Patents by Inventor Frank Pitts

Frank Pitts 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).

  • Patent number: 4891130
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for removing accumulated metals, particularly vanadium and nickel, from particulate aluminosilicate materials and aluminosilicate materials that are obtained by the process. The process may advantageously be used to remove accumulated metals from spent aluminosilicate contact materials used in selective vaporization processes of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,263,128. The process of this invention yields materials suitable for effective recycling to a selective vaporization unit or for ecologically-acceptable disposal, as well as, optionally, recovery of metals in saleable form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1990
    Assignee: Engelhard Corporation
    Inventor: Frank Pitts
  • Patent number: 4668124
    Abstract: Materials containing vanadium values which are leachable by water are treated to reduce the leachability of vanadium to minimum practical values, thereby rendering the material suitable for disposal as landfill. Vanadium is insolubilized by adding a polyvalent metal salt which is capable of dissolving in water to form an acidic solution from which polyvalent metal cations are precipitated at a pH of 5, the polyvalent cations having a valence of +3 or higher or being a divalent metal that is oxidizable to a valence of +3 or higher. The salt-treated mixture is then neutralized by a base. The vanadium may be contained in a solid such as, for example, a spent cracking catalyst or a spent sorbent used in the upgrading of petroleum feedstock by selective vaporization or it may be contained in liquid material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1987
    Assignee: Engelhard Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Pitts, Glen A. Hemstock, Inez L. Moselle
  • Patent number: 4339352
    Abstract: A novel sorptive clay product is formed by treating attapulgite clay with sodium silicate and heating to expel moisture such that the product contains about 7-20% total volatile matter. Acid may also be added such that the pH of aqueous slurry is in the range 5 to 10. This sorptive clay product exhibits water and oil absorption and resistance to wet breakdown equivalent to higher-temperature activated attapulgite products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1981
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1982
    Assignee: Engelhard Minerals & Chemicals Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Pitts, Jack A. Tiethof, Robert A. Burns
  • Patent number: 4231997
    Abstract: A process for preparing a rare earth nitrate solution in which rare earth hydroxides containing quadrivalent cerium are dissolved in nitric acid with the addition of hydrogen peroxide. The change in oxidation-reduction E.M.F. may be used to control the addition of peroxide to prevent formation of quadrivalent cerium ions in the nitrate solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1979
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1980
    Assignee: Engelhard Minerals & Chemicals Corporation
    Inventor: Frank Pitts
  • Patent number: 4201750
    Abstract: A process for the preparation of magnesium compounds from breunnerite or from mineral concentrates or tailings containing breunnerite in which the mineral is calcined and treated with an acid and the magnesium salt solution so formed is separated from insoluble matter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1980
    Assignee: Engelhard Minerals & Chemicals Corporation
    Inventor: Frank Pitts
  • Patent number: 4200618
    Abstract: An improved method of preparing magnesium chloride in which magnesium oxide, hydroxide or carbonate or a material containing magnesium oxide is caused to react with waste chlorides produced in the manufacture of titanium tetrachloride and the solution of magnesium chloride so formed is separated from insoluble matter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1979
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1980
    Assignee: Engelhard Minerals & Chemicals Corporation
    Inventor: Frank Pitts
  • Patent number: 4150092
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for recovering vanadium from ferruginous chloride solutions by liquid-liquid extraction (or liquid ion exchange). Such chloride solutions are obtained in the extraction of vanadium from vanadiferous residues arising from the chlorination of titaniferous ores and in the extraction of vanadium from vanadiferous minerals. These solutions contain chlorides of vanadium, aluminum, iron, manganese and chromium. The method comprises adding sulfate ions to the chloride solution and recovering the vanadium by liquid-liquid extraction. By adjusting the sulfate-additive in relation to the concentrations of vanadium, iron and chloride in the solution vanadium can be exhausted substantially free from iron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 17, 1979
    Assignee: Engelhard Minerals & Chemicals Corporation
    Inventor: Frank Pitts
  • Patent number: 4126663
    Abstract: A process for the recovery of vanadium from acid sulfate solutions such as those derived by sulfuric acid leaching of industrial residues such as spent hydrodesulfurization catalysts, fly ash and furnace bottom ash in which magnesium oxide, hydroxide or carbonate is used as the neutralizing agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1977
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1978
    Assignee: Engelhard Minerals & Chemicals Corporation
    Inventor: Frank Pitts
  • Patent number: 4100252
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for recovering vanadium, niobium, tantalum and zirconium from vanadiferous residues arising from the chlorination of titaniferous ores. Such residues contain chlorides of these metals and/or titanium, aluminum, iron, chromium and manganese together with carbon and unreacted titaniferous ore. The method comprises first moistening these residues with water and then treating them with hot water for a sufficient period of time to extract substantially all the vanadium into solution which is separated from insoluble material comprising carbon and unreacted titaniferous ore together with substantially all the niobium, tantalum and zirconium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1978
    Assignee: Engelhard Minerals & Chemicals Corporation
    Inventor: Frank Pitts
  • Patent number: 3957500
    Abstract: Stabilised zirconia is obtained by mixing zirconia with an impure yttria concentrate containing 35-70% by weight yttria with the remainder being substantially heavy and light rare earth metal oxides, such concentrate being prepared from a naturally occurring mineral material. Sufficient concentrate is used so that the stabilised zirconia body contains at least 3 mole percent of yttria and heavy rare earth metal oxides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1974
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1976
    Assignee: Magnesium Elektron Limited
    Inventor: Frank Pitts