Abstract: The invention relates to a heating device (6) for a tank (2) of an exhaust gas aftertreatment agent system, having a carrier (7) and having a plurality of heating elements (10) arranged on the carrier (7). According to the invention, the carrier (7) has a plurality of carrying elements (8), which are connected to one another in an articulated manner, and at least one spring element (13), which applies a spring force to at least two of the carrying elements (8). The carrier (7) is thus formed to be flexible or deformable overall, wherein the carrier is forced into a final shape by the spring element.

Abstract: Dust emissions can be reduced in a metal or slag casting apparatus by providing an endless conveyor having a plurality of casting molds with upper open tops wherein the conveyor is arranged to move the casting molds in a first section from a casting station to a discharge station and in a second section back to the casting station. The method for reducing dust emissions includes (a) providing a casing forming a bottomless box over at least part of the first section of the conveyor, (b) injecting within the casing a gas on the surface of the mold with an angle configured to blow off loose, solid particles, formed at the surface of the metal, during early stages of the cooling down and to start the solidification of a superficial layer of metal or slag, and (c) extracting the gas and the solid particles by suction from within the casing.

Abstract: The invention is directed to systems and methods for making non-hollow, non-fragmented spherical metal or metal alloy particles using diffusion dryers.

Abstract: A method for recycling metals from waste tungsten catalysts comprises steps of: leaching, by soaking a waste tungsten catalysts into a highly oxidized acid and conducting a reaction between sulfur of the waste tungsten catalysts and the acid to obtain sulfide and oxidized acidic groups, wherein metals in the waste tungsten catalysts are dissolved and oxidized by the acid to obtain a first solution and dregs; and refining, by extracting metals of the waste tungsten catalysts from the first solution; wherein, the oxidized acidic groups obtained from the step of leaching is converted into highly oxidized acid, which is capable of being recycled.

Abstract: A process for the production of a purified PGM selected from the group consisting of platinum and rhodium from an impure PGM source, the process comprising (a) obtaining an anhydrous PGM halide from the impure PGM source; (b) treating the PGM halide with carbon monoxide at an effective temperature; pressure and time to form the PGM carbonyl halide; and (c) (i) wherein the PGM is platinum, heating the platinum carbonyl halide at an effective platinum decomposition temperature to produce the purified platinum; (ii) wherein the PGM is rhodium, heating the rhodium halide at an effective rhodium decomposition temperature to produce the purified rhodium; and (iii) wherein the platinum carbonyl carbonyl halide and the rhodium carbonyl halide are in a gaseous mixture, effecting step (i) at a temperature lower than the rhodium effective decomposition temperature prior to effecting step (ii). The process is of particular value in the recovery and recycle of PGM materials from vehicle exhaust catalytic converters.

Abstract: A process for the production of a purified PGM selected from the group consisting of platinum and rhodium from an impure PGM source, the process comprising (a) obtaining an anhydrous PGM halide from the impure PGM source; (b) treating the PGM halide with carbon monoxide at an effective temperature; pressure and time to form the PGM carbonyl halide; and (c) (i) wherein the PGM is platinum, heating the platinum carbonyl halide at an effective platinum decomposition temperature to produce the purified platinum; (ii) wherein the PGM is rhodium, heating the rhodium halide at an effective rhodium decomposition temperature to produce the purified rhodium; and (iii) wherein the platinum carbonyl carbonyl halide and the rhodium carbonyl halide are in a gaseous mixture, effecting step (i) at a temperature lower than the rhodium effective decomposition temperature prior to effecting step (ii). The process is of particular value in the recovery and recycle of PGM materials from vehicle exhaust catalytic converters.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of reducing a metal-oxygen compound wherein carbon acts as a reducing agent. The method includes in a first reaction stage, passing CO gas into a reaction chamber containing the metal-oxygen compound, under conditions such that CO is converted to solid carbon and carbon dioxide thereby introducing the solid carbon so formed to said metal-oxygen compound, and in a second reaction stage, causing the carbon, introduced to the metal-oxygen compound in the first reaction stage, to reduce the metal-oxygen compound. There is present, at least in the second reaction stage, a first promoter material effective to promote the reduction of the metal-oxygen compound. The first promoter material includes a first promoter metal and/or a compound of a first promoter metal. Also disclosed is an apparatus for carrying out the reduction of a metal-oxygen compound wherein carbon acts as a reducing agent.

Abstract: An improved method of reducing a mixed metal oxide composition comprising oxides of nickel, cobalt, copper and iron in a hydrogen atmosphere to produce a mixture of the respective metals, the improvement wherein the atmosphere further comprises water vapour at a concentration, temperature and time to effect selective reduction of the oxides of nickel cobalt and copper relative to the iron oxide to produce the metallic mixture having a reduced ratio of metallic iron relative to metallic nickel, cobalt and copper.

Abstract: A method and structure for forming magnetic alloy nanoparticles includes forming a metal salt solution with a reducing agent and stabilizing ligands, introducing an organometallic compound into the metal salt solution to form a mixture, heating the mixture to a temperature between 260° and 300° C., and adding a flocculent to cause the magnetic alloy nanoparticles to precipitate out of the mixture without permanent agglomeration. The deposition of the alkane dispersion of FePt alloy particles, followed by the annealing results in the formation of a shiny FePt nanocrystalline thin film with coercivity ranging from 500 Oe to 6500 Oe.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for preparing gaseous compositions comprising a metal carbonyl, preferably at ppm concentration, are disclosed. The methods comprise placing metal, preferably in the form of filings, of the metal carbonyl to be produced into a first test vessel at a first temperature, and then pressurizing the first test vessel with a gas comprising carbon monoxide from a carbon monoxide source vessel. The contents of the first vessel are then heated to a second temperature and at a rate sufficient to initiate metal carbonyl formation, thereby forming a gas composition comprising a metal carbonyl. The reaction is then quenched by transferring some of the gas composition comprising a metal carbonyl from the first test vessel to a second test vessel which is at a third temperature, the third temperature being lower than the second temperature. Finally, the gas composition is diluted in the second test vessel with an inert gas (preferably argon) from an inert gas source container.

Abstract: A process for recycling polyester contained in waste materials is provided. The polyester is converted into ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid. The process steps generally include first combining materials containing polyester with an alkaline solution to form a slurry. The slurry is heated, causing ethylene glycol to evaporate which can then be collected. The remaining product stream is then mixed with water and filtered to remove any undissolved impurities. The aqueous filtrate can be acidified causing terephthalic acid to precipitate. Further, if silver is contained within the materials fed to the process, the silver can also be isolated and recovered.

Abstract: Iron whiskers are produced by thermal decomposition of iron pentacarbonyl vapor in an indirectly heated empty-space decomposer in which the cross-sectional area for entry of the iron pentacarbonyl into the empty-space decomposer is from 10 to 40% of the cross-sectional area of the empty-space decomposer, the mass flow density of the iron pentacarbonyl vapor, based on the cross-sectional area of the decomposer, is from 0.01 to 0.07 kg per square meter per second, and the temperature in the empty-space decomposer should at no point be below 360.degree. C.

Abstract: A process for recovering Group VIII noble metals from tar is provided. The process involves heating a mixture of the Group VIII noble metal, tar and methyl iodide in a closed system at a temperature in excess of 50.degree. C. During the process the Group VIII noble metal is precipitated in an insoluble form which can be separated by e.g. filtration. Precipitation preferably takes place at a temperature in the range 120.degree. to 180.degree. C. The process is particularly suitable for the recovery of either rhodium or iridium.