Abstract: Method of automatically separating and cleaning silicon carbide furnace materials using magnetic separation techniques. In the method of the invention, crushed or particulate silicon carbide furnace materials are mixed with a magnetic powder. The lower grade silicon carbide particles are then separated from the first grade silicon carbide crystals using magnetic separation. Recoveries of at least 75% of the first grade silicon carbide are possible using the method of the invention. This method is also useful for the beneficiation of ores, minerals, or man-made materials.

Abstract: A process for classifying toner particles supplied through a supply nozzle into at least three fractions in a classifying chamber divided into at least three sections and placed under a reduced pressure under the action of the inertia force of the toner particles supplied together with a gas stream and the centrifugal force of the curved gas stream due to Coanda effect. A first gas introduction pipe and a second gas introduction pipe are disposed above the classifying chamber so as to provide a first inlet and a second inlet opening with the first inlet being disposed closer to the supply nozzle than the second inlet. The absolute values of the static pressures P.sub.1 and P.sub.2 in the first and second gas introduction pipes are controlled so as to satisfy the relations of: .vertline.P.sub.1 .vertline..gtoreq.150 mm.aq., .vertline.P.sub.2 .vertline..gtoreq.40 mm.aq. and .vertline.P.sub.1 .vertline.-.vertline.P.sub.2 .vertline..gtoreq.100 mm.aq.

Abstract: A process is described for recovering vanadium and zeolitic alumino-silicates from flyash and similar carbon-bearing heat treated materials. The process includes steps for the separation of carbon, followed by pressure leaching the carbon-depleted flyash in relatively dilute alkali metal hydroxide solutions at elevated temperatures. The leach liquor is separated from the residue and is subsequently treated in an amine containing solvent extraction process step for vanadium recovery, and optionally, for other metals present in the leach liquor. The vanadium in the strip liquor is precipitated to obtain vanadium containing compounds.The leach residue is treated separately to recover zeolitic alumino-silicates therefrom.

Abstract: Apparatus for the separation of solid materials of different specific gravities comprising a vertical separator tube having a material inlet port, a light material discharge port located above the inlet port, and a heavy material discharge port located below the inlet port; a holding tank having a top opening for receiving the solid materials to be separated and a bottom opening connected to the inlet port of the separator tube by a feeder tube; a pressurized water source, as by a pump; and a conduit connecting the water source to the separator tube at or below the heavy material discharge port. The holding tank is located at such a height as to allow water coming into the tank from the separator tube to reach a predetermined static level within the tank. The heavy material discharge port is located substantially below the water static level in the tank and adjacent the pressurized water intake so that heavy material may be rapidly removed by water moving at a high velocity.

Abstract: Froth or foam sulfur particle accumulation during the recovery of sulfur particles from a zone containing regenerated redox solution is reduced by agitating and removing the sulfur slurry in a plurality of streams, including at least one stream at a short distance from the top of the solution in the zone and at least one stream from the bottom of the zone and optionally recombining the streams after removal.

Abstract: A process for treating radioactive contaminated soils to remove radioactive metal oxide contaminants therefrom comprises creating a suspension of particles of the soil in a column of water, alternately forcing fresh water in the column upwardly to force ligher soil particles upwardly in the column and allowing heavier particles to gravitationally settle in the bottom of the water column. The heavy particles comprising radioactive metal oxides are collected and handled for radioactive waste material storage. The aqueous slurry of lighter soil particles is directed to a separator for removing substantial amounts of water after which the particles are directed to a conveyor and spread out to a substantially uniform thickness and detected for any radioactivity. Portions of material in which radioactive particles are detected ar diverted and the uncontaminated soil material is recovered.

Abstract: A mixture of cooling liquids and solid pieces of waste from machine tools drop onto an inclined bottom wall of the upper, generally vertically disposed section of an inverted, generally Y-shaped feed chute. One of the two lower, diverging chute sections extends downwardly and rearwardly beneath the upper chute section to a chip wringer, and has its upper end positioned beneath the lower edge of the inclined bottom wall of the upper section to receive the liquids and lighter pieces of waste which tend to drop by gravity into this one lower section. The other lower section of the chute is in general alignment with the inclined bottom wall of the upper section to receive the larger pieces of waste which, because of their momentum or size pass beyond the one lower section and into the other lower section. A stream of air which is directed transversely across the lower end of the upper section blows the remaining liquids and light waste into the one lower section.

Abstract: A mixture of sea plants, some of which have compacted sticky characteristics and others of which exhibit hard incompactible fronded characteristics is separated into its components by pressing against a perforated surface to extrude the compacted sticky material through the perforations.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for physical separation of aleurone cell particles and pericarp-testa particles from commercial wheat bran, the method comprises removing from a fraction of aleurone cell particles and pericarp-testa articles within the sieve mesh range of larger than about 130 .mu.m and smaller than about 290 .mu.m, obtained from commerical wheat bran by subjecting the bran to hammer-milling whereby the bran is broken and reduced into particles which consist predominantly of pericarp-testa particles and aleurone cell particles and then sized to the sieve mesh range, a fraction of particles which are smaller than about 40 .mu.m and electrostatically charging the remaining aleurone cell particles and pericarp-testa particles.

Abstract: A process for the separation of corn fiber from dry-milled corn. The corn fiber is separated frm the dry-milled corn by employing a Multified Electrostatic Separator using dielectrophoresis.

Abstract: A process for concentrating gold and/or uranium minerals by rendering the nonmagnetic minerals magnetic or weakly magnetic by causing a coating to form on the surfaces of the minerals. The gold and/or uranium are concentrated by use of a gravity-magnetic separator or a suitable high intensity magnetic separator.

Abstract: A method for the beneficiation of gallium from fly ash involves subjecting the ash to particle size classification while avoiding substantial rupturing of cenospheres and plerospheres in the ash and isolating thereby up to 30 percent of the finest ash particles which are lower in iron content.

Abstract: The subject matter of the invention mainly relates to the technical areas of foundry, manufacture of parts by casting metal in moulds.The process consists in that after moulding the parts and stripping them from the moulds which were broken, during a first cycle the mixture resulting from the knock-out is recovered. This mixture being stored. This mixture is directed from the storage place to an intermediate container; then the mixture from the intermediate container is fed up to a sieve grading separator unit allowing to separate the grains or particles in several different grading batches; each one of these batches is directed to a separating table designed for separating chromite from silica; the chromite on the one hand and the silica on the other hand are recovered in containers.This invention mainly applies to the recovery of components of different densities, especially chromite and silica.

Abstract: A yarn-threading method and device wherein a suction gun being fed with a pressurized liquid jet of not less than 80 kg/cm.sup.2 G is placed next to a running yarn; the yarn is attracted and taken into a yarn-guide hole of said suction gun, producing a state of attracting the yarn running at a speed of not less than 4,500 m/min.; and with this state of the yarn being maintained, the suction gun is moved to thread the attracted yarn on a winder means rotating at a speed of not less than 4,500 m/min.

Abstract: A slag disposal method for disposing of slags produced in furnaces during iron or steel making processes comprises employing the steps of magnetic sorting of masses of crude slags of a size greater than a value ranging between 300 to 500 mm obtained from the furnaces into slags rich in iron (above about 50 to 60 percent) and slags not rich in iron (below about 50 to 60 percent) and then applying a compressive force to the slags rich in iron to cause a coarse crushing and/or deformation to reduce the size and at the same time increase the iron content due to the breaking and separation of the slags from the metal. Further magnetic sorting and sieving after griding are provided to obtain concentrates having high iron content and to improve recovery efficiency.

Abstract: A method is provided of separating non-homogeneous materials, such as solid waste by-products from a foundry, by classifying the materials according to size through a series of classifying screens recognizing that particular types of materials within the entire sample tend to fall within certain size ranges permitting the sample to be sorted to a degree according to size to concentrate particular types of materials.

Abstract: A method for the separation of a mixture of polyvinyl chloride particles and polyethylene terephtalate particles comprising the steps of applying a solution composed of a low density solvent of polyvinyl chloride, water and sodium hydroxide to flakes of polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene terephtalate whereby the polyvinyl chloride absorbs the solvent contained in the solution, which changes the density of the polyvinyl chloride so that it is less than the density of the polyethylene terephtalate. The plastics may then be differential density separated by flotation or centrifugation and recovered.

Abstract: Vermiculite ore is contacted with an aqueous solution with at least one salt of sodium, lithium or an organosubstituted ammonium cation followed by aqueous washing so that the ore swells. The swollen vermiculite in aqueous suspension is subjected to a shearing action until a suspension containing vermiculite particles having dimensions less than 50 microns is produced with elimination from the suspension of all particles having a diameter larger than 50 microns. Water can then be removed from the suspension.

Abstract: Process for recovery of elemental phosphorus from phosphorus sludge produced in a phosphorus furnace by treating the sludge in a centrifugal separator and separating a fine dirt slimes fraction from a recovered heavy fraction containing the major portion of phosphorus; treating the slimes fraction in hydrocyclones not over one inch (24.4 mm) in diameter to separate two streams, a first phosphorus-poor stream containing particles smaller than 8-15 micrometers, and a second phosphorus-rich stream containing particles larger than 8-15 micrometers; recycling the second, phosphorus-rich stream to the centrifugal separator for phosphorus recovery, and discarding the first, phosphorus-poor stream.

Abstract: Sugar cane is processed using an apparatus, which includes an input end with a comb back conveyor for controlling the quantity of cane passing to the remainder of the apparatus; an aligning, first cleaning and thin out section, where randomly oriented cane stalks are aligned and foreign bodies, especially stones and ferrous objects are removed from the cane; a billeting or cutting section for cutting the stalks into billets; a second cleaning section in the form of a cleaning tower in which vertically moving air is used to remove leaves, dust and any other trash from the flow of cane; a chute and pivotally mounted swing conveyor for distributing cane billets in an elongated, partitioned distributing hopper; a surge elimination chute; a billet aligner and delivery unit for delivering cane billets to a plurality of separators for separating the epidermis from the cane billets and separating the rind from the core; and a discharge section, including conveyors for discharging the separated material from the appar

Abstract: A method to isolate the paramagnetic fractions of a sediment to beneficiate the platinum and platinum group element ores therein comprising a differential magnetic filtration separation process.

Abstract: A novel apparatus and method for separating good raisins from moldy raisins. The apparatus comprises two conveyor belts which are rotatably mounted to a frame by suitable rollers. The belts are oriented so as to overlap one another slightly, and such that the overlapping portions exert a slight amount of pressure on the raisins as they pass through the overlapping portions. Both belts are simultaneously driven by a single motor so as to travel at the same speed.In use, an untreated mixture of good and moldy raisins is deposited onto the lower belt so as to form a single layer. As the raisins pass through the overlapping portions of the upper belt and the lower belt, the moldy raisins adhere to one of the belts, and the good raisins drop downward from between the belts. The moldy raisins are thereafter scraped from the belts, and the moldy raisins and good raisins are separately collected and stored.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method of enriching raw oil shale by crushing and pulverizing raw oil shale or similar oil bearing materials into smaller, lean oil particles and larger, oil rich particles; floating the larger, oil rich particles in a heavy media organic liquid which causes the oil rich lighter particles to float on the surface and causes the heavier, mineral containing particles to sink. The floating larger, oil rich particles thus obtained contain increased percentages of oil bearing constituents.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to apparatus and a process for separating large from small particles suspended in a moving stream of gas by centrifugal forces which in a preferred embodiment includes sifting of large particles in a stream of gas to strip small particles away from the larger particles. The apparatus and process is especially adapted for separating dry finely divided particulate materials having small particles from about 0.05 micron to about 45 microns from larger particles suspended in the moving gas stream.

Abstract: An apparatus and dry method for de-shotting shot-containing mineral wool fibers wherein the fibers are treated in a granulator to compact them into entangled nodules, and the nodules are passed through an air classifier to open up and de-shot them. In a preferred embodiment, a felted layer of mineral wool is subjected to a first granulation step to divide the layer into a multiplicity of lightly compacted nodules which are then partially de-shotted, and the partially de-shotted nodules are subjected to a second granulation step to more tightly compact the nodules before they are introduced into the air classifier.

Abstract: Partially purified salt containing less than about 00.4 weight percent insolubles is further purified to reduce the insolubles until the milk pad rating is 3 or better for certain industrial uses and 1 for human consumption. The entry salt is washed in clarified brine to dislodge insoluble impurities adhered to the salt surfaces. The washed salt is then scrubbed with fresh water sprays to displace the wash brine from salt surfaces. The washed salt is drained and then dried in a kiln where flowing air blows away some impurities. The dried salt is passed through a magnetic separator, doubly sifted to remove both large and small impurities, and, where food grade salt is required, passed through a color sorter that removes relatively dark impurities.

Abstract: A method for separation of seeds, in which the seeds are incubated in a suitable environment and then dried to produce a pronounced difference in moisture content between filled-dead seeds and filled-viable seeds. These two seed fractions are then separated from each other by utilizing the moisture content difference.The seed fractions may e.g. be separated from each other by placing seeds in a liquid the density of which is somewhat lower than the density of viable seeds but higher than the density of filled-dead seed. In such a case the filled-dead seeds will float up whereas the viable seeds sink.

Abstract: A separating contrivance for separating cereals and similar grain product into at least three grain fractions and heavier impurities comprises two air-penetrable fluidized bed tables (2, 3) arranged one over the other and supported in fashion capable of being oscillated in relation to a frame, with a product inlet (9) leading to the upper fluidized bed table. At one end of the contrivance, and spaced away from the inlet (9), the upper fluidized bed table (2) is provided with outlets (10, 18) for the light and medium heavy grain fractions, while the lower fluidized bed table (3) includes outlet (27) for the heavy grain fraction. Adjoining the other end of the lower fluidized bed table (3) is an outlet (16) for the heavy impurities such as stones and the like. In order to achieve a practically complete sorting of the heavy impurities, provision is made so that the two fluidized bed tables (2, 3) are supported independently of one another and are driven by separate oscillating drives (7, 25).

Abstract: Apparatus for transferring heat between solid particles includes placing a first granular material composed of particles of a first size on the upper side of a downwardly sloping vibratory screen. The openings in the screen are sufficiently small to prevent passage therethrough of the particles of the first material. A second granular material composed of particles of a second size, smaller than the first size, is spread over the first material on the screen to mix with and sift through the first material as the screen is vibrated. The size of the particles of the second material is small enough to allow passage through the openings in the screen. The first and second materials are at different temperatures so that as the particles of the two materials mix, heat is transferred between the particles. After mixing and heat transfer, the first material flows off the lower edge of the screen where it can be gathered, and the second material flows through the screen where it likewise can be gathered.

Abstract: A method for separating carbon and iron bearing particles from zinc and lead bearing particles contained in an aqueous slurry of blast furnace dust and the recovery and reuse of the carbon and iron bearing particles as charge material in a blast furnace is described.An aqueous slurry of blast furnace flue dust is collected in a thickener. The thickened aqueous slurry is strained to remove large foreign matter and make a size separation at about 4 mm. The plus 4 mm particles are generally wasted. The aqueous slurry containing the minus 4 mm particles is fed into at least one hydrocyclone where a size separation is made at between about 3 and 5 microns. A substantial portion of the carbon and iron bearing particles report to the hydrocyclone underflow and a substantial portion of the zinc and lead bearing particles report to the hydrocyclone overflow. The carbon and iron bearing particles are passed to a preparation plant to be prepared for reuse in the blast furnace.

Abstract: A chip screening system has a primary screening station for dividing an incoming flow of chips into a first acceptable fraction and a second fraction having acceptable chips and also both oversized and overthick chips. The second fraction is directed to a second screening station where the incoming flow will again be fractionated into an acceptable flow being screened primarily according to thickness and a second fraction being composed of oversized and overthick chips. The second fraction is then directed to a size reducing station.

Abstract: Zinc and lead are separated together out of dust derived from a gas-cleaning installation in iron or steel making by a flotation-separation treatment. In order economically to provide a good separation of these metals and to leave a residue which is re-usable in an ore-preparation process in the iron and steel industry, the flotation-separation treatment is at a pH of 7 to 9 and is effective to achieve a separation, according to size of the dust particles, of a floated component in which the zinc and lead are concentrated and a non-floated component which is suitable for re-use.

Abstract: A size fraction of oil shale is upgraded by separating the shale into a first low density fraction containing particles relatively rich in kerogen and a first high density fraction containing particles relatively lean in kerogen, crushing the first low density fraction to produce smaller particles, separating the smaller particles into a second low density fraction and a second high density fraction and recovering the second low density fraction as high grade oil shale rich in kerogen.

Abstract: A size fraction of coal is physically cleaned by separating the coal into a low density fraction containing relatively small amounts of inorganic constituents and a high density fraction containing relatively large amounts of inorganic constituents, crushing the low density fraction to produce smaller particles, separating the smaller particles into a low density fraction and a high density fraction and recovering the low density fraction as clean coal product.

Abstract: The method consists of subjecting said muds to a particle size grading to concentrate the lead and zinc contained notably in the fines, and recovering said fraction containing the lead and the zinc, the other fraction being recyclable to the blast furnaces. The invention is useful in the preparation of feed materials for Waelz-Berzelius furnaces.

Abstract: There is provided a process for the continuous separation of discarded hygiene articles into their components, namely flock and/or cut absorbent materials on the one hand and sheet coverings on the other comprising first tearing the discarded hygiene articles into large pieces and then conducting the pieces over an oscillating sieve surface, preferably over an oscillating sieve device having decreasing mesh widths with the smallest mesh width being so selected that the flocculent and/or cut absorbent material still can fall through while the large pieces of torn covering are always carried off as sieve residues.

Abstract: An improved method for mining and processing phosphate matrix in its dry state utilizing a gas moving at supersonic velocity as the carrier fluid to perform the various process steps, in a substantially closed system, that yields dry high grade phosphatic materials and dry sand and clay fractions and to recombine and thoroughly mix the sand and clay fractions in approximately equal proportions by weight as they are produced and to transport the sand-clay mixture along with the naturally radioactive Radon-222 gas that is generated during the processing to the mined out pits and depositing them therein after which the leach zone materials of the overburden are deposited thereover and then depositing thereover the sandy materials of the overburden with provisions being made in preselected areas to form lakes to complete the process of reclaiming the land to its natural state immediately and without danger of radiation from the buried radioactive materials.

Abstract: A beneficiation process for increasing the oil content of clay-bearing oil shale ore wherein the oil shale ore is subjected to an aqueous medium, agitated to disintegrate at least a portion of the clay, and the disintegrated clay is separated from the remaining oil shale to yield an oil shale having a greater amount of recoverable hydrocarbon values per ton than the unprocessed oil shale ore.

Abstract: Disclosed is a partial oxidation process including separation of particles high in carbon content from particles low in carbon content suspended in water used for quenching or scrubbing the gaseous products of the partial oxidation of a solid ash-containing carbonaceous fuel.

Abstract: The method consists of subjecting said muds to a particle size grading to concentrate the lead and zinc contained notably in the fines, and recovering said fraction containing the lead and the zinc, the other fraction being recyclable to the blast furnaces. The invention is useful in the preparation of feed materials for Waelz-Berzelius furnaces.

Abstract: The titanium and zirconium-based minerals, present in the first stage centrifuge tailings from the hot water process for extraction of bitumen from bituminous sands, may be concentrated by a dry screening process. The tailings are burned off to provide a dry, essentially carbon-free, mineral mixture. By screening the mixture into three streams of different particle size range, silica and clays may be rejected as coarse and fine materials respectively, while titanium and zirconium minerals may be concentrated in the intermediate stream. The titanium and zirconium concentrate stream may be advanced to high tension and magnetic separation steps known in conventional processing of heavy minerals, for further beneficiation.

Abstract: A wet mechanical process is described for cleaning, upgrading and dewatering fine coal. The process provides for forming an aqueous feed slurry of fine coal and its associated contaminant particles wherein all particles have a particle portion size of less than about 6 mm. ranging to zero. The feed slurry is separated into coal slurry and refuse slurry portions in a spiral gravity concentrator by removing contaminants having a particle size greater than about 0.15 mm. The concentrated coal slurry is then fed to a hydrocyclone separator where all of the ultra-fine silt material having a particle size of less than 0.15 mm. is removed and the coal particle fraction 6 mm. to 0.15 mm. is accumulated and thoroughly dewatered.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for removing straws from bottles employing a plurality of resilient blades which are mounted to rotate such that the ends thereof engage the straws within the bottles removing same.

Abstract: The specification discloses apparatus and methods for recovery of coal fines and for recycling thereof incidental to a self-contained system for charging preheated coal into coke ovens. The apparatus enables a system for charging preheated coal into coke ovens to meet pollution control regulations. The apparatus comprises four circulating streams of liquid for carrying coal fines in a slurry, namely, the charge main liquor circuit, the excess recycle gas scrubber circuit, the charge line condenser circuit and the charge bin vent condenser circuit. The -28 mesh coal with the liquor from the various circuits goes to a clarifier or thickener. Floating fines from top and settled fines from the bottom of the thickener are pumped via a fines tank to filters from which the solid or coagulated fines are restored to the wet coal feed to the heaters.

Abstract: Minerals, which when mined are recovered in plate-shaped form, such as vermiculite, are efficiently concentrated in a process wherein the mined ore is passed over a series of revolving spaced rolls. Various preferred aspects of the process such as the use of rubber covered rolls, rolls having different spacing therebetween, etc., are also described.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for separating pecan nut meat from pecan weevil larvae which involves utilizing a liquid having a specific gravity less than 1.0, allowing the pecan nut meat to sink and the pecan weevil larvae to float, and the separation and recovery of the pecan meat in the substantial absence of the larvae.

Abstract: A device enabling the separation and removal of cementitious material from a concrete mix contained within a concrete mixer is provided. The concrete mixer, usually of the mobile type mounted on a land vehicle, comprises essentially, a drum or mixing vessel, a discharge or dump outlet and means for introducing water into the drum. The instant device comprises restraining and diverting member adapted to be positioned in alignment with said outlet, pulley means, for example pivotally mounting the device on the cement mixer enabling movement of the device from a position aligned with said outlet to a position displaced from said outlet, latch means for securing the device in aligned position with said outlet, and means for moving said device to a position out of alignment with said outlet, as required for normal operation of the concrete mixer.

Abstract: Sorting of bicarbonate containing ore particles from oil containing ore particles in a mixture of the two types of ore particles by treating the surface of the mixture with an aqueous medium and thereafter subjecting the ore particles, while wet, to microwave energy to heat the surface of the particles sufficiently to whiten the color of the bicarbonate containing particles and thereafter optically sorting the particles according to color.

Abstract: A screen with a solid arylene sulfide polymer-polytetrafluoroethylene coating is provided that is suitable for use in a solids separating device. The poly(arylene sulfide)-polytetrafluoroethylene coating provides efficient passage of semi-solid or gummy material across the screen surface thereby reducing the chance of blinding the screen. Method of separating drilling mud.

Abstract: A process for providing pressurized, pulverized coal for use in combustion or gasifying of coal by the fluidized bed or suspended particle combustion principles which comprises the steps of introducing lump coal, of stoker size to run of mine size, into a low energy liquid circulation stream; transferring the lump coal to a high energy, high pressure, liquid circulation stream; separating the lump coal from the high energy liquid circulation stream by lifting the coal through a free liquid surface, said high energy liquid draining from the coal by gravity; directing the coal by gravity transfer to a continuous mechanical dryer for removal of surface liquid; gravity transfer to a coal crusher for major size reduction; gravity transfer to a coal pulverizer for size reduction necessary for the gasification processes; transfer of pulverized coal by gas circulation from the pulverizer to a cyclone separator, said circulating gas used in the pulverizer for coal particle classifying; and final injection of the pulve