising heavy by-products on a surface, in order to form a concentrated phase comprising the bulk of the heavy by-products and a vapour phase essentially devoid of heavy by-products, and a stage of recovery of the solid phase from the surface.

Abstract: Crystalline &agr;-lactose monohydrate is recovered frown a viscous lactose-containing aqueous liquid by subjecting said liquid to simultaneous heating, removal of evaporated vapor and mechanical agitation at high shear rate to provide a crystallization promoting decrease of the viscosity of the liquid with crystals formed and suspended therein to progressively concentrate the agitated liquid and simultaneously crystallize lactose therefrom. Subsequent cooling, drying, and disintegration yield particulate &agr;-lactose monohydrate.

Abstract: A method for distilling water includes the steps of entering brine to be distilled into a sub-atmospheric boiler having a brine section with a brine output and a water vapor output; concentrating brine in the brine section to a concentration of at least 250 grams of salt or contaminants per liter; stirring the brine in the brine section; and exiting the brine through the brine output. A distiller with a subatmospheric boiler having a stirring device is also provided.

Abstract: A continuous vacuum pan includes a cylindrical housing having a vertical axis, at least one liquid heating pan within the housing, and a vertical tube, floating calandria within the liquid heating pan. The vertical tube floating calandria has a downcomer between its periphery and the periphery of the liquid heating pan, and a gap is provided between the bottom of the calandria and the bottom of the liquid heating pan. Radially extending baffles in the liquid heating pan define a plurality of compartments located in series with one another, the compartments ranging from a first upstream compartment to a downstream output compartment. Ports are provided in all of the baffles except in the baffle between the output compartment and the first compartment. The ports are spaced from the bottom of the liquid heating pan, permitting communication between the compartments.

Abstract: Desalinization of seawater is accomplished through the use of a forward osmosis process, which relies on a series of steps involving the opposition of various aqueous solutions across semi-permeable membranes. The process takes advantage of solutes having highly temperature dependent solubilities, as well as the relatively temperature indifferent solubility of NaCl(aq), the primary solute present in seawater. At least one utilized solute has a solubility directly dependent on temperature, and at least one utilized solute has a solubility inversely dependent on temperature.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for continuously removing soluble minor constituents from brines containing soluble major and minor constituents by use of a Helminthoid evaporator.

Abstract: The concentration of a developer for use in developing resists in the fabrication of integrated circuits of semiconductors is adjusted highly accurately using a load cell. A stock developer and pure water are supplied to a mixing tank supported on a load cell, and mixed into a diluted developer in the mixing tank. The concentration of the diluted developer from the mixing tank is analyzed by an automatic analyzer, which then calculates the weight of a stock developer or pure water to be introduced into the mixing tank based on the analyzed concentration in order to achieve a predetermined concentration. Then, either a stock developer or pure water of the calculated weight is supplied to the mixing tank until the weight, as measured by the load cell, of the mixing tank containing the stock developer and the pure water is increased by the calculated weight. Thereafter, the diluted developer is transferred from the mixing tank to a reservoir tank, while both tanks are maintained under a nitrogen gas atmosphere.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for computing molecular diffusion and chemical reaction within a material wherein shape and time evolution values of one or more material surfaces are determined, and a rate of stretch of each material surface is determined as a function of time. The method includes solving a set of ordinary differential equations at a multiplicity of points on the material surface. The ordinary differential equations are reduced from and represent an approximation of a more complex and complete set of governing partial differential equations. One or more conserved scalars are tracked and conserved scalar values and a gradient of the conserved scalars are determined. A rate of change from the gradient of the conserved scalars is also determined. A mass fraction and a reaction rate of each chemical species of the material is correlated as a function of determined conserved scalar values and a determined gradient of the conserved scalars.

Abstract: In a process for manufacture of a chemical product, a reactive hydrocarbon feedstream, which varies in composition of the reactive component, is combined with a compatible but unreactive hydrocarbon feedstream to form a blended hydrocarbon stream which is then combined with a reactive alcohol stream of stable concentration of its reactive component, to form a complete feedstream to the reactor. A desired ratio of relative reactant concentrations in the complete feedstream to the reactor is maintained by a control system which maintains a stable concentration in the blended hydrocarbon stream by manipulating flow rate of the unreactive hydrocarbon feedstream responsive to a concentration measurement in the blended hydrocarbon stream. Flow ratio control is then applied to maintain a desired ratio of reactants in the complete feedstream for the reactor by calculating a flow ratio of the blended hydrocarbon stream to the reactive alcohol feedstream.

Abstract: The process of concentrating a dilute sulfuric acid in a three-stage vacuum evaporation plant includes feeding an entry dilute sulfuric acid to a first evaporation stage of a vacuum evaporation plant to form an overhead vapor (6), withdrawing a finally concentrated sulfuric acid from the third evaporation stage (3), using steam or the overhead vapor (6) of the first evaporation stage as a heating fluid in the three-stage vacuum evaporation plant, maintaining the entry dilute sulfuric acid under a pressure of 0.4 to 0.7 bar and at a temperature of 80.degree. to 120.degree. C. in the first evaporation stage (1), maintaining the partially concentrated sulfuric acid under a pressure of 0.02 to 0.06 bar and at a temperature of 50.degree. to 90.degree. C. in the second evaporation stage (2), maintaining the further concentrated sulfuric acid under a pressure of 0.02 to 0.06 bar and at a temperature of 80.degree. to 120.degree. C.

Abstract: Methods are provided for determining the amount of fluids in a porous sample and determining petrophysical properties of those fluids. The methods employ a two component azeotropic solvent capable of dissolving both hydrocarbon and aqueous fluids in a porous sample. The methods extract the fluids from the porous sample with a soxhlet extractor using the azeotropic solvent and then separates the two components into a solvent containing hydrocarbon fluids and a solvent containing aqueous fluids. The amounts of these extracted fluids may then be determined and the petrophysical properties of the fluids determined.

Abstract: Solutions of low viscosity solvents and high viscosity, pasty products, for example water and sodium dithionite formulations, are prepared in a continuous manner in a matter of seconds in static and dynamic mixers connected in series while at the same time the ingress of air is avoided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for continuously separating a hypoeutectic solution into two parts, of which parts, one comprises practically pure solvent and the other a solution which has a higher content of the dissolved substance than the original solution. In accordance with the invention, the starting solution is held in an elongate vessel at a temperature, which, at least at one end of the vessel, lies immediately above the melting point of the solvent, and cooling elements are caused to move in the vessel towards said one end thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for dissolving salt in an undersaturated brine to bring the brine up to saturation conditions. A salt slurry, specifically sodium chloride, is brought into a holding tank and recycled to keep the solids suspended in the liquid. Part of the recycling salt stream is diverted to a saturator unit consisting of an upright column and a slurry feed tube mounted inside and coaxial with the column. The slurry passes downwardly through the feed tube and mixes with an undersaturated brine stream entering through the bottom of the column. This mixture flows upwardly through an annulus section defined between the feed tube and saturator column, with the salt dissolving in the brine during the upward flow. Saturated brine is removed at the top of the column for ultimate use, such as in chlorine cells.

Abstract: An anhydrous sodium carbonate crystal is produced by crystallizing a sodium carbonate hydrate crystal from an aqueous solution of sodium carbonate in a sodium carbonate hydrate crystallizing zone and transforming said sodium carbonate hydrate to an anhydrous sodium carbonate crystal in the presence of a crystal habit modifier in an anhydrous sodium carbonate crystallizing zone and recycling a separated mother liquor into said sodium carbonate hydrate crystallizing zone.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for effecting liquid-liquid contact between an aqueous liquid medium and an organic liquid medium comprises a chamber for holding a body of each of the media having an agitator therein. One or both of the media are supplied to a mixing zone around the agitator. By means of the agitator a dispersion band is formed with a free space above and/or below it which is devoid of baffles. A layer of disengaged lighter medium forms above the dispersion band and a layer of disengaged heavier medium below it, at least one of these layers extending into the or a corresponding free space. Disengaged lighter and/or heavier medium is recovered from the corresponding layer thereof at the same rate that it is supplied to the mixing zone.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the purification of fluoride-containing 65 to 95% strength waste sulfuric acid which contains water, organic impurities and fluoride. The impure sulfuric acid is introduced onto the top tray of a stripping column, in which this waste acid is heated and pre-concentrated. The heated acid then flows into a heating tank filled with boiling concentrated sulfuric acid. The sulfuric acid vapors escaping from this heating tank are condensed in the stripping column by the waste sulfuric acid flowing in counter-current. According to the invention, at least in the region of one tray of the stripping column, construction components which come into contact with acid vapors or liquid acid consist of acid-resistant plastic, at least on the surface.

Abstract: The addition of a small amount of hydrazine or a derivative or salt thereof serves to inhibit the corrosive effect of caustic such as sodium hydroxide on metal surfaces during the manufacture of the caustic or in processes using same. For instance, aqueous sodium hydroxide solutions having hydrazine or a derivative or salt thereof added thereto in an effective concentration in the range of from as little as about 2 ppm or less and up to about 1000 ppm, preferably of from about 2 to about 200 ppm, and most preferably from about 3 to about 40 ppm, can be concentrated by evaporation in nickel or nickel alloy equipment at temperatures as high as 150.degree.-175.degree. C. without causing undue corrosion.

Abstract: In a dual temperature isotope exchange system--exemplified by exchange of deuterium and protium between water and hydrogen sulfide gas in hot and cold towers, in which the feed stream (water) containing the desired isotope is passed through a pair of towers maintained at different temperatures wherein it effects isotope exchange with countercurrently circulated auxiliary fluid (H.sub.2 S) and is impoverished in said isotope and then disposed of, e. g. discharged to waste,--the flow of isotope enriched auxiliary fluid between said towers (hot H.sub.

Abstract: Concentrated sulphuric acid aqueous solutions, stably clear through the time, are obtained starting from diluted sulphuric acid aqueous solutions containing Mg and possibly other impurities such as Fe, Al, Cr, V and Mn, by evaporation concentration. The process is characterized in that, before filtering, the slurry obtained by evaporation concentration, is cooled down to 10.degree.-25.degree. C. and maintained at this temperature for not less than 12 hours.

Abstract: A carpet cleaning machine comprising a rotary, plastic, static accumulator, drive means for rotating the accumulator, and a pile fabric cleaning pad driven by the accumulator. Preferably the accumulator is directly connected to a nipple pad making driving connection with the rear of the cleaning pad. A bleed connection including an adjustable spark gap limits the charge which the accumulator may carry, and a safety switch discharges the accumulator when the cleaning machine is tilted to expose the accumulator or parts electrically connected thereto.

Abstract: In the processing of a corrosive liquid mixture, such as 50 to 80% aqueous sulfuric acid, by its passage over one surface of a wall of inert heat resistant material, and heating the other surface of said wall, thereby to evaporate from said corrosive liquid mixture the more volatile component thereof, the improvement which comprises heating said wall by contact with an inert liquid material, and heating said inert liquid material indirectly through heat exchange with a normally solid molten material. Desirably the wall of inert material is a pipe surrounded by a molten metal in a first annular jacket and a molten salt in a second annular jacket.

Abstract: In the processing of a corrosive liquid mixture, such as 50 to 80% aqueous sulfuric acid, by its passage over one surface of a wall of inert heat resistant material, and heating the other surface of said wall, thereby to evaporate from said corrosive liquid mixture the more volatile component thereof, the improvement which comprises heating said wall by contact with an inert liquid material, and heating said inert liquid material indirectly through heat exchange with a normally solid molten material. Desirably the wall of inert material is a pipe surrounded by a molten metal in a first annular jacket and a molten salt in a second annular jacket.