Anyone know what this is? "Massive mystery machine on I-40 near Asheville" (xpost)

[bananas]

xpost from GD: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1971075

Anyone know what this is? "Massive mystery machine on I-40 near Asheville"

http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20110919/COLUMNISTS09/309190066/Answer-Man-Massive-mystery-machine-40-?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Cimg%7CFrontpage%7Cp

Massive mystery machine on I-40 near Asheville? Answer Man investigates

A motorist snapped this photo of the mystery load that was heading west on I-40 on Aug. 31. It's listed as a "reactor vessel" on the DOT's permit, but little other information is available. / Special to the Citizen-Times

Written by
John Boyle Filed Under
Staff Columnists

<snip>

The photo won't embed, so you'll have to follow the link to see it.

edit to add one paragraph from the article:

Dave Staskelunas, vice president of The Roberts Co., confirmed that the vessel “has nothing to do with the nuclear industry.”

[Davis_X_Machina]

1. Industrial-scale...

...chemical reactions also take place in 'reactor vessels'. The term was borrowed, originally, in the 1940's from the chemical and petro-chemical industries, and the same firms were contracted to fabricate them as in the older industry.

The reactor vessel from Maine Yankee, when decommissioned, had to go out by barge -- it was too big to go by rail and road.

[Cronus Protagonist]

2. Looks like an oil cracking column to me...

http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Fluid_catalytic_cracking

[Gman]

8. That's what it is

[Cirque du So-What]

3. It is a multi-stage chemical reactor

which indeed has nothing to do with the nuclear industry. These vessels are used to contain chemical reactions. To the layperson a multi-stage apparatus like that may appear fearsome.

[madokie]

5. My guess was for refining oil into its separate components

But chemical reactor sounds and looks right to me

[Syrinx]

4. .

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GIchwvJ-aNk/S4GOTQVVazI/AAAAAAAAOnc/meX2cuM3-tg/s800/Mystery+machine+cartoon+version.jpg

[Uben]

6. Don't know but the USSC says it can make political donations

...so it must be "people" too!

[Owlet]

7. It's a giant Overthruster! (nt)

Dr. Emilio Lazardo's been looking for that.

[rosesaylavee]

9. +1000

:rofl: