Patents by Inventor Clovis Antonio De Faria Sousa

Clovis Antonio De Faria Sousa has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Process for refining niobium-based ferroalloys
    Patent number: 10563289
    Abstract: Refined niobium-based ferroalloys are provided by removing lead and other impurities therefrom by a process comprising charging niobium ore concentrate and/or niobium oxide or a mixture of niobium oxides to a metallothermic reaction chamber, admixing the ore concentrate and/or niobium oxide with a reducing agent, initiating a metallothermic reaction, under reduced pressure; and allowing the reaction product to solidify and cool; crushing the reaction product or crushing the niobium-based ferroalloy previously reduced in open air, and charging the crushed product to a melting crucible within a vacuum induction melting furnace, lowering the pressure within the furnace to below 1 mbar, and melting the crushed product while vaporizing the impurities contained therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Companhia Brasileira de Metalurgia e Mineracão
    Inventors: Kleber A. Sernik, Clovis Antonio De Faria Sousa, Eduardo Augusto Ayroza Galvão Ribeiro
  • PROCESSES FOR REFINING NIOBIUM-BASED FERROALLOYS
    Publication number: 20190003012
    Abstract: Refined niobium-based ferroalloys are provided by removing lead and other impurities therefrom by a process comprising charging niobium ore concentrate and/or niobium oxide or a mixture of niobium oxides to a metallothermic reaction chamber, admixing the ore concentrate and/or niobium oxide with a reducing agent, initiating a metallothermic reaction, under reduced pressure; and allowing the reaction product to solidify and cool; crushing the reaction product or crushing the niobium-based ferroalloy previously reduced in open air, and charging the crushed product to a melting crucible within a vacuum induction melting furnace, lowering the pressure within the furnace to below 1 mbar, and melting the crushed product while vaporizing the impurities contained therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: Kleber A. Sernik, Clovis Antonio De Faria Sousa, Eduardo Augusto Ayroza Galvão Ribeiro
  • PROCESSES FOR REFINING NIOBIUM-BASED FERROALLOYS
    Publication number: 20190003011
    Abstract: Refined niobium-based ferroalloys are provided by removing lead and other impurities therefrom by a process comprising charging niobium ore concentrate and/or niobium oxide or a mixture of niobium oxides to a metallothermic reaction chamber, admixing the ore concentrate and/or niobium oxide with a reducing agent, initiating a metallothermic reaction, under reduced pressure; and allowing the reaction product to solidify and cool; crushing the reaction product or crushing the niobium-based ferroalloy ore concentrate previously reduced in open air, and charging the crushed product to a melting crucible within a vacuum induction melting furnace, lowering the pressure within the furnace to below 1 mbar, and melting the crushed product while vaporizing the impurities contained therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: Kleber A. Sernik, Clovis Antonio De Faria Sousa, Eduardo Augusto Ayroza Galvão Ribeiro