Author: claimsbot

1. A process for the manufacture of \u03b1,\u03b1-branched carboxylic acid vinyl esters comprising:
converting a propylene oligomer olefin feed with CO and water under Koch reaction conditions and wherein the propylene oligomer olefin feed has an isomer ratio of (BR1+BR2)BR3=Ya above 20, with BR1=weight of propylene oligomer olefin with one branching alkyl group, BR2=weight of propylene oligomer olefin with two branching alkyl groups and BR3=weight of propylene oligomer olefin with three or more branching alkyl groups to make an acid with a ratio of Non Blocking isomers (NB) versus Blocking isomers (B) of NBB above 1.5, where the \u03b1 carbon atom is always quaternary, the carbon atom(s) in \u03b2 position can either be secondary, tertiary, or quaternary, acids with a tertiary or a quaternary carbon atoms in the \u03b2 position are defined as blocking isomers,
converting the resulting acids into vinyl esters.
2. The process of claim 1 wherein the propylene olefin feed is mainly a trimer of propylene or mainly a tetramer of propylene.
3. The process of claim 1 wherein the resulting acid is reacted with acetylene in presence of a zinc catalyst.
4. The process of claim 3 wherein the propylene oligomer is mainly a trimer of propylene with Ya composition and wherein the resulting acids are reacted with acetylene in presence of a zinc salt to produce vinyl esters of branched carboxylic acids with a copolymer Tg of 26.5\xb0 C. or lower.
5. A copolymer comprising of the vinyl esters produced according to claim 1.
6. A process for the manufacture of \u03b1,\u03b1-branched carboxylic acids comprising:
converting a propylene oligomer olefin feed with CO and water under Koch reaction conditions and wherein the propylene oligomer olefin feed has an isomer ratio of (BR1+BR2)BR3=Ya above 20, with BR1=weight of propylene oligomer olefin with one branching alkyl group, BR2=weight of propylene oligomer olefin with two branching alkyl groups and BR3=weight of propylene oligomer olefin with three or more branching alkyl groups to make an acid with a ratio of Non Blocking isomers (NB) versus Blocking isomers (B) of NBB above 1.5, where the \u03b1 carbon atom is always quaternary, the carbon atom(s) in \u03b2 position can either be secondary, tertiary, or quaternary, acids with a tertiary or a quaternary carbon atoms in the \u03b2 position are defined as blocking isomers.
7. The process of any one of claim 1, wherein the resulting acid is reacted with acetylene in presence of a zinc catalyst with a throughput of the reaction of at least 5.3 tonhour.

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 bioreactor comprising:
a culture drum in which microorganisms are cultured;
a supplier for supplying a culture solution, and organic and inorganic media to the culture drum, the supplier including a supply tube connected to an upper side of the culture drum, and a pump connected to the supply tube for supplying the culture solution to the culture drum;
an agitator for agitating the culture solution by spraying air to the culture solution in the culture drum, the air being supplied from an air blower, wherein the sprayed air provides a controlled circulation pattern for the culture solution; and
a thermostatic controller for controlling a temperature of the culture solution and disinfecting the interior of the culture drum, the thermostatic controller including at least a heater provided in the culture drum, and a heater controller;
wherein the agitator includes an air supply hose which is vertically provided along the sidewall of the culture drum and connected to the air blower; two branch lines which are extended from the air supply hose to the inside of the culture drum through the sidewall of the culture drum; an upper and a lower ring-shaped injection pipe which are provided at the end of the branch lines; a first group of injection nozzles which are located at the outer surface of the upper injection pipe, and are extended from the outward direction to the downward direction along the outer circumference of the ring-shaped injection pipe; and a second group of injection nozzles which are located at the outer surface of the lower injection pipe, and are extended from the inward direction to the upward direction along the outer circumference of the ring-shaped injection pipe.
2. The bioreactor of claim 1, wherein a heat shield material is attached to the outer surface of the culture drum.
3. The bioreactor of claim 1, wherein the thermostatic controller includes a low temperature heater for effecting a temperature condition needed for culturing by being heated to less than 60\xb0 C., and a high temperature heater for disinfecting the culture solution by being heated to more than 60\xb0 C.
4. The bioreactor of claim 2, wherein the heat shield material is polyurethane.
5. The bioreactor of claim 1, wherein the controlled circulation pattern includes the rising of the culture solution in the center of the culture drum and lowering of the culture solution near the walls of the culture drum.

1. An iron-type golf club head comprising:
a body having a face; and
a toe column on the face having a plurality of first scorelines;
a center column on the face having a plurality of second scorelines;
a heel column on the face having a plurality of third scorelines;
wherein each scoreline of the plurality of second scorelines is dislocated and shifted perpendicular to an adjacent scoreline of the plurality of first scorelines and the plurality of third scorelines by up to 0.0375 inch;
wherein the face has an amount of face area less than 0.12 square inches between a bottom perimeter of the face and each bottom scoreline of the plurality of first scorelines, the plurality of second scorelines and the plurality of third scorelines.
2. The iron-type golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the iron-type golf club head has a body composed of stainless steel, titanium alloy, carpenter steel, or any combination thereof.
3. An iron-type golf club head comprising:
a body having a face; and
a toe column on the face having a plurality of first scorelines;
a center column on the face having a plurality of second scorelines;
a heel column on the face having a plurality of third scorelines;
wherein each scoreline of the plurality of second scorelines is dislocated and shifted perpendicular to an adjacent scoreline of the plurality of first scorelines and the plurality of third scorelines by up to 0.0375 inch;
wherein the face has an amount of face area less than 0.12 square inches between a bottom perimeter of the face and each bottom scoreline of the plurality of first scorelines, the plurality of second scorelines and the plurality of third scorelines;
wherein parallel scorelines within each column of the toe column, the center column and the heel column have a parallel spacing greater than 0.075 inch.
4. The iron-type golf club head according to claim 3 wherein the body is composed of stainless steel, titanium alloy, carpenter steel, or any combination 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 method for the production of synthetic rutile from feedstock including ilmenite, leucoxene or titania slag including the steps of:
roasting the feedstock to enhance its leachability;
leaching said roasted feedstock in hot acid in a continuous manner in a substantially vertical co-current tubular reactor under substantially plug flow conditions.
2. A method for the production of synthetic rutile from feedstock including ilmenite, leucoxene or titania slag including the steps of:
roasting the feedstock to enhance its leachability;
cooling the roasted feedstock under anaerobic conditions;
magnetically separating the cooled feedstock from any non or very weakly magnetic gangue mineral;
leaching said separated feedstock in hot acid in a continuous manner in a co-current substantially vertical tubular reactor under substantially plug flow conditions.
3. A method for the production of synthetic rutile from feedstock including ilmenite, leucoxene or titania slag as claimed in claim 1, wherein the feedstock is roasted in a multi-step process so as to oxidise the feedstock at a temperature in excess of 600\xb0 C. for at least 30 minutes whereby the iron present in the feedstock or at least a substantial portion thereof is converted from the divalent state to the trivalent state and subsequently reducing the thus oxidised feedstock in a separate stage at a similar temperature for at least 10 minutes so as to convert a substantial portion of the iron from the trivalent state to the divalent state.
4. A method for the production of synthetic rutile from feedstock including ilmenite, leucoxene or titania slag, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the roasted feedstock is cooled to below 200\xb0 C. so as to prevent re-oxidation on exposure to the atmosphere.
5. A method for the production of synthetic rutile from feedstock including ilmenite, leucoxene or titania slag as claimed in claim 2, wherein said acid used in the leaching step includes a mineral acid including sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid or hydrochloric acid of superazeotropic strength.
6. A method for the production of synthetic rutile from feedstock including ilmenite, leucoxene or titania slag as claimed in claim 5, further including, after leaching, the steps of filtration, drying, calcination and magnetic separation of the solid product.
7. A method for the production of synthetic rutile from feedstock including ilmenite, leucoxene or titania slag as claimed in claim 6, wherein the leaching step is carried out with hot acid that is at a temperature near to the boiling point for the acid and at substantially atmospheric pressure at both the feed and discharge ends of the reactor.
8. A method for the production of synthetic rutile from feedstock including ilmenite, leucoxene or titania slag as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hot acid is hydrochloric acid and is input to said reactor within the range 18% ww to 35% ww strength and at a temperature greater than or equal to 90\xb0 C.
9. A method for the production of synthetic rutile from feedstock including ilmenite, leucoxene or titania slag as claimed in claim 2 wherein the feedstock is roasted in a multi-step process so as to oxidise the feedstock at a temperature in excess of 600\xb0 C. for at least 30 minutes whereby the iron present in the feedstock or at least a substantial portion thereof is converted from the divalent state to the trivalent state and subsequently reducing the thus oxidised feedstock in a separate stage at a similar temperature for at least 10 minutes so as to convert a substantial portion of the iron from the trivalent state to the divalent state.
10. A method for the production of synthetic rutile from feedstock including ilmenite, leucoxene or titania slag as claimed in claim 2, wherein said reactor includes a plurality of substantially vertical tubes inter-connected in a continuous manner; input means for inputting leaching reagent and said potentiated feedstock; output means for outputting solid and liquid products from an end of said plurality of tubes; said output means being at a lower hydrostatic pressure than said input means whereby flow is driven from said input means to said output means; said reactor being configured to maintain said flow under substantially plug flow conditions.
11. A method for the production of synthetic rutile from feedstock including ilmenite, leucoxene or titania slag as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said hot acid is hydrochloric acid and is input to said reactor within the range 18% ww to 35% ww strength and at a temperature greater than or equal to 90\xb0 C.
12. A method for the production of synthetic rutile from feedstock including ilmenite, leucoxene or titania slag as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reactor includes a plurality of substantially vertical tubes inter-connected in a continuous manner; means for inputting leaching reagent and said potentiated feedstock; output means for outputting solid and liquid products from an end of said plurality of tubes; said output means being at a lower hydrostatic pressure than said input means whereby flow is driven from said input means to said output means; said reactor being configured to maintain said flow under substantially plug flow conditions.
13. A method for the production of synthetic rutile from feedstock including ilmenite, leucoxene or titania slag as claimed in claim 12, wherein said leaching in hot acid is maintained at an elevated temperature close to the boiling point thereof and at atmospheric pressure.
14. A method for the production of synthetic rutile from feedstock including ilmenite, leucoxene or titania slag as claimed in claim 13, wherein said hot acid is hydrochloric acid and is input to said reactor within the range 18% ww to 35% ww strength and at a temperature greater than or equal to 90\xb0 C.
15. A method for the production of synthetic rutile from feedstock including ilmenite, leucoxene or titania slag as claimed in claim 7, wherein said hot acid is hydrochloric acid and is input to said reactor within the range 18% ww to 35% ww strength and at a temperature greater than or equal to 90\xb0 C.
16. A method according to claim 12, wherein the leaching reactor includes a plurality of downcomers and risers connected alternatively in series, and wherein said downcomers have larger diameters than a diameter of adjacent risers.
17. A method according to claim 12, wherein the leaching reactor includes a plurality of downcomers and risers connected alternatively in series, and wherein a path length of said downcomers is greater than a path length of adjacent risers.