Patents by Inventor R. Lee Byers

R. Lee Byers has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5711018
    Abstract: An industrial waste management facility (IWMF) for disposing of spent potlining includes a co-current gas-fired rotary kiln for containing a molten pool of spent potlining throughout the entire length of the rotary kiln from the inlet to the outlet, an ash quencher and cooler for receiving molten residue from the discharge end of the rotary kiln, a secondary combustion chamber, and a down-draft transition chamber for channeling discharge gases from the rotary kiln to the secondary combustion chamber. Pneumatic injection slingers feed and distribute spent potlining into the inlet end of the rotary kiln. A discharge dam provides a predetermined average depth of molten bath material in the rotary kiln over its entire length. A blended ratio of comminuted materials injected through the pneumatic injection slinger feeder is adjusted and controlled in response to signals received from a radiative optical kiln bath temperature measurement system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: Aluminum Company of America
    Inventors: Herman J. Hittner, R. Lee Byers, John N. Lees, Jr., David W. Rierson, Ludmila Dinter-Brown
  • Patent number: 5616296
    Abstract: An industrial waste management facility (IWMF) for disposing of spent potlining includes a co-current gas-fired rotary kiln for containing a molten pool of spent potlining throughout the entire length of the rotary kiln from the inlet to the outlet, an ash quencher and cooler for receiving molten residue from the discharge end of the rotary kiln, a secondary combustion chamber, and a down-draft transition chamber for channeling discharge gases from the rotary kiln to the secondary combustion chamber. Pneumatic injection slingers feed and distribute spent potlining into the inlet end of the rotary kiln. A discharge dam provides a predetermined average depth of molten bath material in the rotary kiln over its entire length. A blended ratio of comminuted materials injected through the pneumatic injection slinger feeder is adjusted and controlled in response to signals received from a radiative optical kiln bath temperature measurement system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1997
    Assignee: Aluminum Company of America
    Inventors: Herman J. Hittner, R. Lee Byers, John N. Lees, Jr., David W. Rierson, Ludmila Dinter-Brown
  • Patent number: 5476990
    Abstract: An industrial waste management facility (IWMF) for disposing of spent potlining includes a co-current gas-fired rotary kiln for containing a molten pool of spent potlining throughout the entire length of the rotary kiln from the inlet to the outlet, an ash quencher and cooler for receiving molten residue from the discharge end of the rotary kiln, a secondary combustion chamber, and a down-draft transition chamber for channeling discharge gases from the rotary kiln to the secondary combustion chamber. Pneumatic injection slingers feed and distribute spent potlining into the inlet end of the rotary kiln. A discharge dam provides a predetermined average depth of molten bath material in the rotary kiln over its entire length. A blended ratio of comminuted materials injected through the pneumatic injection slinger feeder is adjusted and controlled in response to signals received from a radiative optical kiln bath temperature measurement system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1995
    Assignee: Aluminum Company of America
    Inventors: Herman J. Hittner, R. Lee Byers, John N. Lees, Jr., David W. Rierson, Ludmila Dinter-Brown