Abstract: A method for producing modified coal using coal of a low grade comprising: adding water for preventing any dust generation to the dewatered coal; an addition amount of the water is adjusted for a water content rate of the water-added coal to be 6% by mass or more to 16% by mass or less; agglomerating the water-added coal; slowly oxidizing the agglomerated coal; and crushing the oxidized coal.

Abstract: Provided is a coal deactivation processing device that can suppress an increase in carbon monoxide concentration in processing gas regardless of the fact that used processing gas is circulated and refused. The present invention is provided with: a device main body (141) that causes coal therewithin to flow from one side to another; a processing gas feed means (142-144, 144a, 145, 145a, 146, 146a, 147, 148) that feeds processing gas to the interior of the device main body (141); a processing gas circulation means (148) that circulates used processing gas (33) used in the device main body (141) to the processing gas feed means; and a carbon monoxide processing device (170) that adjusts the carbon monoxide concentration in the processing gas in a manner so as to reduce the carbon monoxide concentration in the processing gas.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to processes for preparing an inorganic sodium and/or chlorine contaminated low-rank coal feedstock for combustion in a fluidized fuel combustor to generate steam and, desirably, co-generate electricity.

Abstract: There is disclosed a water purification apparatus and method, related to desalinization. In an embodiment, a water purification apparatus and method includes at least one port for receiving airflow therethrough, at least one port for receiving salt water therethrough, at least one output for providing outflow of pure water vapor, and at least one output for proving outflow of a mixture of water, salt and air; and a plurality of chambers for evaporating the salt water into the airflow, at least one of the chambers forming a plurality of ports arranged in a plurality of rows. In an embodiment, a method includes providing airflow to a water purification apparatus; providing salt water to the water purification apparatus; forming a vortex in the airflow to evaporate water vapor from the salt water; and providing the water vapor in the airflow to a condenser so as to obtain pure water.

Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate processing apparatus capable of drying a substrate to be processed while suppressing the pattern collapse or the occurrence of contamination. A substrate is held in a liquid bath while being immersed in a liquid, and the liquid bath is disposed in a processing space of a processing vessel. A processing of drying the substrate is performed by replacing the liquid in the liquid bath with a supercritical-state fluid. A predetermined mechanism moves liquid bath between a processing location in the processing case and a stand-by location outside the processing case. A heater installed in the processing case changes the fluid to a supercritical state or maintains the supercritical state while cooling mechanisms cool down the liquid bath moved to the stand-by location outside the processing vessel.

Abstract: A cooling gas discharge nozzle 7 is arranged above an initial position P(Rin) distant from a rotation center P(0) of a substrate W toward the outer edge of the substrate W and supplies a cooling gas to the initial position P(0) of the rotating substrate W to solidify DIW adhering to an initial region including the initial position P(Rin) and the rotation center P(0). Following formation of an initial solidified region FR0, a range to be solidified is spread toward the outer edge of the substrate W and all the DIW (liquid to be solidified) adhering to a substrate surface Wf is solidified to entirely freeze a liquid film LF.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a dryer and a method of controlling a cleaning operation thereof that are capable of supplying moisture into a drying chamber of the dryer to wet contaminants in the drying chamber and blowing air to the wetted contaminants to remove the contaminants. The method includes supplying moisture into a drying chamber to wet contaminants in the drying chamber and removing the contaminants wetted by the moisture.

Abstract: Glassy articles are prepared by subjecting to hydrolysis and policondensation a solution or suspension of a suitable precursor, mainly comprising a silicon alkoxide, and by drying the obtained gel in a pressure chamber, the gel solvent having been substituted by a non-protic solvent, mainly acetone, under nitrogen flowing, at temperature and pressure conditions lower than the gel solvent critical values. The dried gel is then densified by a thermal treatment.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for cooling semiconductor substrates prior to handling. In one embodiment, a substrate and support structure combination is lifted after high temperature processing to a cold wall of a thermal processing chamber, which acts as a heat sink. Conductive heat transfer across a small gap from the substrate to the heat sink speeds wafer cooling prior to handling the wafer (e.g., with a robot). In another embodiment, a separate plate is kept cool within a pocket during processing, and is moved close to the substrate and support after processing. In yet another embodiment, a cooling station between a processing chamber and a storage cassette includes two movable cold plates, which are movable to positions closely spaced on either side of the wafer.

Abstract: In an apparatus for a treatment of a wafer at elevated temperatures, the wafer is taken out of the reactor after heat treatment with the help of a mechanical transport apparatus which preferably grips the wafer around the circumference and on the under side. The transport apparatus includes a wafer surrounding ring. The wafer is placed in a floating wafer reactor where it is cooled in a controlled manner. Transport for further action or treatment then takes place.

Abstract: A conditioning device to change the moisture content of printing stock, in which the stock is brought into contact with at least one endless cloth that absorbs moisture. The endless cloth is heated by heated transport rolls. A reduction of the moisture content contributes to a reduction of distortions of the printing image in two-sided printing, especially in digital printing machines.

Abstract: Apparatus, method and system for the treatment of a wafer. After a treatment at elevated temperature, a wafer is taken out of the reactor in question with the help of a mechanical transport apparatus which preferably grips the wafer around the circumference and on the under side and consists of a wafer surrounding ring. The wafer is then placed in a floating wafer reactor where it is cooled in a controlled manner. Transport for further action or treatment then takes place.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for staging or cooling a substrate between high temperature thermal processing steps. In the disclosed embodiment, one or more cooling stations are located off-line within a wafer handling chamber, outside the thermal processing chamber. After thermal processing, a hot wafer can be loaded on to one station, where the wafer is subjected to forced convection cooling. In particular, the wafer is subjected to cooling gas from above and below through perforated upper and lower showerhead assemblies. The wafer can thus be cooled rapidly on a station while other wafers are transferred into and out of the processing chamber, Desirably, the wafer is cooled on the station to a point at which it can be handled by a low temperature wafer handler and stored in a low temperature cassette.

Abstract: A process for the heat treatment of lignocellulosic material where the material is perheated and dried at a temperature close to the vaporization temperature of water, heated in a reducing atmosphere and cooled by the injection of water vapor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for drying a fiber web, in which the fiber web is dried between two tight bands moving in the same direction and turning around turning rolls. The first band is heated and the second band is cooled by a cooling chamber. The cooling chamber includes at least one cooling element and the cooling element includes at least one inlet chamber and at least one outlet chamber. The fiber web is arranged to run through a drying zone, with at least one felt or wire, such that the fiber web is in contact with the surface of the first, heated band and the felt or wire is between the fiber web and the second, cooled band. The pressure of the cooling element is balanced by a pressure balancing means, and the second band is provided with a hydraulic bearing for allowing the band to slide evenly and with little friction on the cooling chamber.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for fabricating and drying wafers, including micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) structures, in a second, supercritical processing fluid environment. The apparatus utilizes an inverted pressure vessel connected to a supercritical processing fluid supply and recover system, with an internal heat exchanger connected to external heating and cooling sources, which is closed with a vertically movable base plate. A wafer cassette configured for supporting multiple wafers is submerged in a first processing fluid within a container, which is installed on the base plate for insertion into the pressure vessel. Vessel inlet and outlet tubes extend vertically downward from the ceiling of the pressure vessel to nearly the base plate. Container inlet and outlet tubes extend vertically downward from the ceiling of the pressure vessel to inside the container and nearly to the bottom of the container.

Abstract: The hydroextractor disclosed has a dehydration chamber, a pressurization chamber defined by a flexible diaphragm in isolation from the dehydration chamber, and a crushing member disposed in the dehydration chamber. A pipe member extends through the pressurization chamber and the diaphragm, and a rotary shaft extends sealingly through the pipe member into the dehydration chamber. The crushing member is mounted to the rotary shaft and is driven by a drive apparatus connected to the opposite end of the shaft. The hydroextractor feeds moist material and pours cooling water into the dehydration chamber and introduces pressurized water into the pressurization chamber. The hot material fed in the dehydration chamber is pressure-dehydrated into a cake with the diaphragm of the pressurization chamber. The dehydrated cake is poured with cooling water, and at the same time the crushing member crushes the dehydrated cake and mixes it with the cooling water.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for cooling and reducing fluoride emissions from a hot, spent anode butt removed from an electrolysis cell. The system comprises an elongated fluidised bed cooling chamber comprising particles of alumina and conveyor means for transporting a hot, spent anode butt through the fluidised bed. A lower air distributor is provided for injecting fluidising air into the chamber to create the fluidised bed and an upper air distributor is provided which is adapted to direct fluidised particles into contact with the top surface of the hot anode butt, whereby the fluidised bed surrounds the hot anode butt and serves to simultaneously uniformly cool the hot anode butt and significantly reduce fluoride emissions from the hot anode butt.

Abstract: An article for cooling an imaging material which has been heated to a first temperature by a thermal processor. The article includes a first cooling section on which the imaging material rides after the imaging material exits the thermal processor. The first cooling section is at a lower temperature than the first temperature. The first cooling section has a curved shape such that the imaging material is curved when riding on and being cooled by the first cooling section.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for cooling a granular material, such as a phosphate fertilizer, using ambient air is disclosed. The apparatus includes a cooling device and a conveyor assembly for feeding the material. The cooling device includes a rotatable assembly for receiving and spreading the material in the ambient air. The rotatable assembly is comprised of radiating fins with alternating recesses.

Abstract: Apparatus for cooling strip includes a path of travel for the strip and cooling apparatus having a plurality of elongated gas nozzles within which are disposed water nozzles such that the water nozzles will have a discharge outlet within the gas nozzles and discharge water in generally the same direction as said gas discharge. In a preferred embodiment, the gas enshrouds the water and establishes a cocurrent two-fluid stream which impinges upon the strip moving by the cooling apparatus. Subsequently, heat transfer is enhanced by the air and water dynamics which are provided after impingement by fluid flow fields. The gas nozzles and water nozzles may be coaxial and in one embodiment are each circular. In one embodiment, containment gas is caused to impinge on the strip at a position longitudinally displaced from the regions of impingement of the cocurrent two-fluid stream on the strip so as to resist undesired flow of water.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for cooling asphalt, which includes a cooling zone, such as a cooling chamber through which coolants such as air and water are blown or drawn, and an elongated conveyor for transporting asphalt molds through said cooling zone after said asphalt molds have been lined with plastic and filled with hot asphalt.

Abstract: A method of removing heat from a moving web includes providing a quantity of a liquid which has a temperature of vaporization below the surface temperature of the web; heating the liquid to a temperature slightly below the temperature of vaporization of the liquid; spraying the heated liquid onto the surface of the web; and vaporizing liquid from the surface of the web to cool the web. In a preferred embodiment, an electrically charged screen is disposed intermediate the sprayer and the web. The liquid passes through openings in the screen to form electrically charged droplets of liquid which move onto the surface of the web. An apparatus for removing heat from a moving web includes liquid supply means for providing a liquid having a temperature of vaporization below the surface temperature of the web; heater means for heating the liquid to a temperature slightly below its temperature of vaporization; and sprayer means for spraying the heated liquid onto the surface of the web.

Abstract: Web cooling device where liquid is applied to both sides of a hot web to enhance cooling via evaporation of the liquid from the web.

Abstract: A method of treating coal. The method comprises passing the coal through a retort having a shell temperature of about 500.degree.-1000.degree. F. and shock heating the coal to a maximum surface temperature of about 500.degree.-1000.degree. F. without allowing the coal to become exothermic. The coal is prevented from going exothermic by a combination of factors, including the evaporation of moisture from the shock heated coal, the tendency of coal to absorb heat and maintain a temperature of about 390.degree.-570.degree. F. until the coal undergoes molecular transformation of complex hydrocarbons contained in the coal to simpler forms, and the effects of a cooling blanket gas passed through the shock heated coal. The blanket gas preferably comprises an oxygen lean blanket gas stream containing about 2-8% oxygen by volume. The treated coal exhibits extremely low moisture content and increased BTU value and other improved combustion characteristics.

Abstract: The method and apparatus operate to complete the following stages. At the first stage the coating is held at room temperature in the time interval from 20 s to 1 hour, depending on the type of polymer coating. At the second stage the coating is held at an elevated temperature under excessive pressure, sufficient for suppressing propagation of microcracks in such time interval so that at reaching the predetermined protective properties the thermodestruction of the polymer coating does not occur. At the third stage performed is the cooling of the coating to room temperature. According to the invention, the excessive pressure is built up at the first stage and maintained at the cooling stage. The invention may find application in manufacture of integrated circuits, as well as for the formation of thin polymer insulation coatings.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for cooling coal dried in a fluid bed reactor are disclosed in which heated dried coal is separated into coarser and finer fractions and the coarser and finer fractions are separately cooled.