A plurality of job profiles is received. Each job profile describes a job to be executed, and each job includes map tasks and reduce tasks. An execution duration for a map stage including the map tasks and an execution duration for a reduce stage including the reduce tasks of each job is estimated. The jobs are scheduled for execution based on the estimated execution duration of the map stage and the estimated execution duration of the reduce stage of each job.

Many enterprises (such as companies, educational organizations, government agencies, etc.) acquire relatively large volumes of data for analysis. A substantial amount of the data of an enterprise can be unstructured data, i.e., data that is not in a format used by typical commercial databases. Enterprises may apply distributed computing techniques to mine information from the unstructured data.

Job scheduling based on map stage and reduce stage duration

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


Provided is a mechanical sealing device which is simply configured and wherein a rotation ring can be stably held in a specified axial position, and warping of the sealed surfaces can be prevented, thereby making it possible to obtain appropriate sealing characteristics. In a mechanical sealing device, a rotation ring is axially held between a rotation ring locking surface of a sleeve and a rotation ring locking surface of a collar. Furthermore, the sleeve, the rotation ring fixing collar, and the rotation ring are integrated together by means of a baffle knock pin for the rotation ring. Due to the above, whether positive pressure or negative pressure is applied, the rotation ring does not move, nor do the sealed surfaces of the rotation ring become warped. Moreover, assembly can be simply performed only by means of the knock pin.

In the past, various embodiments have been proposed for a structure for fixing a rotational ring to a rotary shaft in this type of mechanical seal devices.
For example, known embodiments include an embodiment to fix with a set screw at the inside (e.g. Japanese Utility Model Publication H2-92170 (Patent Document 1)), an embodiment to fix with a sleeve at the outside (e.g. PCT International Publication WO2006/022378 (Patent Document 2)), an embodiment to fix with a seal nut (e.g. Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 2538900 (Patent Document 3)) or an embodiment to fix with two kinds of sleeves (e.g. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-140258 (Patent Document 4)), etc.    [patent document 1] Japanese Utility Model Publication No. H2-92170    [patent document 2] PCT International Publication WO2006/022378    [patent document 3] Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 2538900    [patent document 4] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No 2005-140258


An integrated system for processing currency bills, coins, and other media includes a compact currency bill processing device, a coin scale, a keyboard, and a processor integrated into a housing as a single unit. The bill processing device is used for counting currency bills of a plurality of denominations and includes an input receptacle and a transport mechanism. The coin scale is adapted to determine a coin total for at least one group of coins. The keyboard is adapted to manually receive from an operator information related to at least one of the currency bills and the coins. The processor is communicatively linked to the currency bill processing device, the coin scale, and the keyboard and is adapted to determine an aggregate total corresponding to the sum of a received currency bill total, the coin total, and an other-media total.

Generally, most currency processing machines used in banks and retail environments either process currency bills or count coins, but not both. One type of machine that does process both coins and currency bills is a redemption type of machine for exchanging bulk coins and currency bills for larger denomination currency bills. These machines can be found in a casino environment, for example. However, these are typically higher-end machines that are expensive and quite large, occupying a lot of floor space.
In other environments, including banks and casinos, the currency bills and coins are processed by two different devices. For example, a currency bill processing machine may be used to process the currency bills, while a coin processing device may be used to process the coins. Coin counters, coin sorters, and coin scales are examples of devices used to process coins. Use of a coin scale requires that the coins be sorted before using the coin scale as coin scales are capable of only processing one coin denomination at a time. Nevertheless, two separate machines are generally used to process currency bills and coins.
One drawback associated with using two separate machines—a currency bill processing device and a coin processing device—is the increased floor or counter space that accompanies the use of two separate machines. Another drawback associated with the use of two separate machines for processing currency bills and coins is that an operator processing the currency has to manually add, or at least manually enter, the totals from the coin and currency bill processing—a process that carries with it the potential for human error. Furthermore, manual entry adds to the overall time in which it takes to process the coins and currency bills. Therefore, a need exists for a small, compact, and inexpensive currency processing system that reduces the time required to process currency bills and coins.

Currency bill and coin processing system


An ultrasonic surgical instrument is provided. The ultrasonic surgical instrument includes a housing having an elongated shaft extending therefrom. The shaft defines a longitudinal axis therethrough and has a jaw member disposed at a distal end thereof. The jaw member is movable between an open configuration and a clamping configuration. A cutting blade extends from a distal end the shaft and operably couples to the housing and adjacent the jaw member. The cutting blade includes top and bottom portions. The top portion configured to cool the bottom portion while the cutting blade treats tissue.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to ultrasonic surgical instruments. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to ultrasonic surgical instruments configured to minimize heat damage to tissue adjacent the tissue of interest prior to, during, or following an ultrasonic treatment.
2. Description of Related Art
Ultrasonic energy-powered instruments configured to cut and/or fragment tissue are known in the art. Ultrasonic instruments, typically, include a transducer that is coupled to a probe/waveguide having an active member (e.g., cutting blade, shear, hook, ball, etc.) at a distal end thereof. In use, ultrasonic energy is utilized to vibrate (e.g., at frequency usually in the range of 20 KHz to 60 KHz) the active member to treat tissue of interest.
Ultrasonic instruments may include any of a variety of probe configurations to achieve a specific surgical result. For example, the probe configuration may include an active member in the form of a cutting blade that is combined with a movable jaw configured to grasp and/or manipulate tissue. Such ultrasonic instruments are primarily used in a variety of medical procedures including open surgical procedures, luminal procedures, and endoscopic procedures.
During use, the active member, e.g., the cutting blade, may reach temperatures greater than 200° C. At such temperatures, inadvertent contact between the cutting blade and tissue may cause undesirable heat damage. Moreover, because of the relatively high thermal mass of the cutting blade (e.g., the cutting blade is formed from solid material), the cooling time of the cutting blade is relatively high, which, in turn, may increase the risk of undesirable heat damage to surrounding tissue.


A film metering mechanism has parallel pawl and blade elements with apertures that align in the beam of an infrared detector to slow down a camera drive motor when a pawl tooth senses a perforation during film advance, prior to reaching a drive motor stopping point. The pawl has a cutout with upper longitudinal and ramp surfaces that engage a fixed pin. The blade has a stepped surface that shifts contact between two pawl pins in correspondence with the relative location of the cutout surfaces and the fixed pin.

In a still camera, the importance of achieving accurate metering and registration of each image frame with the exposure gate in the frame-to-frame advance between exposures of a filmstrip has long been recognized. Proper frame alignment with the picture-taking optical axis not only ensures correct frame-to-frame spacing and avoidance of overlap in a series of exposed images, but also positions the film frame for properly locating exposure data and the like relating to a specific frame and recorded adjacent thereto on the film at the time of exposure for later reference in producing prints. Harvey U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,111, for example, discloses marginal encoding by optical means adjacent a frame at the time of exposure of frame specific field of view identification information in a tele/pan camera.
Cameras incorporating drive mechanisms for the frame-to-frame film transport between supply and take-up reels have means for stopping the advance of film along a camera exposure plane, at a position of registration of the next available frame in optical alignment with a picture-taking optical axis. A common practice of achieving accuracy of metering and registration is to utilize film resident, frame correlated marginal fiducials in the form of single perforations per frame, which can be detected to determine the correct positioning for the next frame.
A well-known conventional system, uses a single perforation per frame film and a mechanical claw or pawl that detects the perforation corresponding to the next frame and establishes registration of that frame when that perforation reaches a desired stopping point. Examples of such film metering devices are shown in Beach U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,709,128 and 3,712,200; and Monks U.S. Pat. No. 3,724,348, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein.
Once registration is achieved, it is desirable to provide means to maintain such registration until commencement of the next exposure. In the absence of such provision, the film is subject to creep out of alignment due to vibration or physical shock forces exerted on the camera body or residual torque forces exerted by the drive mechanism. For cameras designed to operate with a single perforation per frame film, such as 110 and 126 format cameras, registration is typically maintained by engaging the pawl at a stopping point through the perforation and into a slot located in the camera wall or film cartridge, until the next exposure. The metering mechanism is usually mechanically coupled with the shutter release mechanism, to release the pawl from its registration engagement by a separate mechanical member which moves in response to taking the exposure. Because of the nature of the 110 and 126 film cartridges, the metering systems utilized therewith permit only a single frame-by-frame advance. Moreover, film motion is in a single direction only, with no rewind or prewind capability.
It is a desirable objective to have a film metering system that includes the positive mechanical engagement of a pawl tooth through a film perforation in order to maintain correct positional alignment of a filmstrip frame relative to an exposure gate, yet which is also suitable for use in cameras having a motorized film advance. It is also desirable to provide a mechanical pawl metering system that does not require mechanical interconnections with the shutter release mechanism. Another desirable objective is to have a film metering system that permits the film to be advanced by multiple frames at one time, if desired, and also allows the film to be prewound or rewound by being transported in a direction opposite to the normal frame-to-frame advance between exposures.
A film metering mechanism achieving those objectives is described in commonly-owned, copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 486,489, entitled "Film Metering Apparatus and Method" and filed on even date herewith, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. An embodiment of metering mechanism described therein is suitable for use in motor drive film advance cameras using a single perforation per frame film metering fiducial to locate each film exposure frame in alignment with the camera exposure gate. That mechanism allows the film to be stopped in the proper registration position for each exposure, and maintains registration alignment by preventing further unintentional film motion through force balancing, once the film has been positioned. It also allows the film to be transported in either direction without stopping at perforations, if desired, and senses the passage of each perforation in either direction so that a frame count can be established.

Film metering apparatus and method with drive speed reduction


A computer implemented method and apparatus for one-step signature trust of digitally signed documents comprising determining whether a digital signature is otherwise valid except for a lack of trust in a digital certificate; offering a recipient an option to establish trust in the digital certificate; and adding the digital certificate to a list of the recipient's trusted digital certificates when recipient opts to establish trust.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to digital signatures and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for one-step signature trust for digitally-signed documents.
2. Description of the Related Art
Digital documents can make use of digital signatures. Digital signatures contain a "certificate" component confirming the identity of the signer and a "signature" component based on the Public Key Infrastructure, PKI, processing of the document content, useful for confirming the integrity of the document content. Often, the digital certificate is issued by a Certificate Authority (CA) such as VeriSign®, and links the identity of the signer to ownership of a unique public key. However, in the case of a signature using a self-signed certificate, the certificate is issued directly by the signer. For a variety of reasons, one or more digital signatures within a document may fail integrity checks when the document is opened by its recipient.
Often, a recipient will open a digitally signed document and receive a warning that the signature status of the document is unknown. Although digital signatures are a more reliable mechanism for identifying and certifying the signer of a document than a traditional paper "wet signature", failures like this undercut a recipient's perception of trust in the individual or organization who provided the document, as well as the recipient's trust in the software application providing the document as a conduit for reliable, trustable, digital documents.
In many cases, the only reason for a document to receive an unknown signature status is that the document was signed using a digital certificate that was not trusted for signing on the recipient's machine. This is particularly prevalent in cases of self-signed documents, that is, documents where the digital certificate included within the digital signature is not rooted in any Certificate Authority (CA). It also occurs when a CA is inaccessible, which occurs when a certificate has a chain of CAs that extend beyond itself but is unreachable for various reasons (e.g., network outage, a private CA that is internal to an organization, server problems at the CA, national calamity, etc.) Current software applications do a poor job of dealing with this failure mode; they simply present an error message and expect the recipient to resolve it, typically with little or no guidance about how to do so.
Therefore, there is a need for a method and apparatus for one-step signature trust for digitally-signed documents.

Method and apparatus for one-step signature trust for digitally-signed documents


Methods 300 and 350 are disclosed for fabricating shallow isolation trenches and structures in multi-bit SONOS flash memory devices. One method aspect 300 comprises forming 310 a multi-layer dielectric-charge trapping-dielectric stack 420 over a substrate 408 of the wafer 402, for example, an ONO stack 420, removing 312 the multi-layer dielectric-charge trapping-dielectric stack 420 in a periphery region 406 of the wafer 402, thereby defining a multi-layer dielectric-charge trapping-dielectric stack 420 in a core region 404 of the wafer 402. The method 300 further comprises forming 314 a gate dielectric layer 426 over the periphery region 406 of the substrate 408, forming 316 a first polysilicon layer 428 over the multi-layer dielectric-charge trapping-dielectric stack 420 in the core region 402 and the gate dielectric 426 in the periphery region 406 , then concurrently forming 318 an isolation trench 438 in the substrate 408 in the core region 404 and in the periphery region 406. Thereafter, the isolation trenches are filled 326 with a dielectric material 446, and a second polysilicon layer 452 that is formed 332 over the first polysilicon layer 428 and the filled trenches 438, forming an self-aligned STI structure 446. The method 300 avoids ONO residual stringers at STI edges in the periphery region, reduces active region losses, reduces thinning of the periphery gate oxide and the ONO at the STI edge, and reduces dopant diffusion during isolation implantations due to reduced thermal process steps.

Flash and other types of electronic memory devices are constructed of memory cells operative to individually store and provide access to binary information or data. The memory cells are commonly organized into multiple cell units such as bytes which comprise eight cells, and words which may include sixteen or more such cells, usually configured in multiples of eight. Storage of data in such memory device architectures is performed by writing to a particular set of memory cells, sometimes referred to as programming the cells. Retrieval of data from the cells is accomplished in a read operation. In addition to programming and read operations, groups of cells in a memory device may be erased, wherein each cell in the group is programmed to a known state.
The individual cells are organized into individually addressable units or groups such as bytes or words, which are accessed for read, program, or erase operations through address decoding circuitry using wordlines and bitlines. Conventional flash memories are constructed in a cell structure wherein one or more bits of information or data are stored in each flash memory cell. In typical single bit memory architectures, each cell typically includes a MOS transistor structure having a source, a drain, and a channel in a substrate or P-well, as well as a stacked gate structure overlying the channel. The stacked gate may further include a thin gate dielectric layer (sometimes referred to as a tunnel oxide) formed on the surface of the P-well.
The stacked gate also includes a polysilicon floating gate overlying the tunnel oxide and an interpoly dielectric layer overlying the floating gate. The interpoly dielectric layer is often a multilayer insulator such as an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) layer having two oxide layers sandwiching a nitride layer. Lastly, a polysilicon control gate overlies the interpoly dielectric layer.
Other types of memory devices include ones comprising silicon or polysilicon above and below an ONO layer, these silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon devices are sometimes referred to as SONOS memory devices. Such devices may include physical dual bit memory cells, individually adapted to store two binary bits of data by localized charge trapping. The SONOS memory devices provide data retention with a thin bottom oxide, low-voltage operation, and fast programming speed.
Dual bit memory cells are generally symmetrical, including two identical and interchangeable source/drain regions. Application of appropriate voltages to the gate, drain, and source terminals allows access to one of the two bits (e.g., for read, program, erase, verify, or other operations). Core cells in flash memory devices, whether single bit or multiple-bit, may be interconnected in a variety of different configurations. For instance, cells may be configured in a virtual ground type configuration, with the control gates of the cells in a row individually connected to a wordline. In addition, the source/drain regions of memory cells in a particular column are connected together by a conductive bitline. In operation, individual flash cells and the individual data bits thereof, are addressed via the respective bitlines connected to first and second source/drain regions thereof and a wordline connected to the gate using peripheral decoder and control circuitry for programming (writing), reading, erasing, or other functions.
In most such array configurations the active regions of the individual flash cells are electrically isolated from one another by an isolation structure comprising an insulative material. This isolation structure may be formed similar to that of conventional shallow trench isolation (STI) fabrication methods before the formation of the ONO layers and the polysilicon gate layer.
As device densities increase and product dimensions decrease, it is desirable to reduce the size of the various structures and features associated with individual memory cells, sometimes referred to as scaling. However, the fabrication techniques used to produce conventional dual-bit SONOS flash memory cells limit or inhibit the designer's ability to reduce cell dimensions. In a conventional manufacturing process whereby an STI isolation structure may be formed in a SONOS flash memory device, the STI is initially formed and filled, and an ONO layer is formed overlying the STI and a substrate. An anisotropic etch is then used to remove the ONO in a periphery region, leaving the ONO in the core region of the device. Thereafter, a polysilicon gate layer is selectively formed over the wafer, and other typical lithographic processes continue as usual.
However, because the anisotropic etch is selective to horizontal surfaces, ONO residual stringers may detrimentally remain on lateral edges of STI regions in periphery regions of the die. In order to scale the memory cell devices to facilitate increased device densities, it is desirable to provide the widest possible active region between STI isolation structures while maintaining minimal isolation dopant diffusion therebetween. However, limitations in the number of oxidation, thermal, and cleaning processes used to form such isolation structures, typically produce excessive oxidation, dopant diffusion, and STI oxide thinning areas that effectively limit the ability to scale the device within desired performance specifications. Thus, there is a need for improved manufacturing techniques by which multi-bit SONOS flash memory devices may be scaled without sacrificing device performance.


A method of repairing a braze joint and the resulting joint includes removing an unsuitable portion of a first joining material in a joint between a first member and a second member of an aerospace assembly and cleaning the joint. A stripping solution is used to remove the unsuitable portion of the first joining material. A first cleaning solution is used to clean the joint, and the joint is further cleaned using a second cleaning solution. During a rebrazing step, a second joining material moves into a void left by the removed unsuitable portion from the removal step to form a new joint between the first member and the second member that includes the remaining first joining material and the second joining material.

The present invention relates to the repair of a braze joint and the repaired article, and more particularly to a method of repairing a braze joint of an article such as an aerospace component that includes removing a portion of a braze material in the braze joint and cleaning the braze joint.
Various aerospace assemblies include sub-assemblies secured together by a braze joint. In a gas turbine engine, a compressor stator assembly with one or more airfoil vanes secured to one or two shrouds is one example of such a braze article. The compressor stator assembly typically includes a braze joint having braze material connecting the airfoil vane to the shroud. During operation of the engine over time, the braze material may crack, erode, or experience other braze joint unsuitable conditions that may require repair.
Disadvantageously, conventional repair of the braze joint typically requires the complete removal of the original braze material (along with contaminants associated with the original braze joint). With the original braze material completely removed, the airfoil vane becomes separated from the shroud. The conventional removal process includes completely removing the braze material, corrosion products, oxidation products, and other contaminants through chemical and/or mechanical stripping processes, such as mechanical punching or electro-discharge machining. After completely removing the braze material and contamination, the joint area may be nickel plated then the airfoil vane and shroud are rebrazed using a new braze material. This type of conventional repair process may be expensive, laborious, and time-consuming.
Hence, there is a need for a simplified method of repairing aerospace assemblies that overcomes the shortcomings and drawbacks of the prior art.

Repair of braze joint and article repaired


In an air conditioner, reverse inhalation is prevented while broad band noise and wind sound are reduced. A projection arranged at the leading end of a stabilizer on the downstream side of an air stream flowing along a surface of the stabilizer opposing an impeller and protrudes toward the impeller to define the shortest distance to the impeller. A plurality of grooves or projections are provided on the opposing surface on the upstream side of the projection to disturb the air stream flowing along the opposing surface. The positions of the grooves or the projections are arranged apart in a rotational axis direction. A plurality of convex portions are provided to disturb an air stream flowing along a surface of a casing opposing the impellers. The positions of the convex portions are arranged apart in the rotational axis direction of the impeller.

A cross-flow fan for use in conventional air conditioners includes a cross-flow impeller having a plurality of fan bodies linked together, and a rear guider and a stabilizer, which are arranged across the impeller for guiding fluid from an inlet toward an outlet. The rear guider is arranged to have an area covering the side peripheral surface of the impeller larger than that of the stabilizer, and the stabilizer is arranged at a position nearer to the side peripheral surface of the impeller than the rear guider. The rear guider is provided with concave portions formed continuously in a direction perpendicular to the fluid flowing direction, thereby reducing an interference sound produced at a gap between the impeller and the rear guider (see Patent Document 1, for example). The concave portions are formed slightly obliquely to the direction perpendicular to the fluid flowing direction.
There is an air conditioner in that the stabilizer with a lingual surface arranged close to the fan is provided with a plurality of projections formed on the lingual surface, each being inclined at a predetermined angle to each of the plurality of vanes of the fan (see Patent Document 2, for example).
There is also a transverse flow blower in that the stabilizer is provided with a plurality of projections formed on an arc-shaped part adjacent to the fan so as to increase and stabilize the eddy current force generated at the arc-shaped part of the stabilizer for improving the blowing performance (see Patent Document 3, for example).
[Patent Document 1]    Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-205180 (P03, FIG. 9)
[Patent Document 2]    Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 9-170770 (P03, FIG. 2)
[Patent Document 3]    Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-22997 (P02, FIG. 1)


The present invention concerns a hard candy comprising a mixture of sugars composed of glucose and non-fructosylated α-galacto-oligosaccharides in particular proportions. It also concerns a method of manufacturing said candies, as well as the utilization, for manufacturing a hard candy, of a composition that includes the aforementioned mixture.

Hard candies are generally obtained by dehydrating a syrup, cooking it at high temperature and possibly under low pressure, then forming a massecuite after adding flavors, colorants, etc. This is then poured while hot into a mold or cooled, formed into sausage shape, then stamped or cut in order to obtain a hard candy having a vitreous appearance.
The syrup used in manufacturing these candies can be composed of carbohydrates such as saccharose, dextrose, fructose, glucose syrup (starch hydrolysate comprising glucose, maltose and higher oligosaccharides) and their mixtures, or polyols such as sorbitol, maltitol syrups, mannitol, xylitol, isomalt, lactitol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates (including maltitol) and their mixtures. Polyols make it possible to obtain candies having a low caloric yield and that are weakly cariogenic. However, because of their hygroscopic nature, they do not always enable candies to be manufactured that are stable over time. Candies obtained from said polyols, such as maltitol syrups, tend to absorb the ambient humidity, causing the liquefaction of their surface and making them sticky. Some of them also have a flow phenomenon that causes the deformation of the candy over time.
To remedy these problems, in particular, it has been suggested to adjust the maltitol content in the syrup (U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,708) or the composition of the hard candy in order to obtain a micro-crystallization of the surface, enabling the candy to be protected from humidity (EP 0 720 819). To avoid graining phenomena, it has also been proposed to add crystallization inhibitors to the massecuite, such as certain hydrogenated dextrins (EP 0 954 982) or crystallization propagation inhibitors, such as polydextrose (EP 0 611 527). However, it has been observed that, without hermetic packaging, candies obtained from these massecuites have an uncontrolled surface crystallization that alters their texture and the transparent or translucent nature of the candies, as well as a surface flow phenomenon that causes their softening. This is particularly the case for maltitol syrup available under the commercial name of LYCASIN® HBC from the company Roquette.
In the case of hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, it has also been suggested to reduce the water content and flow by adding to the massecuite compounds such as gum arabic or carboxymethyl cellulose, possibly with the addition of mannitol (EP 0 094 292), or to give the candies a particular multilayer structure (EP 0 518 770).
The most satisfactory solution to date to overcome the problems of water absorption and flow described above consists of manufacturing hard candies with an isomalt (or hydrogenated isomaltulose) base. In fact, these represent nearly 80% of the world market for hard candies. However, due to the low molecular weight of the isomalt, obtaining hard candies that are stable over time requires the aqueous isomalt solutions to be boiled in order to achieve a particularly low water content in the finished product. Now, this results in very high boiling temperatures, which increase the energy cost of the manufacturing process of the candies and also results in very long cooling times prior to forming the candies at 60-80° C. (particularly since the fusion heat of the melt is rather high), which also has a negative effect on the economy of the method. Moreover, said high boiling temperatures can be prejudicial to the stability of sensitive ingredients, such as vitamins, or flavors incorporated into the composition. Consequently, such items must be added to the melt after it has cooled.
Above all, this method results in isomalt-based melts having a viscosity that is insufficient for manufacturing candies by forming and not by molding. To increase their viscosity, the isomalt solutions are usually boiled in a vacuum at a lower temperature, which complicates the process. Another solution for increasing the viscosity of the isomalt-based massecuites, while preserving the stability of the hard candy in storage, was proposed in FR 2 846 518. It consists of replacing a portion of the isomalt with particular branched maltodextrins. However, such maltodextrins contribute strongly to the coloration of the syrups during the cooking of the candies, even at a low rate of incorporation.
Hydrogenated polydextrose-based hard candies are also available on the market. However, they have a bitter aftertaste that has slowed their commercial development. Furthermore, polydextrose is classified as a food additive (E1200 bulking agent) in the Codex alimentarius, so that it cannot be used in the preparation of hard candies "with no additives," which are more and more in demand by consumers desiring natural products.
There is therefore a need to propose a hard candy composition that makes it possible to manufacture, according to a simple method (in particular, not requiring the cooker to be in a vacuum, or the cooking temperature to be too high) having satisfactory productivity, hard candies that are non-cariogenic and have good organoleptic properties and a stability over time comparable to candies prepared with an isomalt base. It would also be desirable that these hard candies be able to be manufactured by forming and not only by molding.
Surprisingly, the inventors have discovered that these needs can be met by preparing hard candies from a composition including a special combination of galacto-oligosaccharides, particularly from legumes.

Boiled sugar sweet comprising non-fructosylated α-galactooligosaccharides


Capacitive detector and measuring device integrating it; the detector including: a ribbon made of a dielectric material, first and second electrodes in the form of combs formed on a first surface of said ribbon and a third electrode formed on the other surface of said ribbon opposite said first and second electrodes; the thickness (e) of the dielectric ribbon is less than or equal to said determined period (λ) divided by four times PI, i.e.: λ/4π≧e; and the ratio resulting from the division, as numerator, of the capacitance (C) between two adjacent branches of said first and second electrodes in the presence of at least one fluid with a dielectric permittivity (∈f) and, as denominator, by the dielectric permittivity (∈f) of the fluid multiplied by the capacitance (Co) between the two adjacent branches of the first and second electrodes in the presence of the vacuum is greater than or equal to one, i.e.: C/(∈f*Co)≧1. Method for manufacturing a detector fulfilling the above conditions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the domain of measurements of the level of fluids or of the thickness of films of fluid or of the presence of fluids.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
It is known to implement capacitive detectors which include, on a surface of a relatively thick isolating ribbon, two electrodes in the form of combs whose branches are arranged alternately between one another, or interdigitated, and, on the other surface, a ground electrode. It is known that the presence of the ground electrode, by means of a three-wire measure, allows the sensitivity of the device to be increased and the device to be protected from external interferences. Generally, it is considered that the capacitance between the interdigitated electrodes of a device of this type is the sum of a dielectric contribution inside the ribbon and of another dielectric contribution on the external part of the plane of the electrodes, originating from the vacuum or from a fluid.

Capacitive detector, method for manufacturing same, and device for measuring the integral


A cable handling device may include a clamp assembly having a first member having a jaw end and an arm end and a second member having a jaw end and an arm end. The first and second members of the clamp assembly are pivotally connected together so that when the arm ends are moved away from one another the jaw ends move away from one another and vice-versa. A proximal end of a first elongate electrically insulated handle is mounted to the arm end of the first member of the clamp assembly. A proximal end of a second elongate electrically insulated handle is mounted to the arm end of the second member of the clamp assembly.

Modern mining operations often involve the use of electrically powered machinery and equipment, such as shovels and drills, although other mine site equipment may be electrically powered as well. Such electrically powered equipment must be connected to the mine site electrical service by one or more electrical cables. As the mining operation progresses much of the mining equipment, including the electrically powered equipment, must be moved or relocated from time-to-time. Of course, the movement of electrically powered mining equipment will also require the movement or relocation of the electrical service cables. However, most electrical service cables are comparatively large and heavy due to the high voltages and currents they must carry, thereby making them cumbersome and difficult to move, especially by human power. Improvements in cable handling equipment are constantly being sought.

Hand-held cable handling device and method


A brake testing device for a transport vehicle having a brake pedal and a steering wheel, the steering wheel having a rim portion, the device having a shaft member whose length is selected to extend between the brake pedal and the steering wheel; first engagement means mounted on the shaft for engaging the rim portion; second engagement means for engaging the brake pedal, wherein the device is operable to maintain the brake pedal at an operative position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to transportation vehicles and more particularly to methods of testing brakes therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
An important part of operating a transportation vehicle such as a truck, is the regular checking of the pneumatic or hydraulic brakes. Under Ontario Regulation 575 of the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, the operator of a commercial Motor Vehicle shall inspect the Commercial Motor Vehicle before the vehicle's first trip of the day. Under Schedule 1, item II, the vehicle operator must inspect the brake adjustment and brake system for leaks. On Nov. 1, 1996, under the Trade Qualification and Apprentice Act, a regulation was passed that vehicle operators must be certified to adjust the brakes on the vehicle they are operating. For a vehicle operator to check his brake adjustment on an pneumatic brake system, he must have the air pressure between 90 and 100 psi with the engine off and make a full brake application. The vehicle operator then must either measure the brake push rod travel or look at his preset brake indicators on each wheel and the brakes must be applied while doing this.
The only effective way for a vehicle operator to test the brake system is to keep the brake pedal in an operative position, that is one which pressurizes an hydraulic brake system to check for oil leaks, for example. In a pneumatic system, the brake pedal, in its operative position, releases the pressure in the brake system, which means that the brake cylinders should be in their fully engaged position, which again is best seen, at least for a periodic check, by walking around the vehicle and looking at the exterior features of the brake assemblies at each wheel.
However, without another person to engage the brake for the vehicle operator, there is no effective means by which the vehicle operator can check the brakes while having the brake pedal in its operative position.
Not surprisingly, under the North American Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, the largest percentage of problems with Commercial Vehicles reported during road checks is the correct adjustment of the brakes. It would be desirable, therefore, that the vehicle operator be provided with an effective tool to maintain the brake pedal in an operative position, in a manner that allows the vehicle operator to leave the cab of the vehicle to check the brakes.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved technique for testing the brakes of a vehicle.


A snow-inhibiting device for inhibiting the movement of snow and ice on a solar-paneled roof. The device includes a base adapted for attachment to the surface of a roof. A planar guard member is securely attached to the surface of the base. The planar guard member has a proximal and distal end, where the proximal end is adjacent to the base, and the distal end projects away from the base. The distal end projects to a height greater than the height of the surface of a solar panel on the roof.

Solar panels are becoming an increasingly efficient and cost-effective way to provide power to private residences, commercial enterprises, and industrial buildings. Homes and businesses that utilize solar panels often place the panels on the roof of the building being powered by the panels. The panels may be parallel with the roof or tilted at an angle, depending on the position of the sun. In colder climates, snowfall can collect and accumulate on the solar panels on a roof in the same manner that snow fall would collect and build up on the bare roof of a home or business without solar panels. Depending on the conditions, the snow may harden or freeze into ice.
As the weather changes, the snow or ice on the solar panels will begin to melt. If the panels rest on a tilted roof, the melting snow or ice may slide off the panels. This falling snow and ice can land on the ground below, causing damage to property positioned below the roof—such as lawn furniture or automobiles—or people who may be standing or walking below the edge of the roof. Ice and snow also tends to melt faster on a solar paneled roof because there is typically a small gap of air between the panels and the roof below, depending on the means used to mount the panels to the roof. Furthermore, because the panels are typically dark glass, they retain heat even when the temperatures are below freezing.

Snow inhibiting device for a solar-paneled roof


A process for the preparation of organosilanes functionalized in the 3-position, by the reaction of suitable allyl compounds with hydrogen silanes, using platinum catalysts having one or more sulfur-containing ligands.

It is known that hydrogen silanes can be reacted, for example, with allyl chloride in the presence of homogeneous or heterogeneous platinum catalysts to form 3-chloropropylsilanes. This reaction is generally referred to as hydrosilylation (see, for example, equation I). EQU Cl--CH.sub.2 --CH.dbd.CH.sub.2 +HSiCl.sub.3.fwdarw.Cl--CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --SiCl.sub.3 (I)
The process is termed homogeneous hydrosilylation when soluble platinum compounds, in the simplest case, for example, H.sub.2 PtCl.sub.6. 6H.sub.2 O, are used as catalysts (cf. DE-OS 28 51 456, CS-PS 176 910, U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,433, U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,434, DE-AS 11 87 240, DE-PS 11 65 028); heterogeneous hydrosilylations utilize elemental platinum or platinum compounds on a support (cf. U.S. Pat. No. 2,637,738, DE-PS 20 12 229, DE-PS 28 15 316).
It is also known that in the reaction of, for example, allyl chloride with hydrogen silanes to form 3-chloropropylsilanes, a portion of the allyl chloride used reacts with the hydrogen silane in a side reaction with the formation of propylene and of the chlorosilane corresponding to the respective hydrogen silane (see, for example, equation II). EQU Cl--CH.sub.2 --CH.dbd.CH.sub.2 +HSiCl.sub.3.fwdarw.CH.sub.3 --CH.dbd.CH.sub.2 +SiCl.sub.4 (II)
Thus, for example, in the reaction of allyl chloride with trichlorosilane, 25-30 mol. % of the allyl chloride entering into the reaction is converted by this side reaction into propylene, accompanied by the formation of equivalent quantities of silicon tetrachloride. The molar ratio of chloropropylsilane formed to silicon tetrachloride in the crude product is a measure of the selectivity of the reaction and typically attains values of between 2.33:1 (70% yield, based on allyl chloride) and 3:1 (75% yield). It is also known that the formation of propylene can be lessened by a special reaction procedure in pressurized apparatus. However, the result of this procedure is that the propylene obtained in the side reaction undergoes a further quantitative reaction with the hydrogen silane used, with the formation of propylsilanes. Even in the reactions carried out in the conventional manner under normal pressure, the propylene originating from the side reaction largely enters into a further side reaction with hydrogen silane to form the corresponding propylsilanes (cf. also DE 34 04 703 C) (see, for example, equation 3). EQU CH.sub.3 --CH.dbd.CH.sub.2 +HSiCl.sub.3.fwdarw.CH.sub.3 --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --SiCl.sub.3 (III)
Thus, for example, in an industrial plant, in a heterogeneously catalyzed reaction of allyl chloride and trichlorosilane in a column packed with platinized activated carbon, up to 230 kg propyltrichlorosilane is obtained per 1000 kg 3-chloropropyltrichlorosilane, which indicates an additional requirement for approximately 28% of trichlorosilane, based on the quantity of trichlorosilane which has entered the target product (cf. also DE 41 19 994 A1).
Apart from the additional requirement for hydrogen silane, the problem with such processes is also the complicated separation of the unwanted propylsilanes, for which there are scarcely any other fields of use and which consequently have to be disposed of by expensive methods.

Process for the preparation of organosilanes functionalized in the 3-position


A semiconductor device has an active region defined by a device isolation region arranged on a surface of a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of transistor pillars arranged along a first direction within the active region, and a first dummy pillar disposed in the device isolation region. The first dummy pillar is arranged on a line extending along the first direction from the transistor pillars. The semiconductor device also has a second dummy pillar disposed between the transistor pillars and the first dummy pillar, a gate electrode continuously extending so as to surround each of side surfaces of the transistor pillars, a first power supply gate electrode surrounding a side surface of the first dummy pillar, and a second power supply gate electrode surrounding a side surface of the second dummy pillar. The second power supply gate electrode is connected to the gate electrode and the first power supply gate electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly to a semiconductor device having vertical transistors.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, vertical transistors have been proposed to advance finer integration of transistors. A vertical transistor uses, as a channel, a semiconductor pillar extending perpendicular to a principal plane of a semiconductor substrate. Specifically, a vertical transistor includes a semiconductor pillar (a base column or a silicon pillar) formed so as to extend upward from a semiconductor substrate and a gate electrode formed on a side surface of the semiconductor pillar with a gate insulator film being interposed between the gate electrode and the semiconductor pillar. The vertical transistor also includes a drain region formed near a lower portion of the semiconductor pillar and a source region formed at an upper portion of the semiconductor pillar. A gate-lifting pillar (dummy pillar) is provided near the semiconductor (silicon) pillar in order to supply electric power to the gate electrode of the vertical transistor. Such a transistor is disclosed in JP-A-2009-88134, for example.
A vertical transistor requires a smaller space as compared to a planar transistor having a channel arranged in parallel to a principal plane of a semiconductor substrate. Furthermore, even if the channel length (gate length) is increased, an area required for a vertical transistor does not increase. In other words, a vertical transistor can suppress the short channel effect without any increase of a space required. Additionally, a vertical transistor can achieve full depletion of a channel and can advantageously provide a good S value (Subthreshold swing value) and a large drain current.


Fire protective compositions include colloidal silica solids, clay, a low biopersistence fiber or refractory ceramic fiber, water, and optionally a chelating agent. Methods of using the fire protective compositions include providing a polymeric foam substrate, applying the fire protective composition on the polymeric foam substrate, and allowing the fire protective composition to dry.

The present disclosure relates generally to fire protective compositions and methods. In particular, the present disclosure describes fire protective coatings that impart fire resistance to combustible insulation boards and architectural panels, and building systems that include the fire protected insulation boards and architectural panels.
Polymeric foam insulation boards, such as expanded or extruded polystyrene insulation boards, are known in the art to provide thermal insulation to wall systems. Multiple layer architectural insulation panels including an insulation layer sandwiched between outer metal layers are also used to impart thermal insulation to building walls in commercial, industrial and residential buildings. Many of the polymers used to manufacture the insulation boards, however, in particular polystyrene, are flammable. If a wall overheats or catches fire, a polymeric insulation board provides a ready source of fuel for the fire, as well as a source of toxic and/or noxious chemicals if burned. The combustible polymeric insulation boards also provide a route for the spread of flames across a building surface during a fire event.
Thus, there is a continuing need for improved materials and methods that are more resistant to fire.

Fire protective compositions and associated methods


A process for the preparation of a catalyst useful for conducting carbon monoxide hydrogenation reactions, particularly Fischer-Tropsch reactions; the catalyst compositions, use of the catalyst compositions for conducting such reactions, and the products of these reactions. The steps of the process for producing the catalyst comprise impregnating a powder, or particulate refractory inorganic oxide solids, preferably silica, with a) a soluble compound or salt of a catalytic metal of the Iron Group, preferably cobalt, and b) a soluble compound, or salt, of a Group VIII noble metal, preferably platinum, suitably by sequential contact of the solids with a solution of (a) and a solution of (b), by sequential contact of the solids with a solution of (b) and a solution of (a), or by contact with a solution which contains both (a) and (b). The metals impregnated solids, or particulate solids precursor material, after impregnation with the Group VIII noble metal, is washed with a hydrocarbyl ammonium hydroxide or ammonium hydroxide solution, the material shaped, dried and calcined, and the metals components thereof thereafter reduced to form the finished catalyst. The catalyst formed from the hydrocarbyl ammonium hydroxide or ammonium hydroxide-washed catalyst precursor, quite surprisingly, is more active and selective in conducting a carbon monoxide hydrogenation reaction to produce hydrocarbon waxes, with lower gas make, than a catalyst of corresponding composition similarly prepared except that the catalyst was prepared from a catalyst precursor which was not washed with a hydrocarbyl ammonium hydroxide or ammonium hydroxide solution.

This invention relates to a process for the preparation of novel, highly active catalysts for conducting carbon monoxide hydrogenation reactions, especially Fischer-Tropsch reactions. It also relates to the catalyst, to the process utilizing the catalyst, and to the product of such process; particularly to the production of waxy paraffins of high quality from synthesis gas.
Reactions involving the hydrogenation of CO, e.g., Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) synthesis to produce hydrocarbons, are complex and produce many stages. As a consequence, this necessitates the use of multicomponent, polyfunctional catalysts; catalysts constituted of a supported catalytic metal, or metals, component, e.g., an Iron Group metal such as cobalt, which may be modified or promoted with an additional metal, or metals, e.g., rhenium. (Periodic Table of the Elements, Sargent-Welch Scientific Company; Skokie, Ill. Copyright 1979). Reaction occurs between the feed components, on contact with the catalytic metal, or metals, component and its oxide, reduction of the oxide (which may be reduced only with difficulty), and support component. Knowledge of these reactions is largely empirical, requiring the accumulation and correlation of large amounts of experimental data covering various parameters including not only the composition of the catalyst but also its method of preparation. Trial-and-error methods outstrip theory in the development of catalysts; and these methods are based on more than one hundred years of process developments utilizing catalysts.
Early F-T catalysts were formed by compositing Group VIII or Iron Group metals with kieselguhr, e.g., (100 wt. parts Co per 100 wt. parts kieselguhr), and additionally 20 wt. parts of an oxide of a Group VIIB metal, e.g., Mn, to improve the activity and yield of higher molecular weight hydrocarbons at higher reaction temperature. Further improvements in the development of F-T catalysts resulted in the use of ThO2 (optimum 18 wt. parts per 100 parts Co) instead of MnO2, and then to the replacement of part of the ThO2 by a Group IIA metal oxide, MgO, while doubling the kieselguhr content to produce a commercial form of the catalyst (100:5:8:200).
Typically, in preparing catalysts for conducting F-T synthesis reactions, a Group VIII metal, preferably with an additional metal, e.g., a Group VIIB or VIII metal, or metals, to modify or promote the activity of the catalyst is composited with a particulate refractory inorganic oxide solids component by impregnation techniques. For example, cobalt may be first impregnated onto an alumina, silica, or titania support from a solution in which a soluble compound or salt of cobalt has been dissolved, and then a promoter metal, e.g., platinum, similarly added; or, cobalt and platinum can be coimpregnated onto a support from a single solution containing soluble compounds or salts of both cobalt and platinum. The metals impregnated support is then shaped, dried, calcined, and the metals component then reduced to activate and complete formation of the catalyst. These catalysts have considerably less activity than desired, and very low selectivity in producing hydrocarbon wax. Gas production is higher than is desirable. Consequently, there is need of a process for producing catalysts of these compositions but which have higher activity and improved selectivity.
This need and others is achieved in accordance with the present invention which embodies, in preparation of the catalyst, compositing with a refractory inorganic oxide solid, or solids, preferably silica, a catalytic metal of the Iron Group, preferably cobalt, and a Group VIII noble metal, preferably platinum. Preferably, the composite is formed by impregnation of the refractory inorganic oxide solid, or solids, with a solution of (a) a soluble compound, or salt, of the catalytic metal of the Iron Group, and a solution of (b) a soluble compound, or salt, of the Group VIII noble metal; the solid, or solids, being contacted with the solutions separately or in admixture, in a single or in multiple steps, and in any combination or sequence; and drying, calcining and washing the impregnated solid with an organo- or hydrocarbyl ammonium hydroxide, or ammonium hydroxide solution after the impregnation of the Group VIII noble metal salt or compound. The finished catalyst is produced, preferably by shaping the precursor, and then reducing at least a portion of the metals in the precursor to the metallic state. A catalyst produced by this process, quite surprisingly, is more active and selective in conducting a carbon monoxide hydrogenation reaction to produce hydrocarbon waxes, with lower gas make, than a catalyst of corresponding composition similarly prepared except that the catalyst was prepared from a catalyst precursor which was not washed with an organo- or hydrocarbyl ammonium hydroxide, or an ammonium hydroxide solution.
In preparation of the catalyst of this invention, the particulate solids support is contacted with a solution, or solutions, containing the solubilized metals in the desired stoichiometric amounts. For example, as is conventional, cobalt and platinum can be impregnated onto a particulate silica support by serial contact of the support, with, initially, a solution of a cobalt salt, e.g., cobalt nitrate and, preferably after drying and calcining the cobalt-impregnated solids, by contact of the cobalt impregnated support with a solution of a platinum salt, or compound, e.g., chloroplatinic acid or platinum acetylacetonate. Conversely, the order of the metals impregnation of the solids may be reversed, i.e., impregnation of the solids with the platinum may be conducted first; this being followed, after drying and calcination, by impregnation of the solids with cobalt. Alternatively, cobalt and platinum can be simultaneously impregnated onto the support by contact of the solids with a single solution containing both metals, and thereafter the catalyst may be dried, and calcined. In either event, after compositing the Group VIII noble metal, e.g., platinum, upon the support the noble metal, or platinum-impregnated solids is washed with a solution, or solutions, of the organoammonium, hydrocarbyl ammonium, or ammonium hydroxide. Preferably the wash step, or steps, is conducted immediately after impregnation of the noble metal onto the particulate support, after the noble metal-impregnated support has been first dried and calcined, whether or not the support was previously impregnated by the Iron Group metal. If increased concentrations of the catalytic metal, or metals, is desired, the cycle of impregnation steps can be repeated; or a partial cycle may be employed if it is desirable to increase the concentration of one metal on the support, without increasing the concentration of the other metal already impregnated onto the support. In either case, the catalyst precursor is washed with the organoammonium, hydrocarbyl ammonium, or ammonium hydroxide after application of the Group VIII noble metal.
The organoammonium, hydrocarbyl ammonium, or ammonium hydroxide compound used for washing the particulate Group VIII noble metal-containing solids is characterized generally by the formula
wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are the same or different, and identified as hydrogen, or an organo or hydrocarbyl substituent group, particularly an alkenyl, alkynyl or alkyl group, especially the latter. The chain length or an organo, or hydrocarbyl substituent can range from 1 to about 6, preferably 1 to about 3, sufficient that the organo, or hydrocarbyl ammonium compound is readily solubilized in the wash solution, preferably water. Exemplary of such hydrocarbyl groups are methyl, ethyl, vinyl, 1-propenyl, isobutyl, sec butyl, tert butyl, n-amyl, n-hexyl and the like. The preferred compound is one wherein at least 2, and preferably all of R1, R2, R3 and R4 are hydrogen, i.e., an organoammonium hydroxide, or ammonium hydroxide, directly or indirectly added to the solvent; e.g., by the addition of ammonia to water or other aqueous solvent; or as formed in situ, as from a triethyl amino or other nitrogen-containing compound by chemical reaction.
In forming the catalyst, the iron Group metal, preferably cobalt, is deposited on a particulate support in concentration ranging from about 5 percent to about 70 percent, preferably from about 10 percent to about 30 percent, based on the weight of the catalyst (dry basis). The Group VIII noble metal, preferably platinum, is deposited on the support in concentration ranging from about 0.10 percent to about 5 percent, preferably from about 0.20 percent to about 1.0 percent, and more preferably from about 0.50 percent to about 0.70 percent, based on the weight of the catalyst (dry basis). An additional metal, or metals, component can also be added if desired, to modify or promote the performance of the catalyst. For example, a Group VIIB or additional Group VIII metal may be added as a promoter, e.g., rhenium, generally in concentration ranging from about 0.5 percent to about 5 percent, preferably from about 0.2 percent to about 1.0 percent, based on the weight of the catalyst (dry basis). The balance of the catalyst is constituted of a support, preferably silica. The support ranging in concentration from about 25 percent to about 90 percent, based on the weight of the catalyst (dry basis).
After impregnation of the particulate solids support with a soluble compound, or salt of a catalytic metal of the Iron Group, and soluble compound or salt of a Group VIII noble metal, the impregnated support is preferably dried, suitably at temperature ranging from about 80xc2x0 C. to about 120xc2x0 C., and then calcined at temperature ranging from about 300xc2x0 C. to about 600xc2x0 C., preferably from about 300xc2x0 C. to about 500xc2x0 C., in a stream of flowing gas.
The calcined catalyst is reduced by contact with hydrogen, or a hydrogen-containing gas, at temperature ranging from about 250xc2x0 C. to about 600xc2x0 C., preferably from about 275xc2x0 C. to about 475xc2x0 C., for periods ranging from about 0.5 hour to 24 hours; generally from about 0.5 hour to about 2 hours being adequate.
This preparation technique produces a catalyst of increased activity, and selectivity in the production of high melting wax via F-T synthesis. Carbon monoxide conversion is increased, C5+ product is increased, and gas make is lowered.
Hydrocarbon Synthesis
In conducting the preferred Fischer-Tropsch, or F-T synthesis reaction, a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide is reacted over an Iron Group metal catalyst, e.g., a cobalt or ruthenium catalyst, to produce a waxy product which can be separated in various fractions, suitably a heavy or high boiling fraction and a lighter or low boiling fraction, nominally a 700xc2x0 F.+ (372xc2x0 C.+) reactor wax and a 700xc2x0 F.xe2x88x92 (372xc2x0 C.xe2x88x92) fraction. The latter, or 700xc2x0 F.xe2x88x92 (372xc2x0 C.xe2x88x92) fraction, can be separated into (1) a F-T Cold separator liquid, or liquid nominally boiling within a range of about C531  500xc2x0 F. (260xc2x0 C.), and (2) a F-T hot separator liquid, or liquid nominally boiling within a range of about 500xc2x0 F.-700xc2x0 F. (260xc2x0 C.-372xc2x0 C.). (3) The 700xc2x0 F.+ (272xc2x0 C.+) stream, with the F-T cold and hot separator liquids, constitute raw materials useful for further processing.
The F-T synthesis process is carried out at temperatures of about 160xc2x0 C. to about 325xc2x0 C., preferably from about 190xc2x0 C. to about 260xc2x0 C., pressures of about 5 atm to about 100 atm, preferably about 10-40 atm and gas hourly space velocities of from about 300 V/Hr/V to about 20,000 V/Hr/V, preferably from about 500 V/Hr/V to about 15,000 V/Hr/V. The stoichiometric ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide in the synthesis gas is about 2.1:1 for the production of higher hydrocarbons. However, the H/CO2 ratios of 1:1 to about 4:1, preferably about 1.5:1 to about 2.5:1, more preferably about 1.8:1 to about 2.2:1 can be employed. These reaction conditions are well known and a particular set of reaction conditions can be readily determined by those skilled in the art. The reaction may be carried out in virtually any type reactor, e.g., fixed bed, moving bed, fluidized bed, slurry, bubbling bed, etc. The waxy or paraffinic products from the F-T reactor are essentially non-sulfur, non-nitrogen, non-aromatics containing hydrocarbons. This is a liquid product which can be produced and shipped from a remote area to a refinery site for further chemically reacting and upgrading to a variety of products, or produced and upgraded to a variety of products at a refinery site. For example, the hot separator and cold separator liquids, respectively, C4-C15 hydrocarbons, constitute high quality paraffin solvents which, if desired can be hydrotreated to remove olefin impurities, or employed without hydrotreating to produce a wide variety of wax products. The reactor wax, or C16+ liquid hydrocarbons from the F-T reactor, on the other hand, can be upgraded by various hydroconversion reactions, e.g., hydrocracking, hydroisomerization, catalytic dewaxing, isodewaxing, reforming, etc. or combinations thereof, to produce (i) fuels, i.e., such as stable, environmentally benign, non-toxic mid-distillates, diesel and jet fuels, e.g., low freeze point jet fuel, high cetane jet fuel, etc., (ii) lubes, or lubricants, e.g., lube oil blending components and lube oil base stocks suitable for transportation vehicles, (iii) chemicals and specialty materials, e.g., non-toxic drilling oils suitable for use in drilling muds, technical and medicinal grade white oils, chemical raw materials, monomers, polymers, emulsions, isoparaffinic solvents, and various specialty products.
(I) Maximum Distillate
Option A: The reactor wax, or 700xc2x0 F.+ (372xc2x0 C.+) boiling fraction from the F-T reactor, with hydrogen, is passed directly to a hydroisomerization reactor, HI, operated at the following typical and preferred HI reaction conditions, to wit:
While virtually any catalyst useful in hydroisomerization or selective hydrocracking may be satisfactory for this operation, some catalysts perform better than others. For example, catalysts containing a supported Group VIII noble metal, e.g., platinum or palladium, are particularly useful as are catalysts containing one or more Group VIII base metals, e.g., nickel, cobalt, in amounts of about 0.5-20 wt %, which may or may not also include a Group VI metal, e.g., molybdenum, in amounts of about 1-20 wt %. The support for the metals can be any refractory oxide or zeolite or mixtures thereof. Preferred supports include silica, alumina, silica-alumina, silica-alumina phosphates, titania, zirconia, vanadia and other Group III, IV, VA or VI oxides, as well as Y sieves, such as ultrastable Y sieves. Preferred supports include alumina and silica-alumina where the silica concentration of the bulk support is less than about 50 wt %, preferably less than about 35 wt %.
A preferred catalyst has a surface area in the range of about 180-400 m2/gm, preferably 230-350 m2/gm, and a pore volume of 0.3 to 1.0 ml/gm, preferably 0.35 to 0.75 ml/gm, a bulk density of about 0.5-1.0 g/ml, and a side crushing strength of about 0.8 to 3.5 kg/mm.
The preferred catalysts comprise a non-noble Group VIII metal, e.g., iron, nickel, in conjunction with a Group IB metal, e.g., copper, supported on an acidic support. The support is preferably an amorphous silica-alumina where the alumina is present in amounts of less than about 30 wt %, preferably 5-30 wt %, more preferably 10-20 wt %. Also, the support may contain small amounts, e.g., 20-30 wt %, of a binder, e.g., alumina, silica, Group IVA metal oxides, and various types of clays, magnesia, etc., preferably alumina. The catalyst is prepared by coimpregnating the metals from solutions onto the support, drying at 100-150xc2x0 C., and calcining in air at 200-550xc2x0 C.
The preparation of amorphous silica-alumina microspheres for supports is described in Ryland, Lloyd B., Tamele, M. W., and Wilson, J. N., Cracking Catalysts, Catalysis: Volume VII, Ed. Paul H. Emmett, Reinhold Publishing Corporation, New York, 1960, pp. 5-9.
The Group VIII metal is present in amounts of about 15 wt % or less, preferably 1-12 wt %, while the Group IB metal is usually present in lesser amounts, e.g., 1:2 to about 1:20 ratio respecting the Group VIII metal. A typical catalyst is shown below:
The 700xc2x0 F.+ (372xc2x0 C.+) conversion to 700xc2x0 F.xe2x88x92 (372xc2x0 C.xe2x88x92) in the hydroisomerization unit ranges from about 20-80%, preferably 20-50%, more preferably about 30-50%. During hydroisomerization essentially all olefins and oxygen containing materials are hydrogenated.
In a preferred option, both the cold separator liquid, i.e., the C5xe2x88x92 500xc2x0 (260xc2x0 C.) boiling fraction, and the hot separator liquid, i.e., the 500xc2x0 F.-700xc2x0 F. (260xc2x0 C.-372xc2x0 C.) boiling fraction, are hydrotreated in a hydrotreated reactor, H/T, at hydrotreating conditions, the H/T product is combined with the HI product, and passed to a fractionator. The following describes the typical and preferred H/T reaction conditions, to wit:
Suitable hydrotreating catalysts include those which are comprised of at least one Group VIII metal, preferably Fe, Co and Ni, more preferably Co and/or Ni, and most preferably Ni; and at least one Group VI metal, preferably Mo and W, more preferably Mo, on a high surface area support material, preferably alumina. Other suitable hydrotreating catalysts include zeolitic catalysts, as well as noble metal catalysts where the noble metal is selected from Pd and Pt. One, or more than one type of hydrotreating catalyst may be used in the same bed. The Group VIII metal is typically present in an amount ranging from about 2 to 20%, preferably from about 4 to 12%, based on the total weight of the catalyst (wt. %, dry basis). The Group VI metal will typically be present in an amount ranging from about 5 to 50 wt. %, preferably from about 10 to 40 wt. %, and more preferably from about 20 to 30 wt. %.
Gas and C5xe2x88x92 250xc2x0 F. (121xc2x0 C.) condensate streams are recovered from the fractionator. After separation and removal of the C5xe2x88x92 250xc2x0 F. (121xc2x0 C.) material, a 250xc2x0 F.-700xc2x0 F.xe2x88x92 (121xc2x0 C.-372xc2x0 C.xe2x88x92) diesel fuel or diesel fuel blending component is recovered from the fractionator. A 700xc2x0 F.+ (372xc2x0 C.+) product component that is recovered is suitable as a lube or lube oil blending component.
The diesel material recovered from the fractionator has the properties shown below:
paraffins at least 95 wt %, preferably at least 96 wt %, more preferably at least 97 wt %, still more preferably at least 98 wt %, and most preferably at least 99 wt %; iso/normal ratio about 0.3 to 3.0, preferably 0.7-2.0; sulfur 50 ppm (wt), preferably nil; nitrogen 50 ppm (wt), preferably 20 ppm, more preferably nil; unsaturates 2 wt %; (olefins and aromatics) oxygenates about 0.001 to less than 0.3 wt % oxygen water-free basis.
The isoparaffins which are present are largely mono methyl branched, and the product contains nil cyclic paraffins, e.g., no cyclohexane.
The 700xc2x0 F.xe2x88x92 (372xc2x0 C.xe2x88x92) fraction is rich in oxygenates, and e.g., 95% of the oxygenates, are contained in this lighter fraction. Further, the olefin concentration of the lighter fraction is sufficiently low as to make olefin recovery unnecessary; and further treatment of the fraction for olefins is avoided.
These diesel fuels generally have the properties of high cetane number, usually 50 or higher, preferably at least about 60, more preferably at least about 65, lubricity, oxidative stability, and physical properties compatible with diesel pipeline specifications.
The product can be used as a diesel fuel per se or blended with other less desirable petroleum or hydrocarbon containing feeds of about the same boiling range. When used as a blend, the product can be used in relatively minor amounts, e.g., 10% or more for significantly improving the final blended diesel product.
Although, this material will improve almost any diesel product, it is especially useful in blending with refinery diesel streams of low quality. Typical streams are raw or hydrogenated catalytic or thermally cracked distillates and gas oils.
Option B: Optionally, the cold separator liquid and hot separator liquid is not subjected to any hydrotreating. In the absence of hydrotreating of the lighter fractions, the small amount of oxygenates, primarily linear alcohols, in this fraction can be preserved, though oxygenates in the heavier reactor wax fraction are eliminated during the hydroisomerization step. Hydroisomerization serves to increase the amount of isoparaffins in the distillate fuel and helps the fuel to meet pour point and cloud point specifications, although additives may be employed for these purposes.
The oxygen compounds that are believed to promote lubricity may be described as having a hydrogen bonding energy greater than the bonding energy of hydrocarbons (the energy measurements for various compounds are available in standard references); the greater the difference, the greater the lubricity effect. The oxygen compounds also have a lipophilic end and a hydrophilic end to allow wetting of the fuel.
Preferred oxygen compounds, primarily alcohols, have a relatively long chain, i.e., C12+, more preferably C12-C24 primary linear alcohols.
The amount of oxygenates present is rather small, but only a small amount of oxygenates as oxygen on a water free basis is needed to achieve the desired lubricity, i.e., at least about 0.001 wt % oxygen (water free basis), preferably 0.001-0.3 wt % oxygen (water free basis), more preferably 0.0025-0.3 wt % oxygen (water free basis).
Option C: As a further option, all or preferably a portion of the cold separator liquid can be subjected to hydrotreating while the hot separator liquid and the reactor is hydroisomerized; the wider cut hydroisomerization eliminating the fractionator vessel. However, the freeze point of the jet fuel product is compromised to some extent. Preferably, the C5xe2x88x92 350xc2x0 F. (175xc2x0 C.) portion of the cold separator liquid is hydrotreated, while the 350xc2x0 F.+ (175xc2x0 C.+) material is blended with the hot separator liquid and the reactor wax and hydroisomerized. The product of the HI reactor is then blended with the hydrotreated C5xe2x88x92 350xc2x0 F. (175xc2x0 C.) product and recovered.
Option D: In a fourth option, a split-feed flow scheme is provided which can produce a jet fuel capable of meeting a jet A-1 freeze point specification. In this option, the hot separator liquid and the reactor wax is hydroisomerized and the product recovered. The cold separator liquid, and optionally any residual 500xc2x0 F.xe2x88x92 (260xc2x0 C.xe2x88x92) components after subjecting the hot separator liquid and reactor wax to treatment in a wax fractionator prior to hydroisomerization, is subjected to hydrotreating. The hydrotreated product is separated into a (a) C5xe2x88x92 350xc2x0 F. (175xc2x0 C.) product which is recovered, and a 350xc2x0 F.+ (175xc2x0 C.) product which is hydroisomerized and the hydroisomerized product then also recovered. These products can be blended together to form a jet fuel meeting a jet A-1 freeze point specification.
(II) Production of Maximum Diesel
The three streams from the F-T reactor constituting the syncrude, viz. 1) the cold separator liquid (C5xe2x88x92 500xc2x0 F.), 2) hot separator liquid (500xc2x0 F.-700xc2x0 F.), and 3) reactor wax (700xc2x0 F.+) are each treated in accordance with certain options for producing the maximum amount of a diesel fuel as follows:
Option A: (Single Reaction Vessel: Wax Hydroisomerizer)
The reactor wax from the F-T reactor is passed, with hydrogen, to a wax hydroisomerizer. The other two streams from the F-T reactor, i.e., the cold separator liquid and the hot separator liquid, are combined with the product from the hydroisomerizer, and the total mixture is passed to a fractionation column where it is separated into light gases, naphtha, and a 700xc2x0 F.xe2x88x92 (372xc2x0 C.xe2x88x92) distillate while a 700xc2x0 F.+ (372xc2x0 C.+) stream is recycled to extinction in the hydroisomerizer.
The catalysts used to conduct the wax hydroisomerization reaction are described in subsection (I) Maximum Distillate, Option A.
The conditions employed for conducting the wax hydroisomerization reaction are described in subsection (I) Maximum Distillate, Option A.
Option B: (Two Vessel System: Wax Hydroisomerizer and Hydrotreater)
In this Option B, the reactor wax treating scheme described for maximum diesel in accordance with option A is unchanged, but in this instance both the cold separator liquid and hot separator liquid are hydrotreated at hydrotreating conditions, the product therefrom is then mixed with the product of the wax hydroisomerizer, and the total mixture fractionated to recover light gases, naphtha and distillate.
The hydrotreating catalyst used in conducting the hydrogenation reaction is described in subsection (I) Maximum Distillate, Option A.
The conditions employed in conducting the hydrotreating reaction is described in subsection (I) Maximum Distillate, Option A.
Option C: (One Vessel: A Wax Hydroisomerizer)
In accordance with this option, both the cold separator liquid and the reactor wax are hydroisomerized, the hot separator liquid is mixed with the product from the hydroisomerizer, and the total mixture is passed to a fractionater where it is separated into light gases, naphtha and distillate. A 700xc2x0 F.+ (372xc2x0 C.+) fraction is recycled to extinction in the wax hydroisomerizer.
The catalyst used to conduct the wax hydroisomerization reaction is described in subsection (I) Maximum Distillate, Option A.
The conditions employed in conducting the hydroisomerization reaction is described in subsection (I) Maximum Distillate, Option A.
(III) Production of Maximum Lube
(Two Reaction Vessels; a Hydroisomerizer and a Catalytic Dewaxing Unit)
The reactor wax, or 700xc2x0 F.+ boiling fraction, and the hot separator liquid, or 500xc2x0 F.-700xc2x0 F. boiling fraction, from the F-T reactor are reacted in a hydroisomerizer and the product therefrom passed to a fractionator column wherein it is split into C1-C4 gases, naphtha, distillate and a 700xc2x0 F.+ fraction.
The 700xc2x0 F.+ fraction is dewaxed, preferably in a catalytic dewaxing unit, or is both catalytically dewaxed and the product then subjected to a low vacuum distillation, or fractionation, to produce a lubricant, or lubricants. The lubricant, or lubricants, is of high viscosity index and low pour point, and is recovered in high yield.
In conducting the hydroisomerization step, the feed, at least 50 percent, more preferably at least 70 percent, of which boils above 700xc2x0 F., with hydrogen, is contacted and hydroisomerized over a hydroisomerization catalyst at hydroisomerization conditions sufficient to convert from about 20 percent to about 50 percent, preferably from about 30 to about 40 percent, of the 700xc2x0 F.+ hydrocarbons of the feed to 700xc2x0 F.xe2x88x92 products, based on the weight of the total feed. At these conversion levels, major amounts of the n-paraffins are hydroisomerized, or converted to isoparaffins, with minimal hydrocracking to gas and fuel by-products.
The total feed to the hydroisomerization reactor, which constitutes from about 20 percent to about 90 percent, preferably from about 30 percent to about 70 percent, by weight of the total liquid output from the F-T reactor, is fed, with hydrogen, into the hydroisomerization reactor. The hydroisomerization reactor contains a bed of hydroisomerization catalyst with which the feed and hydrogen are contacted; the catalyst comprising a metal hydrogenation or dehydrogenation component composited with an acidic oxide carrier, or support. In the hydroisomerization reactor, the feed introduced thereto is thus converted to iso-paraffins and lower molecular weight species via hydroisomerization.
The hydrogenation or dehydrogenation metal component of the catalyst used in the hydroisomerization reactor may be any Group VIII metal of the Periodic Table of the Elements. Preferably the metal is a non-noble metal such as cobalt or nickel; with the preferred metal being cobalt. The catalytically active metal may be present in the catalyst together with one or more metal promoters or co-catalysts. The promoters may be present as metals or as metal oxides, depending upon the particular promoter. Suitable metal oxide promoters include oxides of metals from Group VI of the Periodic Table of the Elements. Preferably, the catalyst contains cobalt and molybdenum. The catalyst may also contain a hydrocracking suppressant since suppression of the cracking reaction is necessary. The hydrocracking suppressant may be either a Group IB metal or a source of sulfur, usually in the form of a sulfided catalytically active metal, or a Group IB metal and a source of sulfur.
The acidic oxide carrier component of the hydroisomerization catalyst can be furnished by a support with which the catalytic metal or metals can be composited by well known methods. The support can be any acidic oxide or mixture of oxides or zeolites or mixtures thereof. Preferred supports include silica, alumina, silica-alumina, silica-alumina-phosphates, titania, zirconia, vanadia and other Group III, IV, V or VI oxides, as well as Y sieves, such as ultra stable Y sieves. Preferred supports include alumina and silica-alumina, more preferably silica-alumina where the silica concentration of the bulk support is less than about 50 wt. %, preferably less than about 35 wt. %. Most preferably the concentration ranges from about 15 wt. % to about 30 wt. %. When alumina is used as the support, small amounts of chlorine or fluorine may be incorporated into the support to provide the acid functionality.
A preferred supported catalyst is one having surface areas in the range of about 180 to about 400 m2/gm, preferably about 230 to about 350 m2/gm, and a pore volume of about 0.3 to about 1.0 mL/gm, preferably about 0.35 to about 0.75 mL/gm, a bulk density of about 0.5 to about 1.0 g/mL, and a side crushing strength of about 0.8 to about 3.5 kg/mm.
The preparation of preferred amorphous silica-alumina micropheres for use as supports is described in Ryland, Lloyd B., Tamele, M. W., and Wilson, J. N., Cracking Catalysts, Catalysis; Volume VII, Ed. Paul H. Emmett, Reinhold Publishing Corporation, New York, 1960.
The hydroisomerization reactor is operated at conditions defined as follows:
During hydroisomerization, the amount of conversion of the 700xc2x0 F.+ to 700xc2x0 F.xe2x88x92 is critical, and ranges from about 20 percent to about 50 percent, preferably from about 30 to about 40 percent; and at these conditions essentially all olefins and oxygenated products are hydrogenated.
The 700xc2x0 F.+ fraction from the bottom of the fractionation column is passed to a catalytic dewaxing unit wherein the waxy lubricant molecules are subjected to a pour point reducing step to produce final or near-final lubricants; some of which may require further separation in a lube vacuum pipe still. Thus, a lubricant from the catalyst dewaxing unit can be passed to a low vacuum pipe still for further concentration of lube molecules into a final product.
The final pour point reducing step in the catalyst dewaxing unit is preferably carried out by contact with a unitized mixed powder pellet catalyst comprising a dehydrogenation component, a dewaxing component, and an isomerization component. The dehydrogenation component is a catalytically active metal, or metals, comprising a Group VIB, VIIB or Group VIII metal of the Periodic Table of the Elements. The dewaxing component is comprised of an intermediate or small pore crystalline zeolite, and the isomerization component is constituted of an amorphous acidic material. Such catalyst not only produces lubricants with high viscosity indexes and significantly reduced pour points but reduced yields of undesirable gas and naphtha.
Catalytic dewaxing is a process well documented in the literature; as are catalysts useful in such processes. However, the preferred catalysts employed in the catalytic dewaxing unit are unitized mixed powder pellet catalysts characterized as particulate solids particles made by mixing together a powdered molecular sieve dewaxing component and a powdered amorphous isomerization component, one or both components of which, preferably both, contains a dehydrogenation component, or components, (or to which is subsequently added a dehydrogenation component, or components), forming a homogeneous mass from the mixture, and pelletizing the mass to produce solids particles, or pellets, each of which contains the dewaxing component, the isomerization component, and the dehydrogenation component in intimate admixture; or contains the dewaxing component and the isomerization component to which is added the dehydroisomerization component, or components, to form particulate solids wherein the dewaxing component, the isomerizing component, and hydrogenation components are present in intimate mixture. The components of the catalyst work together, cooperatively and synergistically, to selectively crack and convert the n-paraffins, or waxy components of the feed, to produce reaction products which are removed from the process as gas, while allowing branched hydrocarbons to pass downstream for removal as useful lube oil blending components, and lube oil products. This catalyst permits the conversion of Fischer-Tropsch reaction products to upgraded products from which lubricants of high viscosity index and low pour point can be recovered. This objective, and others, is achieved while minimizing the production of the less desirable gas and naphtha.
In preparation of the unitized powder pellet catalyst, the catalytic metal, or metals, dehydrogenation component can be composited with the dewaxing component, or the catalyst metal, or metals, dehydrogenation component can be composited with the isomerization component, or the catalytic metal, or metals, dehydrogenation component can be composited with both the dewaxing and the isomerization components prior to formation of the unitized powder pellet catalyst. The unitized powder pellet catalyst can also be formed from a composite of the dewaxing and isomerization components and a catalytic metal, or metals, dehydrogenation component can then be deposited thereon. Suitably, the dehydrogenation component is a Group VIB, Group VIIB, or Group VIII metal, or metals, preferably a Group VIII noble metal, or metals, of the Periodic Table of the Elements (Sargent-Welch Scientific Company: Copyright 1968), suitably ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium and platinum. Suitably, the catalytic metal, or metals, dehydrogenation component is present in concentration ranging from about 0.1 percent to about 5.0 percent, preferably from about 0.1 percent to about 3.0 percent, based on the weight of the total catalyst (dry basis). In general, the molecular sieve component is present in the catalyst in concentrations ranging from about 2 percent to about 80 percent, preferably from about 20 percent to about 60 percent, based on the weight of the catalyst (dry basis). The isomerization component is generally present in concentration ranging from about 20 percent to about 75 percent, preferably from about 30 percent to about 65 percent, based on the weight of the catalyst (dry basis).
The dewaxing component of the unitized powder pellet catalyst is preferably an intermediate pore, or a small pore size molecular sieve, or zeolite. A preferred molecular sieve dewaxing component is an intermediate pore size zeolite having a 10 membered ring unidirectional pore material which has oval 1-D pores having a minor axis between 4.2 xc3x85 and 4.8 xc3x85 and a major axis between 5.4 xc3x85 and 7.0 xc3x85 as determined by X-ray crystallography.
A yet more preferred dewaxing component used to form the unitized powder pellet catalyst is characterized as a small pore molecular sieve wherein the pore windows are formed by 8 oxide atoms that form the limiting edge of this pore window. The oxide atoms each constitute one of the four oxide atoms of a tetrahedrally coordinated cluster around a silicon or aluminum ion, called a framework ion or atom. Each oxide ion is coordinated to two framework ions in these structures. The structure is referred to as xe2x80x9c8 ringxe2x80x9d as a shorthand way of describing a more complex structure; a shorthand notation used extensively in describing molecular sieves of this type is the Atlas Of Zeolite Structure Types, Fourth Revised Edition 1996 in 8 Zeolites 17:1-230, 1996. Pores of this size are such as to substantially exclude molecules of larger size than normal hexane; or, conversely, to allow entry into the pores of molecules of smaller size than normal hexane. The small pore molecular sieve is of pore size ranging between about 6.3 xc3x85 and 2.3 xc3x85, preferably about 5.1 xc3x85 to about 3.4 xc3x85, and comprised of a crystalline tetrahedral framework oxide component. It is preferably selected from the group consisting of zeolites, tectosilicates, tetrahedral aluminophosphates and tetrahedral silicoaluminophosphates (SAPOs). Exemplary of the molecular sieve components of this type are SAPO-56, (AFX), ZK-5 (KF1), AlPO4-25 (ATV), Chabazite (CHA), TMA-E (EAB), Erionite (ERI), and Linde Type A (LTA). The Linde Type A zeolite is a particularly preferred molecular sieve.
The catalysts, besides the dewaxing, isomerization, and dehydrogenated components, may optionally also contain binder materials. Exemplary of such binder materials are silica, alumina, silica-alumina, clays, magnesia, titania, zirconia or mixtures of these with each other or with other materials. Silica and alumina are preferred, with alumina being the most preferred binder. The binder, when present, is generally present in amount ranging from about 5 percent to about 50 percent, preferably from about 20 percent to about 30 percent, based on the weight of the total catalyst (dry basis; wt. %).
The unitized catalyst can be prepared by pulverizing and powdering and then mixing together a powdered finished molecular sieve catalyst and a powdered finished isomerization catalyst, as components, and then compressing the homogeneous mass to form particulate solid shapes, e.g., lumpy solid shapes, extrudates, beads, pellets, pills, tablets or the like; each solid shape of which contains the molecular sieve dewaxing component, the isomerization component and the dehydrogenation component. One or more catalysts of given type can be pulverized and powdered, and mixed to provide a necessary component, or components, of the unitized mixed pellet catalyst. For example, a molecular sieve catalyst can supply the dewaxing and dehydrogenating functions, to wit: a molecular sieve component composited with, preferably by impregnation, a Group VIII metal, or metals, of the Periodic Table, most preferably a Group VIII noble metal, or metals, e.g., platinum or palladium. Generally, the catalyst is impregnated with from about 0.1 percent to about 5.0 percent, preferably from about 0.1 percent to about 3.0 percent, based on the weight of the catalytic component (wt. %; dry basis).
The isomerization and dehydrogenation function, on the other hand, can be supplied by an isomerization catalyst. Thus, the isomerization component of the catalyst is comprised of an amorphous acidic material; an isomerization catalyst comprised of an acidic support composited with a catalytically active metal, preferably a Group VIII noble metal of the Periodic Table, suitably ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium and platinum which can supply the isomerization and dehydrogenation functions. The isomerization catalyst component can thus be an isomerization catalyst such as those comprising a refractory metal oxide support base (e.g., alumina, silica-alumina, zirconia, titanium, etc.) on which is deposited a catalytically active metal selected from the group consisting of Group VIB, Group VIIB, Group VIII metals and mixtures thereof, preferably Group VIII metals, more preferably noble Group VIII metals, most preferably platinum or palladium and optionally including a promoter or dopant such as halogen, phosphorus, boron, yttria, magnesia, etc. preferably halogen, yttria or magnesia, most preferably fluorine. The catalytically active metals are present in the range of from about 0.1 to about 5.0 wt. %, preferably from about 0.1 to about 2.0 wt. %. The promoters and dopants are used to control the acidity of the isomerization catalyst. Thus, when the isomerization catalyst employs a base material such as alumina, acidity is imparted to the resultant catalyst by addition of a halogen, preferably fluorine. When a halogen is used, preferably fluorine, it is present in an amount in the range of about 0.1 to about 10 wt. %, preferably about 0.1 to about 3 wt. %, more preferably from about 0.1 to about 2 wt. % most preferably from about 0.5 to about 1.5 wt. %. Similarly, if silica-alumina is used as the base material, acidity can be controlled by adjusting the ratio of silica to alumina or by adding a dopant such as yttria or magnesia which reduces the acidity of the silica-alumina base material as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,254,518 (Soled, McVicker, Gates, Miseo). One or more isomerization catalysts can be pulverized and powdered, and mixed to provide two of the necessary components of the unitized mixed pellet catalyst.
Dewaxing is preferably carried out in the catalyst dewaxing unit in a slurry phase, or phase wherein the catalyst is dispersed throughout and movable within a liquid paraffinic hydrocarbon oil. The 700xc2x0 F.+ feed is passed, with hydrogen, into the catalyst dewaxing unit and reaction carried out at catalytic dewaxing conditions tabulated as follows:
The product of the catalyst dewaxing unit is generally a fully converted dewaxed lube oil blending component, or lube oil having viscosity indexes ranging above about 110, and lube pour point below about xe2x88x9215xc2x0 C.
The invention, and its mode of operation will be better understood by reference to the following examples and comparative demonstrations which illustrate specified and preferred embodiments. All parts are in terms of weight except as otherwise specified.

Process for carbon monoxide hydrogenation

ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company


A charger adapted to charge either one of a first battery pack and a second battery pack. The first battery pack and the second battery pack have respectively a first interface and a second interface being substantially different from each other. The charger includes a housing having a receiving area in which the first battery pack and the second battery pack can be selectively received in such a way that the first battery pack is accommodated in a first region and the second battery pack is accommodated in a second region. The receiving area is at least partially defined by the first region partially overlapping the second region. The charger according to the invention is adapted to charge more than one type of battery pack, which saves cost and space needed for two separate chargers.

Many electric appliances such as cordless power tools powered by detachable battery packs are widely used. Rechargeable battery cells, which can be recharged multiple times by a charger, are installed in the battery pack used in this type of power tools.
For cordless power tools, there are a wide variety of commercially available designs for removable, rechargeable battery pack power supplies. These Battery packs are designed with various shapes and dimensions and they are readily received in the electric tools in which they are used. As a result, an exclusive charger is provided respectively for each type of battery packs. Accordingly, in the case where a user uses different types of electric tools, he/she must selectively use various types of chargers. Recently there has been a trend by individual manufacturers to increase the standardization of power packs from the same manufacturer, so that a single battery pack can be used in a variety of power tools.

Battery charger for multiple battery packs


A new Chrysanthemum plant named ‘CIFZ0026’ particularly distinguished by the large, orange-bronze, decorative-type flowers, medium to large plant size with round mound habit, and an early October natural flowering response.

The present invention comprises a new Chrysanthemum, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name 'CIFZ0026'.
'CIFZ0026' is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar has large, orange-bronze, decorative-type flowers, medium to large plant size with round mound habit, and a natural season flowering response in early October.
'CIFZ0026' originated from a hybridization made in August 2008 in a greenhouse in Tenjo, Columbia. The female parent was the unpatented, proprietary plant designated '06-M131', with bronzy yellow, decorative-type flower that fades more rapidly, and although the natural season response is similar, the blackcloth response is almost a week faster when compared to 'CIFZ0026'.
The male parent of 'CIFZ0026' was the unpatented, proprietary plant designated as '04-M277' with smaller, purple inflorescence with more disc florets, smaller overall plant with more upright habit, and flowers two weeks faster in the natural season when compared to 'CIFZ0026'.
The resultant seed was sown in June 2009 and grown outdoors in Alva, Fla., USA.
'CIFZ0026' was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross on Nov. 9, 2009 in Alva, Fla.
The first act of asexual reproduction of 'CIFZ0026' was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in January 2010 in a greenhouse in Alva, Fla.