Volatile siloxanes, particularly those of a cyclic nature, are removed from high viscosity silicone polymers and high viscosity silicone compositions by evaporation in a short path evaporator.

A system and method removes thermal decomposition components from biphenyl and/or diphenyl oxide-based heat transfer fluids. Light, volatile decomposition components including benzene, water, hydrogen and phenol leave the system for vapor recovery, chemical adsorption or thermal decomposition. Dimerized and polymerized heavy components such as biphenyl phenyl ether, terphenyl and related isomers are concentrated and recovered. The system can be a continuous, semi-continuous or batch operation. Solar electric plants employing the system can use solar field fluids and heating to operate the system during generator operation hours. A wash system operating at or near atmospheric pressure concentrates heavy thermal decomposition components while allowing removal of light, volatile decomposition components for separation from the majority of the thermal fluid components. Temperature-controlled condensation of the majority of the thermal fluid components allows collection of the thermal fluid, while allowing light, volatile decomposition components to be removed prior to vent processing.

Method and device for the preparation of monophasic powders of actinide salts which are precursors in the production of fuel pellets. In one aspect, a compact and simple device is provided to obtain dry monophasic powders of actinide salts in one stage, while increasing the productivity, chemical and nuclear safety of the process. In a second aspect, the method comprises feeding of nitric actinides-containing solution and formic acid to a cylindrical healed reactor, grinding the resulting powder, and disc hanging the powder. The nitric actinides-containing solution and formic acid are continuously metered to the upper zone of the reactor so that the reactive chemicals are mixed in a thin film on the heat-exchange surface, where the reaction mixture is continuously stirred by rotor blades. Also occurring are the processes of denitration, formation of the relevant compounds, their drying and grinding and collecting dry salts of actinides in a hopper by gravity.

In accordance with one embodiment, a processing device includes a heated internal wall and a rotating rod positioned within an interior space formed by the heated internal wall. The rotating rod may be hollow and act as an internal heat exchanger. The processing device also includes a plurality of baffles spaced apart from one another along the rotating rod and extending away from the rotating rod towards the heated internal wall. The plurality of baffles or porous, packed basket that rotates with the rotating rod that also may be configured to provide cooling relative to the heated internal wall. The processing device also includes at least one wiper or roller coupled to an edge of at least one of the plurality of baffles or porous, packed basket, coupled to the rotating rod and that contacts the heated internal wall while rotating together with the rotating rod. In another embodiment, a processing device may be used to adsorb reactive gases into a liquid phase while heat is exchanged.

Vacuum distillation apparatus and methods are provided. In an embodiment, an apparatus is provided that includes an evaporation chamber having a bottom flow rate control (FRC) surface that is curved to provide multiple flow rates to a solution as it flows across the bottom surface. The apparatus also includes a wiper that is curved to match the curve of the bottom FRC surface and wipes the bottom FRC surface to distribute the solution. A heater heats the bottom FRC surface to evaporate one or more components from the moving solution.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a bis(fluorosulfonyl)amide alkali metal salt powder having high purity while suppressing reduction in yield due to thermal decomposition, etc. The method for producing a bis(fluorosulfonyl)amide alkali metal salt powder according to the present invention comprises precipitating a bis(fluorosulfonyl)amide alkali metal salt by conducting distillation using a thin-film evaporator while adding a poor solvent for the bis(fluorosulfonyl)amide alkali metal salt such as an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent and a linear or branched aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent to a solution formed by dissolving the bis(fluorosulfonyl)amide alkali metal salt in a good solvent for the bis(fluorosulfonyl)amide alkali metal salt such as an ester solvent and nitrile solvent.

A multi-functional slurry processing system (“VARCOR”) and associated methods is disclosed. The present examples provide a multi-functional slurry processing system incorporating systems and methods for separating liquid and solid components in slurries. In particular the systems and methods described herein produce clean water, dried solids, and potential concentration of desirable constituents with a boiling point lower than water. At least one example of the multi-functional slurry processing system provides a self-contained processing facility configured to efficiently convert high water-content slurries into its constituent solid and liquid fractions and subsequently generating and collecting clean water and concentrating desirable constituents with a boiling point lower than water. The multi-functional slurry processing system advantageously applies thermodynamic principles in a system which may include various combinations of a preheater, a degassing unit, a dryer, a steam filter, a compressor, a concentrating tower, and a condensation unit.

Methods of making a powdered milk product are described. The methods may include providing an aqueous milk-sourced mixture, and evaporating water from the aqueous milk-sourced mixture to produce an evaporated milk-sourced mixture having a total solids concentration of 35 wt. % or more. The evaporated milk-sourced mixture may be dried to form the powdered milk product, which may have less than 6 wt. % water. Systems for making the milk powdered product are also described. The systems may include an evaporator to evaporate water from a supply of a milk-sourced mixture to form an evaporated milk-sourced mixture. They may also include a dryer to dry the evaporated milk-sourced mixture and atomize it into the powdered milk product.

A system that uses thermal addition, particle size reduction, increasing surface area, pressure reduction and kinetic energy increases to vaporize and dewater wastewater and/or sludge and/or other liquids mixed with entrained solids to produce a cleaned water condensate and a dewatered solid product. The wastewater and/or sludge enters a cylindrical drum through a rotary entrance valve. A rotating hammermill inside a drum with an exterior thermal jacket pulverizes the entering wastewater or sludge with rotating blades that keep the pulverized product against the inside of the drum's inside surface to vaporize water to separate it from solids. The vaporized water is condensed and discharged from the system and a solid product exits the drum via rotary valves. A vacuum is maintained on the drum to enhance the system.

A method for separating a volume of salt from a volume of seawater and producing a volume of fresh water. The method includes steps of: providing a support structure and at least one set of colanders of a separation assembly inside of the vessel of an apparatus, heating the volume of seawater, via at least one heating tube assembly of the apparatus, inside of the vessel; evaporating the volume of seawater to a volume of steam inside of the vessel; separating a volume of salt from the volume of seawater, via at least one set of colanders of a separation assembly of the apparatus, inside of the vessel; eliminating water droplets and the salt from the volume of steam, via at least one mist evaporator, inside of the vessel; and converting the volume of steam into a volume of fresh water, via at least one condenser, remote from the apparatus.