A reactor for the synthesis of urea comprising a vertical shell and perforated baffles or trays (3) arranged to define compartments of the reactor, wherein each baffle comprises an array of individual perforated tiles (10) wherein each tile (101) comprises side walls (101A-101D) and a top face (101F), the side walls having first perforations for the liquid and said top face having second perforations for the gas, wherein said second perforations are smaller than said first perforations, and the tiles are distributed over the baffle with a two-dimensional pattern where adjacent tiles are separated by gaps (17).

The contacting device for countercurrent contacting of fluid streams and having a first pair of intersecting grids of spaced-apart and parallel deflector blades and a second pair of intersecting grids of spaced-apart and parallel deflector blades. The deflector blades in each one of the grids are interleaved with the deflector blades in the paired intersecting grid and may have uncut side portions that join them together along a transverse strip where the deflector blades cross each other and cut side portions that extend from the uncut side portions to the ends of the deflector blades. At least some of the deflector blades have directional tabs and associated openings to allow portions of the fluid streams to pass through the deflector blades to facilitate mixing of the fluid streams.

A fill sheet for cooling heat transfer fluid in a cooling tower includes an air intake end, an air outlet end, a top edge and a bottom edge. The air outlet end is positioned opposite the air intake end along a lateral axis. The top edge connects the air intake end and the air outlet end and the bottom edge also connects the air intake end and the air outlet end. The bottom edge is positioned opposite the top edge along a vertical axis. A plurality of flutes extends generally parallel to the lateral axis between the air intake end and the air outlet end. An offset extends generally parallel to the vertical axis. A first flute of the plurality of flutes transitions from a first peak at a first side of the offset to a first valley at a second side of the offset.

A fill sheet for cooling heat transfer fluid in a cooling tower includes an air intake end, an air outlet end, a top edge and a bottom edge. The air outlet end is positioned opposite the air intake end along a lateral axis. The top edge connects the air intake end and the air outlet end and the bottom edge also connects the air intake end and the air outlet end. The bottom edge is positioned opposite the top edge along a vertical axis. A plurality of flutes extends generally parallel to the lateral axis between the air intake end and the air outlet end. An offset extends generally parallel to the vertical axis. A first flute of the plurality of flutes transitions from a first peak at a first side of the offset to a first valley at a second side of the offset.

A catalyst includes a gas-permeable textile sheet material made of noble-metal-containing wire having a three-dimensional secondary structure produced thereon. The secondary structure is a three-dimensional dent structure including dents arranged adjacent to each other in rows in two spatial directions. The dents are in the form of a hexagon. The dent structure is formed by self-organization in a denting process.

A wastewater or sludge treatment fixed film cross-flow distribution media corrugated sheet (84, 84′, 84″) and assemblies (118, 118′, 118″) thereof include corrugations (98, 98′, 98″), angled of about 10° to about 80° to the top and the bottom of the sheet and the assemblies. The sheet has a unitarily formed baffle (100, 100′, 100″) along at least a top portion of an exposed side of the sheet (96, 96′, 96″) or assemblies (130, 130′, 130″) exposed to denser wastewater or sludge outside of the assemblies than within the assemblies that is sufficient, when joined with either a like baffle (100, 100′, 100″) on a like sheet (84, 84′, 84″) or optional substantially planar interstitial sheets (132, 132′, 132″) adjacent the corrugated sheets, to substantially block air used in a sparging system from exiting or the denser wastewater or sludge being treated from entering the exposed side (96, 96′, 96″) of the sheet or the exposed side (130, 130′, 130″) of the assemblies. Beneficial biomass forming biofilm on the surfaces within the assemblies is controlled, effectively treating the wastewater or sludge.

A method for producing plasmonic nanomaterials that are catalytically or photocatalytically active by fabricating plasmonic nanostructures on substrates using electrodeposition into a nano-template structure and forming a plurality of nanorods in an array, wherein the nanorods are made from materials chosen from the group consisting of materials that are plasmonic and/or catalytic, and materials that are catalytically activated by depositing pure elemental metals, alloys, or alternating layers of different metals or alloys, and producing catalytic plasmonic nanomaterials. Catalytic plasmonic nanomaterials made from the above method. An optical reactor device that utilizes catalytic nanomaterials for photocatalytic synthesis of methanol or ammonia. A method of photocatalytic synthesis of methanol and ammonia by using catalytic plasmonic nanomaterial to convert CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 to methanol and N.sub.2 and H.sub.2 to ammonia using optical power. A hybrid plasma-plasmonic reactor for the utilization of CO.sub.2 and CH.sub.4 to produce methanol, ethylene, and acetic acid.

A fill sheet for cooling heat transfer fluid in a cooling tower includes an air intake end, an air outlet end, a top edge and a bottom edge. The air outlet end is positioned opposite the air intake end along a lateral axis. The top edge connects the air intake end and the air outlet end and the bottom edge also connects the air intake end and the air outlet end. The bottom edge is positioned opposite the top edge along a vertical axis. A plurality of flutes extends generally parallel to the lateral axis between the air intake end and the air outlet end. An offset extends generally parallel to the vertical axis. A first flute of the plurality of flutes transitions from a first peak at a first side of the offset to a first valley at a second side of the offset.

A mechanical assembly for securing a first sheet to a second sheet includes a first projection having a first sidewall and a first top wall. The first sidewall extends from the first top wall at a first acute angle. The first sidewall includes a first top end and a first bottom end. A first discontinuity is defined in the first sidewall between the first top end and the first bottom end. A first base wall extends from the first bottom end. The first base wall extends generally parallel to the first top wall.

Current chemical batch processing technology is based on batch reactors, which typically consist of a vessel, in which reactants are processed. The batch reactor comprises a reactor vessel having at least one first thermal transfer element; a removable top cover for sealing the reactor vessel; a baffle component having at least one second thermal transfer element; and an agitator component, wherein each of the at least one first thermal transfer element and the at least one second thermal transfer element is independently controllable, and wherein the batch reactor comprises a thermal transfer surface-to-volume ratio of at least 6:1. This increases the thermal transfer potential and the thermal energy transfer efficiency of the batch reactor, thereby to increase production speed and throughput.