Patents Assigned to OUTOTEC OYJ
  • Publication number: 20120248664
    Abstract: The object of the invention is an arrangement for feeding powdery solid matter into a concentrate burner (2) of a suspension smelting or suspension converting furnace (1). The concentrate burner (2) comprises reaction gas feeding means (6), powdery solid matter feeding means (3) and a concentrate distributor (7). The arrangement comprises a first powdery solid matter discharge pipe (8) for feeding powdery solid matter into the powdery solid matter feeding means (3) of the concentrate burner (2). The first powdery solid matter discharge pipe (8) is provided with a first partition (10). which divides solid matter, for dividing the first powdery solid matter discharge pipe (8) into two essentially similar discharge pipe parts (II). The powdery solid matter feeding means (3) of the concentrate burner (2) comprise an annular concentrate discharge channel (4) that surrounds the concentrate distributor (7) of the concentrate burner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: OUTOTEC OYJ
    Inventors: Jussi Sipilä, Peter Björklund, Kaarle Peltoniemi, Lauri P. Pesonen
  • Patent number: 8276761
    Abstract: A froth flotation method and apparatus for extracting a valuable substance from a slurry comprising a mixture of solid phase, liquid phase and said substance. A gas dispersing mechanism (4) feeds gas into the slurry (1) in a flotation vessel (2) to infuse gas bubbles into the slurry. The slurry is agitated in the flotation vessel (2) for dispersing the gas bubbles into the slurry. The gas bubbles capture the valuable substance from the slurry and form a froth phase F above the slurry phase S. The froth phase F exits the vessel by overflow. Continuously moving negative pressure zones (7) are mechanically generated by rake blades (9) in the froth phase (F). The negative pressure zones (7) extend from the froth phase (F) to the slurry phase (S).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: OUTOTEC OYJ
    Inventor: Christian Kujawa
  • Publication number: 20120228811
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of feeding a fuel gas into the reaction shaft of a suspension smelting furnace and to a concentrate burner for feeding a reaction gas and fine solid matter into the reaction shaft of the suspension smelting furnace. In the method, fuel gas (16) is fed by the concentrate burner (4) to constitute part of the mixture formed by the pulverous solid matter (6) and the reaction gas (5), so that a mixture containing the pulverous solid matter (6), reaction gas (5) and fuel gas (6) is formed in the reaction shaft (2). The concentrate burner (4) comprises fuel gas feeding equipment (15) for adding the fuel gas (16) to constitute part of the mixture that is formed by fine solid matter (6) and reaction gas (5).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: OUTOTEC OYJ
    Inventor: Jussi Sipilä
  • Publication number: 20120232810
    Abstract: A method for determining the electrical conductivity of a mass flow in a three dimensional target volume including the steps of placing electrodes in a measuring connection with the target volume; supplying alternating voltage or alternating current to the tar-get volume between two of the electrodes and measuring the current or the voltage between the electrodes; determining a state space model which defines the relationships between the electrical conductivity, the voltage and the current in the target volume and the evolution of the electrical conductivity as a function of time; comparing the currents and/or the voltages according to the state space model with the supplied and the measured ones; and modifying the state space model to decrease any differences. The electrodes are placed substantially within one plane; and the state space model is determined so as to the time-dependent flow field of the mass flow within the target volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: OUTOTEC OYJ
    Inventors: Jari Kaipio, Anssi Lehikoinen, Arto Voutilainen, Marko Vauhkonen
  • Publication number: 20120211345
    Abstract: A method for producing a coal cake that is suitable for coking and for subsequent charging of a coking oven chamber. At least one vibrating station including a push-table vibrating machine with an oscillatorily mounted vibrating table is provided. A mould box is clamped to the vibrating table. The mould box is filled with granular raw coal material. A weight is placed on top of the mould box. The mould box is vertically oscillated while the weight presses from above into the mould box so as to mould a vibration-compacted coal block. The vibration-compacted coal block is pushed off the vibrating table, using an ejector, onto an underlying support. The vibration-compacted coal block is pushed on the underlying support by a length (x) of the vibration-compacted coal block successive to another vibration-compacted coal block. The vibration-compacted coal blocks are successively stacked so as to form the coal cake. The coal cake is introduced into the coking oven chamber using a transporting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: OUTOTEC OYJ
    Inventor: Norbert Holl
  • Publication number: 20120204679
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of controlling the thermal balance of the reaction shaft of a suspension smelting furnace and to a concentrate burner for feeding reaction gas and pulverous solid mater into the reaction shaft of the suspension smelting furnace. In the method, endothermic material (16) is fed by the concentrate burner (4) to constitute part of the mixture formed from the powdery solid matter (6) and reaction gas (5), so that a mixture containing the powdery solid matter (6), reaction gas (5) and endothermic material (6) is formed in the reaction shaft (2). The concentrate burner (4) comprises cooling agent feeding equipment (15) for adding the endothermic material (16) to constitute part of the mixture, which is formed from the pulverous solid matter (6) that discharges from the orifice (8) of the feeder pipe and the reaction gas (5) that discharges through the annular discharge orifice (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: OUTOTEC OYJ
    Inventors: Jussi Sipilä, Markku Lahtinen, Peter Björklund, Kaarle Peltoniemi, Tapio Ahokainen, Lauri P. Pesonen
  • Publication number: 20120200012
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of using a suspension smelting furnace and to a suspension smelting furnace and to a concentrate burner (4). The concentrate burner (4) comprises a first gas supply device (12) for feeding a first gas (5) into the reaction shaft (2) and a second gas supply device (18) for feeding a second gas (16) into the reaction shaft (2). The first gas supply device (12) comprises a first annular discharge opening (14), which which is arranged concentrically with the mouth (8) of a feeder pipe (7), so that the first annular discharge opening (14) surrounds the feeder pipe (7). The second gas supply device (18) comprises a second annular discharge opening (17), which is arranged concentrically with the mouth (8) of the feeder pipe (7), so that the second annular discharge opening (17) surrounds the feeder pipe (7) opening (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: OUTOTEC OYJ
    Inventors: Jussi Sipilä, Markku Lahtinen, Peter Björklund, Kaarle Peltoniemi, Tapio Ahokainen, Lauri P. Pesonen, Kaj Eklund
  • Patent number: 8225936
    Abstract: A method for dividing a stream of solids includes discharging the stream of solids via a first downer. The stream of solids are fluidized at a bottom of the first downer by supplying a first conveying gas. By the first conveying gas, a part of the stream of solids are conveyed to a top of a first riser branching off from the first downer. A remaining part of the stream of solids are discharged via a second downer adjoining the first downer. The remaining stream of solids are fluidized at a bottom of the second downer by supplying a second conveying gas. By the second conveying gas, a part of the remaining part of the stream of solids are conveyed to a top of a second riser branching off from the second downer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Outotec Oyj
    Inventors: Roger Bligh, Pekka Hiltunen, Cornelis Klett, Michael Missalla, Bernd Reeb, Lilli Sacharow, Michael Stroeder, Peter Sturm
  • Publication number: 20120180662
    Abstract: A cyclone for separating sticky particles from gas streams includes an inlet duct having an end in a direction of a particle outlet. The end has a flow cross-section including a triangular expansion that is formed laterally by a vertical of a cylindrical outer wall of the cyclone and by art outer boundary of the cyclone. An outer angle of inclination between the vertical and the outer boundary, proceeding from the end of the inlet duct, is reduced from 30° to 0° in a flow direction of gas streams. An immersion tube is disposed eccentrically in a direction of the inlet duct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2010
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: OUTOTEC OYJ
    Inventors: Michael Missalla, Mithat Schmitz
  • Patent number: 8206643
    Abstract: A concentrate burner for feeding a pulverous concentrate mixture and reaction gas into a reaction shaft of a flash smelting furnace. The concentrate burner includes a feeder pipe for feeding a concentrate mixture into the reaction shaft and a dispersing device for directing dispersing gas to the concentrate mixture flowing around the dispersing device. For feeding the reaction gas into the reaction shaft, a gas supply device is provided which includes a reaction gas chamber for mixing the reaction gas with the concentrate mixture, and for directing the concentrate mixture to the side by the dispersing gas. The reaction gas chamber includes a turbulent flow chamber, to which an inlet channel opens tangentially for directing the reaction gas to the reaction gas chamber in a tangential direction. In the inlet channel, an adjusting member is arranged for adjusting the cross-sectional area of the reaction gas flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Outotec Oyj
    Inventors: Jussi Sipilä, Kaarle Peltoniemi, Peter Björklund, Jiliang Xia
  • Patent number: 8197697
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for thickening liquids carrying suspended particles, such as slurry containing minerals, by using a thickening apparatus (1) comprising a tank (2) whereby pulp of higher relative density tends to settle towards the bottom of the tank, forming a bed of thickened pulp (3), and dilute liquid (9) of lower relative density is thereby displaced towards the top of the tank, a feedwell (4), which includes a chamber having means for receiving fed material (5), such as slurry and at least one outlet in fluid communication with the tank and means for distributing the material in the tank, at least one feedpipe (8) for feeding the material (5), at least slurry, into the feedwell, when the feedpipe cross-sectional area for the fed material (5) is constantly varying when the flowrate inside the feedpipe (8) varies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Outotec Oyj
    Inventor: Richard Triglavcanin
  • Publication number: 20120124856
    Abstract: In a method and equipment for continuous sintering of pelletized mineral material, a partition wall (7, 8) arranged between two adjacent cooling chambers (4, 5; 5, 6) is in the height direction placed at a distance from the pellet bed (2), so that in between the partition wall (7, 8) and pellet bed (2), there is left a gap (s) that allows gas to flow between two adjacent cooling chambers (4, 5; 5; 6) through the gap (s) in order to equalize the pressure between the cooling chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: OUTOTEC OYJ
    Inventor: Marko Palander
  • Publication number: 20120126493
    Abstract: In a sealing device (1) for sealing the through hole of an electrode, the pressurizing medium that generates the pressure of mechanical sealings against a rod electrode structure is an inert gas, such as nitrogen. The means for pressing the created sealing ring (6) against the rod electrode structure (4) include a gas distribution chamber (8) surrounding the sealing ring (6); a first channel (9) that is arranged to provide a flow path for the inert gas in between the hose (14) and the gas distribution chamber (8); an annular groove (10) in the sealing surface (7) of the sealing ring (6); and a second channel (11), which is placed in the sealing ring (6) and is arranged to provide a flow path for the gas from the gas distribution chamber to the groove (10) for extruding the gas in between the sealing surface (7) and the rod electrode structure (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: Outotec Oyj
    Inventors: Janne Ollila, Tom Rönnberg
  • Publication number: 20120103827
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for leaching bulk concentrate of chalcopyrite-type by means of an aqueous solution containing sulphuric acid and an oxygen feed at atmospheric pressure and at a temperature between 75° C. and the boiling point of the solution. It is typical of the method that the particle size of the concentrate to be fed into leaching is in the region of 80% below 60-100 ?m and that the concentrate is leached with an aqueous solution, the acid concentration of which is regulated to be around 20-90 g/l.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: OUTOTEC OYJ
    Inventors: Mikko Ruonala, Jaakko Leppinen, Jari Tiihonen
  • Publication number: 20120096913
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for preparing a mother plate (1) of a permanent cathode (2) to be used in a process for electrolytic recovery of metal such as metal electrorefining or metal electrowinning. The apparatus comprises a holding means (8) for releasable holding the permanent cathode (2), a measurement means (4) for measuring a shape of the mother plate (1) to obtain measurement data, a calculating means functionally connected with the measurement means (4) and configured for calculating geometric deviation of the mother plate (1) in comparison to a predefined reference shape by using said measurement data measured by said measurement means (4), and a pressing means (3) functionally connected with the calculating means and configured for automatically locally pressing the mother plate (1) in accordance with the calculated geometric deviation of the mother plate (1) to plastically deform the mother plate (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: OUTOTEC OYJ
    Inventors: Henrik Andrén, Martin Arpi
  • Publication number: 20120093300
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement of a measuring window in a continuously operated X-ray analyzer (1), said analyzer being is used particularly for analyzing elemental contents in solid, liquid or slurry-like materials; which measuring window (2) separates the sampling space (3) containing the sample material to be measured and the measurement space (4) containing the measuring probe (11), and is sealed by a lid structure (6) arranged in the sampling space, said lid structure defining the measurement aperture (7) of the sampling space, in which case the lid structure defining the measurement aperture of the sampling space is provided with a sealing surface (8) of the measuring window, so that said surface is at least partly planar and at least partly curved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: OUTOTEC OYJ
    Inventors: Kari Mann, Christian Von Alfthan
  • Patent number: 8151632
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for defining particle and/or mineral content in real time in a mineral separation process from finely divided particle material flowing either in solid or slurry-like form, so that from the particle material, there is extracted a representative sample, which sample is then subjected to grain size analysis, on the basis of which there is calculated the element and/or mineral content of the particle material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Outotec Oyj
    Inventors: Christian Von Alfthan, Kari Saloheimo
  • Publication number: 20120080382
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for restoring the extractive potential of organic hydroxyoxime-based extraction solution used in the recovery of metals by liquid-liquid extraction. The method is two-stage, in which an aqueous solution of hydroxylamine or some hydroxylamine compound is used in the reaction stage, and the removal of the undesirable compounds generated in the reaction occurs in the second stage by adsorption purification. The reaction stage and the adsorptive stage are carried out in a mixing tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: OUTOTEC OYJ
    Inventors: Erkki Paatero, Kai Jyrkkä, Sami Virolainen
  • Patent number: 8147756
    Abstract: Device for carrying out a chemical or physical treatment, comprising a frame on which a turntable is arranged rotatably. The reaction vessels are arranged on the turntable, and a different connection between the feed/discharge lines, which are fixedly connected to the frame, and the reaction vessels is constantly provided via a valve assembly. The valve assembly comprises two disks, each provided with ports which are positioned opposite one another in constantly changing positions. In order to minimize the non-operational time, an indexing movement is carried out using the turntable. In the case of relatively large installations, to prevent associated forces from affecting the movement of the valve assembly, it is proposed that the valve assembly be fitted directly on the turntable and that the turntable be driven directly by the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Outotec Oyj
    Inventor: Bernard Pieter Wijnberg
  • Publication number: 20120074046
    Abstract: In a froth flotation method and apparatus an upwardly open circular trough (4) having outlets (5) on the outer periphery of the trough is arranged horizontally above the froth phase (F) so that the trough is coaxial with the flotation vessel (1), and said circular trough is rotated around its center axis. A stationary water pipe (6) is arranged above the trough (4). Fresh water (W) is fed via the water pipe (6) into the trough (4) while the trough is rotating, and the water is let to flow by gravity and centrifugal force from the trough (4) via the outlets (5) into the froth phase (F).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: OUTOTEC OYJ
    Inventor: Peter Bourke