The present invention relates to devices for maintaining a state of equilibrium, and process set-ups to perform equilibrium reactions using heterogeneous catalysts, in particular said reactions are equilibrium reactions where at least one reaction product is volatile. The invention is especially interesting for enzymatic reactions using immobilized enzymes, although it is also useful for pure chemical reactions. The invention is characterized by a combination of non-impact mixing of components and volatilization and/or removal of excess molecules, thereby maintaining a state of equilibrium or driving an equilibrium reaction. The present invention also relates to devices and/or process set-ups and materials made using said processes.

A device for evaluating a scale inhibitor for a circulating cooling water system, the device including: an open vessel, the open vessel including a first fixing hole, a second fixing hole, and at least one test hole; a stirrer; a test piece; a condenser; and a constant temperature heater. The open vessel is disposed inside the constant temperature heater. The first fixing hole is used to fix the stirrer. The second fixing hole is used to fix the condenser. The test hole is used to fix the test piece.

A composite article includes a lattice and an elastomeric section. The lattice includes a plurality of members that form an open-mesh frame defining a plurality of voids between the adjacent members of the frame. The elastomeric section is formed of an elastomer that is disposed about the lattice and within the voids of the lattice. The composite article may be a circular gasket, a gasket with a grip, a rectangular gasket, a vessel cap, a flask stand, and a handle for a hand tool.

The present invention is in relation to a method and its apparatus, by means of which HCl generation formed from hydrolysis reactions or thermal decomposition of chloride salts is continuously monitored. Its application is in oil refining or in any other area where chloride salts are heated to temperatures high enough to cause hydrolysis reactions or thermal decomposition. The invention allows for a much more sophisticated and precise record of the thermal events that occur as a function of temperature. It also allows the behavior of chloride salts subjected to these conditions to be evaluated, both in model systems and in industrial saline solutions, with respect to the respective content, composition, or presence of components in the oil phase, such as carboxylic (naphthenic acids) or nitrogenous (ammonia or amines) acids.

The present invention is in relation to a method and its apparatus, by means of which HCl generation formed from hydrolysis reactions or thermal decomposition of chloride salts is continuously monitored. Its application is in oil refining or in any other area where chloride salts are heated to temperatures high enough to cause hydrolysis reactions or thermal decomposition. The invention allows for a much more sophisticated and precise record of the thermal events that occur as a function of temperature. It also allows the behavior of chloride salts subjected to these conditions to be evaluated, both in model systems and in industrial saline solutions, with respect to the respective content, composition, or presence of components in the oil phase, such as carboxylic (naphthenic acids) or nitrogenous (ammonia or amines) acids.

An in-vial microextraction (IVME) device is a vial with at least a portion of the inner surface having a sol-gel coating that absorbs at least one target analyte. The sol-gel coating is a metal oxide comprising coating that is formed from a tri- and/or tetra-functional metal comprising precursor that condenses to form a gel network. The IVME device can be used to prepare a sample by the contacting of the IVME device with a solution or suspension. An analytical method is enabled where the absorbed analyte from the IVME device is subsequently desorbed with a solvent or solution or thermally desorbed and analyzed using GC-MS or LC-MS or other analytical instrument for separation and detection.