Processes Patents (Class 420/71)
  • Patent number: 11661638
    Abstract: The present invention lies in the field of pyrometallurgy and discloses a process and a slag suitable for the recovery of Ni and Co from Li-ion batteries or their waste. The slag composition is defined according to: 10%<MnO<40%; (CaO+1.5*Li2O)/Al2O3>0.3; CaO+0.8*MnO+0.8*Li2O<60%; (CaO+2*Li2O+0.4*MnO)/SiO2?2.0; Li2?1%; and, Al2O3+SiO2+CaO+Li2O+MnO+FeO+MgO>85%. This composition is particularly adapted to limit or avoid the corrosion of furnaces lined with magnesia-bearing refractory bricks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: UMICORE
    Inventors: Ryohei Yagi, Lennart Scheunis
  • Patent number: 8721960
    Abstract: The present invention provides a ferritic stainless steel comprised of, by mass %, C: 0.001 to 0.02%, Si: 0.01 to 0.6%, Mn: 0.01 to 0.6%, P: 0.005 to 0.04%, S: 0.0001 to 0.01%, Cr: 13 to 22%, N: 0.001 to 0.02%, Al: 0.005 to 0.05%, Sn: 0.001 to 1%, and a balance of Fe and unavoidable impurities, which steel satisfies the following formulae: 0<I(Fe)/I(Cr)<5 and 0<I(O)/I(Sn)<3, where I(Fe), I(Cr), I(Sn), and I(O) are the X-ray intensities of the Fe oxides, Cr oxides, Sn oxides, and the sum of X-ray intensities other detected oxides at the steel surface measured by an X-ray photoelectron spectrometer. The present invention also provides a method of producing the ferritic stainless steel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Nippon Steel & Sumikin Stainless Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Masaharu Hatano, Akihiko Takahashi, Eiichiro Ishimaru, Shigenori Takahata
  • Patent number: 8317944
    Abstract: One or more embodiments relates to a high-temperature, titanium alloyed, 9 Cr-1 Mo steel exhibiting improved creep strength and oxidation resistance at service temperatures up to 650° C. The 9 Cr-1 Mo steel has a tempered martensite microstructure and is comprised of both large (0.5-3 ?m) primary titanium carbides and small (5-50 nm) secondary titanium carbides in a ratio of. from about 1:1.5 to about 1.5:1. The 9 Cr-1 Mo steel may be fabricated using exemplary austenizing, rapid cooling, and tempering steps without subsequent hot working requirements. The 9 Cr-1 Mo steel exhibits improvements in total mass gain, yield strength, and time-to-rupture over ASTM P91 and ASTM P92 at the temperature and time conditions examined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: U.S. Department of Energy
    Inventors: Paul D. Jablonski, David Alman, Omer Dogan, Gordon Holcomb, Christopher Cowen
  • Patent number: 8246767
    Abstract: The invention relates to a composition and heat treatment for a high-temperature, titanium alloyed, 9 Cr-1 Mo steel exhibiting improved creep strength and oxidation resistance at service temperatures up to 650° C. The novel combination of composition and heat treatment produces a heat treated material containing both large primary titanium carbides and small secondary titanium carbides. The primary titanium carbides contribute to creep strength while the secondary titanium carbides act to maintain a higher level of chromium in the finished steel for increased oxidation resistance, and strengthen the steel by impeding the movement of dislocations through the crystal structure. The heat treated material provides improved performance at comparable cost to commonly used high-temperature steels such as ASTM P91 and ASTM P92, and requires heat treatment consisting solely of austenization, rapid cooling, tempering, and final cooling, avoiding the need for any hot-working in the austenite temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Paul D. Jablonski, David Alman, Omer Dogan, Gordon Holcomb, Christopher Cowen
  • Publication number: 20080251163
    Abstract: This invention provides a technique for rendering bio-toxicity such as allergy toxicity derived from Ni trace impurity, i.e., nickel toxicity, which is unavoidably present in a bio-Co—Cr—Mo alloy or an Ni-free stainless steel alloy unharmful, characterized in that an element selected from the group consisting of the group 4, 5 and 13 elements of the periodic table, particularly an element selected from the group consisting of the group 4 elements of the periodic table, is added to the alloy composition. The additive element is preferably an element selected from the group consisting of zirconium and titanium, more preferably zirconium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Applicant: IWATE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Akihiko Chiba, Shingo Kurosu, Naoyuki Nomura
  • Patent number: 6905651
    Abstract: A ferritic stainless steel alloy useful as a substrate for catalytic converter material consists of, by weight: 15-21% Cr, 8-12% Al, 0.01-0.09% Ce, 0.02-0.1% total of REM, and possible minor amounts of further elements, other than the ones mentioned, the balance being Fe with normally occurring impurities. These alloys have managed to combine a high content of Al with a good hot and cold workability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Sandvik AB
    Inventors: Simon Johansson, Bo Rogberg
  • Patent number: 6855652
    Abstract: A structurally reinforced panel and a method of forming the panel are disclosed. The reinforcement includes a fibrous woven material in a bondable plastic matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: L&L Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Hable, Michael J. Czaplicki
  • Patent number: 6426040
    Abstract: A composition and method for reducing cost and improving the mechanical properties of alloy steels. The invention resides in the ability of certain combinations of carbon-subgroup surfactants and d-transition metals to modify and control diffusion mechanisms of interstitial elements; to reduce or prevent the formation of non-equilibrium segregations of harmful admixtures and brittle phases on free metal surfaces and grain and phase boundaries; and to alter and control phase transformation kinetics in steel during heating and cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2002
    Assignee: Modern Alloy Co., LLC
    Inventor: Vladimir A. Fedchun
  • Patent number: 6306341
    Abstract: The present invention provides a stainless steel having superior corrosion resistance, antibacterial properties, and durability, the antibacterial properties being maintained after surface treatments commonly performed including, for example, polishing. In particular, the stainless steel contains not less than 10 percent by weight of chromium, 0.001 to 0.30 percent by weight of silver, or further contains 0.001 to 1.0 percent by weight of vanadium. In addition, not less than 0.0005 weight percent of a silver oxide, the amount thereof being not more than 1.1 times that of the silver, is dispersed in the stainless steel. In order to homogeneously disperse the silver oxide in the stainless steel, when continuous casting of molten steel is performed, the casting rate for the continuous casting is preferably 0.8 to 1.6 m/min. A method for manufacturing the stainless steel is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: Kawasaki Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Yokota, Misako Tochihara, Susumu Satoh, Sadao Hasuno
  • Patent number: 6096441
    Abstract: An austenoferritic stainless steel with high tensile elongation includes iron and the following elements in the indicated weight amounts based on total weight:carbon<0.04%0.4%<silicon<1.2%2%<manganese<4%0.1%<nickel<1%18%<chromium<22%0.05%<copper<4%sulfur<0.03%phosphorus<0.1%0.1%<nitrogen<0.3%molybdenum<3%the steel having a two-phase structure of austenite and ferrite and comprising between 30% and 70% of austenite, whereinCreq=Cr %+Mo %+1.5 Si %Nieq=Ni %+0.33 Cu %+0.5 Mn %+30 C %+30 N %and Creq/Nieq is from 2.3 to 2.75, and whereinIM=551-805(C+N)%--8.52 Si %--8.57 Mn %--12.51 Cr %--36 Ni %--34.5 Cu %--14 Mo %,IM being from 40 to 115.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: USINOR
    Inventors: Jean-Michel Hauser, Herve Sassoulas
  • Patent number: 5843369
    Abstract: To provide a stainless steel for anti-friction bearings, which is obtained by making its eutectic carbide contents finer in particle diameter and suppressing the generation of non-metallic substances to an extremely low level, thus having a homogenious and dense structure and permitting highly accurate machining. The provided stainless steel is composed of 0.60 to 0.75% of carbon, 10.5 to 13.5% of chromium, 1.0% or below of silicon and 0.3 to 0.8% of manganese, % being by weight, the remainder of the composition being iron and inevitably introduced impurities, has a hardness of HRC 58 or above, contains eutectic carbide particles of 10 .mu.m and below in diameter, and has oxygen and titanium concentrations each of 10 ppm or below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: Minebea Kabushiki-Kaisha
    Inventors: Rikuro Obara, Yutaka Daikuhara
  • Patent number: 5609669
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing stainless steel, by treating a raw high-carbon steel in a first stage with a gaseous mixture that contains oxygen and inert gas, therewith lowering the carbon content of the raw steel to a value of 0.2-0.1%. The steel bath is then treated in a second stage with solely an inert gas, until the carbon content has fallen to the desired value. The invention is characterized in that the steel bath is treated in the first stage alternately with an oxygen-rich gas and with an inert gas, until the carbon content of the steel has fallen to the desired value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1997
    Inventor: Mikael Brunner
  • Patent number: 5567224
    Abstract: Method of reducing metal oxide in a rotary hearth furnace (14) to make a feed stock for a refining vessel when manufacturing alloyed iron, alloyed steel or stainless steel. The rotary hearth furnace includes an annular inner refractory wall (32), an annular outer refractory wall (34), an annular refractory platform (33) between the two walls. Stationary fuel burners (36, 40) are mounted to walls (32, 34) at a position just above an upper surface of the platform. A mixture of a metal oxide and a carbonaceous reductant is placed onto the upper surface of the platform and rotated past the burners. The oxide is heated by an oxidizing flame. Thereafter, a second layer of a reductant is charged over the hot first layer, and both layers are heated for an additional period of time to a temperature of at least 1300.degree. C. to reduce the metal oxide. The metal oxide may be chromium ore, chromium ore concentrate, nickel ore, nickel ore concentrate and stainless steel flue dust. The reductant may be coal or coke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: Armco Inc.
    Inventor: David M. Kundrat
  • Patent number: 5514331
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and device for producing stainless steel, comprising methods for creating a ferroalloy, such as ferrochromium, and for further processing the alloy in order to produce a desired stainless steel. According to the invention, the melt obtained from the ferro alloy production unit (1) is transferred at least partly to a ferroalloy processing unit (2) arranged in between the ferroalloy production unit (1) and the stainless steel production unit (5); in the said processing unit (2), the composition of the ferroalloy is adjusted to be suitable for the production of stainless steel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1996
    Assignee: Outokumpu Steel Oy
    Inventors: Matti Honkaniemi, Veikko Juntunen, Jorma Kemppainen, Risto Pellikka, Eero Rattya
  • Patent number: 5395420
    Abstract: In the production of stainless steels, it is possible to use foamed slag, with great advantages, by using a metal charge with specific carbon and silicon contents, by insufflating limestone and carbon, by controlling the amount of employed oxygen and by maintaining the basicity index of the slag within specific values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Assignee: Centro Sviluppo Materiali S.p.A.
    Inventor: Pasquale Masucci
  • Patent number: 5352404
    Abstract: A process for forming contact material of an electrode comprises the steps of preparing chromium of which oxygen content is substantially reduced, forming a molten mixture of the chromium and copper, atomizing the molten mixture into fine particles to obtain Cu-Cr alloyed powder, compacting Cu-Cr alloyed powder under desired pressure, and sintering the compacted alloyed powder. The oxygen content of the chromium may be reduced until less than 0.1 wt %. In a course of the process, a metal having melting point lower then copper may be blended. The metal may be blended in Cu-Cr alloyed powder, or blended in the molten mixture of copper and chromium. Alternatively, the process further includes the steps of forming a second molten mixture of copper and a metal having melting point lower than copper, atomizing the second molten mixture into fine particles to obtain alloyed powder of copper and the metal, and blending Cu-Cr alloyed powder with the alloyed powder of copper and the metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1994
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Meidensha
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Yoshioka, Toshimasa Fukai, Yasushi Noda, Nobutaka Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5328658
    Abstract: A refining method of decarburizing a molten steel containing a large quantity of chromium, which can be completed in a shorter period, and therefore, with reduced consumption of Ar gas, and with safety of operation. A mixed gas of O.sub.2 and Ar is blown into a molten steel in a refining vessel through a tuyere at the bottom of the vessel under atmospheric pressure, and when the C-concentration becomes to such a low level as 0.15% (by weight) or less, vacuum suction is applied to reduce the pressure to 150-200 Torr, and only Ar gas is blown. At the change of the refining conditions from atmospheric to vacuum or during the vacuum refining a reducing agent such as ferrosilicon is added to the molten steel to reduce Cr-oxides for recovery. Even if the amount of the reducing agent is less than that necessary for reducing all the Cr oxides, majority of Cr can be recovered. If an excess amount is used, a steel of low nitrogen in addition to low carbon is obtained.Whole or a portion of Ar can be replaced with N.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1994
    Assignee: Daido Tokushuko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Osamu Egawa, Yoshihiro Naito, Hitoshi Sakuma
  • Patent number: 5204056
    Abstract: A high-nitrogen ferritic heat-resisting steel comprises, in weight percent, 0.01-0.30% C, 0.02-0.80% Si, 0.20-1.00% Mn, 8.00-13.00% Cr, 0.50-3.00% W, 0.005-1.00% Mo, 0.05-0.50% V, 0.02-0.12% Nb and 0.10-0.50% N and is controlled to include not more than 0.050% P, not more than 0.010% S and not more than 0.020% O, the balance being Fe and unavoidable impurities. The steel may optionally comprise (A) one or both of 0.01-1.00% Ta and 0.01-1.00% Hf and/or (B) one or both of 0.0005-0.10% Zr and 0.01-0.10% Ti. A method of producing the steel comprises melting and equilibrating the steel components in an atmosphere of a mixed gas of a prescribed nitrogen partial pressure or nitrogen gas and thereafter casting or solidifying the melt in an atmosphere controlled to have a nitrogen partial pressure of not less than 1.0 ata and a total pressure of not less than 4.0 ata, with the relationship between the partial pressure p and the total pressure P.sub.t being10.sup.P <P.sub.t.sup.0.37 +log.sub.10 6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1993
    Assignees: Nippon Steel Corporation, Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasushi Hasegawa, Peter Ernst, Fujimitsu Masuyama
  • Patent number: 5123957
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a low carbon ferrochrome with a high chromium content of at least 70 weight % Cr comprising the steps of at least once nitriding and crushing a low carbon ferrochrome to form a crushed ferrochrome nitride and subjecting the crushed ferrochrome nitride to an acid treatment comprising introducing the crushed ferrochrome nitride into an acid solution and stirring the resultant mixture of the ferrochrome nitride and the acid solution, to remove iron. The acid treated ferrochrome nitride is denitrided by heating in a vacuum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Assignee: NKK Corporation
    Inventors: Masanori Kato, Toshio Kamatani, Keiichi Nakagawa, Kiyoshi Kawasaki, Yutaka Yano
  • Patent number: 5059389
    Abstract: A steel product, such as a medium carbon die block, having good impact, ductility, transverse and physical properties, and lower than normal sulphur contents yet having machinability equal or better than higher sulphur levels characterized by a lower than ordinary level of stringer-type inclusions, other inclusions being mainly of the non-deleterious globular type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1991
    Assignee: A. Finkl & Sons Co.
    Inventors: Charles W. Finkl, Albert L. Lehman
  • Patent number: 5039480
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing molten metal containing Ni and Cr comprises a process of smelting and reducing Ni ore, and a process of smelting and reducing Cr ore.The process of smelting and reducing Ni ore comprises the steps of charging molten iron into a smelting reduction furnace having a top-blow oxygen lance and tuyeres for blowing stirring gas, charging Ni ore, carbonaceous material and flux into the smelting reduction furnace, blowing decarbonization oxygen and post-combustion oxygen from the top-blow oxygen lance into the smelting reduction furnace, blowing stirring gas for stirring the molten metal and slag inside the smelting reduction furnace from the tuyeres, and controlling post-combustion ratio [(H.sub.2 O+CO.sub.2)/(H.sub.2 +H.sub.2 O+CO+CO.sub.2)] at 0.3 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1991
    Assignee: NKK Corporation
    Inventors: Haruyoshi Tanabe, Chihiro Taki, Katsuhiro Iwasaki, Masahiro Kawakami, Toshio Takaoka
  • Patent number: 5028388
    Abstract: Reduction of chromium oxide is performed by utilizing refinement or reduction container having top-blowing capability. Chromium oxide is charged in the molten iron bath in the aforementioned container. Content of slag is adjusted to maintain the following condition:CaO/SiO.sub.2 :2.1 to 3.5MgO/Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 :0.6 to 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1991
    Assignee: Kawasaki Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Chikashi Tada, Keizo Taoka, Sumio Yamada, Hajime Bada
  • Patent number: 5011798
    Abstract: A chromium additive of the formula: Cr.sub.x C.sub.y O.sub.z where 0.04.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.0.35, and 0.03.ltoreq.z.ltoreq.0.30 for x=1, said additive having an X ray diffraction peak at d=3.32 .ANG. (2.theta.=26.8.degree.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1991
    Assignee: Tosoh Corporation
    Inventors: Minoru Sasabe, Masao Imamura, Yasunobu Yoshida, Shinya Andoh, Hiroshi Miyake
  • Patent number: 4615730
    Abstract: A method for refining a molten metal bath is provided including introducing a refining gas containing substantially a combination of oxygen and nitrogen to the molten bath to reduce the carbon content of the bath to a selected level; thereafter an inert gas, such as argon, is introduced to the molten bath from a lance adapted to direct the inert gas onto or beneath the bath surface, whereby the inert gas serves to efficiently remove nitrogen from the bath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1986
    Assignee: Allegheny Ludlum Steel Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph W. Tommaney