ap

Apparatus for internally restoring a pipe

A method of internally restoring a pipe preferably includes the steps of isolating a leaking pipe from a system of pipes; drying an interior of a leaking pipe; measuring the airflow through the leak; cleaning the interior of the leaking pipe; presealing a leak with a leak sealing media, measuring the leak flow rate after the pre-sealing; applying an internal protective coating process; and pressure testing the leaking pipe for leaks. The pipe restoration method preferably uses a control box, a media injection system, an air compressor and a coating dispensing system at an inlet of the leaking pipe. The pipe restoration method preferably uses a coating overflow receiver, a muffler and a dust collector at an exit of the leaking pipe. After the treatments, the leaking pipe becomes a restored pipe. The restored pipe is pressure tested for leaks at a working pressure rating of the pipe.




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Substrate processing apparatus for maintaining a more uniform temperature during substrate processing

A substrate processing apparatus that includes a process tank having a pair of opposed sidewalls for storing a chemical liquid, and processing a plurality of substrates by the chemical liquid; a substrate holding mechanism including a holding part for holding the plurality of substrates, and a back part connected to the holding part and interposed between the substrates held by the holding part and one sidewall of the pair of opposed sidewalls when the substrate holding mechanism is loaded into the process tank. A heating device is disposed on the process tank for heating the stored chemical liquid. The heating device includes at least a first heater disposed on the one sidewall, and a second heater disposed on the other sidewall of the pair of opposed sidewalls. Energy outputs of the first heater and the second heater are independently controlled.




ap

Cleaning/disinfecting apparatus

A cleaning/disinfecting apparatus includes: a plurality of attachment portions for attaching an endoscope; a cleaning/disinfecting portion that communicates with the plurality of attachment portions and can execute different types of cleaning/disinfection menus for the respective attachment portions; and an endoscope information reading portion that reads endoscope information from the endoscope. Also, the cleaning/disinfecting apparatus includes: a control portion that determines a cleaning/disinfection menu based on the read endoscope information and outputs attachment portion identifying information for identifying an attachment portion for executing the determined cleaning/disinfection menu; and a notifying portion that notifies the attachment portion identifying information outputted from the control portion.




ap

Nozzle and a substrate processing apparatus including the same

A nozzle of a nozzle device includes an arm pipe that extends in a horizontal direction and a downstream pipe formed so as to curve downward from one end of the arm pipe. In the nozzle, a metallic pipe is provided inside a second resin pipe. Moreover, a first resin pipe is provided inside the metallic pipe. A boss is attached to the tip of the metallic pipe between the first resin pipe and the second resin pipe. At the tip of the nozzle, an outer peripheral surface of the first resin pipe, an end surface of the second resin pipe and an end surface of the boss are welded by welding resin. In this way, the metallic pipe is reliably coated with the first resin pipe, the second resin pipe, the boss and the welding resin.




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Domestic appliance having a surface which comprises a photocatalyst

A domestic appliance includes at least one component having a surface that can become laden with organic dirt. The surface includes a photocatalyst and is made from a primary-formed first material in which the photocatalyst is dispersed. A photoradiation source is provided for irradiating the photocatalyst with an activating electromagnetic radiation.




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Method and apparatus for cleaning a film seperating device

A method for cleaning a film separating device involves: a) performing positive-direction water cleaning when the ratio between the film filter resistance and the preliminary film filter resistance is less than 1.2; b) performing reverse water cleaning when the ratio between the film filter resistance and the preliminary film filter resistance is greater-than or equal-to 1.2; c) performing reverse chemical cleaning when the ratio between the film filter resistance and the preliminary film filter resistance is greater-than or equal-to 2; d) performing positive-direction chemical cleaning when the ratio between the film filter resistance and the preliminary film filter resistance is greater-than or equal-to 3.




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High molecular weight polyacrylates for aluminum protection in warewash applications

A warewashing detergent composition is provided for use for in cleaning of alkaline sensitive metals such as aluminum or aluminum containing alloys. The compositions include alternatives to sodium tripolyphosphate and/or other phosphorous containing raw materials, while retaining cleaning performance and corrosion prevention. According to the invention, high molecular weight polyacrylates (polyacrylic acid homopolymers) with a molecular weight of at least about 5000 are used as corrosion inhibitors and can be included for aluminum protection in a number of different detergent compositions.




ap

Fluid applicator and glass cleaning process

A fluid applicator (20), for cleaning particles from a glass sheet (2), including a conveyor (40) for supporting the glass sheet, a conveyance plane, and a nozzle (24). The conveyance plane is disposed adjacent the conveyor so that when the glass sheet is conveyed by the conveyor, a surface (6) of the glass sheet is disposed in the conveyance plane. The nozzle has a longitudinal axis (23), wherein the longitudinal axis is disposed at an angle of 30 to 90 degrees with respect to the conveyance plane, and the nozzle is disposed at a distance (21) of less than or equal to 100 mm from the conveyance plane. Also, there is disclosed a method for cleaning particles from a glass sheet, using the fluid applicator. The fluid may be delivered to the nozzle at a pressure of 10 to 80 kg/cm2 and a flow rate of from 1 to 20 l/min.




ap

Painting implement cleaning and support apparatus

A painting implement cleaning and storage apparatus 10 is provided. The apparatus facilitates the cleaning and storage of painting implements such as a roller 12, a brush 14 and a roller pan 16. The apparatus includes a base 18 and a bracket 32 coupled to the base. The roller 12 is supported on the bracket 32 in an upwardly extending diagonal position between shields 45 and 54 for containing paint spreads from the roller. The brush 14 is supported on bracket 32 in a upwardly projecting position. A roller pan 16 is coupable to shield 45 and supported thereon in a descending position. Once the painting implements 12, 14 and 16 are supported on the apparatus 10, cleaning can be accomplished by the application of a stream of water thereto after which the implements can be left until they are needed.




ap

Steam cleaning apparatus

A steam cleaning apparatus including a main body having a main switch, a steam cleaning head coupled to the main body, and a position sensitive switch having a first state when the steam apparatus is in a substantially vertical storage position and a second state when the steam cleaning apparatus is in a tilted, cleaning position, the position sensitive switch being connected in electrical series with the main switch such that when the position-sensitive switch is in the first state the position-sensitive switch interrupts the flow of electrical current from the main switch and when the position-sensitive switch is in the second state, electrical power is supplied by the main switch.




ap

Antiseptic applicators and packaging techniques

This disclosure describes example antiseptic applicators that may be used in combination with one or more cleansing, antimicrobial and/or antiseptic agents to reduce or eliminate contaminates on a surface. According to some embodiments, the disclosure describes that the applicators may contain an impermeable layer and a permeable layer, where the impermeable layer prevents contaminates for transferring from a user's hand to the permeable layer and the surface.




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Method and apparatus for multiple cutoff machining of rare earth magnet block, cutting fluid feed nozzle, and magnet block securing jig

In a method for multiple cutoff machining a rare earth magnet block, a cutting fluid feed nozzle having a plurality of slits is combined with a plurality of cutoff abrasive blades coaxially mounted on a rotating shaft, each said blade comprising a base disk and a peripheral cutting part. The slits in the feed nozzle into which the outer peripheral portions of cutoff abrasive blades are inserted serve to restrict any axial run-out of the cutoff abrasive blades during rotation. Cutting fluid is fed from the feed nozzle through slits to the rotating cutoff abrasive blades and eventually to points of cutoff machining on the magnet block.




ap

Wafer dicing blade and wafer dicing apparatus including the same

A wafer dicing blade includes a cutting part including a protrusion, the protrusion having a uniform region with a substantially uniform width, and a support covering at least one sidewall of the cutting part, the protrusion of the cutting part extending beyond an edge of the support.




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Masonry block multi-splitting apparatus and method

An apparatus for splitting a plurality of masonry blocks is provided. The apparatus includes a plurality of first splitting blades that are configured to simultaneously move in a first direction, so as to split one of each of the plurality of masonry blocks into two or more sections during a single splitting operation. Each section has a first split surface. A plurality of second splitting blades is provided, where each is perpendicular and adjacent to one of the first splitting blades. Each of the second splitting blades is configured to form a second split surface on one of the masonry block sections that is perpendicular to at least one of the first split surfaces.




ap

Methods, wires, and apparatus for slicing hard materials

Methods, wires, and apparatus for use in cutting (e.g., slicing) hard, brittle materials is provided. The wire can be a super-abrasive wire that includes a wire core and super-abrasive particles bonded to the wire core via a metal bonding layer. This wire, or another type of wire, can be used to slice workpieces useful for producing wafers. The workpieces can be aligned within a holder to produce wafers using the device and methods presently provided. The holder rotates about its central axis, which translates to workpieces moving in orbit around this axis. A single abrasive wire, or multiple turns of wire stretched tightly between wire guides, is then contacted with the rotating holder to slice the workpieces.




ap

Methods, wires, and apparatus for slicing hard materials

Methods, wires, and apparatus for use in cutting (e.g., slicing) hard, brittle materials is provided. The wire can be a super-abrasive wire that includes a wire core and super-abrasive particles bonded to the wire core via a metal bonding layer. This wire, or another type of wire, can be used to slice workpieces useful for producing wafers. The workpieces can be aligned within a holder to produce wafers using the device and methods presently provided. The holder rotates about its central axis, which translates to workpieces moving in orbit around this axis. A single abrasive wire, or multiple turns of wire stretched tightly between wire guides, is then contacted with the rotating holder to slice the workpieces.




ap

Apparatus, system and method for using a diamond-impregnated wire to cut an object

An apparatus, a system and a method may use a diamond-impregnated wire loop to cut an underwater pipeline. The apparatus may have a frame, a carriage attached to the frame and/or pulleys connected to the carriage. The diamond-impregnated wire loop may be connected to the pulleys. The carriage may move relative to the frame to direct the diamond-impregnated wire loop in a forward direction relative to the frame and/or through the pipeline.




ap

Self-cleaning wiresaw apparatus and method

The present invention provides a self-cleaning wiresaw cutting apparatus including a cleaning mechanism adapted to clean the components of the wiresaw before, during, or after a cutting process or to humidify the cutting region of the apparatus. The apparatus contains at least one dispenser adapted to dispense an aqueous fluid onto various components of the wiresaw.




ap

Ductile mode machining methods for hard and brittle components of plasma processing apparatuses

A method of ductile mode machining a component of a plasma processing apparatus wherein the component is made of nonmetallic hard and brittle material wherein the method comprises single point turning the component with a diamond cutting tool causing a portion of the nonmetallic hard and brittle material to undergo a high pressure phase transformation to form a ductile phase portion of the hard and brittle material during chip formation wherein a turned surface is formed from a phase changed material and the turned surface is a grooved textured surface of phase changed material.




ap

Movable saw apparatus and method

Disclosed is a movable cutting tool apparatus and/or methods for cutting workpieces; either generally including a cutting tool apparatus having a cutting tool unit support apparatus including at least a substantially stationary support structure and one or more rear-mount glide rails; a cutting tool unit which is supported by the support apparatus; a cutting implement held by the cutting tool unit, whereby the cutting tool unit operates and controls the cutting implement; and, at least one fluid coolant and/or lubricant tube connected to the cutting tool unit and adapted to flow a fluid to the cutting implement in operation; wherein the cutting tool unit and the cutting implement are directly movable with the glide rails to provide reciprocal and translational movability for the cutting tool unit and the cutting implement.




ap

Method for shaping and slicing ingots using an aqueous phosphate solution

A method for slicing a workpiece into wafers in which a polyphosphate solution is applied to the workpiece during the slicing process. The method comprises the steps of positioning the workpiece, such as a silicon ingot, in the vicinity of a wire saw that can cut through the workpiece without the use of an abrasive slurry; causing an aqueous polyphosphate solution to contact the workpiece; and causing the wire saw to cut into the workpiece while the polyphosphate solution is in contact with the workpiece. After the workpiece has been cut into wafers, the polyphosphate solution is rinsed off of the wafers. Preferably, the wire saw used in this method is a diamond wire saw.




ap

Independently supported concrete saw apparatus and method

A saw apparatus for sawing paving slabs has a frame mounted on a ground contacting propulsion member such that the frame may move above a slab to be cut without touching the slab. A first saw support assembly disposes a blade of a saw in cutting engagement with the slab for a transverse cut. A second saw support assembly disposes a blade of another saw in cutting engagement with the slab for a longitudinal cut. The saws are mounted on the saw assemblies and the saw assemblies are mounted on the frame and the frame is mounted on the ground contact propulsion members such that no part of said frame need contact the slab during cutting.




ap

Apparatus, system and method for using a diamond-impregnated wire to cut an object

An apparatus, a system and a method may use a diamond-impregnated wire loop to cut an underwater pipeline. The apparatus may have a frame, a carriage attached to the frame and/or pulleys connected to the carriage. The diamond-impregnated wire loop may be connected to the pulleys. The carriage may move relative to the frame to direct the diamond-impregnated wire loop in a forward direction relative to the frame and/or through the pipeline.




ap

Powered saw including dust capture apparatus

A novel cutting method and apparatus includes a cutting blade adapted to consistently and easily form a desirable kerf in a concrete substrate while capturing substantially all resulting concrete dust.




ap

Mold, casting apparatus, and method for producing cast rod

Arnold (13) includes a recessed portion (21) for receiving a melt (2). The recessed portion (21) is constituted by an inner wall surface (29) for converting the melt (2) into a solidified portion when the inner wall surface (29) contacts the melt (2), and opens in a withdrawal direction (D1) of the solidified portion. A curved line formed by a first contour (23p) and a second contour (25p) has a cusp at a position of start points (43 and 45). The distance between the first contour (23p) and the second contour (25p) in a width direction (D2) increases continuously from an upstream side to a downstream side of the withdrawal direction (D1). The shape of the inner wall surface (29) of the recessed portion (21) is determined so that a cast rod (3) can be rotationally displaced clockwise or counterclockwise about an axis passing through a first end point (33) or a second end point (35) and perpendicular to a section of the mold 13.




ap

Method and apparatus for press casting

An apparatus for press casting includes a casting mold formed of a fixed mold and a first moving mold operable to move relative to the fixed mold. The apparatus further includes a second moving mold operable to move relative to the first moving mold. A mold cavity, which forms a cast product, is configured by the fixed mold and the second moving mold. When the first moving mold is moved to a first predetermined position, a molten metal passage and a gas exhaust port, which communicate with the mold cavity, are formed at positions outside the mold cavity. A communication between the mold cavity and the molten metal passage, and the gas exhaust port is cut off by the second moving mold when the second moving mold is moved to a second predetermined position while the first moving mold is maintained at the first predetermined position thereof.




ap

Counter-gravity casting of hollow shapes

The embodiments described herein relate to methods and apparatus for counter-gravity formation of BMG-containing hollow parts. In one embodiment, the BMG-containing hollow parts may be formed by first feeding a molten metal alloy in a counter-gravity direction into a mold cavity to deposit the molten metal alloy on a surface of the mold cavity and then solidifying the deposited molten metal alloy.




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Method and apparatus for interlocking load carrying elements

A method for interlocking structural steel components with a metal-filled interlock is disclosed herein. The method comprises placing a mold about aligned contoured portions of structural steel components and attaching a crucible and a spout to the mold. The crucible is charged with exothermic reactive metals which are ignited, forming a molten metal filler. The molten metal filler melts a metal plug in the crucible or spout and the molten metal filler flows into the mold and about the aligned contoured portions of the structural steel components. Cooling of the molten metal filler forms a metal-filled interlock. Molds for performing the disclosed method are also disclosed herein.




ap

Tower pump casting apparatus

A casting apparatus having a main chamber connected to at least one casting tower. The main chamber may contain molten metal and the temperature within the main chamber may be maintained by a furnace. A pump may pump the molten metal up the tower and into an upper pool chamber. A feeder nozzle may feed the molten metal from the upper pool chamber and onto a chilling wheel, which may turn the molten metal into metal flakes.




ap

Multiple casting apparatus and method

Apparatuses and methods of forming battery parts are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method of forming a battery part includes receiving a flowable material into a cavity, and reducing a volume of the cavity while a pin extending through at least a portion of the cavity remains at least generally stationary therein. The method further includes sealing the cavity by slidably engaging at least a portion of the pin with a recess in the piston proximate the end face of the piston.




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Fluid purification level control apparatuses and methods

Apparatuses and methods for level control in a fluid purification apparatus. The apparatuses and methods include a fluid purification apparatus and a level sensor that regulates operation of the fluid purification apparatus. The level sensor may further operate a bypass valve or a heater.




ap

Oil recovery apparatus

A method and apparatus for recovering oil from oil-containing sorbents, such as drill cuttings obtained from drilling with an oil-based mud. The method includes peptizing the substrate with an acid reagent and direct thermal desorption with combustion effluent gases at high temperature under turbulent mixing conditions. Another method disclosed includes upgrading the oil in the substrate to improve one or more of the properties of the recovered oil relative to the oil in the substrate, such as, lower aromatics content, lower sulfur content, lower functional group content, higher saturates, higher viscosity, higher viscosity index, and any combination thereof. The apparatus provides for efficient recovery of oil from the substrate with a short residence time, high throughput, low residual oil content in the treated solids and/or high percentage of oil recovery. The apparatus may be transported to a remote location for on-site treatment of drill cuttings or other oil-containing solids.




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Apparatus for removing a contaminant from a solvent separation process

The invention is a process and apparatus for removing a contaminant from an aromatic selective solvent. A feed stream comprising an aromatic hydrocarbon and a non-aromatic hydrocarbon is contacted with the aromatic selective solvent in an extractive distillation zone to produce a raffinate stream comprising the non-aromatic hydrocarbon, and a rich solvent stream comprising the aromatic hydrocarbon and the solvent. The rich solvent stream is separated in a second distillation zone to produce an extract stream comprising the aromatic hydrocarbon, and a lean solvent stream comprising the contaminant and the aromatic selective solvent. At least a portion of the lean solvent stream is washed with a non-aromatic hydrocarbon to produce a clean solvent stream, at least a portion of which is passed to at least one of the extractive distillation zone and the second distillation zone.




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Apparatus and methods for utilizing heat exchanger tubes

In one aspect, the present techniques include a heat exchange apparatus including: a) a body comprising an interior cavity, the body including: a first surface and a second surface defining at least a portion of the body and the first surface positioned exterior with respect to the second surface and the interior cavity, and the second surface positioned exterior with respect to the interior cavity and interior with respect to the first surface; b) a first conduit for conveying a fluid to the body; c) a second conduit in fluid communication with the first conduit wherein the second conduit is positioned at least partially within the interior cavity of the body; and d) a joint between the first conduit and the second conduit, wherein the joint moves between a first location and a second location based on the temperature within the interior cavity, wherein at least one of said first location and said second location is positioned intermediate the first surface and the second surface.




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Distillation apparatus

A modular distillation apparatus including at least one heat exchanger that preheats contaminated liquids: a heater that heats the contaminated liquid from the heat exchanger; an evaporator condenser adapted o boil the contaminated liquid coming out of the heater to produce water vapor and contaminant concentrate, and condenser the water vapor into distilled water; a vacuum chamber capable of operating at below atmospheric pressure, the vacuum chamber housing the evaporator condenser and including at least one partition to separate the distilled water from the contaminate concentrate; a vapor compressor operably associated with the vacuum chamber to receive water vapor from the evaporator condenser in the vacuum chamber and pump the water vapor at pressure back through the evaporator condenser, wherein the heat exchanger recovers sensible heat from outgoing condensed distilled water and contaminant concentrate recycled from the vacuum chamber.




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Hydrocarbon resource processing apparatus including a load resonance tracking circuit and related methods

A device for processing a hydrocarbon resource may include a hydrocarbon processing container configured to receive the hydrocarbon resource therein and having a pair of opposing ends with an enlarged width medial portion therebetween. The device may also a spirally wound electrical conductor surrounding the hydrocarbon processing container, and a radio frequency (RF) circuit coupled to the spirally wound electrical conductor and configured to supply RF power to the hydrocarbon resource while tracking a load resonance of the RF circuit. The RF circuit may be configured to generate magnetic fields within the hydrocarbon processing container parallel with an axis thereof.




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Process for the treatment of crude oil, process for the separation of a water-in-oil hydrocarbon emulsion and apparatus for implementing the same

The invention relates to a process for the purification of crude and apparatus for its implementation. This process comprises a separation into gas and degassed emulsion and separation of the degassed emulsion into water and oil. The invention also relates to a process of separating a hydrocarbon emulsion and apparatus for implementing this. This process comprises washing of the emulsion at an oil/water interface.




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Methods and extraction units employing vapor draw compositional analysis

Embodiments of extraction unit and an analysis method are provided. In one embodiment, the analysis method includes the steps of providing a feed stream and a species-selective solvent to the distillation column, drawing a vapor sample from the distillation column, condensing the vapor sample, and analyzing at least a portion of the condensed vapor sample.




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Method and apparatus for excitation of resonances in molecules

A method is described to excite molecules at their natural resonance frequencies with sufficient energy to break or form chemical bonds using electromagnetic radiation in the radio frequency (RF) and microwave frequency range. Liquid, solid, or gaseous materials are prepared and injected into a resonant structure where they are bombarded with electromagnetic energy in the RF or microwave range at resonant frequencies of the molecules of the materials. Alternatively, electromagnetic energy tuned to dielectric particles prepared from the materials may also be supplied to further enhance the reaction.




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Apparatus for removing heavy polynuclear aromatic compounds from a hydroprocessed stream

An improved apparatus strips HPNA's from hydroprocessed streams in a fractionation column having a split shell configuration. Only one vapor stripping feed is required to the split shell of the fractionation column. The resulting reduction in steam requirement provides a superior fractionation in the column.




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Two-stage hydroprocessing apparatus with common fractionation

Two-stage hydroprocessing uses a common dividing wall fractionator. Hydroprocessed effluents from both stages of hydroprocessing are fed to opposite sides of the dividing wall.




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Method and apparatus for converting coal to petroleum product

The present invention provides a method of converting coal to a petroleum product. The method includes the steps of mixing the coal and water to form a mixture, and heating the mixture to approximately 500 degrees Fahrenheit. The method further includes separating the mixture in a first separator into a liquid stream of a water bearing minerals and a solid stream of coal, and transferring the coal from the first separator to a coking reactor wherein the temperature is raised to approximately 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit to drive off lighter fractions of the coal as a gas. The method also includes transferring the gas to a fourth separator to separate water and liquid petroleum product from the gas.




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Method and apparatus for processing of spent lubricating oil

The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for recovery of spent lubricating oil. The evaporation of hydrocarbon fractions from spent lubricating oil is carried out in three steps. The first step is at approximately 150-1030 mbar and between 70-240° C. in which is greater than 99% water, greater than 99% of ethylene glycol and greater than 50% of hydrocarbon molecules with normal boiling point up to 310° C. are evaporated from spent oil. The second step is operated at 6-30 mbar and 200-2900 C in which predominantly gasoil and light vacuum gasoil fractions are evaporated. The third step is operated at 250-320° C. and 0.5-15 mbar in which mainly heavy vacuum gasoil (boiling range of 425 to 570° C. on ASTM D-1160 test) is evaporated from spent oil.




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Apparatus for upgrading whole crude oil to remove nitrogen and sulfur compounds

A crude oil feedstream is treated to remove or reduce the content of known undesired heteroatomic and polynuclear aromatic compounds containing nitrogen and sulfur by contacting the feedstream with one or more solid adsorbent materials selected from attapulgus clay, alumina, silica gel and activated carbon in a mixing vessel for a time that is sufficient to optimize the adsorption of the undesired compounds from the crude oil, subjecting the mixture to atmospheric flash distillation and then to vacuum flash distillation to recover presorbed boiling ranges of products having a lowered content of the undesired compounds, and preferably regenerating at least a portion of the solid adsorbent material for reuse in the process.




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Method of making a knit apparel with a tie dyed appearance and an apparel made by the method

A knit apparel is made using a decorating pattern that is generated to give the apparel the appearance of tie dyed apparel. The decorating pattern includes a main element, a secondary element and intermediate zones have the same color but gradually lighter shades as the main element.




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Toe closing apparatus

An apparatus for closing a toe end of a tubular hosiery body includes a stitching device having a main body, a fixed reed, a movable reed pivoted to the fixed reed, and a main drive assembly for driving the movable reed to rotate relative to the fixed reed between juxtaposed and stacked positions. A rotary control unit includes a support frame supporting the main body, a rotary disc attached to the main body, a plurality of detent members disposed around the rotary disc, and a plurality of control drive members respectively driving the detent members. The control drive members consecutively operate to consecutively actuate the respective detent members such that the rotary disc together with the stitching device consecutively produces a limited amount of rotation in an intermittent manner.




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Air belt and air belt apparatus

An air belt having mesh webbing sufficiently strong and sufficiently expandable in the circumferential direction of a bag-shaped belt and an air belt apparatus including the air belt are provided. An air belt includes a folded member being a bag-shaped belt folded in a band shape and mesh webbing covering the folded member of the bag-shaped belt. The mesh webbing hardly expands in the longitudinal direction of the air belt, and is flexibly expandable in the circumferential direction of the bag-shaped belt. The mesh webbing is made of a raschel-knitted material. The knitted material is arranged such that the extending direction of knot portions of yarn threads and corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the air belt.




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Apparatus for separating melon flesh from rind

An apparatus for preparing a melon juice concentrate, such as watermelon juice concentrate, includes a finisher with brushes for separating melon flesh from melon rind including leaving at least 1/16 inch flesh on the rind and screens for separating juice from flesh. The apparatus also includes a steamer to reduce bacteria count on whole melon, a chopper for chopping melons into pieces less than about 16 inches square, an extractor for extracting juice from the flesh, and an evaporator for concentrating melon juice to form melon juice concentrate. The steamer includes a cylinder frame, steam jets directing steam through apertures in the cylinder frame at whole melon therein, and a motivator to move the whole melon along the cylinder frame. The apparatus can also process cantaloupe, honeydew melon, and other melon.




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Method and an apparatus for determining the residual time until a cooking process of a foodstuff has been finished

The invention relates to a method for determining the residual time until a cooking process of a foodstuff (12) has been finished. At first a set temperature value for a core (14) of the foodstuff (12) is defined. Next the actual temperatures in the core (14) of the foodstuff (12) at predetermined times are measured and the time dependence of the measured temperature in the core (14) of the foodstuff (12) is determined. At last the time dependence of the measured temperature is compared with the set temperature value and “the residual time of the cooking process is estimated. The invention relates further to a corresponding apparatus for determining the residual time until a cooking process of a foodstuff (12) has been finished.




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Apparatus and method for preparing ingredients for a baby bottle

An apparatus for preparing infant formula to be supplied to a bottle, and methods and circuits for operating the same, are disclosed. The apparatus includes a housing having a shape for integrating together components of the apparatus. A fluid reservoir for holding fluid and configured to be coupling to the housing is provided. Further provided is a formula disc disposed at a first location of the housing. The first location defined above a dispense location of the bottle, and the formula disc having a top end and a dispense end, the formula disc further includes a plurality of slots for holding the infant formula in a powder state. The apparatus has an end plate that is coupled to the dispense end of the formula disc, and the end plate has a dispense hole, such that the end plate is rotatable relative to the formula disc.