Abstract:
A process for treating a gas comprising hydrogen suilfide and carbon dioxide by contacting the gas with a scrub solution comprising ammonium sulfite and ammonium bisulfite in a first contact zone to produce ammonium thiosulfate. The scrub solution can be formed in a second contact zone by contacting ammonia and hydrogen sulfide with an aqueous solution. The oxidation potential of the first contact zone effluent liquid can be controlled by modulating the amount of sulfur dioxide supplied to the second contact zone. Alternatively, the sulfite concentration of the first contact zone effluent can be measured with an infrared analyzer and the amount of sulfur dioxide supplied to the second contact zone modulated in response. Additionally, the amount of ammonia supplied to the second contact zone can be modulated in response to the pH in the second contact zone. The process can further comprise a solvent scrubber to remove carbon dioxide from the first contact zone overhead gas. A third contact zone can be included in the process to separate the hydrogen sulfite from the carbon dioxide in the solvent regenerator overhead gas.
Abstract:
A method is provided for reducing the water content of a sulfuric acid catalyst in a sulfuric acid-catalyzed process carried out in a reactor comprising: (a) withdrawing a portion of catalyst from the acid settler, forming a withdrawn catalyst stream; (b) continuously adding an SO3-containing substance to the withdrawn catalyst stream at a desired rate, forming a fortified catalyst, while maintaining the temperature of the fortified catalyst stream below about 60° F.; (c) returning the fortified catalyst to the reactor; whereby the water concentration in the fortified catalyst is maintained at 1.5 to 4 weight percent of the catalyst. A method is also provided for drying paraffinic feed or recycle hydrocarbon streams in a reactor system comprising contacting the feed or recycle hydrocarbon streams with spent sulfuric acid, whereby the feed or recycle streams are dried and whereby a portion of the sulfuric acid esters in the spent acid are converted to sulfuric acid and alkylate. The alkylate produced is extracted into the hydrocarbon phase and returns to the reactor system.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for manufacturing or assembling a plurality of printed circuit boards to reduce rework at a printed circuit board assembly facility, which may include the following: cutting a first solder paste stencil based on a first solder paste stencil data set on a solder paste stencil cutting machine or device; utilizing the first stencil to apply solder paste to a first printed circuit board at a manufacturing or assembly facility; identifying a solder paste error condition with solder paste error information on the first printed circuit board; transmitting the solder paste error information for remote analysis; generating an adjusted first data set; transmitting the adjusted first data set to the printed circuit board manufacturing or assembly facility; utilizing the adjusted first data set to cut another solder paste stencil based on the adjusted stencil data; and utilizing the adjusted first solder paste stencil to manufacture a second printed circuit board without the solder paste error condition.
Abstract:
An optical device having a variable index of refraction across its surface includes a light transmissive material with a plurality of regions in the light transmissive material. Each region has an index of refraction which is different from the remainder of the material. The regions may be arranged in the surface of the material such that the density of the regions on the surface varies across the surface. Each region may be a bore, including a hole that extends through the light transmissive material. Variations in the density of the regions or bores as well as the depth and shape of the bores may be utilized to create variations of the refractive index within the light transmissive material.
Abstract:
A monolithic microelectronic array structure includes a microelectronic integrated circuit array having a first plurality of microelectronic integrated circuit elements each deposited on a front side of a substrate. The substrates are physically discontinuous so that each substrate comprises a substrate island which is physically separated from the other substrate islands. The monolithic microelectronic array structure optionally includes a first plurality of input/output elements with a respective input/output element associated with and directly connected to each of the microelectronic integrated circuit elements, and a second plurality of electrically conductive interconnects extending between the microelectronic integrated circuit elements of adjacent substrate islands. The monolithic microelectronic array structure may be planar, or it may be curved.
Abstract:
An imaging device (10) has a plurality of unit cells that contribute to forming an image of a scene. The imaging device includes a layer of semiconductor material (16), for example silicon, that has low noise photogate charge-mode readout circuitry (20, 21, 26, 28) (e.g., CCD or CMOS readout circuitry and structures) that is disposed upon a first surface (18) of the layer. A second, opposing surface of the layer is a radiation admitting surface of the layer. The layer has a bandgap selected for absorbing electromagnetic radiation having wavelengths shorter than about one micrometer and for generating charge carriers from the absorbed radiation. The generated charge carriers are collected by the photogate charge-mode readout circuitry. A thermal sensing element (22) is disposed above and is thermally isolated from the first surface of the layer. The thermal sensing element may be, by example, one of a bolometer element, a pyroelectric element, or a thermopile element. A layer (12) of narrower bandgap semiconductor material can also be employed with this invention, wherein the layer of narrower bandgap semiconductor material (such as InGaAs or HgCdTe) is atomically bonded to the second surface along a heterojunction interface that is continuous or apertured across the second surface. The bonded layer is used to absorb NIR and visible light.
Abstract:
A microelectronic device includes a substrate device and a dark mirror coating overlying one side of the substrate device. The dark mirror coating has a via therethrough to the substrate device. The dark mirror coating has a plurality of alternating layers of dielectrics and metals. Each metallic layer has an electrically nonconducting region adjacent to the vias, preferably formed by anodizing the metallic layers after deposition.
Abstract:
An infrared (IR) microlens array has a plurality of microlenses (12) aligned with respective IR detector array pixels (6) to focus incoming IR radiation onto the pixels (6) to improve the efficiency of IR detection, and a gas molecule getter grating (14) inside a vacuum-sealed Dewar assembly that houses the detector array (4) increases the surface area of the getter (15) to improve the efficiency of removing residual gas molecules from the Dewar assembly.
Abstract:
Carbonaceous materials are thermally upgraded in a pressurized steam environment to remove moisture and other byproducts. A variety of water/solid separation devices may be employed in a process vessel to maximize moisture removal from the upgraded charge. Heating media inlet nozzles and process chamber vents are strategically positioned at the process vessel wall to minimize short circuiting of heating media to vessel outlet vents and to continuously separate hot water removed from the charge and condensed steam, such that the upgraded material removed from the process vessel is not discharged with accompanying free moisture. After upgrading, the charge may be rehydrated to improve its stability during shipping and storage.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for manufacturing or assembling a plurality of printed circuit boards to reduce rework at a printed circuit board assembly facility, which may include the following: cutting a first solder paste stencil based on a first solder paste stencil data set on a solder paste stencil cutting machine or device; utilizing the first stencil to apply solder paste to a first printed circuit board at a manufacturing or assembly facility; identifying a solder paste error condition with solder paste error information on the first printed circuit board; transmitting the solder paste error information for remote analysis; generating an adjusted first data set; transmitting the adjusted first data set to the printed circuit board manufacturing or assembly facility; utilizing the adjusted first data set to cut another solder paste stencil based on the adjusted stencil data; and utilizing the adjusted first solder paste stencil to manufacture a second printed circuit board without the solder paste error condition.