Alcan International Limited

Other

Novelis, Inc.

John A Hunter

Geoffrey M Scamans

Wilfred B O'Callaghan

Jonathan Ball

Robert P Hamlen

David Skingley Wright

Paul A Wycliffe

Peter Karl Limbach

Christopher John Davenport

Daniel B Miller

John A Ward

There is provided a method of texturing a metal sheet or strip (), which method comprises a plurality of sequential texturing passes each of which is performed by passing the sheet or strip () between at least one pair of rollers (), wherein at least one of each pair of rollers () has a textured pattern on the surface thereof and the textured patterns are transferred to the sheet or strip () during each texturing pass, and wherein the textured surface on the sheet or strip () resulting from each pass overlaps with that from the one or more other passes to form a final textured pattern. There is also provided an apparatus for texturing a metal sheet or strip ().

Method and apparatus for texturing a metal sheet or strip

A dual fuel gasification-combustion system (44)with multi-stage fluidised bed gasifier (32)for complete carbon conversion of the input fuel using single or combineable oxidants and sulphur sorbents to produce a clean fuel gas and combustion gas at any pressure for use with boilers gas turbines,or, combined cycle gas-steam turbines.The application (44) for combined cycle power includes a multi-stage gasifier (32)with design number of stages to maximise carbon conversion of input liquid or solid fuels being connected to a gas turbine (53)via gas cleaners (45),(47)and afterburner (46)to produce a clean combustion gas entering the gas turbine. The system has coolant conduits (6) in the gasifier and in the afterburner at (50) and generated steam from the boiler (54) for the steam turbine (51). The system also includes fuel storage and delivery system (38) and storage and seperation unit (39) for seperation of carbon from ash and spent sorbent,the latter regenerated for re-use in the gasifier or for disposal;booster burners (59) as alternative to burn off minor amounts of carbon from seperation unit (39).Embodiments of the system are described with accompanying drawings.

Dual fuel fluidised bed gasification/combustion system

Electrochemically roughening aluminum metal sheet

Aluminium battery with electrolyte circulation means

A gasification/combustion system (10) for the gasification/combustion of non-gaseous fuels with single or combinable oxidants and sulphur sorbants is described. The system (10) includes a rotary fluidized bed gasifier (12) for gasifying a non-gaseous fuel, the outlet of the gasifier (12) being connected to a gas turbine (14) through gas cleaners (46,50) for removing particles from the fuel gas, and an afterburner (16) for burning off the fuel gas to produce combustion gases for supply to a gas turbine (14). The system (10) also includes a steam cooling circuit which is provided to cool the fuel gas flow through system (10) and which includes a steam turbine (26). Embodiments of the system (10) are described with accompanying drawings.

Gasification/combustion system

The invention concerns batteries with aluminium alloy anodes, and generally aqueous alkaline electrolytes and cathodes. The anode in an alloy of Al with an activating element selected from Cd, Sn, Bi, Sb, In, Be, B, Se, Te, P, As, C, Re, Pd, Nb, Si and Zn. When the anode is polarized at a suitable electro-negative potential, typically from -1.8V to -2.3V relative to a Hg/HgO reference electrode, the anode operates in a new state, herein called a hyper-active state, in which the battery operates at a higher voltage and/or hydrogen gas is generated at a higher rate than in conventional aluminium batteries. The hyper-active state is maintained by control of anode potential (typically around -2.0V at a low current densities) and electrolyte hydrodynamics.

Aluminium batteries

An aluminum battery comprises an aqueous alkaline electrolyte and an anode which is an alloy of aluminum containing magnesium and/or calcium. Tin is present in the electrolyte (as stannate at a concentration of 0.001 to 0.01 M) and/or in the anode (at a concentration of at least 0.005%). The batteries operate at high coulombic efficiency at both high and low current densities. Preferred conditions of operation comprise drawing current at an average current density of 5 to 400 mA/cm.sup.2 of anode surface for at least one hour, and introducing seed crystals into the electrolyte to aid precipitation of aluminum values from the electrolyte.

A high amp-hour aluminium battery comprises a cathode, an alkaline electrolyte and at least one massive aluminium anode plate. The electrolyte contains dissolved indium. The anode is an alloy of aluminium with manganese and with one or both of magnesium and calcium and optionally gallium. When operated at a current density below 400 mA/cm.sup.2 particularly in the presence of seed crystals, the battery remains viable during and after aluminium hydroxide precipitation in the electrolyte.

Apparatus for jointing together by socket fusion two plastics pipe lengths, or one plastics pipe length and a plastics fitting comprises

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Banbury, United Kingdom

John A Hunter