The Dow Chemical Company

Donald I Townsend

Edward E Timm

Richard H Solem

Victor J Caldecourt

Craig L Werling

Lewis M Brown

Paul J Vona, Jr

The accelerating rate calorimeter disclosed herein is an instrument designed for accurately determining the adiabatic thermal runaway characteristics of reactive chemicals. The mode of operation involves measuring the adiabatic self-heat rate of exothermic chemical reactions to determine the acceleration of the reaction rate as a function of temperature. The basic instrument includes a sample vessel which is positioned inside a reaction chamber. The environment surrounding the sample vessel is a gas, such as air, or an inert gas, or it can be a vacuum environment. Separate heater means are provided for heating the reaction chamber and the sample vessel. During the exothermic reaction of the chemical in the sample vessel, the temperature of the reaction chamber and the sample vessel are continuously monitored by separate temperature sensing means. Electronic controls sense any temperature differential between the sample vessel and the reaction chamber and adjust the temperature to maintain the desired adiabatic condition for the sample vessel. The data regarding time, temperature, and self-heat rate is automatically recorded by a computer system as the reaction proceeds. This data can be used to determine the adiabatic kinetics describing the reaction. In addition, by relating the experimental time to maximum rate, as a function of temperature, the thermal runaway potential of the reactive chemical can be determined at any temperature point in the experimental range, or, by extrapolation, at any lower temperature.

Accelerating rate calorimeter and method of operation

The diesel engine of this invention is designed to operate on more than one fuel composition. The auto ignition temperature of each fuel composition can be the same, or it can be different. As a typical example, the engine can be operated using diesel fuel oil, as the primary fuel, and a chlorinated hydrocarbon waste liquid, as the secondary fuel. The waste liquid, which has a higher auto ignition temperature than the diesel fuel, is injected into the combustion chamber of the engine an instant before injection of the diesel fuel. Because of its lower auto ignition temperature, the diesel fuel will ignite first and thus provide a 'spark' for igniting the secondary fuel.

Diesel engine with dual fuel injection system and method of operation

A method is disclosed for producing hydrohalic acids, using a Diesel engine for a reactor. In a typical operation for producing hydrochloric acid, the engine fuel is a liquid phase mixture containing a hydrocarbon, such as Diesel fuel oil, and one or more halogenated organic compounds, such as carbon tetrachloride and propylene dichloride. The liquid phase fuel is injected into the combustion chamber of the engine, where it is vaporized, ignited and burned. In the resulting combustion reaction, hydrochloric acid is formed as a vapor phase. The acid can then be recovered as a vapor phase or an aqueous solution.

Method for producing hydrohalic acids in a diesel engine

It is common practice to discharge waste vapors from certain chemical processes into the atmosphere. Many of these vapors, usually referred to as 'vent gases', contain compounds which are considered to be pollutants in the atmosphere. In this invention the vent gases are oxidized in the combustion chamber of a Diesel engine before release to the atmosphere. The oxidation step reduces the concentration of noxious compounds in the vapor to a level acceptable for atmospheric discharge.

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Midland, MI, United States of America

Donald I Townsend