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Return to Abstracts of Literature 1500-1749

Literature Abstracts

 1630.    JONES, A. L.  Liquid Thermal Diffusion – a Continuous Separation Process.  Petrol. Processing, vol. 6, No. 2, 1951, pp. 131-135.

        Liquid thermal diffusion is a process in which a mixture of liquids is passed through the slit formed by 2 smooth, parallel surfaces in close proximity of about 1/32 or 1/16 in.  One of the surfaces is heated, and the other is cooled so that a temperature gradient exists across the slit.  Because of the temperature gradient and the thermal convection currents set up in the liquid, some types of molecules preferentially concentrate near the hot wall and are moved to the top of the slit while other types concentrate near the cold wall and are moved to the bottom of the slit.  The exact mechanism is not known as yet.  It appears, however, that the direction and degree of concentration are dependent upon the relative shapes of the molecules present in the mixtures.  Separations can be made of compounds having the same molecular weights or identical boiling points.  Even isomers have been separated.  The effects of variables such as column height, slit width, and temperature are discussed.  The process is covered by United States Patents 2,541,069, 2,541,070, and 2,541,071.

        JONES, H. O.  See abs. 700.

       JONES, H. R.  See abs. 15a.