1. A method for minimizing decomposition of cyanohydrins in an exothermic reaction process involving cyanohydrins and which produces a quantity of heat, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a reaction medium to a tubular reactor containing at least one reaction zone therein and having internal mixing means positioned in said at least one reaction zone;
(b) providing one or more reactants to said tubular reactor;
(c) mixing said reaction medium with said one or more reactants in said at least one reaction zone, thereby forming a bulk reaction mixture having a substantially homogenous composition and a substantially homogenous reaction temperature;
(d) removing a quantity of heat from the exothermic reaction process, said quantity of heat being equivalent to said quantity of heat produced by the exothermic reaction process and
e) reacting said one or more reactants in said at least one reaction zone to produce a mixed product having a bulk temperature.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of removing a quantity of heat is performed by cooling said reaction medium to a temperature between 1\xb0 C. and 10\xb0 C. less than said bulk temperature prior to providing said reaction medium to said tubular reactor.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein said reaction medium and said one or more reactants are provided at a ratio of reaction medium:reactants of between 2:1 and 200:1.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a first one of said one or more reactants is provided to said tubular reactor in at least one of a plurality of points of addition by a plurality of injector devices positioned circumferentially about said tubular reactor apparatus.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of mixing said reaction medium with said one or more reactants is accomplished, at least in part, by selecting and using one or more of said plurality of injector devices to provide said at least a first one of said one or more reactants to said tubular reactor.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a second one of said one or more reactants is provided indirectly to said tubular reactor by first adding said at least a second one of said one or more reactants to said reaction medium prior to providing said reaction medium to said tubular reactor.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein said internal mixing means is at least one device selected from the group consisting of: static mixers, orifice plates, venturis, jet mixers, eductors, perforated plates, spargers, agitators, rotary mixers, high-velocity circulation loops, and spray nozzles.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein said tubular reactor comprises at least two tubular reactors.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein said reaction process involving cyanohydrins is a hydrolysis reaction, a first reactant comprises acetene cyanohydrin, and a second reactant comprises an acid selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid, oluem and mixtures thereof.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the molar ratio of acid:acetone cyanohydrin present in the bulk reaction mixture is in the range of from 1.3:1 to 1.9:1.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein said mixed product of said hydrolysis reaction comprises one or more products selected from the group consisting of: \u03b1-sulfatoisobutyramide, \u03b1-hydroxyisobutyramide, and methacrylamide; said method further comprising the steps of:
(f) thermally converting the mixed product from the hydrolysis reaction in a cracker reactor to produce a cracker reactor mixture comprising methacrylamide and methacrylic acid; and
(g) reacting the cracker reactor mixture in at least one reactor with a material selected from alkanol and water to produce a monomer selected from methacrylic acid and esters thereof.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A trailer jack system for engaging ground to raise and support a trailer, said trailer jack system comprising, in combination:
an electric linear actuator securable to the trailer and having an electric motor;
wherein the electric linear actuator includes a vertically extending housing, vertically extending leg coaxially extending and retracting from a bottom of the housing to engage and disengage the ground, and a mounting bracket for securing the housing to the trailer;
wherein a total travel of the electric linear actuator includes a free travel portion when linear actuator is disengaged from the ground so that the electric linear actuator is unloaded and a work travel portion when the linear actuator is engaged with the ground so that the electric linear actuator is loaded;
a source of electric power operably connected to the electric motor;
a controller operably connecting the electric motor and the source of electric power so that a first voltage is automatically supplied to the electric motor when the electric linear actuator is traveling in the free travel portion and a second voltage is automatically supplied to the electric motor when the electric linear actuator is traveling in the work travel portion;
an operator input switch which can be released while the electric linear actuator is traveling in the free travel portion and the electric linear actuator will continue to travel in the free travel portion but the input switch must be continuously depressed while the electric linear actuator is traveling in the work travel portion in order for the electric linear actuator to continue traveling in the work travel portion; and
wherein the first voltage is greater than the second voltage.
2. The electric linear actuator system according to claim 1, wherein the source of electric power is a battery.
3. The trailer jack system according to claim 1, wherein the first voltage is about twice the second voltage.
4. The trailer jack system according to claim 3, wherein the first voltage is about 24 volts and the second voltage is about 12 volts.
5. The trailer jack system according to claim 1, wherein the controller supplies the first voltage to the electric motor when a motor current of the electric motor is below a predetermined threshold value.
6. The trailer jack system according to claim 5, wherein the controller supplies the second voltage to the electric motor when the motor current of the electric motor is above the predetermined threshold value.
7. The trailer jack system according to claim 1, wherein the controller supplies the second voltage to the electric motor when a motor current of the electric motor is above a predetermined threshold value.
8. The trailer jack system according to claim 1, wherein the controller includes means for determining whether the electric linear actuator unloaded.
9. The trailer jack system according to claim 8, wherein the determining means includes a motor current indicator.
10. The trailer jack system according to claim 1, wherein the housing is cylindrically shaped.
11. A trailer jack system for engaging ground to raise and support a trailer, said trailer jack system comprising, in combination:
an electric linear actuator securable to the trailer and having an electric motor;
wherein the electric linear actuator includes a vertically extending, cylindrically shaped housing, a leg coaxially extending and retracting from a bottom of the housing, a mounting bracket for securing the housing to the trailer, and a support foot at a free lower end of the leg;
a source of electric power operably connected to the electric motor;
wherein a total travel of the electric linear actuator includes a free travel portion when the support foot is disengaged from the ground so that the electric linear actuator is unloaded and a work travel portion when the support foot is engaged with the ground so that the electric linear actuator is loaded;
a controller operably connecting the electric motor and the source of electric power so that a first voltage is automatically supplied to the electric motor when the electric linear actuator is traveling in the free travel portion and a second voltage is automatically supplied to the electric motor when the electric linear actuator is traveling in the work travel portion;
an operator input switch which can be released while the electric linear actuator is traveling in the free travel portion and the electric linear actuator will continue to travel in the free travel portion but the input switch must be continuously depressed while the electric linear actuator is traveling in the work travel portion in order for the electric linear actuator to continue traveling in the work travel portion;
wherein the controller supplies the first voltage to the electric motor when a motor current of the electric motor is below a predetermined threshold value and supplies the second voltage to the electric motor when the motor current is above the predetermined threshold value; and
wherein the first voltage is about 24 volts and the second voltage is about 12 volts.
12. The trailer jack system according to claim 1, wherein the electric linear actuator includes a support foot at a free lower end of the leg.