Alkali Metal (li, Na, K, Rb, Or Cs) Patents (Class 423/179)
  • Patent number: 7115242
    Abstract: A method of synthesis of alkali metal ferrates and alkaline earth metal ferrates, in which a trivalent iron compound is mixed with potash and optionally persulphate, and the mixture is heated at a temperature in the range of about 250 to about 500° C. for about 1 to 10 hours. The invention also relates to the use of the ferrates obtained by this method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: INERTEC
    Inventors: Jean-Yves Cojan, David Verschuere, Farouk Tedjar
  • Patent number: 7078009
    Abstract: Lepidocrocite lithium potassium titanate characterized as having a composition represented by the formula K0.5-0.7Li0.27Ti1.73O3.85-3.95, and preferably having an arithmetic mean of major and minor diameters of 0.1–100 ?m, a proportion of a major to minor diameter of from 1 to below 10, a mean thickness of 50–5,000 nm and a flaky shape. A friction material characterized as containing 1–80% by weight of the lepidocrocite lithium potassium titanate as a friction control agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Otsuka Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ogawa, Nobuki Itoi, Kousuke Inada
  • Patent number: 7067104
    Abstract: The present invention is focused on a revolutionary, low-cost (highly-scaleable) approach for the mass production of three-dimensional microcomponents: the biological reproduction of naturally-derived, biocatalytically-derived, and/or genetically-tailored three-dimensional microtemplates (e.g., frustules of diatoms, microskeletons of radiolarians, shells of mollusks) with desired dimensional features, followed by reactive conversion of such microtemplates into microcomponents with desired compositions that differ from the starting microtemplate and with dimensional features that are similar to those of the starting microtemplate. Because the shapes of such microcomponents may be tailored through genetic engineering of the shapes of the microtemplates, such microcomposites are considered to be Genetically-Engineered Materials (GEMs).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: The Ohio State University
    Inventor: Kenneth H. Sandhage
  • Patent number: 7045104
    Abstract: A method of treating aqueous salt solutions to provide a solution suitable for vitrification to a stable glass matrix for long term storage is described. In particular, salt solutions composed of aqueous nuclear waste materials are suitable for treatment by the described method. Specifically, salt solutions which have a sulfate to sodium mole ratio that does not permit easy vitrification into stable glasses may be treated by the present invention. The present method decreases the volume of vitrified glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Cogema, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald James Geniesse
  • Patent number: 6890503
    Abstract: The present development is a silica additive for use in rubbers and similar cross-linked materials having a silicon atom intercalated within an oxygenated framework. The additive may be prepared starting with crystalline, fused or amorphous silica powder, thereby reducing the cost of the additive as compared to using precipitated silica.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Minop Co.
    Inventors: Joseph A. Mula, Harvey Kaufman, Thomas A. Cole
  • Publication number: 20040091408
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a free-flowing potassium formate product, containing 0.1-1 weight % water, and comprises 0.5-5 weight % of a water soluble anticaking agent selected among carbonates, chlorides and hydroxides of alkali metals, and having water affinity corresponding to less than equilibrium water relative humidity (Rh) of 16% at 22° C. The potassium formate is preferably crystalline potassium formate containing 1-2.5 weight % potassium carbonate and/or potassium hydroxide. The product may contain 1-2.5 weight % sucrose and/or manose as anticaling agents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Inventors: Leif Hjrnevik, Ivar Johansen
  • Patent number: 6682713
    Abstract: Novel iron sulfides having excellent durability and excellent treating properties of heavy metals, processes for producing the iron sulfides, iron sulfide mixture, a heavy metal treating agent containing either of these novel iron sulfides as an effective component, and a method by which wastes containing various heavy metals are treated with the heavy metal treating agent are disclosed. The iron sulfide having a mackinawite structure which contains FeMxNySz wherein M represents an alkaline earth metal, N represents an alkali metal, and x, y and z, indicating the molar proportions of the respective elements, represent numbers satisfying 0.01<x≦0.5, y≦0.2 and 0.7≦z≦1.4, as an essential component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Tosoh Corporation
    Inventors: Hajime Funakoshi, Mitsuru Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6673732
    Abstract: A catalyst active in ammonia synthesis with improved activity and a process for the recovery of useful components from the catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Haldor Topsoe A/S
    Inventors: Martin Muhler, Olaf Hinrichsen, Hubert Bielawa, Claus J. H. Jacobsen
  • Patent number: 6656588
    Abstract: Doped, nanosize metal oxide particles have been shown to exhibit stimulated emission and continuous-wave laser action when energized appropriately, for example by electron beams. The doped particles are useful as solid state lasing devices and “laser paints”. Particles containing homogeneously distributed dopant atoms in concentrations greater than the thermodynamic solubility in the metal oxide matrix, and having in some circumstances, unusual oxidation states, have been produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: Richard M. Laine, Stephen C. Rand, Thomas Hinklin, Guy R. Williams
  • Patent number: 6652820
    Abstract: A method of making a cesium salt is described and involves reacting a cesium sulfate containing solution with lime to form 1) a solution containing at least cesium hydroxide and 2) a residue comprising calcium sulfate. The method further involves removing the residue from the solution and converting the cesium hydroxide that is present in the solution to at least one type of cesium salt. The present invention further relates to uses of the cesium salt as well as methods of making cesium hydroxide using lime. Also, methods of making alkali metal salts and alkali metal hydroxides are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Cabot Corporation
    Inventor: Bart F. Bakke
  • Publication number: 20030141187
    Abstract: The specification and drawings describe and show embodiments of the present invention in the cesium vapor emitter and the method of fabricating the same. More specifically, the cesium vapor emitter of the present invention includes a housing having at least one chamber therein and at least one channel, wherein the channel has a size wide enough to introduce a desired amount of cesium vapor, a cesium reservoir placed in the chamber, wherein the cesium reservoir is filled with a cesium pellet and a plug located between the cesium pellet and the channel, thereby emitting the cesium vapor from the cesium pellet through the channel, and a stopper securing the cesium reservoir in the chamber, so that the cesium vapor is emitted through the channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2002
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Applicant: PLASMION CORPORATION
    Inventors: Minho Sohn, Seungdeok Kim, Steven Kim
  • Publication number: 20030012717
    Abstract: A device and method for producing sodium (Na) from a feed material such as a mixture of methane (CH4) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) includes a plasma torch configured to heat the feed material to a temperature sufficient to reduce and ionize sodium (Na). As such, a plasma jet is created by the plasma torch that contains ionized sodium (Na) and non-ionized neutrals such as hydrogen (H) and carbon monoxide (CO). From the plasma torch, the plasma jet is introduced into a chamber where a magnetic field has been established. Once inside the chamber the heated mixture of ions and neutrals interacts with the magnetic field in the chamber to cause the sodium ions to travel substantially along the magnetic field lines while the neutrals travel on paths that are essentially unaffected by the magnetic field. A collector is positioned to receive and accumulate sodium (Na).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Inventors: Stephen F. Agnew, Sergei Putvinski
  • Patent number: 6500779
    Abstract: This invention concerns catalysts comprising a molybdenum compound of formula I, II, III, IV or V I VqMoAyOz II NiMoxByOz′ III VNiwMoxCy′Oz″ IV CoNiwMoxDyOz′″ V VNiwCorMoxEyOz″″ wherein: A is at least one cation selected from the group consisting of cations of: Cr, Sb, Co, Ce and Pb; B is at least one cation selected from the group consisting of cations of: Sb, Al and W; C is at least one cation selected from the group consisting of cations of: Fe, Zn, Al, Sb, Bi, W, Li, Ba, Nb and Sn; D is at least one cation selected from the group consisting of cations of: Ba, Mn, Al, Sb, Sn, and W; E is at least one cation selected from the group consisting of cations of: Fe, Ca, Mn, Sr, Eu, La, Zr, Ga, Sn and Pb; q, r, w, x and y are each independently a number from 0.1 to 10 and y′ is a number from 0 to 10, z, z′, z″, z′″, and z″″ are determined using the amounts and oxidation states of all cations present in each formula.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Kostantinos Kourtakis, John Donal Sullivan
  • Patent number: 6468495
    Abstract: A method of removing from a metal salt ionic species contained therein involves contacting the metal salt with an ionic liquid to dissolve the metal salt, the ionic species or both. At least in the case where both the metal salt and the ionic species are dissolved, the resultant ionic liquid composition is treated to separate the ionic species therefrom and subsequently processed to recover the metal salt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: British Nuclear Fuels PLC
    Inventors: Mark Fields, Robert Charles Thied, Kenneth Richard Seddon, William Robert Pitner, David William Rooney
  • Patent number: 6461581
    Abstract: The present invention provides a clathrate compound which can be used as a thermoelectric material, a hard material, or a semiconductor material. Silicon or carbon are formed into a clathrate lattice, and a clathrate compound is then formed in which specified doping atoms are encapsulated within the clathrate lattice, and a portion of the atoms of the clathrate lattice are substituted with specified substitution atoms. The clathrate lattice is, for example, a silicon clathrate 34 (Si34) mixed lattice of a Si20 cluster including a dodecahedron of Si atoms, and a Si28 cluster including a hexahedron of Si atoms. Suitable doping atoms are atoms from group 1A, group 2A, group 3A, group 1B, group 2B, group 3B, group 4A, group 5A, group 6A, and group 8, and suitable substitution atoms are atoms from group 1A, group 2A, group 3A, group 1B, group 2B, group 3B, group 5A, group 6A, group 7A, group 5B, group 6B, group 7B, and group 8 of the periodic table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignees: Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Haruki Eguchi, Akihiko Suzuki, Satoshi Takahashi, Kaoru Miyahara, Tohru Tanaka, Shigemitsu Kihara, Kazuo Tsumuraya
  • Patent number: 6458333
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for recovering alkali metal fluorides and/or difluorides from waste mixtures containing alkali metal chlorides and/or alkali metal fluorides and/or difluorides and, optionally, organic compounds, by (a) subjecting a waste mixture comprising one or more alkali metal chlorides and/or one or more alkali metal fluorides and/or difluorides and, optionally, one or more organic compounds, to a thermal/oxidative pre-treatment and/or an extractive pre-treatment, and (b) bringing the pre-treated mixture into contact with hydrogen fluoride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: Bayer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Andreas Bulan
  • Publication number: 20020114748
    Abstract: A process is described for the treatment of spent pot lining material from electrolyte reduction cells, this spent material having a substantial content of cryolite. The spent material is first leached with water at a dilution and a time sufficient to dissolve substantially all water soluble fluorides, after which the solid residue is separated from the liquid. The solid residue obtained is then subjected to a caustic leach with an aqueous sodium hydroxide solution containing about 20 to 50 g/L of NaOH and thereafter the solid residue is separated from the liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2000
    Publication date: August 22, 2002
    Inventors: Vijaya Kasireddy, Jean-Luc Bernier, Frank M. Kimmerle
  • Patent number: 6409978
    Abstract: A process for removing impurities contained in the crystal lattice of minerals, comprising the steps of forming a mixture of a mineral capable of structurally reorganizing its crystal lattice which contains an impurity in its crystal lattice and a halogen anion, and water; heating the mixture to the mineral's structural reorganization transition temperature; holding the mixture at the structural reorganization transition temperature for a sufficient period of time to allow the impurity to freely migrate from the lattice to combine with the halogen anion; and separating the combined impurity and anion from the mixture to render the mineral essentially free of the impurity. The process is applicable to numerous minerals and impurities, but is especially useful to remove arsenic from fluorspar. Numerous halogen anions can be employed, such as chlorides, fluorides, bromides and iodides, but the preferred halogen anion is a metal chloride such as calcium chloride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Svedala Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Bobby P. Faulkner, John M. Paustian
  • Publication number: 20020054841
    Abstract: A purification method for an alkali metal chloride, which comprises separating, from a mixture comprising one type of alkali metal chloride and other water-soluble inorganic salt, said other water-soluble inorganic salt, to purify said alkali metal chloride, wherein water or an aqueous solution of said alkali metal chloride is added to said mixture in such an amount that is sufficient to dissolve at least one type of said other water-soluble inorganic salt substantially in its entire amount and that is not sufficient to dissolve said alkali metal chloride substantially in its entire amount, thereby to dissolve said other water-soluble inorganic salt substantially in its entire amount, and the obtained slurry is subjected to solid-liquid separation to recover the solid component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2001
    Publication date: May 9, 2002
    Applicant: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Fumiaki Nakashima, Shintaro Kikuchi, Hachiro Hirano, Yuriko Takahashi, Shigeru Sakurai
  • Patent number: 6372156
    Abstract: In one aspect, the invention encompasses a method of chemically converting a first material to a second material. A first plasma and a second plasma are formed, and the first plasma is in fluid communication with the second plasma. The second plasma comprises activated hydrogen and oxygen, and is formed from a water vapor. A first material is flowed into the first plasma to at least partially ionize at least a portion of the first material. The at least partially ionized first material is flowed into the second plasma to react at least some components of the first material with at least one of the activated hydrogen and activated oxygen. Such converts at least some of the first material to a second material. In another aspect, the invention encompasses a method of forming a synthetic gas by flowing a hydrocarbon-containing material into a hybrid-plasma system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Bechtel BWXT Idaho, LLC
    Inventors: Peter C. Kong, Jon D. Grandy
  • Patent number: 6337132
    Abstract: The present invention provides a lithium nickel-layered rock salt-type oxide particle powder, a lithium cobalt-layered rock salt-type oxide particle powder or a particle powder of a solid solution of these layered rock salt-type oxides, wherein the surface of the particle is rendered hydrophobic by coating it with a coupling agent having both a hydrophobic group and a hydrophilic group. The layered rock salt-type oxide particle powder is free of an adverse effect caused by adsorbed water because of less amount of water adsorbed on the surface of the particle powder, high in electrochemical charging and discharging capacities, low in cycle deterioration, so that it is especially useful as a positive electrode active material in a lithium battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2002
    Assignee: Toda Kogyo Corporation
    Inventors: Akihisa Kajiyama, Tatsuya Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6296679
    Abstract: In a process for hydrocarbon steam reforming, a primary reformed gas is produced from a mixed gas of hydrocarbon and steam with use of a primary reforming means including an external combustion type of reforming furnace. A secondary reforming reaction of the primary reformed gas is carried out in the presence of air and/or oxygen. A burner assembly of the reforming furnace comprises burners for heating reforming tubes of the furnace and regenerators for preheating a combustion air flow to the burners. Combustion exhaust gas of the reforming furnace heats the second regenerator for preheating the combustion air to the second burner, while the first burner is in firing operation, whereas the combustion exhaust gas heats the first regenerator for preheating the combustion air to the first burner, while the second burner is in firing operation. The flow passage for the combustion exhaust gas is so controlled as to be switched to either of first and second flow passages in a predetermined time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Inventor: Hajime Kato
  • Patent number: 6267962
    Abstract: Novel compositions containing at least one biologically active component derived from peat or similar composition, methods for their preparation and therapeutic uses for a variety of diseases, injuries, and conditions, including wound healing, pain, itch, inflammation, abnormal cell proliferation, or infections caused by fungal, bacterial, rickettsial or viral agents, psoriasis, allergic and other dermatitis, pruritis, eczema, actinic keratosis and similar conditions. In addition, the compositions can be used as diuretics, antiarrhythmics, and cardiac-stimulating agents, as well as for the treatment of mammalian diseases and disorders, including multiple drug resistance, cancers, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, pain, wound healing, fungal disorders, and other inflammatory disorders. The compositions are derivable from peat or peat-related substances and may alternatively be synthetically produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: C-P Technology Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Ralph M. Hart, Herman L. Jones, Veronica Lee Egelkrout Jones, Sohail Malik, Margaret A. Kenny, Bernard Loev, James P. Harnisch
  • Publication number: 20010005497
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for treating sodium aluminosilicate which includes adding a calcium compound to sodium aluminosilicate; thermally treating the mixture of the sodium aluminosilicate and the calcium compound; and eluting the thermally-treated product with water or an aqueous solution to thereby solubilize a sodium component of the sodium aluminosilicate, recover sodium, and obtain a useful product containing sodium in very small amounts. The elution percentage of sodium can be increased by optimizing heating and elution conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2000
    Publication date: June 28, 2001
    Inventors: Yasuo Kawai, Isao Ishikawa, Yoshiyuki Takenaka, Hideya Saito, Mineo Nozaki
  • Patent number: 6245923
    Abstract: The process for the recovery of highly fluorinated carboxylic acids from off-gas streams, in which the off-gas is brought into contact with an alkaline washing solution of density >1.15 g/cm3 so that the salt of the highly fluorinated carboxylic acid settles out as a separate phase, proceeds particularly advantageously when the alkaline washing solution is a potassium carbonate solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignees: Dyneon GmbH, E. I. DuPont de Nemours & Co.
    Inventors: Reinhard Albert Sulzbach, Rainer Grasberger, Rik A. Brandenburg
  • Patent number: 6221473
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a sulfide of a rare earth and an alkali, a process for its preparation and its use as a colored pigment. The sulfide is characterized in that it has the formula ABS2 where A represents at least one alkali and B represents at least one rare earth and in that it is constituted by grains with an average size of 1.5 &mgr;m at most. The preparation process for the sulfide is characterized in that at least one rare earth carbonate or hydroxycarbonate is brought into the presence of at least one gas selected from hydrogen sulfide or carbon disulfide. The product obtained is optionally deagglomerated. The sulfide can be used as a pigment in plastics, paints, finishes, rubbers, ceramics, glazes, paper, inks, cosmetics, dyes, laminated coatings and materials based on or obtained from at least one inorganic binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Rhodia Chimie
    Inventors: Maryline Aubert, Pierre Macaudiere
  • Patent number: 6156282
    Abstract: The invention relates to new calixarenes of formula: ##STR1## in which R.sup.1 represents a crown ether chain that includes at least two aryl or cycloalkyl rings,R.sup.2 is a hydroxyl or alkoxy group, or the two R.sup.2 groups together form a crown ether chain such as R.sup.1, and R.sup.3 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group. The calixarenes are used to selectively extract caesium from aqueous solutions that notably have high concentrations of sodium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Jean-Fran.cedilla.ois Dozol, Veronique Lamare, Christophe Bressot, Rocco Ungaro, Alessandro Casnati, Jacques Vicens, Zouhair Asfari
  • Patent number: 6120745
    Abstract: Method for the oxidation of at least one alkali metal, according to which this alkali metal is subjected in molten condition to an oxidation by a reaction with oxygen, characterized in that the molten alkali metal is dispersed in a fluidized bed (6) and is subjected to an oxidation by a reaction with oxygen in this bed (6), whereby the oxides formed in this manner are subjected to a carbonation by a reaction with carbonic gas supplied to the aforementioned bed (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Centre d'Etude de l'Energie Nucleaire, CEN
    Inventors: Andre Henri Alain Joseph Rahier, Veerle Harriet Josepha Van Alsenoy
  • Patent number: 6090353
    Abstract: A process for removing impurities contained in the crystal lattice of minerals, comprising the steps of forming a mixture of a mineral capable of structurally reorganizing its crystal lattice which contains an impurity in its crystal lattice and a halogen anion, and water; heating the mixture to the mineral's structural reorganization transition temperature; holding the mixture at the structural reorganization transition temperature for a sufficient period of time to allow the impurity to freely migrate from the lattice to combine with the halogen anion; and separating the combined impurity and anion from the mixture to render the mineral essentially free of the impurity. The process is applicable to numerous minerals and impurities, but is especially useful to remove arsenic from fluorspar. Numerous halogen anions can be employed, such as chlorides, fluorides, bromides and iodides, but the preferred halogen anion is a metal chloride such as calcium chloride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Svedala Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Bobby P. Faulkner, John M. Paustian
  • Patent number: 6025075
    Abstract: A thermoplastic resin containing a flame-retarding magnesium hydroxide has its workability enhanced by a sorbitan ester in admixture with the resin and flame retardant. An admixture of the resin, magnesium hydroxide, and ester may be either a mixture of discrete particles of each of said components of the composition or a mixture of the resin and a magnesium hydroxide powder whose particles have a coating of the ester.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2000
    Assignee: Morton International, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence P. Grant, Susan Crooks
  • Patent number: 6015535
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing a predetermined cesium compound. The method comprises treating a cesium-containing material with a suitable reagent to dissolve at least a portion of the cesium contained in the material and form a slurry; adding a base comprising slaked lime or calcium carbonate and an acid containing the anion of the predetermined cesium compound to the slurry comprising the dissolved cesium; and separating the predetermined cesium compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2000
    Assignee: Cabot Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick M. Brown, Michael C. Northrup, Bart F. Bakke
  • Patent number: 5900221
    Abstract: The process for preparing a cesium and rubidium salt-containing solution includes a hydrothermal digestion of an uncalcined pollucite and/or calcined lepidolite particulate having an average particle size up to 0.5 mm with an aqueous solution of Ca(OH).sub.2 in a suspension with a mole ratio of SiO.sub.2 to CaO of from 1:2.5 to 1:1.25 in a rotary tubular autoclave at a digestion temperature of 200 to 280.degree. C., under a pressure of from 15 to 65 bar and at a suspension density between 8 and 18% by weight for from 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Metallgesellschaft Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hartmut Hofmann, Klaus Kobele, Horst Prinz, Klaus Schade
  • Patent number: 5900220
    Abstract: A process and system for separating solids from concentration soda ash solution is disclosed. In the process, a soda ash solution feed stream containing solids and other impurities is treated with a chemical coagulant to create solid particles having a diameter greater than 5 microns. Treated feed stream is passed through a microfiltration membrane which physically separates the solids from the soda ash solution. Commercially available microfiltration membranes having a pore size from 0.5 micron to 5 microns may be used. Solids are removed from the membrane surface by periodically backflushing the microfiltration membranes and draining the filter vessel within which the membranes are located. The dislodged solid material within the filter vessel is flushed removed from the filter vessel for further processing or disposal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Microbar Incorporated
    Inventor: Stephen D. Allen
  • Patent number: 5879830
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for treating lead paste from exhausted batteries. Calcium sulfite and calcium thiosulfite are formed by the reaction:3Ca(OH).sub.2 +4S.degree..fwdarw.2CaS+CaS.sub.2 O.sub.3 +3H.sub.2 O(1).The CaS and CaS.sub.2 O.sub.3 is reacted with sodium sulfate to effect the double exchange reaction:2CaS+CaS.sub.2 O.sub.3 +3Na.sub.2 SO.sub.4 .fwdarw.2Na.sub.2 S+Na.sub.2 S.sub.2 O.sub.3 +3CaSO.sub.4 (2).The sodium sulfide and sodium thiosulfate is then reacted with the lead paste for converting the various lead paste components (PbSO.sub.4, PbO and PbO.sub.2) into PbS with the concomitant production of sodium sulfate. The sodium sulfate can be recycled to reaction (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: Ecochem Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Marco Olper, Massimo Maccagni, Silvano Cossali
  • Patent number: 5783159
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for reducing and removing inorganic impurities in sodium solutions by contact with activated carbon. Preferably, the activated carbon is saturated with organics. The process can provide for significant reduction of magnesium by as much as 50% and calcium by as much as 20%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Inventor: Eric Aldinger
  • Patent number: 5750032
    Abstract: Process for removing an alkali metal compound from an acid solution also containing nickel and aluminum compounds, which requires contacting the acid solution first with an ion exchange resin functional to remove the nickel and aluminum compounds from the acid solution; and then contacting the acid solution with an ion exchange resin which is more selective to remove the alkali metal compound from the acid solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Zaida Diaz, John David Wilkey
  • Patent number: 5733865
    Abstract: A convenient process for making builder material which has substantially improved performance and is significantly less expensive than previous builders is provided. The builder material has improved performance in that it unexpectedly has a high calcium ion exchange capacity and rate, and is easy to handle, process and disperse in washing solutions. In its broadest aspect, the invention is directed to a process involving converting starting materials (via any means including but not limited to heating and precipitating) to a builder material having at least one crystalline microstructure including a carbonate anion, calcium cation and at least one water-soluble cation. The microstructure should have a sufficient number of anions and cations so as to be "balanced" or "neutral" in charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Eugene Joseph Pancheri, David Scott Bohlen, Rose Marie Weitzel, Scott William Capeci
  • Patent number: 5723097
    Abstract: A method of treating spent potliner material from aluminum reduction cells is disclosed. The spent potliner material is introduced into a sulfuric acid digester to produce a gas component including hydrogen fluoride and hydrogen cyanide and a slurry component including carbon, silica, alumina, sodium sulfate, iron, calcium and magnesium. The gas component is recovered and heated an effective amount to eliminate hydrogen cyanide and produce a remaining gas component including CO.sub.2, H.sub.2 O, nitrogen oxides and HF. The remaining gas component is directed through a water scrubber to form hydrofluoric acid, and the hydrofluoric acid is admixed with aluminum hydroxide to create aluminum fluoride. The slurry component is rinsed with water to separate a first solid fraction containing carbon, alumina and silica from a second liquid faction. The pH of the liquid fraction is adjusted to first create and separate aluminum hydroxide and then to separate sodium sulfate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Assignee: Goldendale Aluminum Company
    Inventors: Robert J. Barnett, Michael B. Mezner
  • Patent number: 5681447
    Abstract: Process for the removal of heavy metal, metalloid and fluoride species present in trace mounts from aqueous brine of use in the production of chlorine and sodium hydroxide by electrolysis in membrane cells or in chlorate production; particularly to said removal by adsorption on hydroxyapatite; and more particularly to adsorption on bone charcoal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1997
    Assignee: Chemetics International Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenneth R. Maycock, Judith G. Ulan, Christen R. Moser
  • Patent number: 5667757
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for conversion in a container of reactive material comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium and lithium into its respective metal hydroxide. First the container is purged of essentially all oxygen with an essentially dry gas that is inert with respect to the reactive material. Next, a carrier gas is introduced into the container that is inert with respect to the reactive material. The humidity of the carrier gas, the temperatures of the reactive material, condensing surfaces inside the container, and the carrier gas are all suitable to allow water to condense out of the carrier gas once the carrier gas contacts the condensing surfaces and the reactive material. The condensed water will then react with the reactive material thereby forming the respective metal hydroxide and hydrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: Merrick Remediation Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank B. Christiphine
  • Patent number: 5545394
    Abstract: Methods and reaction systems are disclosed that are adapted for forming crystallites having novel crystal habits and/or morphologies compared to conventional crystallites of the same chemical composition. The methods and reaction systems involve chemical reactions between at least two reactant compounds occurring in a liquid (or gel) that form insoluble crystallite products. At least one of the reactants is rendered soluble in a solvent in which the reactant is not normally soluble by adding an agent that forms soluble molecular complexes of the agent and the reactant. The complexing agent not only facilitates dissolution of the reactant in the solvent but also plays a role in how the faces of crystals comprising the crystallite product are enlarged during formation of the product. Products having such altered crystallite structure have a number of possible uses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignee: The State of Oregon Acting by and through the State Board of Higher Education on Behalf of the University of Oregon
    Inventor: Kenneth M. Doxsee
  • Patent number: 5505930
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for conversion in a container of reactive material comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium and lithium into its respective metal hydroxide. First the container is purged of essentially all oxygen with an essentially dry gas that is inert with respect to the reactive material. Next, a carrier gas is introduced into the container that is inert with respect to the reactive material. The humidity of the carrier gas, the temperatures of the reactive material, condensing surfaces inside the container, and the carrier gas are all suitable to allow water to condense out of the carrier gas once the carrier gas contacts the condensing surfaces and the reactive material. The condensed water will then react with the reactive material thereby forming the respective metal hydroxide and hydrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: Merrick Remediation Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank B. Christiphine
  • Patent number: 5482687
    Abstract: A process for selective separation of sodium-22 from an irradiated target including dissolving an irradiated target to form a first solution, contacting the first solution with hydrated antimony pentoxide to selectively separate sodium-22 from the first solution, separating the hydrated antimony pentoxide including the separated sodium-22 from the first solution, dissolving the hydrated antimony pentoxide including the separated sodium-22 in a mineral acid to form a second solution, and, separating the antimony from the sodium-22 in the second solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Wayne A. Taylor, David Jamriska
  • Patent number: 5478447
    Abstract: Process for the manufacture of an industrial aqueous solution of sodium chloride, according to which an aqueous mixture (12) containing an aqueous solution of sodium chloride and of polyvalent metals is prepared by introducing into water (10) a solid product (8) collected from the dry-route treatment, with sodium bicarbonate (4), of smokes (2) containing hydrogen chloride, and the said aqueous medium (12) is treated in order to remove the polyvalent metals therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1995
    Assignee: Solvay (Societe Anonyme)
    Inventors: Leon Ninane, Jean-Francois Adam, Cedric Humblot
  • Patent number: 5446179
    Abstract: Metal complexes having high bulk density and a process for the production of the same without the generation of heavy metal-contaminated effluents are disclosed. Solid complexes of EDTANaFe and EDTAKFe having high bulk densities are formed by reaction with mixed metal solutions containing low chromium levels, followed by total drying of the resulting mixture in the same processing equipment without the prior separation of the sulfate salts formed. The amounts of the various metals in any given formulation can be preselected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: Hampshire Chemical Corp.
    Inventor: Jon C. Thunberg
  • Patent number: 5336450
    Abstract: The invention is a process for the removal of rare earths from molten chloride electrolyte salts used in the reprocessing of integrated fast reactor fuel (IFR). The process can be used either continuously during normal operation of the electrorefiner or as a batch process. The process consists of first separating the actinide values from the salt before purification by removal of the rare earths. After replacement of the actinides removed in the first step, the now-purified salt electrolyte has the same uranium and plutonium concentration and ratio as when the salt was removed from the electrorefiner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1994
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: John P. Ackerman, Terry R. Johnson
  • Patent number: 5334365
    Abstract: A flux process is disclosed for producing a single orthorhombic crystal of Cs.sub.1-x M.sub.x TiOAsO.sub.4 (where M is Na, K, Rb, and/or Tl and x is from 0 to 0.4) wherein the dimension of the crystal along each axis is at least about 2 mm, and wherein the product at the dimensions along the three axes is at least about 15 mm.sup.3. The process involves preparing a homogeneous melt containing the components for forming said crystal and a flux comprising oxides of Cs and As at a temperature no higher than the decomposition temperature of said orthorhombic crystal, the mole fraction of M relative to the total Cs+M in the melt being within the range of from 0 to about 0.2; introducing a seed crystal for said single crystal in the melt; activating the controlled crystallization on the seed crystal; and continuing the crystallization until formation of the single crystal is completed. Single crystals of Cs.sub.1-x M.sub.x TiOAsO.sub.4 (including crystals at least about 5 mm.times.5 mm 5 mm) are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1994
    Assignee: E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventor: Lap K. Cheng
  • Patent number: 5284942
    Abstract: A process for the preparation of peri-dichalcogeno polycyclic aromatic compounds by preparing in a first step, in an amidic solvent, an alkali metal sulfide, selenide or telluride which, in a second step, is reacted with a peri-halogeno aromatic compound, which process comprises reacting in said first step an alkali metal base with elemental sulfur, selenium or tellurium at elevated temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1994
    Assignee: Ciba-Geigy Corporation
    Inventors: Kurt Hauenstein, Carl W. Mayer
  • Patent number: 5274151
    Abstract: Fe(III) complexes having high bulk density and a process for the production of the same without the generation of heavy metal-contaminated effluents are disclosed. Solid complexes of EDTANaFe and EDTAKFe having high bulk densities are formed by reaction with ferric sulfate containing low chromium levels, followed by total drying of the resulting mixture in the same processing equipment without the prior separation of the sulfate salts formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1993
    Assignee: Hampshire Chemical Corp.
    Inventor: Jon C. Thunberg
  • Patent number: 5221528
    Abstract: In a purification process for brine, impurities such as calcium, magnesium and/or sulphate are precipitated by the addition of calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH).sub.2) and sodium carbonate (Na.sub.2 CO.sub.3). Following NaCl crystallization by evaporation of the brine, a mother liquor is obtained which still contains among others sulphate, potassium and bromide ions. Further concentration of this mother liquor by evaporation results in the precipitation of both NaCl and Na.sub.2 SO.sub.4 and a more strongly concentrated mother liquor with respect to both potassium and bromide remains. This concentrated mother liquor is drained off. Either the precipitated NaCl and Na.sub.2 SO.sub.4 are dissolved in water or the Na.sub.2 SO.sub.4 is dissolved in purified brine or crude brine and then returned to the brine purification process, thereby lowering both the potassium and bromide ion levels in the purified brine. As a consequence the contents of both potassium and bromide of the NaCl are reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1993
    Assignee: Akzo N.V.
    Inventor: Pieter Jongema