Abstract: A digester vessel for containing material to be subjected to a high temperature pulsating high pressure process with an inner tubular enclosing metal wall of a helically corrugated sheet material forming a chamber thereon, an outer containing tubular wall, and an intermediate layer of stacked ceramic material with a vent opening through the outer wall, mold bodies fitting the corrugation spaces between the inner wall and the intermediate layer, corrugated flanges at the ends of the inner wall welded to the outer wall, and an end closure for the chamber having a flange meeting a flange of the outer wall with a packing therebetween.

Abstract: A turbine mixer for a polyethylene reactor of the stirred autoclave type in which a turbine rotor is mounted on a rotating stirrer shaft extending along the longitudinal axis of the reactor and a turbine stator is mounted adjacent to and upstream of the rotor. The turbine mixer is positioned in the final stage of a three-stage, stirred autoclave reactor, and a baffle plate is positioned so as to extend across the reactor at the inlet to the final zone. The mixer produces intense stirring of the reactor materials within the final stage, but does not cause significant backmixing into the reactor zone immediately upstream thereof. The turbine mixer may also be utilized in other zones of the reactor wherein intense axial mixing of the reactor materials is required, in which case the baffle plate would be omitted so as to produce intensive axial mixing of the reactor materials within that zone.

Abstract: A stationary pressure digester for digesting biomaterials with a fast acting closure designed as an easily movable cover carriage with a lower pressure take up plate, an upper pressure take up plate and a closing threaded plug in one of said plates. The pressure take up plates are connected by necked-down bolts and spacer sleeves and the closing nut has a thread with a large pitch and a large area permitting a pressure tight closure which permits moving the closure cover as well as opening and closing the pressure digester fast and easily.

Abstract: A sodium storage and injection system for delivering atomized liquid sodium to a chemical reactor employed in the production of solar grade silicon. The system is adapted to accommodate start-up, shut-down, normal and emergency operations and is characterized by a jacketed injection nozzle adapted to atomize liquefied sodium and a supply circuit connected to the nozzle for delivering thereto liquefied sodium comprising a plurality of replaceable sodium containment vessels, a pump interposed between the vessels and the nozzle, and a pressurizing circuit including a source of inert gas connected with the vessels for maintaining the sodium under pressure.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for growing oxide on silicon wafers or silicon-coated wafers or other semiconductors for the semiconductor industry wherein the oxide growth is produced under high pressure and high temperature conditions within a reaction chamber by oxidizing gases which are maintained in a continuous flow condition into and through the chamber.

Abstract: An organic digester apparatus is provided for the production of liquid fertilizer and methane gas from organic waste materials. The apparatus includes a plurality of digesters each having a gas sealing well between the tank and the roof member of the digester. In addition, each digester includes means for supporting the roof with pressurized gas, for rotating the roof, for washing the digester, and for observing the interior of the digester.

Abstract: A catalyst spray nozzle for injecting a finely atomized spray of liquid catalyst into a high pressure chemical reactor such as an autoclave reaction vessel for polymerizing ethylene into polyethylene. The liquid catalyst is fed under pressure to the discharge end of a passageway in the spray nozzle. A valve member is biased closed against the discharge end of the passageway by a biasing spring in the form of belleville washers located entirely within the housing of the nozzle and prevents liquid catalyst from passing therethrough until a given backpressure on the catalyst is established. When the given backpressure is reached, the pressure biases the valve member away from the passagway and the catalyst is forced through at least one discharge orifice under sufficient pressure to cause it to be sprayed in a finely atomized state into the reactor.

Abstract: Particles being pelleted, e.g., flocculent carbon black being pelleted with water, are passed through alternating zones of increasing and decreasing pressure. An apparatus is disclosed in which a cylindrical shell comprises a rotatable shaft located substantially on the longitudinal axial center line of the shell. The shaft has pins positioned thereon forming at least one helix with alternate decreasing and increasing pitches along the helix thus to effect compression and expansion actions on the mass in the pelleter, thereby producing a narrow size range of pellets.

Abstract: A wet pelleting apparatus essentially comprises a cylindrical shell and a shaft having pelleting pins affixed thereto, usually in a helical arrangement. In cross-sectional area taken at right angles to the axis of the shaft which is substantially concentrically disposed within the shell, the annulus formed between the shaft and the configuration given to it and the shell inner wall and the configuration given to it decreases and increases as the plane of cross-section is moved from the feed end of the apparatus to the discharge end thereof. In one embodiment, the shaft has an undulating or repetitive hourglass configuration and the inner wall of the shell is rectilinear. In another, the inner wall of the shell can be given an undulating configuration. In a third, both the wall and shaft surfaces can be formed so as to cause, according to the invention, alternate compression and decompression of particles being pelleted.

Abstract: Apparatus for the processing of solid fuel hydrocarbons including a reactor for hydrogenation of the fuel reactant and a combustion reactor for oxidation of the residuum from the first reactor, the solid fuel reactant being dissolved in molten salt throughout its processing; and heat recovery means including a molten metal loop and a steam loop whereby the excess heat from the hydrogenation and oxidation reactors, present in the molten salt reaction matrix, is recovered in molten metal and transferred to the steam loop for energy production while avoiding cross contamination of the steam loop with salt from the reaction loop, and vice-versa.

Abstract: Valve for use with a tubular chemical reactor operating at pressures of over 1000 bar and temperatures of more than 250.degree. C. The actual wall thickness of the lower valve part within the area of the inlet/outlet duct is at least 35% less than the wall thickness of adjacent wall areas, the undersize being compensated by the prestress applied by the tightening bolts of the upper valve part. A lens type seal is located between the lower valve part and the upper valve part and simultaneously (1) seals the connection between the valve parts and (2) comprises the valve seat. The thermal conductivity of the seal is at least 50% lower than that of the valve material.

Abstract: In using a gas torch it is often necessary to maintain a uniform flame. This can be accomplished by maintaining a constant pressure at the torch tip. A pressure transducer is placed at the output of a generator that produces gas by electrolysis for the torch. The transducer indicates changes in the gas pressure by changing resistance. The transducer is coupled to a resistance-capacitance circuit and forms a variable part of the resistance of the circuit. This circuit, in turn, is coupled to the firing gate of a triac which controls the rate of gas disassociation of the electrolytic solution in the gas generator by varying the amount of current fed to the gas generator. When the pressure at the output of the generator varies, the resistance of the pressure transducer changes thereby changing the RC time constant of the resistance-capacitance circuit. Such a change modifies the firing rate of the triac and, therefore, the rate of gas generation and pressure.

Abstract: An apparatus for the cooling of a cracking-gas stream comprises a vertical pipe through which the cracking-gas stream is conducted and opening into a larger pipe section which surrounds the first-mentioned pipe across an annular gap. A plurality of inlets open tangentially into this gap, upstream of the mouth of the first pipe to distribute cooling oil along the wall of the second pipe. The cooling oil film is found to be uniform and coherent and prevents contact of the cracking gas with the wall of this pipe. A further pipe opening axially into the surrounding pipe or pipe section sprays an additional quantity of cooling oil into the cracking-gas stream downstream of the mouth of the inlet pipe.