High-temperature processes

Sulfomethylation. The reaction of formaldehyde and sodium bisulfite [7631-90-5] with polyacrylamide under alkaline conditions to produce sulfomethylated polyacrylamides has been known for many years (44—46). A more recent pubHcation (47) suggests, however, that the expected sulfomethyl substitution is not obtained under the previously described strongly alkaline conditions of pH 10—12. This C-nmr study indicates that hydrolysis of polyacrylamide occurs and the resulting ammonia reacts with the NaHSO and formaldehyde. A recent patent claims a new high pressure, high temperature process at slightly acid pH for preparation of sulfomethylated polyacrylamide (48). 

Packaging. Aseptic packaging was developed in conjunction with high temperature processing and has contributed to make sterilized milk and milk products a commercial reaUty. 

Initially, aluminum chloride was the catalyst used to isomerize butane, pentane, and hexane. Siace then, supported metal catalysts have been developed for use ia high temperature processes that operate at 370—480°C and 2070—5170 kPa (300—750 psi), whereas aluminum chloride and hydrogen chloride are universally used for the low temperature processes. 

In addition to chemical and spectral sensitizers, several other classes of chemical compounds are added to emulsions before coating. Additives are used to facihtate coating operations, eg, surfactants (qv) and viscosity enhancers to reduce spontaneous development ia unexposed regions, eg, tetraazaiadenes and mercaptotetrazoles and to reduce abrasion and permit high temperature processing, eg, aldehydes (qv). 

Metals for Schottl Contacts. Good Schottky contacts on semiconductor surfaces should not have any interaction with the semiconductor as is common in ohmic contacts. Schottky contacts have clean, abmpt metal—semiconductor interfaces that present rectifying contacts to electron or hole conduction. Schottky contacts are usuaHy not intentionaHy annealed, although in some circumstances the contacts need to be able to withstand high temperature processing and maintain good Schottky behavior. 

A number of high temperature processes for the production of titanium carbide from ores have been reported (28,29). The aim is to manufacture a titanium carbide that can subsequently be chlorinated to yield titanium tetrachloride. In one process, a titanium-bearing ore is mixed with an alkah-metal chloride and carbonaceous material and heated to 2000°C to yield, ultimately, a highly pure TiC (28). Production of titanium carbide from ores, eg, ilmenite [12168-52-4], EeTiO, and perovskite [12194-71 -7], CaTiO, has been described (30). A mixture of perovskite and carbon was heated in an arc furnace at ca 2100°C, ground, and then leached with water to decompose the calcium carbide to acetjdene. The TiC was then separated from the aqueous slurry by elutriation. Approximately 72% of the titanium was recovered as the purified product. In the case of ilmenite, it was necessary to reduce the ilmenite carbothermaHy in the presence of lime at ca 1260°C. Molten iron was separated and the remaining CaTiO was then processed as perovskite. 

Because of their unique combination of physical and chemical properties, manufactured carbons and graphites are widely used in several forms in high temperature processing of metals, ceramics, glass, and fused quartz. A variety of commercial grades is available with properties tailored to best meet the needs of particular appHcations (45). Industrial carbons and graphites are available in a broad range of shapes and sizes. 

Low Temperature Carbonization. Lower temperature carbonization of lump coal at ca 700°C, primarily used for production of soHd smokeless fuel, gives a quantitatively and quaUtatively different yield of sofld, Hquid, and gaseous products than does the high temperature processes. 

Although a number of low temperature processes have been studied, only a few have been used commercially. These have been limited in the types of coal that are acceptable, and the by-products are less valuable than those obtained from high temperature processing. The Disco process is used in the United States to supply a limited amount of fuel to meet requirements of smoke ordinances. The British CoaUte and Rexco processes produced substantial amounts of domestic smokeless fuel. Development of fluid-bed methods of carbonizing finer coal at ca 400°C has been studied in the United Kingdom. A reactive char is briquetted without a binder to produce a premium open-fire smokeless fuel. 

These LCT materials have very high tensile and flexural strength, and excellent mechanical and chemical resistance properties. Some commercial LCT are Vectra (Hoechst-Celanese) and Xydar (Amoco). Du Pont, ICI, GE, and Dow Chemical are also suppHers. Their appHcation in electronic embedding is stiU. in its infancy because of the high temperature processing requirement. Nevertheless, this class of thermoplastic polymers will play an important role in electronic embedding. 

Design Methods for Calciners In indirect-heated calciners, heat transfer is primarily by radiation from the cyhnder wall to the solids bed. The thermal efficiency ranges from 30 to 65 percent. By utilization of the furnace exhaust gases for preheated combustion air, steam produc tion, or heat for other process steps, the thermal efficiency can be increased considerably. The limiting factors in heat transmission he in the conductivity and radiation constants of the shell metal and solids bed. If the characteristics of these are known, equipment may be accurately sized by employing the Stefan-Boltzmann radiation equation. Apparent heat-transfer coefficients will range from 17 J/(m s K) in low-temperature operations to 8.5 J/(m s K) in high-temperature processes. 

Pyrometallurgical Processes Such high temperature processes convert certain minerals into others for easier separation from gangue or for easier recovery of metal. They are accomplished in Idlns, hearth furnaces or fluidized bed reactors. 

Metals Successful applications of metals in high-temperature process service depend on an appreciation of certain engineering factors. The important alloys for service up to I,I00°C (2,000°F) are shown in Table 28-35. Among the most important properties are creep, rupture, and short-time strengths (see Figs. 28-23 and 28-24). Creep relates initially applied stress to rate of plastic flow. Stress... 

TABLE 28-35 Important Commercial Alloys for High-Temperature Process Service... 

When a large flow of gas is reduced from a high pressure to some lower pressure, or a high-temperature process stream (waste heat) is available at moderate pressures, turboexpanders should be considered to recover the energy (see Figure 7-22). The turbine can drive a compressor... 

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