Patents by Inventor Dale Hintsala

Dale Hintsala 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 and system for the production of iron nuggets
    Patent number: 12624406
    Abstract: A hearth for a traveling hearth furnace for the production of pig iron grade nuggets, the hearth having a synthetic graphite material in direct contact with the process charge in producing a plurality of metallic iron nodules and slag. The process charge including iron containing oxide, a predetermined amount of a reductant and flux, which are carried into and through a reducing, melting and coalescing stages on the hearth, wherein resulting metallic iron nodules and slag are in direct contact with the synthetic graphite material and do not adhere to the synthetic graphite material of the hearth. The absence adherence and ease of removal minimizes any impurities in the pig iron grade nuggets and allows the hearth to be used more than one cycle without the need for any replenishment of the contact surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2026
    Assignee: Carbontec Energy Corporation
    Inventors: John Simmons, Dale Hintsala
  • PROCESS AND SYSTEM FOR THE PRODUCTION OF IRON NUGGETS
    Publication number: 20240182993
    Abstract: A hearth for a traveling hearth furnace for the production of pig iron grade nuggets, the hearth having a synthetic graphite material in direct contact with the process charge in producing a plurality of metallic iron nodules and slag. The process charge including iron containing oxide, a predetermined amount of a reductant and flux, which are carried into and through a reducing, melting and coalescing stages on the hearth, wherein resulting metallic iron nodules and slag are in direct contact with the synthetic graphite material and do not adhere to the synthetic graphite material of the hearth. The absence adherence and ease of removal minimizes any impurities in the pig iron grade nuggets and allows the hearth to be used more than one cycle without the need for any replenishment of the contact surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Publication date: June 6, 2024
    Inventors: John Simmons, Dale Hintsala