Patents by Inventor Donald R. Fosnacht
Donald R. Fosnacht 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).
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Patent number: 8535602Abstract: A hearth furnace for producing metallic iron material has a furnace housing having a drying/preheat zone, a conversion zone, a fusion zone, and optionally a cooling zone, the conversion zone is between the drying/preheat zone and the fusion zone. A moving hearth is positioned within the furnace housing. A hood or separation barrier within at least a portion of the conversion zone, fusion zone or both separates the fusion zone into an upper region and a lower region with the lower region adjacent the hearth and the upper region adjacent the lower region and spaced from the hearth. An injector introduces a gaseous reductant into the lower region adjacent the hearth. A combustion region may be formed above the hood or separation barrier.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2012Date of Patent: September 17, 2013Assignee: Nu-Iron Technology, LLCInventors: Rodney L. Bleifuss, David J. Englund, Iwao Iwasaki, Donald R. Fosnacht, Mark M. Brandon, Bradford G. True
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Publication number: 20120119424Abstract: A hearth furnace for producing metallic iron material has a furnace housing having a drying/preheat zone, a conversion zone, a fusion zone, and optionally a cooling zone, the conversion zone is between the drying/preheat zone and the fusion zone. A moving hearth is positioned within the furnace housing. A hood or separation barrier within at least a portion of the conversion zone, fusion zone or both separates the fusion zone into an upper region and a lower region with the lower region adjacent the hearth and the upper region adjacent the lower region and spaced from the hearth. An injector introduces a gaseous reductant into the lower region adjacent the hearth. A combustion region may be formed above the hood or separation barrier.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2012Publication date: May 17, 2012Applicant: NU-IRON TECHNOLOGY, LLCInventors: Rodney L. Bleifuss, David J. Englund, Iwao Iwasaki, Donald R. Fosnacht, Mark M. Brandon, Bradford G. True
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Patent number: 8097065Abstract: A hearth furnace 10 for producing metallic iron material has a furnace housing 11 having a drying/preheat zone 12, a conversion zone 13, a fusion zone 14, and optionally a cooling zone 15, the conversion zone 13 is between the drying/preheat zone 12 and the fusion zone 14. A moving hearth 20 is positioned within the furnace housing 11. A hood or separation barrier 30 within at least a portion of the conversion zone 13, fusion zone 14 or both separates the fusion zone 14 into an upper region and a lower region with the lower region adjacent the hearth 20 and the upper region adjacent the lower region and spaced from the hearth 20. An injector introduces a gaseous reductant into the lower region adjacent the hearth 20. A combustion region may be formed above the hood or separation barrier.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2009Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: Nu-Iron Technology, LLCInventors: Rodney L. Bleifuss, David J. Englund, Iwao Iwasaki, Donald R. Fosnacht, Mark M. Brandon, Bradford G. True
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Patent number: 7939154Abstract: A road and repair system and/or method using one or more components including a plurality of magnetite concentrate particles, at least one acidic activator including phosphate anions, and a plurality of reactive aggregate particles including iron.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2008Date of Patent: May 10, 2011Assignee: Regents of the University of MinnesotaInventors: Donald R. Fosnacht, David W. Hendrickson, Richard Kiesel, Lawrence M. Zanko, Tamara R. Diedrich
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Publication number: 20090229414Abstract: A hearth furnace 10 for producing metallic iron material has a furnace housing 11 having a drying/preheat zone 12, a conversion zone 13, a fusion zone 14, and optionally a cooling zone 15, the conversion zone 13 is between the drying/preheat zone 12 and the fusion zone 14. A moving hearth 20 is positioned within the furnace housing 11. A hood or separation barrier 30 within at least a portion of the conversion zone 13, fusion zone 14 or both separates the fusion zone 14 into an upper region and a lower region with the lower region adjacent the hearth 20 and the upper region adjacent the lower region and spaced from the hearth 20. An injector introduces a gaseous reductant into the lower region adjacent the hearth 20. A combustion region may be formed above the hood or separation barrier.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2009Publication date: September 17, 2009Applicant: NU-IRON TECHNOLOGY, LLCInventors: Rodney L. BLEIFUSS, David J. ENGLUND, Iwao IWASAKI, Donald R. FOSNACHT, Mark M. BRANDON, Bradford G. True
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Publication number: 20090117265Abstract: A road and repair system and/or method using one or more components including a plurality of magnetite concentrate particles, at least one acidic activator including phosphate anions, and a plurality of reactive aggregate particles including iron.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2008Publication date: May 7, 2009Applicant: Regents of the University of MinnesotaInventors: Donald R. FOSNACHT, David W. Hendrickson, Richard Kiesel, Lawrence M. Zanko, Tamara R. Diedrich
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Publication number: 20080307960Abstract: Absorbent magnetic particles are used to remove air pollutants. The adsorbent magnetic particles can adsorb various air pollutants, including nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and mercury, and may be regenerated for reuse.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2006Publication date: December 18, 2008Inventors: David W. Hendrickson, Iwao Iwasaki, David J. Englund, Thomas R. Larson, Blair R. Benner, Donald R. Fosnacht, John Engesser
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Patent number: 4849167Abstract: A descending stream of molten metal is directed from a ladle into a bath of molten metal in a tundish. Molten alloying ingredient is added to the molten metal, either directly to the descending stream within a shroud, or it is injected into the bath, through a sidewall of the tundish, at a region of turbulence. The molten alloying ingredient is protected from the atmosphere outside the tundish.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 1988Date of Patent: July 18, 1989Assignee: Inland Steel CompanyInventors: Anthony T. Peters, Donald R. Fosnacht, John R. Knoepke
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Patent number: 4848755Abstract: A descending stream of molten metal is directed from a ladle into a bath of molten metal in a tundish. Molten alloying ingredient is added to the molten metal, either directly to the descending stream within a shroud, or it is injected into the bath, through a sidewall of the tundish, at a region of turbulence. The molten alloying ingredient is protected from the atmosphere outside the tundish.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 1988Date of Patent: July 18, 1989Assignee: Inland Steel CompanyInventors: Anthony T. Peters, Donald R. Fosnacht, John R. Knoepke
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Patent number: 4653733Abstract: An elongated tundish for the continuous strand casting of molten metal has a plurality of outlet openings arranged in a row extending in the longitudinal direction of the tundish. There is an elongated dam extending in said longitudinal direction between the row of outlet openings and the location of impact, on the tundish bottom, of a ladle nozzle stream of molten metal. The dam provides uniform residence times in the tundish for molten metal exiting the tundish at inner and outer outlet openings in the row of openings. Fluid flow control structure is located between the dam and the tundish side wall adjacent the row of outlet openings to avoid a dead zone in that region.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 1985Date of Patent: March 31, 1987Assignee: Inland Steel CompanyInventors: Frank H. Bugajski, Donald R. Fosnacht
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Patent number: 4630801Abstract: An elongated, vertical conduit has an upper end, communicating with the bottom opening in an upper container or ladle, and an open lower end disposed above the top surface of a bath of molten metal in a lower container or tundish. A descending stream of molten metal is directed from the conduit into the bath. A shroud encloses the conduit and the descending stream. The pressure within the shroud is lower than the outside pressure and is regulated. A mixture of transport gas and solid, particulate alloying ingredient prone to excessive fuming is injected into the descending stream within the shroud.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 1986Date of Patent: December 23, 1986Assignee: Inland Steel CompanyInventors: Daniel Rellis, Jr., Donald R. Fosnacht, Charles R. Jackson
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Patent number: 4602949Abstract: An elongated, vertical conduit has an upper end, communicating with the bottom opening in an upper container or ladle, and an open lower end disposed above the top surface of a bath of molten metal in a lower container or tundish. A descending stream of molten metal is directed from the conduit into the bath. A shroud encloses the conduit and the descending stream. The pressure within the shroud is lower than the outside pressure and is regulated. A mixture of transport gas and solid, particulate alloying ingredient prone to excessive fuming is injected into the descending stream within the shroud.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 1985Date of Patent: July 29, 1986Assignee: Inland Steel CompanyInventors: Daniel Rellis, Jr., Donald R. Fosnacht, Charles R. Jackson
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Patent number: 4591135Abstract: An elongated tundish for the continuous strand casting of molten metal has a plurality of outlet openings arranged in a row extending in the longitudinal direction of the tundish. There is an elongated dam extending in said longitudinal direction between the row of outlet openings and the location of impact, on the tundish bottom, of a ladle nozzle stream of molten metal. The dam provides uniform residence times in the tundish for molten metal exiting the tundish at inner and outer outlet openings in the row of openings. Fluid flow control structure is located between the dam and the tundish side wall adjacent the row of outlet openings to avoid a dead zone in that region.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 1984Date of Patent: May 27, 1986Assignee: Inland Steel CompanyInventors: Donald R. Fosnacht, Masood A. Tindyala
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Patent number: 4585475Abstract: Oily mill scale recovered from steel manufacturing operations downstream of a refining stage for molten steel is recycled to the refining stage. Coarse particles of mill scale are removed in a pre-screening operation, the mill scale is mixed and blended with a binder, and the mixture is agglomerated into shapes, such as briquettes, using external mechanical pressure. The agglomerated shapes are introduced into molten metal containing excessive carbon, where the shapes act as a coolant and the iron oxide in the mill scale reacts with some of the carbon. The oily mill scale is neither deoiled nor ground more finely prior to introduction into the molten metal, and all processing of the mill scale is conducted under ambient conditions of temperature, pressure and atmosphere. The agglomerated shapes may be aged prior to introduction into the molten metal.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 1981Date of Patent: April 29, 1986Assignee: Inland Steel CompanyInventor: Donald R. Fosnacht