Patents by Inventor Sönke SCHMACHTEL

Sönke SCHMACHTEL 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: 10400344
    Abstract: Provided is an electrode assembly for electrolytic processing in an electrolysis cell comprising an electrode blade comprising a metallic hanger bar portion, a first lug for supporting the metallic hanger bar portion on a first power supply bar, an insulating piece connecting the metallic hanger bar portion to the first lug. The electrode assembly also comprises an electrical switch unit controlling electrical current supply between the first lug and the metallic hanger bar based on a control signal transmitted to a terminal of the electrical switch unit, a control unit configured to transmit the control signal to the terminal of the electrical switch unit, and a power storage unit configured to supply power to the control unit, the power storage unit being charged from the first lug and the hanger bar when the electrical switch unit switches off electrical current supply between the first lug and the metallic hanger bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OY
    Inventors: Duncan Grant, Michael H. Barker, Henri K. Virtanen, Sönke Schmachtel, Ari Rantala, Lauri Nordlund
  • Patent number: 10316389
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of separating precious metals from anode sludge obtained from copper electrolysis, comprising (a) leaching the anode sludge in an aqueous sulfuric acid solution to remove leachable chlorides and to obtain a first leaching residue depleted of chlorides; (b) pressure leaching the first leaching residue to dissolve Ag and Se and to obtain a first filtrate comprising Ag and Se and a second leaching residue depleted of Ag and Se; and (c) leaching the second leaching residue with an aqueous hydrochloric acid solution to dissolve Au and PGMs to obtain a second filtrate comprising Au and PGMs and a final leaching residue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OY
    Inventors: Henri Virtanen, Sönke Schmachtel
  • Publication number: 20170198370
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of separating precious metals from anode sludge obtained from copper electrolysis, comprising (a) leaching the anode sludge in an aqueous sulfuric acid solution to remove leachable chlorides and to obtain a first leaching residue depleted of chlorides; (b) pressure leaching the first leaching residue to dissolve Ag and Se and to obtain a first filtrate comprising Ag and Se and a second leaching residue depleted of Ag and Se; and (c) leaching the second leaching residue with an aqueous hydrochloric acid solution to dissolve Au and PGMs to obtain a second filtrate comprising Au and PGMs and a final leaching residue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Applicant: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OY
    Inventors: Henri VIRTANEN, Sönke SCHMACHTEL
  • Publication number: 20160138177
    Abstract: Provided is an electrode assembly for electrolytic processing in an electrolysis cell comprising an electrode blade comprising a metallic hanger bar portion, a first lug for supporting the metallic hanger bar portion on a first power supply bar, an insulating piece connecting the metallic hanger bar portion to the first lug. The electrode assembly also comprises an electrical switch unit controlling electrical current supply between the first lug and the metallic hanger bar based on a control signal transmitted to a terminal of the electrical switch unit, a control unit configured to transmit the control signal to the terminal of the electrical switch unit, and a power storage unit configured to supply power to the control unit, the power storage unit being charged from the first lug and the hanger bar when the electrical switch unit switches off electrical current supply between the first lug and the metallic hanger bar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OY
    Inventors: Duncan GRANT, Michael H. BARKER, Henri K. VIRTANEN, Sönke SCHMACHTEL, Ari RANTALA, Lauri NORDLUND