Patents Assigned to Tetronics Limited
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Publication number: 20120186967Abstract: A process for the treatment of waste, the process comprising either a gasification step or a pyrolysis step to produce an offgas and a non-airborne, solid char material; followed by a plasma treatment step. An associated apparatus having a plasma treatment unit which is separate from the gasification unit or pyrolysis unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2012Publication date: July 26, 2012Applicant: TETRONICS LIMITEDInventors: Chris Chapman, David Ovens, David Deegan, Saeed Ismail
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Publication number: 20120124960Abstract: A process for the treatment of waste, the process comprising either a gasification step or a pyrolysis step to produce an offgas and a non-airborne, solid char material; followed by a a plasma treatment step. An associated apparatus having a plasma treatment unit which is separate from the gasification unit or pyrolysis unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2012Publication date: May 24, 2012Applicant: Tetronics LimitedInventors: Chris Chapman, David Ovens, David Deegan, Saeed Ismail
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Patent number: 8062616Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for treating spent pot liner material (SPL) containing carbon and/or an inorganic material, the method comprising: providing a plasma furnace having first and second electrodes for generating plasma and a crucible having a non-electrically conductive inner surface, heating the SPL material in the crucible in the presence of a flux material and an oxidant by passing an arc between the first and second electrodes via the SPL material to form a molten slag material and convert at least some of the carbon in the SPL material to CO and/or CO2 and/or incorporate at least some of the inorganic material into the molten slag material.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2008Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Tetronics LimitedInventors: Chris Chapman, Hao Ly, David Deegan
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Publication number: 20110274580Abstract: The present invention relates to a method, and apparatus for the recovery of precious metals. Accordingly, it provides a continuous process for obtaining a precious metal composition from a feedstock material, the process comprising the steps of: (i) heating a feedstock material in a plasma furnace to form an upper slag layer and a lower molten metal layer; (ii) removing the slag layer; (iii) removing the molten metal layer; (iv) allowing the removed molten metal layer to solidify; (v) fragmenting the solidified metal layer to form fragments; and (vi) recovering a precious metal composition from the fragments; wherein the feedstock material comprises a precious metal containing material and a collector metal, said collector metal being a metal or an alloy that is capable of forming a solid solution, an alloy or an intermetallic compound with one or more precious metals. This allows for high recovery yields of precious metals.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2009Publication date: November 10, 2011Applicant: TETRONICS LIMITEDInventors: David Deegan, Tim Johnson
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Publication number: 20100137671Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for treating spent pot liner material (SPL) containing carbon and/or an inorganic material, the method comprising: providing a plasma furnace having first and second electrodes for generating plasma and a crucible having a non-electrically conductive inner surface, heating the SPL material in the crucible in the presence of a flux material and an oxidant by passing an arc between the first and second electrodes via the SPL material to form a molten slag material and convert at least some of the carbon in the SPL material to CO and/or CO2 and/or incorporate at least some of the inorganic material into the molten slag material.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2008Publication date: June 3, 2010Applicant: TETRONICS LIMITEDInventors: Chris Chapman, Hao Ly, David Deegan
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Patent number: 7727460Abstract: A plasma arc reactor and process for producing a powder from a solid feed material, for example aluminium, is provided. The reactor comprises: (a) a first electrode (5), (b) a second electrode (10) which is adapted to be spaced apart from the first electrode by a distance sufficient to achieve a plasma arc therebetween, (c) means for introducing a plasma gas into the space between the first and second electrodes, (d) means for generating a plasma arc in the space between the first and second electrodes, wherein the first electrode has a channel (7) running therethrough, an outlet of the channel exiting into the space between the first and second electrodes, and wherein means are provided for feeding solid material (20) through the channel to exit therefrom via the outlet into the space between the first and second electrodes.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2005Date of Patent: June 1, 2010Assignee: Tetronics LimitedInventors: David Edward Deegan, Chris David Chapman, Timothy Paul Johnson
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Publication number: 20100115961Abstract: A process for the treatment of waste, the process comprising either a gasification step or a pyrolysis step to produce an offgas and a non-airborne, solid char material; followed by a plasma treatment step. An associated apparatus having a plasma treatment unit which is separate from the gasification unit or pyrolysis unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2010Publication date: May 13, 2010Applicant: TETRONICS LIMITEDInventors: Chris Chapman, David Ovens, David Deegan, Saeed Ismail
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Publication number: 20100078409Abstract: A method for treating hazardous waste comprising: providing a plasma reactor, waste to be treated and a glass-forming host slag material; contacting within the plasma reactor the waste and the host slag material; and treating the waste and the host slag material using a plasma treatment to melt the host slag material and incorporate inorganic components of the waste within the host slag material, wherein the plasma is generated using an arc and the arc is passed through the host slag material.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2007Publication date: April 1, 2010Applicant: TETRONICS LIMITEDInventors: David Deegan, Chris Chapman, Saeed Ismail
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Publication number: 20100069698Abstract: A method for treating nuclear sludge comprising subjecting the nuclear sludge to a plasma treatment in a plasma chamber to melt at least some of the inorganic components of the sludge, wherein the plasma chamber comprises a crucible having a cooled inner surface, this surface cooled sufficiently such that the inorganic components in contact with the inner surface are in a solid state and form a barrier between the part of surface of the crucible with which they are in contact and the molten inorganic components of the sludge.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2007Publication date: March 18, 2010Applicant: TETRONICS LIMITEDInventors: David Deegan, Chris Chapman, Saeed Ismail
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Publication number: 20080097137Abstract: The present invention provides a process for the treatment of waste, the process comprising a gasification step comprising treating the waste in a gasification unit in the presence of oxygen and steam to produce an offgas and a char, and a plasma treatment step comprising subjecting the offgas and the char to a plasma treatment in a plasma treatment unit in the presence of oxygen and steam. An apparatus for carrying out the process is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2006Publication date: April 24, 2008Applicant: TETRONICS LIMITEDInventors: Chris Chapman, David Ovens, David Deegan, Saeed Ismail
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Publication number: 20060107789Abstract: A plasma arc reactor and process for producing a powder from a solid feed material, for example aluminium, is provided. The reactor comprises: (a) a first electrode (5), (b) a second electrode (10) which is adapted to be spaced apart from the first electrode by a distance sufficient to achieve a plasma arc therebetween, (c) means for introducing a plasma gas into the space between the first and second electrodes, (d) means for generating a plasma arc in the space between the first and second electrodes, wherein the first electrode has a channel (7) running therethrough, an outlet of the channel exiting into the space between the first and second electrodes, and wherein means are provided for feeding solid material (20) through the channel to exit therefrom via the outlet into the space between the first and second electrodes.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2005Publication date: May 25, 2006Applicant: TETRONICS LIMITEDInventors: David Deegan, Chris Chapman, Timothy Johnson
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Publication number: 20060096417Abstract: A plasma arc reactor and process for producing a powder from a solid feed material, for example aluminium, is provided. The reactor comprises: (a) a first electrode (5), (b) a second electrode (10) which is adapted to be spaced apart from the first electrode by a distance sufficient to achieve a plasma arc therebetween, (c) means for introducing a plasma gas into the space between the first and second electrodes, (d) means for generating a plasma arc in the space between the first and second electrodes, wherein the first electrode has a channel (7) running therethrough, an outlet of the channel exiting into the space between the first and second electrodes, and wherein means are provided for feeding solid material (20) through the channel to exit therefrom via the outlet into the space between the first and second electrodes.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2005Publication date: May 11, 2006Applicant: TETRONICS LIMITEDInventors: David Deegan, Chris Chapman, Timothy Johnson
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Patent number: 7022155Abstract: A plasma arc reactor and process for producing a powder from a solid feed material, for example aluminium, is provided. The reactor comprises: (a) a first electrode (5), (b) a second electrode (10) which is adapted to be spaced apart from the first electrode by a distance sufficient to achieve a plasma arc therebetween, (c) means for introducing a plasma gas into the space between the first and second electrodes, (d) means for generating a plasma arc in the space between the first and second electrodes, wherein the first electrode has a channel (7) running therethrough, an outlet of the channel exiting into the space between the first and second electrodes, and wherein means are provided for feeding solid material (20) through the channel to exit therefrom via the outlet into the space between the first and second electrodes.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2001Date of Patent: April 4, 2006Assignee: Tetronics LimitedInventors: David Edward Deegan, Chris David Chapman, Timothy Paul Johnson
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Patent number: 6796107Abstract: The apparatus comprises a powder dispenser portion with an outlet port which opens into a loading chamber. A slide gate valve assembly selectively closes the port and a disc valve assembly is provided above the slide gate valve assembly. Containers are loaded into the loading chamber and are located beneath the port and are then purged with inert gas. The slide gate valve assembly and disc valve assembly are then opened to allow container to be filled with ultra fine powder.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2002Date of Patent: September 28, 2004Assignee: Tetronics LimitedInventors: David Edward Deegan, Timothy Paul Johnson, Christopher David Chapman
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Patent number: 6744006Abstract: A twin plasma torch assembly includes two plasma torch assemblies supported in a housing. Each of the two plasma torch assemblies has an electrodes. Plasma gas is introduced into a processing zone around the two electrodes. A shroud gas is introduced to surround the plasma. A feed tube is provided to supply feed material to the processor.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2003Date of Patent: June 1, 2004Assignee: Tetronics LimitedInventors: Timothy Paul Johnson, David Edward Deegan, Christopher David Chapman, John Kenneth Williams