6535results about "Feed devices" patented technology

A gas injection system, a reactor system including the gas injection system, and methods of using the gas injection system and reactor system are disclosed. The gas injection system can be used in gas-phase reactor systems to independently monitor and control gas flow rates in a plurality of channels of a gas injection system coupled to a reaction chamber.

Parallel flow reaction systems comprising four or more reaction channels are disclosed. Distribution systems, and parallel flow reaction systems comprising such distribution systems are also disclosed. Specifically, the distribution systems comprise one or more subsystems, including for example, a flow-partitioning subsystem for providing a different flow rate to each of the four or more reactors, a pressure-partitioning subsystem for providing a different reaction pressure in the reaction cavity of each of the four or more reactors, and a feed-composition subsystem for providing a different feed composition to each of the four or more reactors. In preferred embodiments, the one or more subsystems can comprise at least one set of four or more flow restrictors, each of the four or more flow restrictors having a flow resistance that varies relative to other flow restrictors in the set.

A liquid raw material is heated to its boiling point or higher at a vaporizer to mix the vaporized ingredient gas and a carrier gas at a mixer at predetermined concentrations. The flow of the mixed gas is adjusted while the mixed gas is heated to over its condensing point and the temperature thereof is kept. Subsequently, the mixed gas is fed to a reactor for epitaxial growth while the mixed gas is heated to over its condensing point and the temperature thereof is kept. When the temperature of a heating medium is kept constant at the vaporizer to vaporize the liquid raw material and the feeding amount of the liquid into the vaporizer is adjusted by the pressure of the gas inside the vaporizer, the liquid surface level can be controlled to be constant.

Parallel flow reaction systems comprising four or more reaction channels are disclosed. Distribution systems, and parallel flow reaction systems comprising such distribution systems are also disclosed. Specifically, the distribution systems comprise a feed-composition subsystem for providing a different feed composition to each of the four or more reactors. In preferred embodiments, the feed composition subsystem comprises at least one set of four or more feed-component flow restrictors, each of the four or more feed-component flow restrictors having a flow resistance that varies relative to other flow restrictors in the set.

Fuel supplies for fuel cells are disclosed. The fuel supplies can be a pressurized or non-pressurized cartridge that can be used with any fuel cells, including but not limited to, direct methanol fuel cell or reformer fuel cell. In one aspect, a fuel supply may contain a reaction chamber to convert fuel to hydrogen. The fuel supplies may also contain a pump. The fuel supply may have a valve connecting the fuel to the fuel cell, and a vent to vent gas from the fuel supply. Methods for forming various fuel supplies are also disclosed.

A liquid reagent dispensing assembly, comprising a gas-pressurizable vessel including a floor, and an interior volume bounded by interior wall and floor surfaces. A dip-tube liquid discharge conduit is employed for discharging liquid from the gas-pressurized vessel. The vessel is provided with a liquid level sensor for sensing liquid reagent level in the vessel interior volume. The floor of the vessel has a cavity therein extending downwardly from the surface of the floor, and the lower end of the dip tube is positioned in the cavity. The dispensing assembly of the invention may usefully be employed for dispensing of reagents such as precursors for deposition of materials in the manufacture of semiconductor materials and devices, and achieves a high level of withdrawal of the reagent liquid from the vessel.

Gas supply assemblies and reactors systems including the gas supply assemblies are disclosed. An exemplary gas supply assembly includes a vessel, a valve plate, a housing encasing the vessel and the valve plate, a gas feedthrough having a first end interior of the housing and a second end exterior of the housing, and one or more valves attached to the valve plate, wherein at least one valve is fluidly coupled to an interior of the vessel. The assemblies can further include a removable gas line having a first end coupled to the at least one valve and a second end coupled to the gas feedthrough. Additionally or alternatively, a gas supply assembly can include one or more valve plate leveling devices coupled to the valve plate.

A process and system for providing a hydrogen-containing gas stream to a fuel cell anode that includes providing a hydrogen-containing gas stream that includes carbon monoxide, introducing the hydrogen-containing gas stream into a pressure swing adsorption module that includes at least one carbon monoxide-selective adsorbent to produce a purified hydrogen-containing gas stream, and introducing the purified hydrogen-containing gas stream to the fuel cell anode. The pressure swing adsorption module can also include a second adsorbent and/or catalyst. Also disclosed is a fuel cell system coupled to an internal combustion engine and a fuel cell system that utilizes fuel cell waste heat for vaporizing a hydrocarbon/water mixture.

A system for filling a substrate having at least one chamber with a liquid sample is provided. The system in one embodiment includes a substrate defining a network of passageways including at least one chamber for the liquid sample, and an adapter. The adapter includes a fill reservoir for the liquid sample, a vacuum port for attachment to a vacuum source, and at least two channels. One channel allows a vacuum to be imparted to the network, and the other channel allows the liquid sample to be introduced into the network. The system also includes a mechanism that sequentially closes and opens at least one of the channels so that a vacuum can first be introduced to the substrate and thereafter the liquid sample introduced to the substrate for permitting the vacuum to urge the liquid sample to flow from the fill reservoir into the substrate. An apparatus for positioning a substrate with a plurality of sample detection chambers in a detection unit is also provided.

A fluid catalytic cracking process includes feeding hydrocarbon into a riser in the presence of a catalyst, cracking the hydrocarbon in the riser in the presence of the catalyst to form a cracked stream, and separating the catalyst from the cracked stream. When in a gasoline mode, the hydrocarbon is fed through a first distributor into the riser, and when in a light olefin mode, the hydrocarbon is fed through a second distributor into the riser. The second distributor is positioned at a higher elevation than the first distributor.

The present invention discloses the process of supplying high pressure (e.g., 30 atmospheres) CO that has been preheated (e.g., to about 1000° C.) and a catalyst precursor gas (e.g., Fe(CO)₅) in CO that is kept below the catalyst precursor decomposition temperature to a mixing zone. In this mixing zone, the catalyst precursor is rapidly heated to a temperature that results in (1) precursor decomposition, (2) formation of active catalyst metal atom clusters of the appropriate size, and (3) favorable growth of SWNTs on the catalyst clusters. Preferably a catalyst cluster nucleation agency is employed to enable rapid reaction of the catalyst precursor gas to form many small, active catalyst particles instead of a few large, inactive ones. Such nucleation agencies can include auxiliary metal precursors that cluster more rapidly than the primary catalyst, or through provision of additional energy inputs (e.g., from a pulsed or CW laser) directed precisely at the region where cluster formation is desired. Under these conditions SWNTs nucleate and grow according to the Boudouard reaction. The SWNTs thus formed may be recovered directly or passed through a growth and annealing zone maintained at an elevated temperature (e.g., 1000° C.) in which tubes may continue to grow and coalesce into ropes.

The overall efficiency of a regenerative bed reverse flow reactor system is increased where the location of the exothermic reaction used for regeneration is suitably controlled. The present invention provides a method and apparatus for controlling the combustion to improve the thermal efficiency of bed regeneration in a cyclic reaction/regeneration processes. The process for thermal regeneration of a regenerative reactor bed entails

• • (a) supplying the first reactant through a first channel means in a first regenerative bed and supplying at least a second reactant through a second channel means in the first regenerative bed,
  • (b) combining said first and second reactants by a gas mixing means situated at an exit of the first regenerative bed and reacting the combined gas to produce a heated reaction product,
  • (c) passing the heated reaction product through a second regenerative bed thereby transferring heat from the reaction product to the second regenerative bed.

A reactor for conducting a process using supercritical water to upgrade a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock into an upgraded hydrocarbon product or syncrude with highly desirable properties (low sulfur content, low metals content, lower density (higher API), lower viscosity, lower residuum content, etc.) is described. The reactor is operable under continuous) semi-continuous or batch mode and is equipped with means to enable momentum, heat and mass transfer in and out of and within the reactor.

A container (1) for releasing a chemical additive (7) in a fluid material selected from a lubricant or hydraulic fluid composition comprises a fluid material-impermeable casing (3) having a hollow interior and an additive composition (7) comprising at least one fluid material-soluble additive. The additive (7) is held within the container (1) by a least one fluid material-permeable element (11) provided at or near an opening (13) in the casing (1) and is effective to provide for release of additive(s) (7) into the fluid material. Methods of releasing additives (7) into fluid material are also provided.

A method for conducting a broad range of biochemical analyses or manipulations on a series of nano- to subnanoliter reaction volumes and an apparatus for carrying out the same are disclosed. The invention is implemented on a fluidic microchip to provide high serial throughput. In particular, the disclosed device is a microfabricated channel device that can manipulate nanoliter or subnanoliter reaction volumes in a controlled manner to produce results at rates of 1 to 10 Hz per channel. The reaction volumes are manipulated in serial fashion analogous to a digital shift register. The invention has application to such problems as screening molecular or cellular targets using single beads from split-synthesis combinatorial libraries, screening single cells for RNA or protein expression, genetic diagnostic screening at the single cell level, or performing single cell signal transduction studies.

A gas-generating apparatus includes a reaction chamber having a first reactant, a reservoir having an optional second reactant, and a self-regulated flow control device. The self-regulated flow control device stops the flow of reactant from the reservoir to the reaction chamber when the pressure of the reaction chamber reaches a predetermined level. Methods of operating the gas-generated apparatus and the self-regulated flow control device, including the cycling of a shut-off valve of the gas-generated apparatus and the cycling of the self-regulated flow control device are also described.

Disclosed is an optimized process and apparatus for more efficiently and economically carrying out the liquid-phase oxidation of an oxidizable compound. Such liquid-phase oxidation is carried out in a bubble column reactor that provides for a highly efficient reaction at relatively low temperatures. When the oxidized compound is para-xylene and the product from the oxidation reaction is crude terephthalic acid (CTA), such CTA product can be purified and separated by more economical techniques than could be employed if the CTA were formed by a conventional high-temperature oxidation process.

Described herein is a highly heat integrated steam reformer/combustor assembly that can be used in a fuel processor for hydrogen production from a fuel source. The assembly comprises a reforming section and a combustion section separated by a wall. Catalyst able to induce the reforming reactions is coated on the wall facing the reforming section. Catalyst able to induce the combustion reactions is coated on the wall facing the combustion section. A steam and fuel mixture is supplied to the reforming section where it is reformed to product hydrogen. A fuel and air mixture is supplied to the combustion section where it is combusted to supply the heat for the reformer. Catalytic combustion takes place on the combustion catalyst coated on one side of the wall while catalytic reforming takes place on the reforming catalyst coated on the other side of the wall. Heat transfer is very facile and efficient across the wall. Multiple such assemblies can be bundled to form reactors of any size.

Disclosed is an optimized process and apparatus for more efficiently and economically carrying out the liquid-phase oxidation of an oxidizable compound. Such liquid-phase oxidation is carried out in a bubble column reactor that provides for a highly efficient reaction at relatively low temperatures. When the oxidized compound is para-xylene and the product from the oxidation reaction is crude terephthalic acid (CTA), such CTA product can be purified and separated by more economical techniques than could be employed if the CTA were formed by a conventional high-temperature oxidation process.

A system for abating undesired component(s) from a gas stream containing same, such as halocompounds, acid gases, silanes, ammonia, etc., by scrubbing of the effluent gas stream with an aqueous scrubbing medium. Halocompounds, such as fluorine, fluorides, perfluorocarbons, and chlorofluorocarbons, may be scrubbed in the presence of a reducing agent, e.g., sodium thiosulfate, ammonium hydroxide, or potassium iodide. In one embodiment, the scrubbing system includes a first acid gas scrubbing unit operated in cocurrent gas/liquid flow, and a second "polishing" unit operated in countercurrent gas/liquid flow, to achieve high removal efficiency with low consumption of water. The scrubbing system may utilize removable insert beds of packing material, packaged in a foraminous containment structure. The abatement system of the invention has particular utility in the treatment of semiconductor manufacturing process effluents.

A process and system are provided for forming and transporting precise small volumes of liquid samples by means of controlled gas pressures. As the controlled gas pressures are changed at a multiplicity of control points in the fluid circuit, transitions take place involving the transport of small liquid samples. This transport is arrested by the geometry of the fluid circuit to produce a new state, which state remains stable until another transition is initiated by a change in the multiplicity of controlled gas pressures. Various combinations of control elements are described for effecting formation of fixed liquid volumes, transporting, mixing, and removing entrained bubbles from small liquid samples.