Patents Assigned to Technological Resources PTY
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Patent number: 9771626Abstract: A method of starting a molten bath-based process for smelting a metalliferous material is disclosed. The method includes using the heat flux of water-cooled elements in lower parts of a smelting vessel to provide an indication of molten bath temperature during at least an early part of the start-up method and adjusting injection rates of oxygen-containing gas and/or carbonaceous material into the smelting vessel to control the molten bath temperature during start-up without exceeding critical heat flux levels and tripping the start-up method.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2013Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: Technological Resources Pty. LimitedInventors: Carolyn McCarthy, Rodney James Dry
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Patent number: 9764258Abstract: A method of controlling a froth flotation cell in a froth flotation circuit for separating substances comprises periodically carrying out a control routine to maximize froth stability during the operation of the cell. The control routine comprises changing the gas flow rate to the cell in a series of steps and assessing the froth stability at each gas flow rate and continuing the step changes in the gas flow rate until the froth stability is a peak froth stability or is within a predetermined range of the peak froth stability of the cell.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2011Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: Technological Resources Pty. LimitedInventors: Grant Ashley Wellwood, Damien Harding, Andrew Thornton, Bruce Northway, Kevin Kropf
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Patent number: 9599399Abstract: A material supply apparatus and process for co-injecting heated solid metalliferous material and solid carbonaceous material via a solids injection lance into a direct smelting vessel are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2014Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignee: Technological Resources Pty LimitedInventor: Rodney James Dry
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Patent number: 9551044Abstract: A method of starting a molten-bath based melting process includes commencing supplying cold oxygen-containing gas and cold carbonaceous material into a main chamber of a smelting vessel within at most 3 hours after completing a hot metal charge into the vessel and igniting the carbonaceous material and heating the main chamber and molten metal in the main chamber.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2012Date of Patent: January 24, 2017Assignee: Technological Resources Pty. LimitedInventors: Rodney James Dry, Hendrikus Koenraad Albertus Meijer
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Patent number: 9458518Abstract: A method of starting a molten-bath based melting process includes establishing a sufficiently large and stable “hot zone” for ignition of oxygen and coal in a main chamber of a smelting vessel by independent means, i.e. independently of and before supplying cold oxygen and coal into the main chamber.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2012Date of Patent: October 4, 2016Assignee: Technological Resources Pty, LimitedInventors: Jacques Pilote, Rodney James Dry, Hendrikus Koenraad Albertus Meijer
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Patent number: 9449351Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of characterizing a resource in a block located in an area. The method comprises the step of providing information concerning a property of the resource for a plurality of sample positions in, at or in the environment of the block. The information is obtained from analyzes of samples from the sample positions. The method further comprises modelling a change in the property along a distance at or within the block using the provided information. The method also comprises calculating parameters associated with the modelled change using Bayes' theorem and calculating a property characteristic of the resource for the block using the calculated parameters.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2010Date of Patent: September 20, 2016Assignees: Technological Resources Pty, Limited, The University of SydneyInventors: Arja Jogita Jewbali, Arman Melkumyan, Fabio Ramos
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Patent number: 9376730Abstract: A two stage ironmaking process includes a first stage that includes solid state reduction of iron ore and producing a partially-reduced iron-containing feed material and an off-gas containing CO2 at a location that is in close proximity to a site for sequestering CO2. A second stage of the process includes transporting the feed material to an ironmaking facility iron at another location and producing iron from the feed material.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2011Date of Patent: June 28, 2016Assignee: Technological Resources PTY. LimitedInventor: Timothy James Evans
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Patent number: 9375759Abstract: A microwave radiation applicator for exposing mined material to microwave radiation is disclosed. The applicator includes side walls 3 and end walls 5 that define a chamber. One end wall has an opening that forms an inlet for mined material to be supplied to the chamber and the other end wall has an opening that defines an outlet for mined material to be discharged from the chamber. The side walls define a pentagon in transverse cross-section.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2012Date of Patent: June 28, 2016Assignee: Technological Resources Pty. LimitedInventors: Samuel Kingman, Georgios Dimitrakis, Christopher Dodds
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Patent number: 9359656Abstract: A molten bath-based process for direct smelting metalliferous material and producing molten metal in a direct smelting vessel that contains a molten bath that has a metal layer that is at least 900 mm deep. The process includes selecting operating parameters of the process so that feed material (solid material and carrier gas) is injected from above the metal layer into the metal layer via at least one solids injection lance with sufficient momentum to penetrate to a depth of at least 100 mm below a nominal quiescent surface of the metal layer to cause upward movement of molten material and gas from the metal layer.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2012Date of Patent: June 7, 2016Assignee: Technological Resources Pty. LimitedInventor: Rodney James Dry
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Patent number: 9347306Abstract: A system and method for the drilling of ground holes by a track steer drill rig. The system and method include a drilling arrangement that permits the speed of drilling holes to be balanced against the stability of the hole thus formed. The system and method allow for the autonomous drilling of ground holes and, particularly, although not exclusively, for the purposes of exploration, mining, and/or construction. In particular, the system and method relate to the autonomous drilling of ground holes which are used for subsequent blasting.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2013Date of Patent: May 24, 2016Assignees: Technological Resources Pty. Limited, University of SydneyInventors: Charles McHugh, Florian Andreas Oppoizer
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Publication number: 20160130096Abstract: A train loading system for loading material onto cars of a train is disclosed. The system comprises a material bin arranged to receive material to be loaded onto the train, a closure device arranged to facilitate control by an operator of the amount of material loaded into each car from the material bin, and a car mass estimator arranged to estimate the mass of material loaded into each car. The system also comprises a display arranged to communicate to the operator the estimated mass of material loaded into each car. A corresponding method is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2014Publication date: May 12, 2016Applicants: Technological Resources Pty. Limited, Technological Resources Pty. LimitedInventors: Andrew Arthur Shook, Andreas Alexander Kupfer, Brett Hamilton, Chong Yew Ong
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Patent number: 9309579Abstract: A method of starting a smelting process in a smelting vessel includes heating frozen slag and forming molten slag and draining molten slag from a forehearth connection via a forehearth and establishing a clear flow path through the forehearth connection and thereafter hot starting the smelting process.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2012Date of Patent: April 12, 2016Assignee: Technological Resources Pty, LimitedInventors: Jacques Pilote, Rodney James Dry, Hendrikus Koenraad Albertus Meijer
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Patent number: 9248701Abstract: A method for changing a vehicle wheel held to the vehicle by nuts and retainer cleats comprising: using a mobile robot for removal and replacement of the wheel nuts and retainer cleats in combination with the use of a mobile mechanical wheel handler to grip and remove the wheel and to bring a replacement wheel into position before replacement of the wheel nuts and cleats by the robot.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2012Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Assignee: Technological Resources Pty. LimitedInventor: John Calvi
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Patent number: 9239302Abstract: A method of analyzing particles of a material which include a constituent is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of exposing particles of the material to x radiation having a range of x-radiation energies, detecting x-radiation intensities at two different energy levels transmitted through the particles, and determining the concentration of the constituent in particles from the detected intensities.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2009Date of Patent: January 19, 2016Assignee: Technological Resources Pty. LimitedInventors: Andrea Gabrielle Pidcock, Robin Greenwood-Smith, Trevor Heuer
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Patent number: 9234426Abstract: A method of monitoring a mine operation is disclosed. The method comprises collecting map data associated with a mine operation, the map data being indicative of at least one map representation associated with the mine operation, collecting mine equipment location data indicative of the location of at least one item of mine equipment relative to the mine operation, and facilitating selection and display of a map representation associated with a mine operation. When a map representation associated with a mine operation is displayed, a representation of at least one item of mine equipment on the map representation at a representative location relative to the mine operation.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2010Date of Patent: January 12, 2016Assignee: Technological Resources Pty. LimitedInventors: Mark Morrison, John Usher, Chris Green
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Patent number: 9222144Abstract: An apparatus for injecting gas into a vessel is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a gas flow duct from which to discharge gas from the duct, an elongate central structure extending within the gas flow duct, and a plurality of flow directing vanes disposed about the central structure adjacent the forward end of the duct to impart swirl to a gas flow through the forward end of the duct. The apparatus also comprises cooling water flow passages in the vanes that have inlets at the forward ends of the vanes and outlets at the rear ends of the vanes.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2009Date of Patent: December 29, 2015Assignee: Technological Resources Pty. LimitedInventor: Barry Alan Cady
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Patent number: 9194020Abstract: A heap of a material to be leached to recover a valuable metal from the material and a method of constructing the heap are disclosed. The heap comprises sides and a top and a system to control air flow into the heap. The air flow control system comprises a combination of an air impermeable barrier and an aeration system.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2011Date of Patent: November 24, 2015Assignee: Technological Resources Pty. LimitedInventors: Lucy Esdaile, Paul Leslie Brown
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Patent number: 9175907Abstract: A process and apparatus for direct smelting metalliferous material is disclosed. The invention concentrates injection of solid feed materials comprising metalliferous material and carbonaceous material into a direct smelting vessel during the course of the process into a relatively small region within a metal layer in a molten bath in the vessel in order to generate a substantial upward movement of molten material and gas from the metal layer into a region in the vessel that is above the molten bath. In particular, the invention injects the solid feed materials with sufficient momentum and/or velocity via an opposed pair of lances that are oriented within the vessel and arranged to form overlapping plumes of injected material in the molten bath.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2010Date of Patent: November 3, 2015Assignee: Technological Resources Pty. LimitedInventors: Jacques Pilote, Rodney James Dry
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Patent number: 9041801Abstract: A mine operation monitoring system a plurality of mine equipment interfaces each being located at a mine operation and being associated with at least one item of mine equipment, each mine equipment interface being arranged to monitor operation of the at least one associated item of mine equipment. A plurality of monitoring stations is located remotely to the mine operations and is arranged to communicate with at least one equipment interface associated with a different mine operation so as to monitor operation of at least one item of mine equipment associated with said at least one equipment interface from the remote locations. A plurality of local monitoring stations located at respective mine operations monitors operation of the one time of equipment associated with the one interface. A communications network is arranged to facilitate communications between the equipment interfaces, the local monitoring stations and the remote monitoring stations.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2011Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: Technological Resources PTY. LimitedInventor: Victor Schweikart
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Patent number: D738943Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2012Date of Patent: September 15, 2015Assignee: Technological Resources Pty. LimitedInventors: Christopher Dodds, Georgios Dimitrakis, Samuel Kingman