Abstract: A particulate filter medium for collecting finely dispersed particles from a circulating gas stream. The filter medium comprises a gas flow zone consisting essentially of gas permeable particles of the same material as the finely dispersed solid particles to be collected. The finely dispersed particles are generated by granular product blending operations of dry granular materials such as fertilizers, chemicals, animal feeds and clays.A substantial saving in filter material renewal costs is realized by adding the spent filter medium to the product stream, and simply replacing the spent filter medium with fresh, granular particles of the product having a capacity to collect finely dispersed solid particles from the circulating gas stream.

Abstract: An aircraft is constructed of an airfoil shaped inflated involucrum of lightweight gas-impervious plastic film. The airfoil is maneuverable to attain forward self-propulsion upon ascent as well as descent. The gases contained in the involucrum are heated by solar radiation to reduce craft density with the upper surface of the airfoil being translucent and the lower surface of the airfoil interior mirrored for concentration of the radiant energy upon an interior cylindrical black spar. A honeycomb reradiation barrier is provided beneath the translucent surface. In one embodiment a large volume involucrum is changeable in camber to maximize forward propulsion. The craft may be utilized to suspend a large fog broom for the purpose of condensation of water vapor. In a further embodiment a manpowered inflatable craft is formed with a flexible longitudinal medial fold which separates the airfoil into wing segments. Each segment includes a passive trailing zone.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a filter apparatus for the purifying of gases, having at least one filter space which has at least one upper inlet and one lower inlet for a filter medium containing solid particles which passes through said space, the gas to be purified flowing through said space in countercurrent to the filter medium. In this filter apparatus, at least one removing device which moves relative to the filter space, for instance a scraper, is provided at the outlet for the filter medium, said device moving through a cone of the filter medium which forms at the outlet so as to remove, in each case, at least a part of the filter medium from the cone.

Abstract: An additive for smoking tobacco products and their filter elements is described which comprises an intimate mixture of at least two highly dispersed metal oxides or metal oxyhydrates, mixtures thereof or a mixture of different forms of the same metal oxide or metal oxyhydrate, the mixture exhibiting liquid-like properties anomalous for a mixture of solids, and specific properties of the mixture, such as the bulk density, the surface area, the flowability and the absorption capacity for gases and vapors not representing an additive value of the proportions of the mixing components, and the absorption capacity for toxic substances in the tobacco smoke being synergistically increased.

Abstract: A filtering apparatus has a housing and a brush-like filter element in the housing. The filter element includes a support which is permeable to the liquid or gas to be filtered. A filtering medium is secured to the permeable support and is in the form of strands which may be formed from flexible natural fibers, synthetic resin fibers, glass fibers, graphite fibers or metal fibers. The strands are so arranged that they are pressed against the permeable support during a filtering operation. This causes the strands to form a mat on the permeable support. The liquid or gas must pass through the mat and is thereby filtered. A filtering method using the apparatus involves passing a liquid or gas through the filter element so that a mat for filtering the liquid or gas is formed by the strands, and the liquid or gas is purified after leaving the filter element.

Abstract: A method and system for collecting fine particles from a gas stream is disclosed. A shallow dense mobile bed of solid collector granules is moved over a plate containing a plurality of perforations; and a gas stream containing fine particles is moved upward through the perforations to form high velocity gas jets moving upward through the granule bed for causing the collector granules to collect the fine particles from the gas stream by inertial impaction and interception. The bed is only deep enough in relation to the velocity of the gas jets to prevent the gas jets from penetrating the bed without the fine particles therein being collected by the granules. The granule bed is not more than approximately one inch deep. Preferably the granules are moved over a plurality of perforated plates that are positioned in tandem vertically, and the gas stream is moved successively through the perforations in the plurality of plates and thereby through the granules that are moving across the plurality of plates.

Abstract: A granular bed filter, capable of being backwashed, is disclosed without screens. The filter beds of granular material are generally U-shaped in section.

Abstract: Interposed in a conduit which conducts crankcase emissions to the air-fuel intake side of an internal combustion engine is a vessel having means for separating deleterious liquid and solid components from the crankcase emissions and collecting these contaminants in the vessel. Atmospheric air is brought into collision with the emissions to enhance separation. The cleaned gaseous fraction, mixed with atmospheric air is then conducted from the vessel through a positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve interposed in the portion of the conduit leading from the separator-collector to the air-fuel intake side of the engine. The clean gas-air mixture joins the engine's air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber and increases vehicle mileage.At suitable intervals, the separator-collector vessel is disconnected from the conduit and the collected contaminants are removed.

Abstract: A method for the removal of the dusts from combustion exhaust gases, particularly those of heavy oils, by using a fixed packed bed without a remarkable increase in the pressure loss at the fixed packed bed, which is characterized in that the filler filled in the fixed packed bed is a spherical, cylindrical or annular filler containing pores having a pore diameter which ranges from 100 to 70,000 A and a pore volume of not less than 0.1 cm.sup.3 /g, at least 20% of the pores have a pore diameter of not less than 1,000 A, and the filler having a diameter of 1 to 15mm at a minimum.

Abstract: Apparatus for effecting the function conventionally performed by the distributor plate in static, packed, or fluidized beds wherein the bed particles are supported or stabilized by an electric field imposed by an external source of electric potential.

Abstract: A fluid filter construction comprises a mass of filtering material, such as activated charcoal, in which fluid flow passage forming members are embedded. The filtering material itself serves as the means for sealing the filter against leakage of unfiltered fluid into or out of the filter and against bypassing from the inlet to the outlet side of the filter.

Abstract: The dust collecting efficiency of a gravel bed filter system in which a plurality of filter modules receive dirty gas from and dischage backflush gas and collected dust into a plenum chamber is enhanced by continuously drawing gas from a downstream end of the plenum chamber, passing the withdrawn gas through a cyclone separator, and returning the gas to the upstream end of the plenum chamber.

Abstract: Vapor, volatile fumes and other contaminants are filtered from an air stream by passing it through a bed of filter particles, which may be coke and using the contaminant coke particles in the processing of electrodes.

Abstract: A separator vessel shell is connected to receive a mixture of fluids produced from an oil well. An inlet structure is mounted within the shell and positioned to receive the flow stream of fluid mixture. The inlet structure includes a matrix of units, each of which provide a large surface area over which the fluid mixture passes in flowing through the matrix. The forces generated on the fluid mixture convert the energy in the flowing mixture and prevent the energy from shearing vapor bubbles in the mixture and forming additional foam.

Abstract: A catalytic muffler is described with reference to three preferred embodiments. In the first embodiment, a cylindrical entry tube having peripheral holes passes into the interior of the muffler, a second cylindrical tube having peripheral holes offset from the peripheral holes in the entry tube surrounds the entry tube, a cartridge containing a catalytic converter surrounds the second tube, and an exit tube leads from a point in the interior of the muffler external to the cartridge to the exterior of the muffler. In the second embodiment, the entry tube is branched within the muffler, and each branch is surrounded by a cartridge containing a catalytic converter. In the third embodiment, the entry tube, the second tube, and the cartridge all have cross-sections in the shapes of racetracks the major and minor axes of which are coincident. In all three embodiments, the cartridge is filled with asbestos fibers impregnated first with sodium and then with copper sulfate.

Abstract: A gas generator for an air bag or the like including an ignitor, a propellant, an outlet, and a cooling chamber positioned between the propellant and the outlet. The cooling chamber is filled with hollow balls with surface openings which are an effective heat sink and a trap for undesirable particulate matter so that the gas introduced into the air bag is sufficiently cool and clean to be vented into the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle.

Abstract: Interposed in a conduit which conducts crankcase emissions to the air-fuel intake side of an internal combustion engine is a vessel having means for separating deleterious liquid and solid components from the crankcase emissions and collecting these contaminants in the vessel. Atmospheric air is brought into collision with the emissions to enhance separation. The cleaned gaseous fraction, mixed with atmospheric air is then conducted from the vessel through a positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve interposed in the portion of the conduit leading from the separator-collector to the air-fuel intake side of the engine. The clean gas-air mixture joins the engine's air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber and increases vehicle mileage.At suitable intervals the separator-collector vessel is disconnected from the conduit and the collected contaminants are removed.