A method for facilitating the distribution of the flow of one or more streams within a bed vessel is provided. Disposed within the bed vessel are internal materials and structures including multiple operating zones. One type of operating zone can be a processing zone composed of one or more beds of solid processing material. Another type of operating zone can be a treating zone. Treating zones can facilitate the distribution of the one or more streams fed to processing zones. The distribution can facilitate contact between the feed streams and the processing materials contained in the processing zones.

Disclosed herein are apparatus and methods for producing emulsions, and, in particular, for maintaining laminar flow during production of emulsions containing microsuspensions. Disclosed herein are columns for receiving a packing material that permits fluid flow through the column. The columns have a periphery that defines an interior cavity in fluid communication with inlets and outlets of the column. Disclosed herein is a method of preparing an emulsion that includes (1) forming a first phase typically containing an organic solvent, a polymer, and one or more biologically active agents and/or chemicals; (2) forming a second phase typically containing water as the second solvent, an emulsion stabilizer and optionally a solvent; and (3) passing the first and the second phases through the column to form a water in oil type emulsion.

A packing member for use in a packed bed, preferably a support for use as a catalyst support in a packed bed reactor. The packing member includes ceramic material and has a geometric surface area per volume of ?0.7 cm.sup.2/cm.sup.3 and a side crush strength of ?250 kgf; or a geometric surface area per volume of ?1.5 cm.sup.2/cm.sup.3 and a side crush strength of ?150 kgf; or a geometric surface area per volume of ?3 cm.sup.2/cm.sup.3 and a side crush strength of ?60 kgf. The packing member optionally has a porosity of at least 6%, such as at least 15% or at least 20%.

A method for facilitating the distribution of the flow of one or more streams within a bed vessel is provided. Disposed within the bed vessel are internal materials and structures including multiple operating zones. One type of operating zone can be a processing zone composed of one or more beds of solid processing material. Another type of operating zone can be a treating zone. Treating zones can facilitate the distribution of the one or more streams fed to processing zones. The distribution can facilitate contact between the feed streams and the processing materials contained in the processing zones.

A method for facilitating the distribution of the flow of one or more streams within a bed vessel is provided. Disposed within the bed vessel are internal materials and structures including multiple operating zones. One type of operating zone can be a processing zone composed of one or more beds of solid processing material. Another type of operating zone can be a treating zone. Treating zones can facilitate the distribution of the one or more streams fed to processing zones. The distribution can facilitate contact between the feed streams and the processing materials contained in the processing zones.

Assemblies, apparatuses, systems, and method to extract or convey a material from a source of the material may include a vacuum generation and sound attenuation assembly to enhance conveyance the material from the source of the material. The vacuum generation and sound attenuation assembly may include a vacuum source including a plurality of vacuum generators. Each of the plurality of vacuum generators may be positioned to cause a vacuum flow between the source of the material and the vacuum generation and sound attenuation assembly. The vacuum generation and sound attenuation assembly may further include a sound attenuation chamber connected to the vacuum source. The sound attenuation chamber may include an attenuation housing at least partially defining a chamber interior volume being positioned to receive at least a portion of the vacuum flow from the vacuum source and attenuate sound generated by the vacuum source.

There is described a packing member for use in a packed bed, preferably a support for use as a catalyst support in a packed bed reactor. The packing member comprises ceramic material and has a geometric surface area per volume of ?0.7 cm.sup.2/cm.sup.3 and a side crush strength of ?250 kgf; or a geometric surface area per volume of ?1.5 cm.sup.2/cm.sup.3 and a side crush strength of ?150 kgf; or a geometric surface area per volume of ?3 cm.sup.2/cm.sup.3 and a side crush strength of ?60 kgf. The packing member optionally has a porosity of at least 6%, such as at least 15% or at least 20%.

A method for facilitating the distribution of the flow of one or more streams within a bed vessel is provided. Disposed within the bed vessel are internal materials and structures including multiple operating zones. One type of operating zone can be a processing zone composed of one or more beds of solid processing material. Another type of operating zone can be a treating zone. Treating zones can facilitate the distribution of the one or more streams fed to processing zones. The distribution can facilitate contact between the feed streams and the processing materials contained in the processing zones.

A packing element, for use in mass and/or heat transfer columns or towers through which a gas and/or liquid flows, includes at least one first group of strips having a plurality of exchange surfaces formed by the surfaces of half-wave-shaped and/or wave-shaped strips. The periodic length l1 of a strip of the first group of strips adjoins a second group of strips with a periodic length l2, which are matched to each other in such a way, that the two adjoining strips are in contact with each other at at least one point, enabling a liquid transfer between these two strips. The at least one strip extends from a first end bridge to a second end bridge, wherein the two end bridges run along the transverse direction of the packing element. At least one strip of the packing element is torsioned about a longitudinal torsion line of the packing element.

Filling bodies for the use in unstructured packings. The filling body has a fibre-reinforced carbon flat material. Two strip regions of the carbon flat material, which are separated by a cut, transition into two connecting regions of the carbon flat material.