Document 69KdQKKvMkG5N03XZbOaLE3R

X POLYMER CLEANING SYSTEM: Diagram of the "M-Pyrol Snray-Solv" polymer equipment cleaning system, patented by GAF Corporation. The "M-Pyroi" solvent, originally developed by GAF for its economical recovery capability, is said to be now showing timely usefulness in reducing worker contact with hazardous post-polymer residues of vinyl chloride. VCH/3 Residues Said To Decline With Patented GAF Solvent Use GAF Corporation has been issued two patents for post-polymerization uses of an N-a!kyl lactam solvent in polyvinyl chloride reactors, which uses could have significant bearing on efforts to reduce the potential for PVC production worker contact with residual, or escaped, amounts of vinyl chloride monomer. The solvent, N-methyl 2-pyrrolidone and trademarked "M-Pyrel", has been applied by GAF to the development of, first, a highefficiency automated cleaning process for PVC reactors which eliminates the need for human entry into the vessels and permits unique high recoverablity and re-use of the original solvent, and, second, a process for the recovery and purification of vinyl chloride gas venting from PVC reactors. "M-Pyrel" was originally marketed by the company in 1968 as "the closest thing to a universal solvent for thermoplastics a- vailahle'.' Specifically, inquiries were made among PVC producers seeking interest for its use as a highly effective but generally unknown reactor cleanser. According to Rennie Berni, -product manager for acetylene chemicals-solvents at GAF and developer of the solvent and its thermoplastics applications at the compa ny, PVC process engineers expressed little interest originally in the method. Combining with Artisan Industries Inc., of Waltham Mass., GAF developed an ad vanced cleaning system based on "MPyrel" in conjunction with a modified, ver- ticle type, white film evaporator. The proc ess developed by the two companies had the advantage of not only offering PVC en gineers a complete cleaning system but, in addition, had a potentially high solvent re covery capability. The high-efficiency cleaning process eliminated the need for human entry into reactors while improving the quality of cleaning operations and thereby reducing the potential for impurities in, and the product of, subsequent resin mixes. GAF, in 1969-70, again made the rounds of PVC manufacturers with the new "sys tem" but while somewhat more interest was shown, according to Mr. Berni, only two companies agreed to try the new proce dure. The solvent-resin separation rate was Northern Natural Gas Buying LPG Transports Northern Natural Gas Company of Omaha, Neb., has signed contracts with Centromor, the import-export en terprise of the United Polish Shipyards, Poland, for the purchase of two liquefied petroleum gas transport ships. The ships, also able to transport an hydrous ammonia, will cost nearly $100 million. Scheduled for delivery in late 1977, they will be built in Gdynia, Po land. Mr. W. A. Strauss, Chairman of Northern, says the purchase of these ships represents another major move by his company in energy related busi nesses. The carriers will be used to transport LPG from the Mid-East, where the company is actively negotiat ing for supplies, to Houston, Tex., where the company and Texas Eastern Trans mission Corporation have acquired 143 acres of land and are considering the construction of a major LPG terminal. not as high as GAF had hoped at that point, and most producers apparently saw no compelling advantage to the process. However, beginning in the Fall of 1973, Mr. Bernie reports that interest in the "MPyrol" system picked-up dramatically among PVC makers. That was just about the time eariy information on the toxicity, and potential carcinogenicity, of VCM began to circulate. Today, Mr. Berni says that interest in "M-Pyrol" is "accelerat ing" as it becomes apparent that human entry into PVC vats is no longer tolerable. GAF was issued a patent on the cleaning Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) Biotin (Vitamin H) d-Calcium Pantothenate (Vi Cyanocobalamine Crystals i Folic Acid (Vitamin BC or Niacinamide Vitamin PP) Pyridoxine HC! (Vitamin B,-. Riboflavine (Vitamin Q2) Sodium Ascorbate (Vitamin Thiamine HCI and Mononin dl-alpha-Tocopherol Acetatf BFG25631 Fine Reagents ; Biochemical Sp For Laboratory Special Volume Application DCC Ninhydrin n\m Detergent decontarr n_