Abstract: This invention relates to a process that utilizes high-temperature oxidation with controlled stoichiometry in the concentration of vanadium from carbonaceous feedstock materials containing vanadium, such as residues, ashes and soots resulting from the combustion or gasification of petroleum vacuum residuum, petroleum coke, kerogen from oil shale, and bituminous sand, e.g., tar sand or oil sand, or extra heavy oil or other carbonaceous feedstocks that contain vanadium. A preferred embodiment uses a counter-rotating vortex reactor and a cyclonic, entrained-flow reactor to rapidly heat and oxidize feedstock at temperatures in the range of about 2100° F. to 2900° F., resulting in a vapor stream with entrained, solid materials comprising the concentrated vanadium species.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process that utilizes high-temperature oxidation with controlled stoichiometry in the concentration of vanadium from carbonaceous feedstock materials containing vanadium, such as residues, ashes and soots resulting from the combustion or gasification of petroleum vacuum residuum, petroleum coke, kerogen from oil shale, and bituminous sand, e.g., tar sand or oil sand, or extra heavy oil or other carbonaceous feedstocks that contain vanadium. A preferred embodiment uses a counter-rotating vortex reactor and a cyclonic, entrained-flow reactor to rapidly heat and oxidize feedstock at temperatures in the range of about 2100° F. to 2900° F., resulting in a vapor stream with entrained, solid materials comprising the concentrated vanadium species.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus and process that utilizes high-temperature oxidation and sublimation techniques for the recovery of molybdenum from spent catalysts or other feedstocks that contain molybdenum. A preferred embodiment uses a counter-rotating vortex reactor and a cyclonic entrained-flow reactor to rapidly heat and oxidize the spent catalyst feedstock, such as carbon, sulfur, and molybdenum compounds, at temperatures in the range of about 2100° F. to 2900° F., resulting in a gas-solid stream containing molybdenum trioxide vapor. A high-temperature cyclone separator is utilized to separate the residue from this stream before this stream is rapidly quenched to a temperature sufficient to effect the condensation of solid molybdenum trioxide without condensing arsenic or phosphoric oxides. The condensed molybdenum trioxide material is separated from this stream by passing through a high-temperature filtration system.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus and process that utilizes high-temperature oxidation and sublimation techniques for the recovery of molybdenum from spent catalysts or other feedstocks that contain molybdenum. A preferred embodiment uses a counter-rotating vortex reactor and a cyclonic entrained-flow reactor to rapidly heat and oxidize the spent catalyst feedstock, such as carbon, sulfur, and molybdenum compounds, at temperatures in the range of about 2100° F. to 2900° F., resulting in a gas-solid stream containing molybdenum trioxide vapor. A high-temperature cyclone separator is utilized to separate the residue from this stream before this stream is rapidly quenched to a temperature sufficient to effect the condensation of solid molybdenum trioxide without condensing arsenic or phosphoric oxides. The condensed molybdenum trioxide material is separated from this stream by passing through a high-temperature filtration system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for forming glass-ceramic tiles. Fly ash containing organic material, metal contaminants, and glass forming materials is oxidized under conditions effective to combust the organic material and partially oxidize the metallic contaminants and the glass forming materials. The oxidized glass forming materials are vitrified to form a glass melt. This glass melt is then formed into tiles containing metallic contaminants.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process of forming ceramic tiles having the appearance of tiles produced from clays. The process includes melting a material to form a glass melt, treating the glass melt to produce a solid glass product, grinding the solid glass product to produce glass particles having a particle size of less than 200 microns, mixing the glass particles with a first additive to form a glass powder mixture having a composition of 55 to 99 wt. % glass particles and 45-1 wt. % first additive, forming the glass powder mixture into tiles by dry pressing, where the tiles have a primary crystalline phase selected from the group consisting of nepheline, diopside, anorthite, wollastonite, melilite, merwinite, spinel, akermanite, gehlenite, crystalline phases based on iron substitutions in the crystalline phase, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for forming glass-ceramic tiles. Spent aluminum potliner containing carbonaceous material, fluorine, and glass forming materials is oxidized under conditions effective to combust the carbonaceous material and volatilize partially the fluorine in the glass forming materials. The oxidized glass forming materials are vitrified to form a glass melt. This glass melt is then formed into tiles containing fluorine.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for processing glass-making materials under oxidizing conditions, and for processing materials, such as hazardous or toxic wastes, or smelting under reducing conditions. As a glass-making apparatus the invention includes a cyclone melt reactor for forming a liquid glass melt and a combustion preheater for receiving the glass-making materials and combusting the fuel and oxidant therein to heat the glass batch materials to a temperature at least equal to the melt temperature of the glass batch material. The combustion preheater has an outlet connected to the glass melt reactor, and at least one inlet is provided into the combustion preheater for introducing oxidizing materials and for creating a well-stirred region within the combustion preheater means.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for processing glass-making materials under oxidizing conditions, and for processing materials, such as hazardous or toxic wastes, or smelting under reducing conditions. As a glass-making apparatus the invention includes a cyclone melt reactor for forming a liquid glass melt and a combustion preheater for receiving the glass-making materials and combusting the fuel and oxidant therein to heat the glass batch materials to a temperature at least equal to the melt temperature of the glass batch material. The combustion preheater has an outlet connected to the glass melt reactor, and at least one inlet is provided into the combustion preheater for introducing oxidizing materials and for creating a well-stirred region within the combustion preheater means.

Abstract: A method of melting glass in a toroidal vortex reactor wherein first pulverized glass batch materials are entrained in an oxidant flow which creates a first gas-solids suspension. This first gas-solids suspension is heated in combusting fuel to form a heated suspension which is thereafter mixed with second glass forming ingredients, whereby a second gas-solids suspension is formed. The second gas-solids suspension is injected into the toroidal vortex reactor from a plurality of locations about the circumference thereof. The heated suspension particles in the reactor collide with each other and the wall of the reactor and form a glass layer which flows down the reactor wall and is withdrawn at the bottom thereof.

Abstract: A method of melting glass in a vortex reactor wherein first pulverized glass batch materials are entrained and preheated in a suspension preheater thereby creating a first gas-solids suspension. This first gas-solids suspension is thereafter mixed with a second gas-solids suspension comprised of additional glass batch material in a vortex reactor. The first gas-solids suspension and the second gas-solids suspension are introduced into the vortex reactor through at least one injector assembly. The stoichiometry and heat release in the vortex reactor are controlled by adjusting the oxidant/fuel ratio in the suspension preheater and the vortex reactor. The heated suspension particles are mixed and distributed to the walls of the vortex reactor by fluid mechanically induced centrifugal forces with glass forming reactions occurring along the vortex reactor walls. The formed glass is rapidly refined and homogenized along the vortex reactor walls in a thin layer under the influence of gas dynamic shear forces.