Patents Examined by Steven Bos
  • Patent number: 9963760
    Abstract: Provided is a backflow cascade novel process for producing a lithium-7 isotope. The process comprises an upper backflow section, an extraction section, an enrichment section, a lower backflow section, and a product acquiring section. Upper backflow phase-conversion liquid and lower backflow phase-conversion liquid are respectively added to the upper backflow section and the lower backflow section, and upper backflow phase-conversion liquid and lower backflow phase-conversion liquid of the lithium material are controlled; the product is precisely acquired in the product acquiring section; an organic phase is added to the upper backflow section, and is recycled in the lower backflow section. By means of cascade connection with a high-performance liquid separator, environmental protection, high efficiency, and multi-level enrichment of the lithium-7 isotope are achieved, and a high-abundance lithium-7 isotope product is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Inventors: Jinbo Hu, Wei Zhang, Weiqin Zheng, Guanghua Chen, Xiao Shi, Yongchang Xu, Honggui Lv, Chengye Yuan
  • Patent number: 9966157
    Abstract: The invention related to a complexing system for extracting a radionuclide from a waste water solution including calix[n]arene groups on the surface of a porous conducting material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Ekatarina Shilova, Pascal Viel, Vincent Huc, Yves Barre
  • Patent number: 9945009
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to processes for recovering rare earth elements from an aluminum-bearing material. The processes can comprise leaching the aluminum-bearing material with an acid so as to obtain a leachate comprising at least one aluminum ion, at least one iron ion, at least one rare earth element, and a solid, and separating the leachate from the solid. The processes can also comprise substantially selectively removing at least one of the at least one aluminum ion and the at least one iron ion from the leachate and optionally obtaining a precipitate. The processes can also comprise substantially selectively removing the at least one rare earth element from the leachate and/or the precipitate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: ORBITE TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Richard Boudreault, Joël Fournier, Raymond Simoneau, Maria Cristina Garcia, Heinz Krivanec, Denis Primeau, Carsten Dittrich
  • Patent number: 9926618
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an extracting agent for separating lithium isotopes and an organic extraction phase containing the extracting agent; the organic extraction phase easily enriches 7Li and achieves the separation of lithium isotopes. The present invention also discloses a high-efficiency method for separating lithium isotopes in an aqueous solution, in which the organic extraction phase of the present invention is used, said organic extraction phase being suitable for single-stage and multi-stage extraction processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Inventors: Beili Li, Huaiyu Sheng, Jinbo Hu
  • Patent number: 9923232
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing high-purity lithium fluoride proceeding from lithium carbonate, and to lithium fluoride having a preferred morphology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: LANXESS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Matthias Boll, Wolfgang Ebenbeck, Eberhard Kuckert
  • Patent number: 9914648
    Abstract: A process is provided for obtaining a hematite-containing material that can be used for ironmaking. The process includes separating a leach residue from a hydrometallurgical refining plant into an overflow and an underflow using a wet cyclone under a condition that the wet cyclone is adjusted to have a setting between 1 ?m or less and 2 ?m or less as a classification particle size for the overflow. The process then includes separating the overflow into a strong magnetic substance and a weak magnetic substance using a strong-magnetic-field magnetic separator under a condition that magnetic field intensity is 5 to 20 [kGauss]. The process then includes using a superheated steam drying system for adjusting a moisture content of the strong magnetic substance after the separation, to be 10 wt % to 17 wt %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Go Ohara, Yasumasa Kan, Masaki Imamura
  • Patent number: 9914646
    Abstract: A method for the processing of potassium containing materials comprises: (i) Separation of a potassium containing mineral from gangue minerals; (ii) Acid leaching whereby substantially all potassium, iron, aluminum and magnesium is solubilized and mixed potassium/iron double salt formed; (iii) Selectively crystallizing the mixed potassium/iron double salt formed in the leach step (ii); (iv) Second separation to separate the mixed potassium/iron double salt formed in step (iii); (v) Thermal decomposition to produce an iron oxide, a potassium salt and one or more phosphates; (vi) Leaching the product of the thermal decomposition; (vii) Third separation to separate the iron oxide and phosphate from the potassium salt; (viii) Recovering the potassium salt by crystallization; (ix) Separating the iron oxide and phosphate of step (vii) by leaching and subsequent solid liquid separation; and (x) Precipitating phosphate from liquor produced in step (ix) through the addition of a base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: K-Max Pty Ltd.
    Inventors: Gary Donald Johnson, Mark Daniel Urbani, Nicholas John Vines
  • Patent number: 9909221
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for producing metal-containing particles, the method comprising subjecting an aqueous solution comprising a metal salt, Eh, lowering reducing agent, pH adjusting agent, and water to conditions that maintain the Eh value of the solution within the bounds of an Eh-pH stability field corresponding to the composition of the metal-containing particles to be produced, and producing said metal-containing particles in said aqueous solution at a selected Eh value within the bounds of said Eh-pH stability field. The invention is also directed to the resulting metal-containing particles as well as devices in which they are incorporated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: UT-BATTELLE, LLC
    Inventors: Ji-Won Moon, Hyunsung Jung, Tommy Joe Phelps, Chad E. Duty, Ilia N. Ivanov, Pooran Chandra Joshi, Gerald Earle Jellison, Jr., Beth Louise Armstrong, Sean Campbell Smith, Adam Justin Rondinone, Lonnie J. Love
  • Patent number: 9902620
    Abstract: A unique method for preparing precipitated silica entails reacting a silicate with an acidifying agent to obtain a suspension of precipitated silica, and separating and drying the suspension, and further wherein the precipitation includes contacting a silicate with an acidifying agent in an acidic medium in a fast blender.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Rhodia Operations
    Inventors: Elise Fournier, Jean-Claude Magne, Francois Nicol
  • Patent number: 9899675
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for preparing a precursor of lithium composite transition metal oxide for lithium secondary batteries, using a reactor having a closed structure including an outer stationary cylinder; an inner rotary cylinder on the same axis; and a rotation reaction area disposed between them, wherein ring-shaped vortex pairs that are uniformly arranged in a rotation axis direction and rotate in opposite directions are formed in the rotation reaction area. According to the method of the invention, raw materials comprising an aqueous solution of two or more transition metal salts, an aqueous solution of a complex forming additive, and a basic aqueous solution for maintaining pH are fed through an inlet into the rotation reaction area where a coprecipitation reaction is performed under a non-nitrogen atmosphere to form lithium composite transition metal oxide particles which are then discharged through a reactor outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Byungchun Park, Seong Hoon Kang, HoSuk Shin, SangMin Park, Hong Kyu Park
  • Patent number: 9896738
    Abstract: A process for controlling the dissolution of a metal in an acid bath is described. The metal may comprise aluminum and the acid bath may contain a metal catalyst that causes the metal to dissolve. In order to control the rate of dissolution and/or the amount of gas evolved during the process, an iron source is added to the bath. In one embodiment, the process can be used to dissolve aluminum contained in spent fuel assemblies for recovering a nuclear fuel, such as uranium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: SAVANNAH RIVER NUCLEAR SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Philip M. Almond, William E. Daniel, Tracy S. Rudisill
  • Patent number: 9889421
    Abstract: A method for recovering hydrochloric acid and metal oxides from a chloride liquor is described. The method uses a chloride liquor including the metal and mixing the liquor and a matrix solution to produce a reaction mixture, wherein the matrix solution assists oxidation/hydrolysis of the metal with HCl production. In a preferred embodiment the matrix solution includes zinc chloride in various stages of hydration and an oxygen containing gas is added to the mix. A method where the improvement is the mixing of a liquor and a matrix solution where the solution assists hydrolysis of the metal with HCl production is also disclosed. The reactor is a column reactor in a preferred embodiment. Further disclosed is the method of using the matrix solution and a reactor for recovering hydrochloric acid and for oxidizing/hydrolysis of a metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: BRAV METAL TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Bryn Harris, Carl White
  • Patent number: 9890055
    Abstract: A method of producing (high-purity) hematite for ironmaking includes adding an oxidant and sulfuric acid to nickel oxide ore and then leaching nickel. The method further includes forming a neutralized residue having a sulfur grade exceeding 1.0% by weight by adding a neutralizing agent to leach slurry and being subjected to solid-liquid separation. The neutralizing agent functions to form plaster by reaction with a free sulfuric acid of surplus acid contained in the leach slurry. The leach slurry is a mixture of a leachate and a leach residue obtained after leaching the nickel. The method then includes heating the neutralized residue at a heating temperature of 600° C. or more and 1400° C. or less to form hematite having a sulfur grade of 1.0% or less by weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideki Sasaki, Yasumasa Kan, Hiroyuki Mitsui
  • Patent number: 9885095
    Abstract: A process is provided for separation of at least one metal sulfide from a mixed sulfide concentrate. The process includes: subjecting the mixed sulfide concentrate to flotation in which at least one sulfide including antimony, arsenic and a first metal is floated and at least one sulfide including a second metal is depressed. The flotation yields a first metal concentrate having the at least one sulfide including antimony, arsenic and the first metal and a second metal concentrate having the at least one sulfide including the second metal. The first metal concentrate is leached to yield a further concentrate and a leach solution. The further concentrate includes the first metal and the leach solution includes soluble antimony and soluble arsenic. The process further includes oxidizing the leach solution to yield an antimony precipitate and an arsenic solution, and forming a stable arsenic compound from the arsenic solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: GOLDCORP INC.
    Inventors: Marcus Tomlinson, Teodoro Martinez, Simon Hille
  • Patent number: 9868644
    Abstract: Process for producing sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate in a continuous mode out of trona comprising: c) feeding crushed trona, an extraction water and an additive in a first leaching tank containing a dissolution solution comprising sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate, wherein the additive is selected from the group consisting of: anionic hexametaphosphate, anionic polyphosphate, anionic polyphosphonate, soja lecithine, anionic polycarboxylate polymer, anionic polyacrylate polymer, anionic polyacrylate-polyacrylamide co-polymer, anionic hydrolyzed polymaleic polymers, anionic maleic-acrylic acids copolymers, anionic acrylic acid-phosphonic acid copolymers and combinations thereof; d) dissolving at least partially the crushed trona in the dissolution solution in order to produce a first suspension; e) removing continuously the first suspension from the first leaching tank and feeding it with an additive into a second leaching tank wherein the additive is selected from the same group of additives of
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Solvay SA
    Inventors: Joffrey Piet, Frederic Nicolas
  • Patent number: 9839917
    Abstract: In a method for recovering a copper sulfide concentrate by froth flotation from an ore containing an iron sulfide, wet grinding of the ore with grinding media made of high chromium cast iron alloy having a chromium content of from 10 to 35% by weight is combined with an addition of hydrogen peroxide to the conditioned mineral pulp before or during flotation in order to improve concentrate grade and recovery of copper sulfides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignees: Evonik Degussa GmbH, Magotteaux International S.A.
    Inventors: Christopher Greet, Gerhard Arnold, Ingo Hamann, Alan Hitchiner
  • Patent number: 9840415
    Abstract: A process for separating heavy metals from a phosphoric starting material includes, in a step (i), heating the starting material to a temperature between 700 and 1,100° C. in a first reactor and withdrawing combustion gas. In a step (ii), the heated starting material at the temperature between 700 and 1,100° C. is transferred to a second reactor, chlorides of alkaline and alkaline earth metals are added and process gas is withdrawn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OY
    Inventors: Dirk Lohrberg, Bertold Stegemann, Guenter Schneider, Ludwig Hermann
  • Patent number: 9834827
    Abstract: Cathode material from exhausted lithium ion batteries are dissolved in a solution for extracting the useful elements Co (cobalt), Ni (nickel), Mn (manganese), Li (lithium), and Fe (iron) to produce active cathode materials for new batteries. The solution includes compounds of desirable materials such as cobalt, nickel and manganese dissolved as compounds from the exhausted cathode material of spent cells. Depending on a desired proportion, or ratio, of the desired materials, raw materials are added to the solution to achieve the desired ratio of the commingled compounds for the recycled cathode material for new cells. The desired materials precipitate out of solution without extensive heating or separation of the desired materials into individual compounds or elements. The resulting active cathode material has the predetermined ratio for use in new cells, and avoids high heat typically required to separate the useful elements because the desired materials remain commingled in solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
    Inventors: Yan Wang, Diran Apelian, Haiyang Zou
  • Patent number: 9837175
    Abstract: A process for chemical stabilization of a uranium carbide composite material: UCx+yC with x?1 and y>0, placed in a stabilization chamber, comprises: a rise in chamber internal temperature for oxidation of the compound based on uranium carbide between approximately 380° C. and 550° C., the chamber being fed with a neutral gas; isothermal oxidative treatment at the oxidation temperature, the chamber being placed under O2 partial pressure; controlling completion of stabilization of the compound, comprising monitoring the amount of molecular oxygen consumed and/or carbon dioxide or carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide given off, until achievement of an input set-point value for the amount of molecular oxygen, of a minimum threshold value for the amount of carbon dioxide or minimum threshold values for the carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. A device implements the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Commissariat A L'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Mickael Marchand, Olivier Fiquet, Méryl Brothier
  • Patent number: 9834825
    Abstract: A method for collecting silver ions and phosphoric acid in a waste fluid includes collecting silver chloride from the waste fluid, collecting silver chloride including providing a chloride compound to the waste fluid; and collecting phosphoric acid, collecting phosphoric acid including distilling the waste fluid from which the silver chloride has been collected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jihoon Jeong, Donghyun Kim, Yeongil Kim, Seungmo Choi, Jinki Noh, Jiho Park, Jeongsik Yoo, Young Il Lee