Abstract: An apparatus for processing a material is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a toroidal bed chamber (110) and a waveguide (120). The toroidal bed chamber (110) has chamber walls comprising an inner sidewall (111), an outer sidewall (112) and a base (113), the inner sidewall (111), outer sidewall (112) and base (113) at least partly defining a toroidal volume for material to circulate within. A circulation fluid inlet (130) is provided for introducing a circulation fluid (131) with a velocity component tangential to the toroidal volume for causing the material to circulate within the toroidal volume. The waveguide (120) is for receiving microwave radiation and communicating the microwave radiation to interior of the toroidal bed chamber. The waveguide (120) comprises at least one microwave transparent window (121) in the inner sidewall (111), the outer sidewall (112) or the base (113).

Abstract: A mask adapted for delivering pressurised air to a user, the mask comprising: an endoskeleton of a first resilient material encapsulated to a lamina of a second resilient material forming a mask body with a cavity. The second resilient material is more flexible than the first resilient material. The lamina having a face contactable skirt portion extending away from the endoskeleton perimeter. The skirt portion comprises an outer layer and an inner layer for providing variable contoured thickness to outer lamina segments of the face contactable portion. The face contactable skirt portion having a flexible cavity edge defining a cavity opening for receiving a nasal region. The endoskeleton and lamina has an aperture adapted to connect to an air delivery tube; the thinner flexible cavity edge is adapted to wrap into the cavity, when wrapped, the contoured thicker lamina segments wraps and seals around the sides of the nose.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for producing direct reduced iron (DRI) move a material comprising iron ore and biomass through a preheat zone (20) and then a reduction zone (30) of a hearth furnace (3) and heat and progressively reduce iron ore and discharge DRI. Reduction gases flow in an opposite direction to material, and combustible gases in the reduction gases are combusted in the preheat zone and generate heat. Microwave energy heats material and reduces iron ore in the reduction zone. The microwave energy is supplied via a plurality of microwave applicators (66) arranged in a plurality of rows of applicators extending across a width of and along a section of a length of the reduction zone. The reduction zone (56) includes a lower sub zone (58) and an upper sub zone separated by an interface (80).

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for producing metallurgical coke from non-coking coal. The method comprising, densifying, the non-coking coal to form pellets. The densified pellets will be placed in a microwave oven within plurality of bricks and are subjected for pyrolysis. For carrying our pyrolysis, the pellets are carried out by heating, the pellets in the microwave oven at a predetermined temperature under an inert atmosphere at atmospheric pressure, and then the pellets are cooled in the microwave oven under the inert atmosphere. This process coverts non-coking coal to the metallurgical coke in a quicker time, and without use of any susceptors.

Abstract: A patient interface (200, 300) comprising: a seal-forming structure (210, 220, 310, 320) including a face-engaging surface that is personalised to the patient's facial contour and to form a seal with the patient's face at least on or below the bridge of the patient's nose and between the patient's lower lip and on or above the patient's chin, preferably proximal to the patient's mentolabial crease, the face-engaging surface including at least one nare port (211, 311) shaped and sized to align with the patient's nares; an anterior surface (205, 305) including a connection port; wherein the seal-forming structure (210, 220, 310, 320) is non-deformable in response to headgear tension or pressurised air received within the seal-forming structure (210, 220, 310, 320).

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for producing metallurgical coke from non-coking coal. The method comprising, densifying, the non-coking coal to form pellets. The densified pellets will be placed in a microwave oven within plurality of bricks and are subjected for pyrolysis. For carrying our pyrolysis, the pellets are carried out by heating, the pellets in the microwave oven at a predetermined temperature under an inert atmosphere at atmospheric pressure, and then the pellets are cooled in the microwave oven under the inert atmosphere. This process coverts non-coking coal to the metallurgical coke in a quicker time, and without use of any susceptors.

Abstract: A heap of a material to be leached to recover a valuable metal from the material includes an electromagnetic heating system to generate heat in situ in the heap.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an apparatus for treatment of mined material. The apparatus comprises a source for generating electromagnetic radiation and a microwave inlet region for exposing fragments of the mined material to the electromagnetic radiation. Further, the apparatus comprises a reflective structure adjacent the microwave inlet region and providing, or surrounding, a passage for guiding the fragments of the mined material to the microwave inlet region. The reflective structure is arranged to attenuate penetration of the electromagnetic radiation from the microwave inlet region into the passage during throughput of the fragments of the mined material.

Abstract: A seal-forming structure (91) for treating sleep disordered breathing by delivering breathable gas to an entrance of a patient's airways during sleep at a pressure elevated above atmospheric pressure in a range of 4 to 20 cm H2O, the seal-forming structure (91) comprising: a face-engaging surface (95) that is personalised to a patient's facial contour and to form a seal with the patient's face; and at least one comfort region (75, 80) configured to provide substantially even contact pressure between the face-engaging surface (95) against the patient's face when headgear tension is applied in use for maintaining the position of the seal-forming structure (91) on the patient's face; wherein the seal-forming structure (91) is non-deformable in response to headgear tension or pressurised air received within the seal-forming structure (91).

Abstract: A heap of a material to be leached to recover a valuable metal from the material includes an electromagnetic heating system to generate heat in situ in the heap.

Abstract: A heap of a material to be leached to recover a valuable metal from the material includes an electromagnetic heating system to generate heat in situ in the heap.

Abstract: A method of processing mined material, such as mined ore, includes a step of exposing mined material to an alternating magnetic field and directly or indirectly assessing the electrical conductivity of mined material in the alternating magnetic field in order to determine whether there is valuable material in the mined material. An apparatus for processing mined material, such as mined ore, includes a magnetic field station that is adapted to expose mined material to an alternating magnetic field that induces currents in mined material that are related to the electrical conductivity of valuable material in the mined material.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A heap of a material to be leached to recover a valuable metal from the material includes an electromagnetic heating system to generate heat in situ in the heap.

Abstract: A method of sorting fragments of mined material that includes valuable and non-valuable materials is disclosed. The method comprising heating the fragments by heating selected materials within the fragments and thermally analysing fragments of the mined material to determine the temperature of each fragment. The method further comprises sorting fragments on the basis of the thermal analysis to separate fragments having a temperature within a temperature band defined by a range between an upper temperature limit and a lower temperature limit from fragments having a temperature outside the temperature band. The upper and lower temperature limits are selected to identify fragments as containing an amount of valuable material that is economically viable to extract based on the fragment temperature. Also disclosed are an apparatus for sorting mined material and a method of recovering valuable material by sorting in according with the sorting method.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an apparatus for treatment of mined material. The apparatus comprises a source for generating electromagnetic radiation and a microwave inlet region for exposing fragments of the mined material to the electromagnetic radiation. Further, the apparatus comprises a reflective structure adjacent the microwave inlet region and providing, or surrounding, a passage for guiding the fragments of the mined material to the microwave inlet region. The reflective structure is arranged to attenuate penetration of the electromagnetic radiation from the microwave inlet region into the passage during throughput of the fragments of the mined material.

Abstract: A method of sorting mined material, such as mined ore, is disclosed. The method comprises exposing particles of mined material to radio frequency electromagnetic radiation and heating particles depending on the minerals present in the particles and then thermally analyzing particles exposed to radio frequency electromagnetic radiation to detect temperature differences between particles which indicate differences in the minerals in the particles. The method also comprises sorting the particles on the basis of the results of the thermal analysis.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing mined material that includes an applicator assembly (2) is disclosed. The applicator assembly includes a plurality of applicators (12) for exposing a moving bed of fragments of mined material to electromagnetic radiation as the bed of fragments moves through the applicator assembly. The applicators are arranged so that, in use, there is a high level of assurance that all of the fragments in the moving bed will receive at least a minimum exposure to electromagnetic radiation by the time the fragments reach an outlet end (8) of the applicator assembly.

Abstract: A method for treating an ore material with electro-magnetic energy, the method comprising at least the steps of: agglomerating the ore material; irradiating the ore material with electromagnetic energy; thereby heating the liquid in the ore material; vapourising at least a portion of the liquid in the ore material; forming micro-channels in the ore material, and acid leaching the ore material.