Abstract:
An adapter for releasably securing a probe to a reaction vessel. Embodiments of the adapter include a cover plate for mating with a reaction vessel, a body portion extending from the cover plate, and a probe gripping portion secured to the body portion. A collet and at least one anvil resides within the body portion/probe gripping portion assembly. The collet has at least one split conical end that may be divided into a plurality of flexible gripping fingers, the conical end of the collet adapted to mate with the at least one anvil. An o-ring is preferably located in the body portion and surrounds a probe when the probe is passed through the adapter. Pressure from the reaction vessel exerts an axial force on the o-ring which, in turn, exerts a like force on the anvil, thereby causing the gripping fingers of the collet to exert a gripping force on the probe.
Abstract:
A reactor for the treatment of lignocellulosic material and related methods. The reactor includes a vessel having an upper portion and a lower portion. A pressure envelope is formed between an outer wall of the vessel and at least one lower wall of the lower portion of the vessel, and the upper portion of the vessel and the pressure envelope are operatively connected with a pressurization line, such that a pressure of the pressure envelope and a pressure of the upper portion may be equalized.
Abstract:
The present document describes a method and confinement unit for stopping a chemical reaction involving hot metal dross and a gas in the surrounding environment. The method comprises transferring the hot metal dross in a dross pan and placing the dross pan with the metal dross therein in the gastight chamber. Then, the dross pan is sealed with the hot metal dross therein into a gastight chamber of a fixed interior volume. The chemical reaction occurring inside the gastight chamber depletes a limited amount of gas present inside the gastight chamber, thereby stopping once the gas is completely depleted. The gastight chamber is shaped and sealed to withstand a pressure differential created by the depleting of the gas in the fixed interior volume, until the hot dross is cooled and the chemical reaction has stopped.
Abstract:
A dynamic sealing structure for pressure vessels used in microwave assisted chemistry is disclosed. The structure includes a cylindrical vessel liner and a removable liner cap, each formed of a microwave transparent material. The liner has a circular mouth with a lip formed of respective first and second beveled edges, with the first beveled edge forming an interior edge of the circular mouth and the second beveled edge forming an exterior edge of the circular mouth. The cap includes respective interior and exterior faces, with a sleeve depending from the interior face and having a circumference that engages the interior surface of the vessel liner for being urged under pressure against the interior surface of the vessel liner. The interior face of the cap comprising a circular channel outward of the sleeve and having a circumference that engages the lip of the vessel liner, and with the channel comprising two beveled edges that respectively engage both beveled edges of the lip of the liner.
Abstract:
An autoclave is disclosed which includes direct heating and improved access. The autoclave includes a heating system which is placed directly into the pressurized chamber such that materials which are placed directly into the autoclave are directly heated. The autoclave includes doors which are disposed inside of the pressure vessel which seal against the inside surface of the pressure vessel upon pressurization. In one embodiment a pivot system is used to hold the door in place when the autoclave is not sufficiently pressurized so as to hold the door against the inside wall of the autoclave. In an alternate embodiment a robotic system is used to hold the door in place when the autoclave is not sufficiently pressurized so as to hold the door against the inside wall of the autoclave. The robotic system is also used to move the door out of the way after depressurization.
Abstract:
A cleaning apparatus and method for removing debris from the seals of a pressurized enclosure, specifically a sputter load lock chamber. The cleaning apparatus includes a load lock replacement door, a cleaning tool, and a seal. The load lock replacement door includes a surface that seals the opening of the load lock chamber so as to maintain a desired vacuum pressure in the load lock chamber. The sealing surface supports a cleaning tool. The cleaning tool and the sealing surface are supported by a vacuum seal which limits leakage of gas at ambient conditions into the load lock chamber. Once the tool is installed, the load lock chamber is pumped-down to a desired vacuum pressure. The tool is manipulated as necessary to remove debris from the seals of the load lock chamber. Once the cleaning process has been completed, the load lock chamber is vented, the tool removed, and the load lock door closed and sealed. The load lock chamber is restored to the desired operating vacuum pressure and the machine is placed back on-line.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to an apparatus for securely fastening joints in pressure vessels, pipes, and other structures intended to isolate internal volumes from the external environment. It can join a blank cover to a pressure vessel or it can join tubular members. It may be used in any application currently utilizing standard bolted flanges. It provides a flange retaining clamp for remotely disconnecting and remotely connecting flange members disposed on a pressure vessel, in which one of the flange members is disposed on the pressure vessel and the second flange hub end is applied in a gasketed, sealing relationship thereto, in which the flange hub ends each have a outwardly extending flange hub, wherein, the clamp has at least two clamp segments which are moveable from a closed, sealing, flange member retaining position to an open, unsealed, flange member liberating position. Said clamp segments engaging the flange members holding them together in the closed, sealing position, wherein clamp segment fastening devices can remotely forcefully open and close the clamp, wherein said clamp segment fastening devices comprise a redundancy of clamp segment conjoining elements. The clamp segment fastening devices can be remotely locked and unlocked.
Abstract:
Apparatus, positioned at an inlet port to a pump, for shielding the pump from a process chamber of a semiconductor wafer processing system, where the apparatus has a variable effective throughput area. Specifically, the apparatus is a restrictor shield having a first effective throughput area during processing and a second effective throughput area during bakeout, where the first effective throughput area is typically less than the second effective throughput area. The selection of the effective throughput area is directly responsive to the temperature within the process chamber.
Abstract:
A horizontal vacuum extrusion line includes a fixed bulkhead, a die inside the bulkhead, a telescoping vacuum chamber section and a fixed chamber section. A dam in the fixed section forms a pond for immersion cooling of the extrudate. A truss extends from the dam to the bulkhead supporting, shaping and calibration equipment and extends through the telescoping section. Fluid pressurizable seals at each end of the telescoping section are operable after the telescoping section is closed against the bulkhead and the telescoping and fixed sections are locked together. The telescoping section provide a more compact line and easier access to the complex equipment downstream of the die. The extrudate from the die passes down into the pond and then through an orifice in a hood projecting from the chamber into a lower level portion of the pond exposed to atmosphere. The hood also includes a tractor drive to push the extrudate through the underwater orifice. The hood and its contents are accessible through the atmospheric pond. A tractor haul-off and the tractor drive in the hood are the only extrudate drives between the calibration equipment and atmosphere. The higher level of the pond within the chamber downstream of the dam is controlled by a valve in turn controlling the output of a pump. The valve control senses the pond level and operates independently of the vacuum controls.
Abstract:
Apparatus and methods of closing and sealing chemical reactor vessels, which are relatively less susceptible to contaminant build-up and more easily maintained in such a state.The chemical reactor vessel comprises a vessel body and a separable head attached thereto wherein the means for attaching and sealing said head to said body comprises; a seal means, a flange means, a shield means and an attachment means.The seal means functions, in compression, to prevent leakage of fluids into and from said chemical reactor vessel. The flange means functions to impose compressive loads to the seal means to cause the seal means to prevent leakage of fluids into and from the chemical reactor vessel. The shield means are integral with at least one of the flange means, which function to substantially prevent contaminants from contacting the seal means and those portions of such flange means which are adjacent to the seal means and which function to inhibit the build-up of contaminants within and adjacent to the attaching and sealing means. The attachment means function to apply compressive loads to the flange means and concurrently function to removably fix the head to the body. The attachment means are subject to the functions of the shield means and which, concurrently, function to fix the shield means to the chemical reactor vessel such that the shield means cannot be separated from the chemical reactor vessel without first disassembling the attachment means and releasing the compressive loads from the flange means.