Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for gasifying or liquifying coal. In particular, the method comprises reacting a coal with a molten aluminum or aluminum alloy bath. The apparatus includes a reaction vessel for carrying out the reaction, as well as other equipment necessary for capturing and removing the reaction products. Further, the process can be used to cogenerate electricity using the excess heat generated by the process.

Abstract: A method for the solvent extraction of 1,3-butadiene from a mixture of C4 hydrocarbons that employs a distillation tower to produce the desired 1,3-butadiene product as an overhead and a separate bottoms stream that is removed from and not recycled in the solvent extraction process.

Abstract: Ice-clad machinery and equipment in very cold environments are made more easily recoverable by enclosing the machinery and equipment in an environmentally contained area and introducing desiccant dehumidified air into the contained area to lower the vapor pressure in fostering a “sublimation” process conversion from the solid state of the ice to a gaseous state which can be exhausted without first going through any intermediate liquid state.

Abstract: Disclosed are compositions comprising one or more pentamantanes. Specifically disclosed are compositions comprising 10 to 100 weight percent of one or more pentamantanes. Also disclosed are novel processes for the separation and isolation of pentamantane components into recoverable fractions from a feedstock containing at least a higher diamondoid component which contains one or more pentamantane components.

Abstract: A crystal substance formed by precipitating as fibrous aggregates by making a metal aliphatic carboxylate dissolve completely in pure water, stirring, and gradually cooling the resulting solution. A method of preparing the fibrous crystal aggregates. A material for recovering flowing oil and method of recovering flowing oil by using the fibrous crystal aggregates. A material for solidifying liquid hydrocarbon, waste tempura oil and edible oil and method of solidifying liquid hydrocarbon, waste tempura oil and edible oil by using the fibrous crystal aggregates. A method of preparing the solidifying material.

Abstract: A material for fixing gaseous hydrocarbon containing fibrous crystal aggregates formed by precipitating by making a metal aliphatic carboxylate dissolve completely in pure water to give a solution, stirring and gradually cooling the resulting solution; a method of preparing the fixing material; and a method of adsorbing and solidifying gaseous hydrocarbon by using the fixing material.

Abstract: A method and system for the recovery and conversion of subsurface gas hydrates is provided. This is accomplished by accessing a subsurface hydrate formation and treating the formation with a treating system so that gas is released from the hydrate formation. The released gas is then delivered and collected by means of a gas recovery system at a surface location. The gas is converted to liquid hydrocarbons in a conversion system utilizing a synthesis gas unit for producing synthesis gas from the hydrate gas, and a synthesis unit for converting the synthesis gas into liquid hydrocarbons. In at least one embodiment, the synthesis unit utilizes a Fischer-Tropsch reactor. Excess energy produced during the conversion of the hydrate gas can be utilized in the treating and recovery of the hydrate gas.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method of solidifying a low-boiling-point hydrocarbon, wherein the low-boiling-point hydrocarbon (including hydrocarbons which are gaseous at ordinary temperature) is brought into contact with a metal salt of an aliphatic carboxylic acid, and if necessary a high-boiling-point hydrocarbon, suspended in water, to form a solid aggregate substance, a method of handling the low-boiling-point hydrocarbon, wherein the solid aggregate substance is stored or transported, and a method of regenerating the low-boiling-point hydrocarbon, wherein the solid aggregate substance is decomposed by opening or heating, to obtain the low-boiling-point hydrocarbon. According to the methods, a wide variety of gaseous and highly volatile liquid hydrocarbons can be safely and easily solidified without using harmful reagent, and during storage, transportation, etc., the gaseous hydrocarbons and highly volatile liquids can be handled as a solid material.

Abstract: Disclosed are processes for the recovery and purification of higher diamondoids from a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock. Specifically disclosed is a multi-step recovery process for obtaining diamondoid compositions enhanced in tetramantane components and other higher diamondoid components. Also disclosed are compositions comprising at least about 10 weight percent of non-ionized tetramantane components and other higher diamondoid components and at least about 0.5 weight percent of non-ionized pentamantane components and other higher diamondoid components based on the total weight of diamondoid components present.

Abstract: A material for fixing gaseous hydrocarbon containing fibrous crystal aggregates formed by precipitating by making a metal aliphatic carboxylate dissolve completely in pure water to give a solution, stirring and gradually cooling the resulting solution; a method of preparing the fixing material; and a method of adsorbing and solidifying gaseous hydrocarbon by using the fixing material.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method of solidifying a low-boiling-point hydrocarbon, wherein the low-boiling-point hydrocarbon (including hydrocarbons which are gaseous at ordinary temperature) is brought into contact with a metal salt of an aliphatic carboxylic acid, and if necessary a high-boiling-point hydrocarbon, suspended in water, to form a solid aggregate substance, a method of handling the low-boiling-point hydrocarbon, wherein the solid aggregate substance is stored or transported, and a method of regenerating the low-boiling-point hydrocarbon, wherein the solid aggregate substance is decomposed by opening or heating, to obtain the low-boiling-point hydrocarbon. According to the methods, a wide variety of gaseous and highly volatile liquid hydrocarbons can be safely and easily solidified without using harmful reagent, and during storage, transportation, etc., the gaseous hydrocarbons and highly volatile liquids can be handled as a solid material.

Abstract: A method for separating benzene from a hydrocarbon mixture containing benzene and at least one other organic material is carried out by treating the hydrocarbon mixture with at least one cyclodextrin to form complexes of the cyclodextrin with at least a portion of the benzene present in the hydrocarbon mixture. The cyclodextrin-benzene complexes then are separated from the hydrocarbon mixture.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for safely, conveniently, and inexpensively liberating gas from gas hydrates includes the use of a device, provided adjacent to or in the bulk gas hydrates, for exposing the gas hydrates to heat from a gas or liquid (preferably steam). The gas hydrates can be directly exposed to the gas or liquid or indirectly exposed through a thermally conductive coil or channel. The heat from the gas or liquid dissociates the gas hydrates into the corresponding gas component and water component. After liberation, the gas component can be collected for further storage, transport, or use. The apparatus further includes a mechanism for moving at least a portion of the gas or liquid through the device for exposing the gas hydrates to heat. The device for exposing the gas hydrates to heat also can be movable, so it can be maintained in close proximity to or in contact with the gas hydrates for continued efficient gasification of the hydrates.

Abstract: An anhydrous ammonia gas sampler and concentration system (10) and method is disclosed that facilitates the collection and evaporation of large volumes of anhydrous ammonia in a safe, clean environment. The ammonia is collected and frozen in two containers (12, 14) connected in series and immersed in a liquid nitrogen bath (42). The frozen ammonia is evaporated through a very slow evaporation process after the containers are removed from the liquid nitrogen bath. The resultant contaminant concentrate provides the means by which a more accurate calculation of the percentage of contaminants in an ammonia sample may be made.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for separating high purity diamondoid fractions from a mixture containing substituted and unsubstituted diamondoid compounds.

Abstract: A method for separating and analyzing the hydrocarbons, particularly heavy hydrocarbons, contained in sedimentary rocks, comprising:A) loading a sample tube with the sample of sedimentary rock and one or more inert solvents;B) preheating the sample tube;C) removing the solvent and the hydrocarbons previously contained in the rock;D) condensing the vapour and feeding it to a separation and analysis device.The invention also comprises an apparatus for implementing separating and analyzing method.

Abstract: A process for depolymerizing polymers by selective, partial oxidation at supercritical or near supercritical conditions for water and wherein supercritical water or water near supercritical conditions is used as a solvent and reforming agent, is used to produce relatively high yields of the monomers originally used to produce the polymers. The invention provides an environmentally friendly process for recycling polymeric waste materials to generate valuable polymer feedstock in a closed oxidation process which is free of hazardous stack emissions. The polymers which can be recycled in accordance with the process can include typical amounts of conventional additive and other impurities without significantly affecting the overall conversion.

Abstract: A carotenoid-enriched fraction is extracted from natural sources, such as carrots, by (i) separating the carotenoid-containing natural source into a carotenoid-containing liquid fraction and a pulp fraction, (ii) adding a carotenoid precipitation agent including calcium chloride, calcium hydroxide, calcium lactate or calcium gluconate to the liquid fraction to form a carotenoid-enriched solid precipitate, and (iii) separating the carotenoid-enriched solid precipitate from the carotenoid-depleted liquid portion.

Abstract: The invention relates to a crystallization process for recovering a pure substance from a liquid mixture, a starting mixture being cooled down in a crystallization zone to form a crystal suspension from which crystals of the pure substance are recovered, wherein a) the crystal suspension is subjected to a crude preliminary separation in a (preliminary) separation zone to form a first mother liquor and a crystal mass containing relatively small particles, b) the crystal mass formed in a) is allowed to develop in a development zone at a temperature which is higher than that of the crystallization zone and lower than the melting point of the substance to be recovered, and is separated into a developed crystal mass and a second mother liquor, and c) the developed crystal mass formed in b) is separated into a third mother liquor and the intended pure substance in a separation zone, as well as to an apparatus suitable for performing said process.