Patents Assigned to Starmet Corporation
  • Method for producing uranium oxide from uranium tetrafluoride and a phyllosilicate mineral
    Patent number: 6153164
    Abstract: A method for producing uranium oxide includes combining uranium tetrafluoride and a phyllosilicate mineral containing a solid oxidizing agent within the mineral's structure having a lower thermodynamic stability than the uranium oxide; heating the combination below the vapor point of the uranium tetrafluoride to sufficiently react the uranium tetrafluoride and the oxidizing agent to produce uranium oxide and a non-radioactive fluorine compound; and removing the fluorine compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Starmet Corporation
    Inventors: John B. Bulko, Bridget M. Smyser
  • Method and apparatus for fabricating near spherical semiconductor single crystal particulate and the spherical product produced
    Patent number: 6120602
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for producing single crystal semiconductor particulate in near spherical shape and the particulate product so formed is accomplished by producing uniform, monosized, near spherical droplets; identifying the position of an undercooled droplet in a nucleation zone; and seeding the identified droplet in the nucleation zone to initiate single crystal growth in the droplet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Starmet Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew D. Stephens, Steven A. Miller, Jessica Belcher
  • Method and apparatus for fabricating near spherical semiconductor single crystal particulate and the spherical product produced
    Patent number: 6106739
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for producing single crystal semiconductor particulate in near spherical shape and the particulate product so formed is accomplished by producing uniform, monosized, near spherical droplets; identifying the position of an undercooled droplet in a nucleation zone; and seeding the identified droplet in the nucleation zone to initiate single crystal growth in the droplet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Starmet Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew D. Stephens, Steven A. Miller, Jessica Belcher
  • Method for producing uranium oxide from uranium oxyfluoride
    Patent number: 6096281
    Abstract: A method for producing uranium oxide includes combining uranium oxyfluoride and a solid oxidizing agent having a lower thermodynamic stability than the uranium oxide after "oxide"; heating the combination below the vapor point of the uranium oxyfluoride to sufficiently react the uranium oxyfluoride and the oxidizing agent to produce uranium oxide and a non-radioactive fluorine compound; and removing the fluorine compound after "compound".
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Starmet Corporation
    Inventors: John B. Bulko, Bridget M. Smyser
  • Method for producing uranium oxide from uranium oxyfluoride and silicon
    Patent number: 6086836
    Abstract: A method for producing uranium oxide includes combining uranium oxyfluoride and silicon and heating the combination below the vapor point of the uranium oxyfluoride to sufficiently react the uranium oxyfluoride and silicon to produce uranium oxide and a non-radioactive fluorine compound; and removing the fluorine compound, e.g. silicon tetrafluoride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Starmet Corporation
    Inventors: Bridget M. Smyser, John B. Bulko
  • Method for producing silicon tetrafluoride from uranium oxyfluoride
    Patent number: 6033642
    Abstract: A method for producing silicon tetrafluoride includes combining uranium oxyfluoride and silicon dioxide; heating the combination below the melting point of the uranium oxyfluoride to sufficiently react the uranium oxyfluoride and the silicon dioxide to produce non-radioactive silicon tetrafluoride and an oxide of uranium; and removing the silicon tetrafluoride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Starmet Corporation
    Inventors: John B. Bulko, Bridget M. Smyser
  • Method for producing uranium oxide and silicon tetrafluoride from uranium tetrafluoride, silicon, and a gaseous oxide
    Patent number: 5901338
    Abstract: A method for producing uranium oxide includes combining uranium tetrafluoride, silicon and a gaseous anhydrous oxidizing agent having a lower thermodynamic stability than any oxide of uranium produced; heating the combination below the vapor point of the uranium tetrafluoride to sufficiently react the uranium tetrafluoride, silicon and the oxidizing agent to produce uranium oxide and a non-radioactive fluorine compound; and removing the fluorine compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Starmet Corporation
    Inventors: William T. Nachtrab, John B. Bulko
  • System and method for producing fine metallic and ceramic powders
    Patent number: 5855642
    Abstract: A system and method for producing fine powders. The system includes a rotary atomization device for forming a moving flow of a molten source material; a source of atomizing material; a nozzle for directing a jet of the atomizing material at the moving flow of molten source material for atomizing and for producing fine droplets of the source material; and a chamber for collecting the fine droplets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Assignee: Starmet Corporation
    Inventors: Steven A. Miller, Henry J. DeMita