Abstract: A lime hydrator integrated into a flue gas desulfurization system or other industrial system is provided that provides an in-situ variable rate of cured hydrated lime production for a variable supply rate of the in-situ produced cured hydrated lime for use within a flue gas stream as a moistened hydrated lime for a reduction of acid gas present in a flue gas stream. Also provided is a method of using a lime hydrator integrated into a flue gas desulfurization system or other industrial system to provide in-situ a variable production rate of cured hydrated lime for a variable supply rate of the in-situ produced cured hydrated lime for use within a flue gas stream as a moistened hydrated lime for a reduction of acid gas present in a flue gas stream.

Abstract: A method for producing usable product in a reactor including introducing a viscous mixture including usable product and unconverted reactant into a chamber of a housing through an inlet, wherein the mixture has a temperature greater than ambient temperature when introduced into the chamber; heating the viscous mixture in the chamber using at least one of an induction heater, an exothermic reaction, a microwave heater, a radio frequency heater, an electrical resistance heater, a laser heater, a plasma heater, and a heated fluid; converting at least a portion of the unconverted reactant to usable product, wherein at least a portion of the usable product is produced in the viscous mixture; and transferring the viscous mixture including usable product from the housing through an outlet.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention provides nanosized systems for generating electrical energy based on the use of a chemically reactive composition to generate a thermoelectric wave. For example, the system can include at least one nanostructure (e.g., a carbon nanotube) extending along an axial direction between a proximal end and a distal end. A chemically reactive composition is dispersed along at least a portion of the nanostructure, e.g., along its axial direction, so as to provide thermal coupling with the nanostructure. The chemical composition can undergo an exothermic chemical reaction to generate heat. The system can further include an ignition mechanism adapted to activate the chemical composition so as to generate a thermal wave that propagates along the axial direction of the nanostructure, where the thermal wave is accompanied by an electrical energy wave propagating along the axial direction.

Abstract: A cyclone reactor for producing a usable by-product as part of a recoverable slag layer, the reactor comprising a housing having an outer wall that defines a combustion chamber; an inlet configured to introduce a reactant into the reactor; a burner configured to combust the reactant in a flame zone near a central axis of the chamber; and an outlet configured to provide for the removal of the usable by-product from the housing; wherein the reactor is configured to combust a first portion of the reactant in an exothermic reaction in the flame zone; and wherein the reactor is configured to convert a second portion of the reactant in an endothermic reaction near the outer wall to produce the by-product as part of the slag layer.

Abstract: A method and a system for producing calcium carbide, the method including mixing powdery carbon-containing raw material with powdery calcium-containing raw material, and directly heating the mixture by combusting a part of carbon-containing raw material in an oxygen-containing atmosphere to produce calcium carbide. The carbon-containing raw material can be coal, semi-coke or coke, the calcium-containing raw material can be calcium carbonate, calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide or carbide slag. The system includes a raw material preheating unit, such as a fluidized bed or an entrained flow bed, and a reaction unit such as an entrained flow bed. By combustion of the by-product CO produced during the production of calcium carbide or auxiliary fuel in the air to preheat the raw materials to 500-1500° C., the carbon consumption and the oxygen consumption for the calcium carbide production can be reduced, and thus process energy consumption is further reduced.

Abstract: A continuous process for the conversion of biomass to form a chemical feedstock is described. The biomass and an exogenous metal oxide, preferably calcium oxide, or metal oxide precursor are continuously fed into a reaction chamber that is operated at a temperature of at least 1400° C. to form reaction products including metal carbide. The metal oxide or metal oxide precursor is capable of forming a hydrolizable metal carbide. The reaction products are quenched to a temperature of 800° C. or less. The resulting metal carbide is separated from the reaction products or, alternatively, when quenched with water, hydolyzed to provide a recoverable hydrocarbon gas feedstock.

Abstract: Alkali metal bicarbonate salts, e.g., sodium bicarbonate, are crystallized from aqueous solutions thereof in the presence of a crystal growth promoting amount of lecithin or lecithin containing compositions. Alkali metal bicarbonate salts include sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate and lithium bicarbonate. The process is described as providing increased amounts of large crystals and a narrower and more uniform crystal size distribution.

Abstract: This invention relates to a wide aperture radio frequency data acquisition system which collects coherent samples from multiple points in a defined plane at the surface of the ground. The information collected can be processed with suitable algorithms to extract the bearing, frequency, and power spectra of the arriving radio frequency wavefront.This system consists of an antenna system; a multi-channel receiver system incorporating mixers, filters, amplifiers, analog to digital converters, digital down converters; a digital signal processor; and a computer. The electrically short, active antennas with frequency independent response are connected to the multiple channel receiving system, one channel per antenna receiving the signal. The receiver uses two frequency conversion oscillators for coarse but accurate frequency synthesis to convert the received signal's frequency. Then, the signal is converted to a digital signal.

Abstract: A process for forming a metal carbide catalyst, for example, a Group VIB transition metal carbide, such as tungsten carbide, which may be on a support, which process comprises the calcination of a precursor comprising a water soluble salt of: (1) a cation comprising nitrogen-hydrogen bonded moieties, such as a guanidine cation; and (2) an anion, such as a tungstate anion, comprising metal-oxygen bonded moieties, so that upon calcination the product formed is the metal carbide and the by-products comprise ammonia and carbon dioxide.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for producing a product comprising a carbide compound, such as for example silicon carbide. A reactor is provided which has a chamber defined therein which is divided into a combustion zone and a reaction zone. A combustible mixture is injected into the combustion zone in a direction generally toward the reaction zone, and is accordingly combusted in the combustion zone. At least one reactant (i.e. silane) is injected at the boundary between the zones into the reactor chamber in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the chamber so as to react to form raw product containing the carbide compound.

Abstract: A furnace for producing a melt for mineral wool production includes a shaft for preheating and melting of the raw material. A water-cooled grate is disposed in the bottom portion of the shaft, which supports a bed of ceramic filling bodies as well as the raw material. A combustion chamber is disposed underneath the shaft, which has a bottom portion for collecting the melt dripping from the shaft and an outlet for melt tapping. At least one main burner is disposed in the combustion chamber. Auxiliary burners are disposed above the grate. The bottom surface of the combustion chamber is larger, preferably 20 to 400% larger, than the transverse cross-sectional area of the shaft.

Abstract: A carbon-containing mixture is obtained by collecting a dispersed phase mixture from an aerosol which has been formed by introducing a decomposable carbon compound and a decomposable metallic compound into a hot gas containing steam.Since this carbon-containing mixture is extremely high in uniformity and consists of extremely fine particles, it can afford after heat treatment a metal carbide of high quality.

Abstract: Calcium carbide is prepared from a powdered lime material. The powdered lime material, possibly together with a reducing agent, is injected with the aid of a carrier gas into a plasma gas generated by a plasma generator. The heated lime material, together with any reducing agent used and the energy-rich plasma gas, is then introduced into a reaction chamber substantially surrounded on all sides by a solid reducing agent in piece form. When the lime material consists of quicklime, this is melted and reduced to liquid carbide and when the lime material consists of powdered limestone, it is burnt directly in the reaction zone to form liquid carbide.

Abstract: Means and method for utilizing radiated electromagnetic energy to elevate at least one of two or more reactants 16 to a temperature at which a chemical reaction will take place so as to provide a desired reaction product 161. In practice, at least one of reactants 16 must be, or be made, susceptible to heating when radiated with electromagnetic energy. Electromagnetic energy source 12 provides sufficient power to raise the temperature of said at least one reactant 16 to cause that reactant to further raise the temperature of associated reactant materials making them further susceptible to heating under the influence of the impinging electromagnetic energy waves. The electromagnetic energy is provided at sufficient power to raise the temperature to the point at which reactants 16 will react chemically to produce a desired reaction product. Since the heating action is localized, little or no energy is wasted in raising the wall temperatures of the reaction vessel 11 in which the material 16 is radiated.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to process and apparatus for mixing finely divided calcium carbide and finely divided lime and carbonaceous material and for feeding the mixture down through the aperture of a hollow electrode in a calcium carbide electric furnace. In a preferred embodiment the finely divided calcium carbide is supplied to the aperture of the hollow electrode by a first conveyor and a fine feed mix of lime and carbonaceous material is supplied to the aperture of the hollow electrode by a second separate conveyor and the two are mixed in fluidized condition and fed down through the aperture of the electrode into the reaction zone of the furnace. Carbon monoxide off-gas from the furnace is preferably used for fluidizing the respective particles.

Abstract: An apparatus and process are disclosed for utilizing solar radiation and the energy contained therein for the carbothermic reduction of a metal oxide to a metal carbide. The apparatus comprises a reflective surface which collects and focuses solar radiation onto a focal mirror which consequentially reflects and focuses the solar light rays into a reaction chamber through a Fresnel lens and a transparent window provided on the chamber. The solar light rays are focused by the reflective surface focal mirror and Fresnel lens such that the energy absorbed by reactants in the reaction chamber is sufficient for the carbothermic reduction of the metal oxide.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for making calcium carbide by reacting an excess of coke with quicklime in the presence of oxygen in an oxygen-thermal furnace. To this end, the invention provides for precrushed coal to be used as starting material for coke and precrushed lime hydrate (Ca(OH).sub.2) or precrushed limestone (CaCO.sub.3) to be used as a starting material for quicklime. The precrushed materials are mixed and the resulting mixture is introduced into a drying zone and freed therein at 80.degree. to 120.degree. C. from adhering water. Next, the warm mixture coming from the drying zone, and air, are introduced into a calcining apparatus in which the coal constituent is coked and the lime constituent is simultaneously dehydrated or decarbonized, at temperatures of 900.degree. to 1400.degree. C. The thermally-pretreated mixture of starting materials with an inherent temperature of 900.degree. to 1000.degree. C.

Abstract: A product suitable for the production of fuel gas upon reaction with water which is prepared by reacting a uniform mixture of finely divided calcium oxide and carbon under pressure in the presence of pyrophosphoric acid.

Abstract: Apparatus for preparing carbides from a powdered charge of carbon and oxygen-containing compounds of elements that can form carbides comprises an inductor for the induction heating of the charge to the reaction temperature with continuous compacting thereof. The powdered charge is heated by inducing in it high-frequency currents uniformly throughout the entire induction volume to the depth of not less than the radius of the charge column. A tubular reactor is enclosed inside the inductor which is a high-frequency generator. The reactor is manufactured out of nonmagnetic material. The reactor has slots in its wall that are filled with a dielectric material. A loading device provided with a pusher is mounted at a top portion of the reactor, and an unloading device provided with a valve and a receptacle is located at the bottom portion of the reactor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a computerized process and apparatus for automatically regulating the power, feed rate and electrode position of hollow or solid electrodes in submerged arc electric furnaces used for the production of quality-controlled metallurgical products such as calcium carbide.

Abstract: A process for carrying out highly endothermic chemical reactions wherein a reactive metal or a compound thereof is reacted with a source of carbon to form a carbon-containing derivative, preferably a carbide, in the presence of a molten metal. The sensible heat of the molten metal supplies the energy necessary for the reaction.