Patents Assigned to Ash Grove Cement Company
  • Patent number: 5339751
    Abstract: A firing system is provided for charging a plurality of incoming combustible fuel modules containing a known amount of a parameter of interest into a heated zone of a rotating kiln. The firing system separates incoming fuel modules into a plurality of stages based on the parameter amount in each fuel module. The system then removes fuel modules from the plurality of stages in a selected order to maintain an average parameter amount for fuel modules charged into the kiln at substantially a preselected level. The system charges fuel modules into the kiln in the selected order. The system determines an optimum time to charge each fuel module into the rotating kiln to maintain an average amount of the parameter of interest supplied to the kiln substantially at the preselected level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1994
    Assignees: Ash Grove Cement Company, Cadence Environmental Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: James R. Tutt
  • Patent number: 5282681
    Abstract: A portable agitator is provided for fluidizing contents of a tank car that has settled during shipment. The agitator includes a column that can extend into a tank car through a manway, a wedging assembly for holding the column in place in the tank between the manway and the bottom wall of the tank, and a pivotable impeller platform appended to a distal end of the column. A pair of impellers are mounted on opposite ends of the impeller platform and are operable to stir and fluidize the contents of the tank car.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 1, 1994
    Assignees: Cadence Environmental Energy, Inc., Ash Grove Cement Company
    Inventor: Ralph A. Supelak
  • Patent number: 5226774
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for charging combustible solids through a port in the wall of a rotating kiln into a heated zone of the kiln. The apparatus includes a port closure comprising inner and outer portions which cooperate to define a passage for closure-cooling air flow when the closure is in a port-closed position. A transfer assembly is mounted on the kiln wall in alignment with the port. During kiln rotation combustible solids are loaded from a staging assembly onto the transfer assembly for alignment with the port and delivery into the kiln.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1993
    Assignees: Cadence Chemical Resources, Inc., Ash Grove Cement Company
    Inventors: James R. Tutt, Michel R. Benoit
  • Patent number: 5224433
    Abstract: A method is described for environmentally sound usage of combustible hazardous waste in an operating rotary kiln. The method is particularly adapted for disposal of solid hazardous wastes, optionally in the form of a blended waste homogenate, Packaged in sealable containers. The containers are used as fuel modules and charged into a rotary kiln cylinder where kiln gas temperatures range from about 950.degree. to about 1200.degree. C. to achieve high destruction and removal efficiencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1993
    Assignees: Cadence Chemical Resources, Inc., Ash Grove Cement Company
    Inventors: Michel R. Benoit, Eric R. Hansen, Theodore J. Reese
  • Patent number: 5156676
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for the use of inexpensive volatile fuels in the calcining zone of a cement kiln during the manufacture of cement clinker in a rotary vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1992
    Assignees: Hoke M. Garrett, Ash Grove Cement Company, Cadence Chemical Resources, Inc.
    Inventors: Hoke M. Garrett, Eric Hansen
  • Patent number: 5122189
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for the use of inexpensive volatile fuels in the calcining zone of a cement kiln during the manufacture of cement clinker in a rotary vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Assignees: Hoke M. Garrett, Ash Grove Cement Company, Cadence Chemical Resources, Inc.
    Inventors: Hoke M. Garrett, Eric Hansen
  • Patent number: 5083516
    Abstract: A method is described for environmentally sound usage of combustible hazardous waste in an operating rotary kiln. The method is particularly adapted for disposal of solid hazardous wastes, optionally in the form of a blended waste homogenate, packaged in sealable containers. The containers are used as fuel modules and charged into a rotary kiln cylinder where kiln gas temperatures range from about 950.degree. to about 1200.degree. C. to achieve high destruction and removal efficiencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1992
    Assignees: Cadence Chemical Resources, Inc., Ash Grove Cement Company
    Inventors: Michel R. Benoit, Eric R. Hansen, Theodore J. Reese
  • Patent number: 5078594
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for charging combustible solids through a port in the wall of a rotating kiln into a heated zone of the kiln. The apparatus includes a port closure comprising inner and outer portions which cooperate to define a passage for closure-cooling air flow when the closure is in a port-closed position. A transfer assembly is mounted on the kiln wall in alignment with the port. During kiln rotation combustible solids are loaded from a staging assembly onto the transfer assembly for alignment with the port and delivery into the kiln.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1992
    Assignees: Cadence Chemical Resources, Inc., Ash Grove Cement Company
    Inventors: James R. Tutt, Michel R. Benoit
  • Patent number: 4974529
    Abstract: A method is described for environmentally sound usage of combustible hazardous waste in an operating rotary kiln. The method is particularly adapted for disposal of solid hazardous wastes, optionally in the form of a blended waste homogenate, packaged in sealable containers. The containers are used as fuel modules and charged into a rotary kiln cylinder where kiln gas temperatures range from about 950.degree. to about 1200.degree. C. to achieve high destruction and removal efficiencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1990
    Assignees: Cadence Chemical Resources, Inc., Ash Grove Cement Company
    Inventors: Michel R. Benoit, Eric R. Hansen, Theodore J. Reese
  • Patent number: 4969407
    Abstract: A method is described for environmentally sound usage of combustible hazardous waste in an operating rotary kiln. The method is particularly adapted for disposal of solid hazardous wastes, optionally in the form of a blended waste homoenate, packaged in sealable containers. The containers are used as fuel modules and charged into a rotary kiln cylinder where kiln gas temperatures range from about 950.degree. to about 1200.degree. C. to achieve high destruction and removal efficiencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 13, 1990
    Assignees: Cadence Chemical Resources, Inc., Ash Grove Cement Company
    Inventors: Michel R. Benoit, Eric R. Hansen, Theodore J. Reese
  • Patent number: 4930965
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for charging containerized fuel, particularly combustible hazardous waste homogenates, through a wall of a rotating kiln with minimal perturbation of mineral processing conditions. During kiln rotation fuel modules are loaded into the apparatus and charged into the kiln through a port in the kiln cylinder wall and onto the contained mineral bed. In a preferred embodiment the apparatus includes a device for actuating a port closure and a drop tube extending from the port into the kiln cylinder and positioned so that in-process mineral material does not contact the port closure during rotation of the kiln cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1990
    Assignees: Cadence Chemical Resources, Inc., Ash Grove Cement Company
    Inventors: Charles D. Peterson, James R. Tutt, John Cody
  • Patent number: 4850290
    Abstract: A method is described for environmentally sound usage of combustible hazardous waste in an operating rotary kiln. The method is particularly adapted for disposal of solid hazardous wastes, optionally in the form of a blended waste homogenate, packaged in sealable containers. The containers are used as fuel modules and charged into a rotary kiln cylinder where kiln gas temperatures range from about 950.degree. to about 1200.degree. C. to achieve high destruction and removal efficiencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1989
    Assignees: Ash Grove Cement Company, Cadence Chemical Resources, Inc.
    Inventors: Michel R. Benoit, Eric R. Hansen, Theodore J. Reese
  • Patent number: 4494990
    Abstract: An improved cementitious composition is the subject of the present invention. The composition comprises 25-60 weight percent cement component. The cement component is 3 to 50 weight per pozzolan. The pozzolan should have a sulfate reactivity factor of no greater than 12 utilizing a function obtained from the Dunstan formula. The composition is 40 to 75 percent by weight alpha gypsum (calcium sulfate hemihydrate). Various additives may be included to enhance the performance of the composition. These include polymer modifiers, a water reducing agent, a set retarding agent and a set accelerating agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1985
    Assignee: Ash Grove Cement Company
    Inventor: Harry A. Harris