Did You Know...
...that several people are credited with the invention of the flush toilet? Most people have heard of Thomas Crapper (1837-1910), the sanitary engineer who invented the valve-and-siphon arrangement that made the modern toilet possible. Another claimant to "the throne" was British inventor Alexander Cumming who patented a toilet in 1775. Then there's a nameless Minoan (a native of ancient Crete) who lived 4,000 years ago who supposedly was ahead of his time and created the first flush toilet!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7534327 | Device for recovering drinking water from condensate as well as a method and a deep-drawing die for production of said device A device for recovering drinking water from condensate includes a self-supporting moulded part 11 formed of a transparent synthetic resin such as PET or PC, which is resistant to UV radiation. The moulded part 11 presents an open bottom area 16 ... | 05/19/2009 |
| 7416645 | Continuous process for recovering acetone from a waste stream resulting from acetone purification The present invention provides a continuous process for recovering acetone from a waste stream from an acetone purification stage. The waste stream contains mesityl oxide and optionally acetone. The process for recovering acetone includes separating the waste stream... | 08/26/2008 |
| 7371905 | Method of producing hydrofluorocarbons A process for producing fluorinated C1 HFCs comprising fluorinating a reactive organic compound to produce a reaction product comprising at least the desired C1 HFC, unreacted reactive organic compound and a byproduct having a boiling point between the boiling point... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7357378 | Divided wall exchange column A divided wall exchange column includes a dividing wall strengthened by stiffening members and/or a double wall design to better withstand pressure differentials and minimize temperature differentials. When a double wall is used, cost of manufacture and installation... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7351311 | Method for purifying tetrahydrofuran by distillation Crude water-containing tetrahydrofuran is purified by passing the crude tetrahydrofuran through three distillation columns, withdrawing water from the bottom of the first column, recycling water-containing tetrahydrofuran from the top of the second column into the f... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7348455 | Process for producing (meth)acrylic acids A process for producing (meth)acrylic acid or (meth)acrylic acid esters, which comprises a reaction step comprising vapor phase catalytic oxidation of propylene, propane or isobutylene and, if necessary, a reaction step comprising an esterification step, characteriz... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7338579 | Dewatering process A formaldehyde-containing product is separated from a formalin solution containing formaldehyde, water, and methanol by distilling in the presence of a water entraining compound, especially methyl propionate or methyl methacrylate. The product contains substantially... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7329330 | Method and device for the distillative processing of 1,6-hexanediol, 1,5-pentanediol and caprolactone A process for working up by distillation the crude products obtained in the process according to DE-A 196 07 954 and containing 1,6-hexanediol (HDO), 1,5-pentanediol (PDO) or caprolactone (CLO) in order to obtain the corresponding pure products, the working-up by di... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7311807 | Process for the separation of mixtures containing m-and p-dichlorobenzene A process for the separation of dichlorobenzene mixtures containing m- and p-dichlorobenzene in which: (i) the mixture is as an extracting agent contacted with a phosphoric ester of the general formula (I) as an extracting agent | 12/25/2007 |
| 7309403 | Method for avoiding corrosion The invention relates to a method of avoiding corrosion in the separation of methylamine from a product stream (10) which is obtained in the preparation of methylamines by gas-phase reaction of methanol and ammonia and includes monomethylamine, dimethylamine,... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7294240 | Method for producing (meth)acrylic acid esters Basic (meth)acrylates IV are prepared by transesterification of alkyl (meth)acrylates I in the presence of a catalyst and working-up of the reaction mixture by distillation, by a process in which a gas or gas mixture which is inert under the reaction conditions is p... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7287745 | Liquid-continuous column distillation Bubble columns fractionate with vapor-liquid mass transfer efficiencies approaching that of distillation towers when vapor velocities in excess of 50% of jet flood are used. If the vapor velocities are pushed above about 70% of jet flood then the distillation perfor... | 10/30/2007 |
| 7288169 | Distillation apparatus for readily polymerizable compound A distillation apparatus for subjecting a crude readily polymerizable compound to distillation under vacuum conditions to purify the same includes a distillation column and a vacuum generator, an exhaust gas conduit of the vacuum generator being connected to a conne... | 10/30/2007 |
| 7279075 | Thermal separating process between at least one gaseous and at least one liquid stream, of which at least one comprises (meth)acrylic monomers In a thermal separating process between at least one gaseous and at least one liquid stream, of which at least one comprises (meth)acrylic monomers, in a separating column containing sieve trays as separating internals, at least some of the sieve trays are operated ... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7273560 | Apparatus for condensing and recycling stripper An apparatus for recycling the stripper solutions with higher recycling rate is disclosed. The apparatus includes a stripper condenser; a first buffer tank; a second buffer tank connecting to said stripper condenser by a first pipe and connecting to said first buffe... | 09/25/2007 |
| 7270316 | Distillation column tray configuration A new tray configuration for a distillation column that utilizes the entire column cross section area as active tray area for vapor/liquid contact. The new tray configuration has no downcomers and utilizes a liquid/vapor seal pan(s) located in the vapor space of the... | 09/18/2007 |
| 7270315 | Exchange column, perforated tray assembly In, for example, a gas-liquid, liquid/liquid exchange column, perforated tray assemblies are provided which have a plurality of adjacent tray sections with slots adjacent rounded leading edges of the sections, and catches extending along trailing edges which interlo... | 09/18/2007 |
| 7267746 | Dividing wall distillation column control apparatus A control apparatus and control method for controlling the separation in a dividing wall distillation column of at least two feeds into at least three products is disclosed. The apparatus uses a temperature measuring device to measure the temperature of fluid in the... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7264696 | Dividing-wall column with feed in whole or in part in the vaporous state and/or side stream take off in whole or in part in the vaporous state A dividing-wall column having a dividing wall which is essentially disposed along the long direction of the column is proposed, which divides the column interior into a feed part, a take off part, an upper shared column part and a lower shared column part, with feed... | 09/04/2007 |
| 7255777 | Distillation system Improved HETP is obtained in the operation of a distillation column containing trays with a packing of a porous container containing a particulate material intimately associated with a resilient component having at least 50 volume % open space, preferably at least 7... | 08/14/2007 |
| 7249469 | Method for separating a multicomponent stream This invention relates to a method for separating a stream having benzene, toluene and alkyl benzene, said method comprising: feeding the stream into a first distillation column, wherein the stream comprises between about 60 mole percent to about 85 mole percent tol... | 07/31/2007 |
| 7244522 | Lubricant for magnetic recording medium and use thereof A magnetic recording medium and method for forming the magnetic recording medium are described. The magnetic recording medium includes a magnetic layer formed on a non-magnetic support, and a lubricant layer over the magnetic layer. The lubricant layer includes a co... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7238260 | Purification of N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-pyrrolidone N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-pyrrolidone (HEP) is purified by a distillation sequence in which the purified HEP is recovered as a side stream without being separated as an overhead at any point in the procedure. ... | 07/03/2007 |
| 7235158 | Perforated tray column without downcomer A perforated tray without downcomer having only a small deviation between the opening ratio based on the diameter of a column and the actual opening ratio and a perforated tray column without downcomer formed by disposing such perforated trays without downcomer are ... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7214294 | Azeotrope-like compositions of pentafluoropropane and water This invention provides azeotrope-like compositions of 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane and water that are environmentally desirable for use as refrigerants, aerosol propellants, metered dose inhalers, blowing agents for polymer foam, heat transfer media, and gaseous di... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7189311 | Purification of difluoromethane A method for separating difluoromethane from a mixture of difluoromethane and at least one impurity, the method involving extractively distilling the mixture using dichloromethane as an extractive agent to recover a product stream of purified difluoromethane having ... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7175754 | Process for the production of low benzene gasoline A process for the production of low benzene content gasoline is disclosed wherein a full boiling range naphtha is fractionated to produce a light naphtha, a medium naphtha and a heavy naphtha. The benzene is contained in the medium naphtha and this stream is subject... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7169267 | Method and device for carrying out the distillative separation of C cuts A process is proposed for the separation of C5+ cuts by distillation into a low-boiler (A), a medium-boiler (B) and a high-boiler fraction (C) in one or more dividing-wall columns (TK), in which a dividing wall (T) is arranged in the longitudinal directio... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7132038 | Method and device for obtaining 1,3 pure butadiene from 1,3 raw butadiene by distillation A process for obtaining pure 1,3-butadiene from crude 1,3-butadiene by distillation is carried out in a dividing wall column in which a dividing wall is located in the longitudinal direction of the column to form an upper common column region, a lower common column ... | 11/07/2006 |
| 7128813 | Process for manufacturing high purity methacrylic acid A process for the high yield production of high purity glacial methacrylic acid (“HPMAA”) with minimization of decomposition of hydroxy isobutyric acid (HIBA). The HPMAA is substantially pure, specifically 99% pure or greater with a water content of 0.05% or les... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7129387 | Low capital implementation of distributed distillation in ethylene recovery An apparatus for recovering ethylene from a hydrocarbon feed stream, where the apparatus is a single distillation column pressure shell encasing an upper region and a lower region. The upper region houses an ethylene distributor rectifying section and the lower regi... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7105078 | Method for producing an aqueous hydroxylamine solution devoid of salt A process for preparing a salt-free aqueous hydroxylamine solution by reacting an aqueous solution of a hydroxylammonium salt with a base to give a mixture and separating from said mixture by distillation a salt-free aqueous hydroxylamine solution, involving using a... | 09/12/2006 |
| 7090748 | Dividing-wall column with feed in whole or in part in the vaporous state and/or side stream take off in whole or in part in the vaporous state A dividing-wall column having a dividing wall which is essentially disposed along the long direction of the column is proposed, which divides the column interior into a feed part, a take off part, an upper shared column part and a lower shared column part, with feed... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7066988 | Segmented plate for assembly within a confined area having limited access A segmented plate adapted for assembly within a confined area or volume, and a method of assembly of the segmented plate. The plate, as assembled, has an exterior perimeter that includes exterior edge-boundaries of a plurality of generally rigid plate-sections, each... | 06/27/2006 |
| 7001490 | Purification of ammonia by distillation Crude ammonia is separated into a low boiler fraction, a high boiler fraction and an intermediate-boiling pure fraction by continuous fractional distillation in a distillation apparatus configured either as a dividing wall column or as a system of thermally coupled ... | 02/21/2006 |
| 6986833 | Process for fractionating water-containing crude amine mixtures from amine synthesis An amine-containing mixture containing one or more amines, water, low-boilers and optionally high-boilers is fractionated by a process having the steps (iii) and (iv) and optionally the steps (i), (ii) and (v): (i) a (first) low-boiler fraction is separ... | 01/17/2006 |
| 6972075 | Method for removing 6-aminocapronitrile from mixtures that contain 6-aminocapronitrile, adipodinitrile and hexamethylenediamine The invention relates to a method for removing, by distillation, 6-aminocapronitrile from mixtures that contain 6-aminocapronitrile, adipodinitrile and hexamethylenediamine, by a) removing the hexamethylenediamine from the mixture while obtaining a mixture (I) that ... | 12/06/2005 |
| 6942762 | Method for the production of a salt-free aqueous hydroxylamine solution A process for preparing a salt-free aqueous hydroxylamine solution by distilling an aqueous solution of a hydroxylammonium salt and a base in a tray column having at least two mechanical trays, wherein random or structured packings are located above at least one tra... | 09/13/2005 |
| 6913674 | Process for fractionating water-containing crude amine mixtures from amine synthesis A mixture containing one or more amines, water, low-boilers and high-boilers, is fractioned in a process wherein (i) low-boilers are separated from the mixture by distillation, (ii) high-boilers are separated from the mixture by distillatio... | 07/05/2005 |
| 6902154 | Gas-liquid contact tray having multiple downcomers Gas-liquid contact tray comprising a bubble area and a plurality of downcomers having a downcomer opening, which downcomer openings are spaced in the bubble area, such that, when in use, a liquid enters the downcomer opening from opposite sides of the downcomer open... | 06/07/2005 |