Melting Scrap Patents (Class 75/581)
  • Patent number: 11254998
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for separating Dy and Tb from an alloy containing Dy and Tb as constitutional metals without using a solvent extraction method. The method of the present invention as a means for resolution is characterized by comprising vaporizing Dy by subjecting the alloy to a heat treatment in an atmosphere of a pressure Pt(Pa) that, when a Dy—Tb composition in the alloy is DyxTby (atomic composition ratio) and a heat treatment temperature is t, satisfies formula 1: PtTb<Pt<PtDy×(x/(x+y)), wherein PtDy is a vapor pressure (Pa) of Dy alone at the temperature t and PtTb is a vapor pressure (Pa) of Tb alone at the temperature t.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
    Inventor: Toshinobu Niinae
  • Patent number: 10358694
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for concentrating rare earth elements (REEs) from a coal byproduct. The method includes mixing the coal byproduct input with aluminum phosphate, sulfur and/or other compounds used as an additive; heating the coal byproduct input in air for a period of 3 minutes or longer at a temperature above a liquid starting temperature of the coal byproduct input, forming a molten coal byproduct; cooling the molten coal byproduct at a rate slower than critical glass transition cooling rate of the melt, forming REE phosphate product; heating the coal byproduct input above the liquid starting temperature of the coal byproduct after REE phosphate product is formed; and cooling the coal byproduct input at a rate faster than the critical glass transition cooling rate of the melt, minimizing forming unwanted solids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: U.S. Department of Energy
    Inventors: Jinichiro Nakano, Anna Nakano, James P Bennett
  • Patent number: 8951331
    Abstract: Provided is a method for stabilizing the degree of oxidation of molten battery waste, and definitively separating slag and alloy. The method is provided with a pre-oxidation step (ST20) for roasting and oxidizing battery waste; and a drying step (S20) for melting the battery waste oxidized in the pre-oxidation step, and separating and recovering the slag and the valuable metal alloy. By providing the pre-oxidation step (ST20) for oxidizing the battery waste by roasting in advance of the drying step (S20), it is possible to stably obtain the optimal degree of oxidization in a melting step (ST21), and to improve the slag-alloy separation efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. Ltd
    Inventors: Jun-ichi Takahashi, Kazuhiro Mori, Toshirou Tan
  • Patent number: 8771399
    Abstract: A method and composition for removing sulfur from molten ferrous material, particularly molten iron. The desulfurization agent includes one or more pucks or briquettes of deoxidizing and/or desulfurization agent. The pucks or briquettes of deoxidizing and/or desulfurization agent include at least one deoxidizing metal and at least one ferrous metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Magnesium Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas H. Bieniosek
  • Patent number: 8562713
    Abstract: A combined arc furnace, ladle metallurgical furnace and vacuum degassing system having the flexibility to produce at least non-vacuum arc remelt, vacuum arc remelt, vacuum oxygen decarburized non-vacuum arc remelt, and vacuum oxygen decarburized vacuum arc remelt steels from one off to continuous casting end uses in steady state or randomized order which utilizes only a minimum of energy attributable to preheating hot metal contacting components of the system followed by heat loss reduction of the components and use of a carryover heel in the arc furnace, in which the throughput of the system is limited solely by the melting capacity of the arc furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: A. Finkl & Sons Co.
    Inventors: John A. Guliana, Guy A. Brada, Christian H. Ericksen, Bruce C. Liimatainen, Algirdas A. Underys
  • Patent number: 8535409
    Abstract: A control method for melting a metal charge in a furnace comprising at least a hearth containing the metal charge and a roof. The method provides that the hearth is weighed by means of a plurality of weighing elements distributed along the perimeter of the base of the hearth, and that the values detected by the plurality of weighing elements are sent to a control unit in order to obtain information relating to the distribution of the metal charge inside the hearth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Danieli & C. Officine Meccaniche SpA
    Inventors: Stefano Terlicher, Franco Scotti, Romano Sellan
  • Patent number: 8470069
    Abstract: A method of using scrap rubber and other scrap materials, such as tires or parts or pieces of tires, to manufacture or melt steel and other metals in a furnace is disclosed. The scrap rubber may be used as a carbon source for the manufacture of steel and other metals, and may be used as an energy source to melt the scrap metal used to make the steel and other metals. The net benefit of this method includes reducing the amount of scrap rubber, such as tires, to be sent to a waste disposal facility or landfill, thereby improving the environment. In addition, by increasing the use of scrap rubber as a source of energy for steel or metal production, less energy is required from other sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Inventor: Franklin Leroy Stebbing
  • Patent number: 8152894
    Abstract: A method of using scrap rubber and other scrap materials, such as tires or parts or pieces of tires, to manufacture or melt steel and other metals in a furnace is disclosed. The scrap rubber may be used as a carbon source for the manufacture of steel and other metals, and may be used as an energy source to melt the scrap metal used to make the steel and other metals. The net benefit of this method includes reducing the amount of scrap rubber, such as tires, to be sent to a waste disposal facility or landfill, thereby improving the environment. In addition, by increasing the use of scrap rubber as a source of energy for steel or metal production, less energy is required from other sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Inventor: Franklin Leroy Stebbing
  • Publication number: 20110308353
    Abstract: A method of recovering metallic iron from iron-bearing metallurgical waste in steelmaking comprising steps of providing an iron-bearing metallurgical waste containing more than 55% by weight FeO and FeO equivalent and a particle size of at least 80% less than 10 mesh, mixing the iron-bearing metallurgical waste with a carbonaceous material to form a reducible mixture where the carbonaceous material is between 80 and 110% of the stoichiometric amount needed to reduce the iron-bearing waste to metallic iron, and as needed additions to provide a silica content between 0.8 and 8% by weight and a ratio of CaO/SiO2 between 1.4 and 1.8, forming agglomerates of the reducible mixture over a hearth material layer to protect the hearth, heating the agglomerates to a higher temperature above the melting point of iron to form nodules of metallic iron and slag material from the agglomerates by melting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: NU-IRON TECHNOLOGY, LLC
    Inventors: David W. HENDRICKSON, Iwao IWASAKI
  • Patent number: 8066797
    Abstract: The method of the present invention involves recycling or reprocessing small-sized metallic or non-metallic by-products by enclosing them in a binder prior to melting. The binder can be a steel drum or other suitable steel enclosure. Melting is then accomplished by a cupola.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Inventor: John Basich
  • Patent number: 7909909
    Abstract: With the production of the secondary steel based on scrap, wherein the scrap (10) is fed in a scrap preheater (2) through a charging device (1), is preheated there and, finally, is brought into a smelting unit (3) and is melted there with primary energy only, the process gases (19), which leave the smelting unit (3), are not used for directly preheating the scrap (10) but are rather used indirectly by heating a gaseous preheatable medium, e.g., air (18) or inert gas, so that energetic, fluidic, and spatial decoupling of preheating and melting and of post-combustion and preheating is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: SMS Siemag Aktiengessellschaft
    Inventor: Matthias Meyn
  • Patent number: 7883566
    Abstract: A method of using scrap rubber and other scrap materials, such as tires or parts or pieces of tires, to manufacture or melt steel and other metals in a furnace is disclosed. The scrap rubber may be used as a carbon source for the manufacture of steel and other metals, and may be used as an energy source to melt the scrap metal used to make the steel and other metals. The net benefit of this method includes reducing the amount of scrap rubber, such as tires, to be sent to a waste disposal facility or landfill, thereby improving the environment. In addition, by increasing the use of scrap rubber as a source of energy for steel or metal production, less energy is required from other sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Rex Enterprises, LLC
    Inventor: Franklin Leroy Stebbing
  • Patent number: 7731778
    Abstract: A bale of ferrous scrap for use in a steel making process where the bale comprises a compacted volume of scrap with an external marginal layer surrounding a center portion of the bale and a package of elements formed from commingled flux being compacted into the center portion and encapsulated in the bale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Magnesium Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas H. Bieniosek
  • Patent number: 7717978
    Abstract: At the production of the secondary steel based on scrap, wherein the scrap (10) is fed in a scrap preheater (2) through a charging device (1), is preheated there and, finally, is brought into a smelting unit (3) and is melted there with primary energy only, the process gases (19), which leave the smelting unit (3), are not used any more for directly preheating the scrap (10) but are rather used indirectly by heating a gaseous preheatable medium, e.g., air (18) or inert gas, whereby energetic, fluidic, and spatial decoupling of preheating and melting and of post-combustion and preheating is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: SMS Siemag Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Matthias Meyn
  • Patent number: 7674317
    Abstract: A method of using scrap rubber and other scrap materials, such as tires or parts or pieces of tires, to manufacture or melt steel and other metals in a furnace is disclosed. The scrap rubber may be used as a carbon source for the manufacture of steel and other metals, and may be used as an energy source to melt the scrap metal used to make the steel and other metals. The net benefit of this method includes reducing the amount of scrap rubber, such as tires, to be sent to a waste disposal facility or landfill, thereby improving the environment. In addition, by increasing the use of scrap rubber as a source of energy for steel or metal production, less energy is required from other sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Inventor: Franklin Leroy Stebbing
  • Patent number: 7674318
    Abstract: A process for melting scrap metal for producing steel which includes the steps of combining a quantity of scrap metal containing steel and at least about 0.25 percent by weight of scrap rubber in an electric arc furnace. Energy is then applied to the quantity of steel and scrap rubber in the furnace to start the combustion of the scrap rubber to add additional heat for melting the scrap metal containing steel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Inventor: Franklin Leroy Stebbing
  • Patent number: 7553351
    Abstract: A method of using scrap rubber, such as tires, parts of tires or shredded tires, to manufacture or melt steel and other metals in a furnace is disclosed. The scrap rubber may be used as a carbon source for the manufacture of steel and other metals, and may be used as an energy source to melt the scrap metal used to make the steel and other metals. The net benefit of this method includes reducing the amount of scrap rubber, such as tires, to be sent to waste disposal facility or landfill, thereby improving the environment. In addition, by increasing the use of scrap rubber as a source of energy for steel or metal production, less energy is required from other sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Inventor: Franklin Leroy Stebbing
  • Patent number: 7393379
    Abstract: A method of using scrap rubber, such as tires or parts of tires, to manufacture or melt steel and other metals includes inserting into a furnace at a more precise and controlled rate, time, and location the scrap rubber. The controlled rate of insertion into the furnace, as opposed to batch feeding them, permits the use of larger quantities of scrap rubber. The net benefit includes reducing the amount of scrap rubber, such as tires, to be sent to a waste disposal facility or landfill, thereby improving the environment. In addition, by increasing the use of scrap rubber as a source of energy for steel or the metal production, less energy is required from other sources. The invention further allows the scrap rubber to be put into the furnace separate from the scrap metal that is also to be put into the furnace, thereby eliminating the known methods and techniques of combining of the scrap rubber with the steel or scrap metal prior to the placement of the scrap rubber and scrap metal into the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Inventor: Franklin Leroy Stebbing
  • Patent number: 6960240
    Abstract: Rare earth magnet scrap and/or sludge is remelted for reuse. Once a rare earth-free magnet-constituent metal feed is loaded in a melting furnace and heated into a melt, a rare earth-containing metal feed and the rare earth magnet scrap and/or sludge are added to the melt, a particulate flux of an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal or rare earth metal halide and having an average particle size of 1-50 ?m, preferably wrapped in a metal foil, is added to the melt, and the resulting mixture is melted, from which an alloy ingot is obtained. The valuable elements in the scrap and/or sludge can be recycled. Better separation between the slag and the molten metal ensures that the ingot is obtained from the melt in a high yield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Hirota, Takehisa Minowa
  • Patent number: 6402805
    Abstract: Provided is a method for improving energy input in heating and melting of a scrap bulk. The method includes burning a channel into a scrap bulk with a hot, oxygen-containing gas jet having a temperature of at least 500° C. Additional energy for the heating and melting of the scrap bulk is then input through this channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de Survillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Daniel Deloche, Karl Brotzmann
  • Patent number: 6238452
    Abstract: A method for making steel in an electric furnace, wherein a predetermined amount of liquid melt is fed into the electric furnace. The method comprises the steps of (a) continuously feeding a controlled flow of liquid melt into the furnace without interrupting the heating from the electric arc, (b) continuously injecting a refining gas into the furnace before the C and/or Si content of the metal bath reaches a predetermined value, until the end of the feeding process, and (c) pursuing the injection of refining gas after the predetermined amount of melt has been fed into the furnace, until the target value for the C and/or Si content of the metal bath has been reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Paul Wurth, S.A.
    Inventors: André Kremer, Guy Denier, Jean-Luc Roth
  • Patent number: 6136064
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for reclaiming metal chips formed while machining metal castings to their finished shape. The apparatus includes a stationary charging tube extending in a generally perpendicular direction from the charge well of a reverbratory furnace. The lower end of the charging tube is attached to a box-shaped structure which has an open bottom. The sides of the structure extend into a pool of molten metal contained in the charge well. A variable rate feeder provides a continuous supply of metal chips to the charging tube at a rate which is essentially the same as the rate at which the chips are being produced. The chips form a column within the charging tube which extends through the box-shaped structure and into the pool of molten metal. As the chips at the bottom of the column are melted, additional chips are added to the top, forcing the bottom of the column of chips into the pool of molten metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin C. Newcomb
  • Patent number: 6126716
    Abstract: In order to preheat pieces of iron scrap of various sizes and shapes highly effectively while avoiding the fusion of the pieces of iron scrap, a rotary kiln type preheating furnace and a shaft type preheating furnace are arranged in parallel with each other in the front stage of a melting furnace in which iron scrap is melted, and preheated iron scrap is charged from both preheating furnaces into the melting furnace. A damper is provided between the shaft type preheating furnace and the melting furnace, so that exhaust gas discharged from the melting furnace is prevented from directly flowing into the shaft type preheating furnace and introduced into the rotary kiln type preheating furnace. Exhaust gas which has passed through the rotary kiln type preheating furnace is introduced into the shaft type preheating furnace preferably from an upper portion and discharged from a lower portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiya Harada, Yukinori Shigeyama, Mitsugu Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 6106587
    Abstract: In a process for separating tin as well as, if required, copper from scrap melts, in particular, tinplate melts or metallic melts as formed in the working up of waste or metal-oxide-containing combustion residues, the carbon content of the melt is adjusted to 3 to 4.2% by weight and hot wind, oxygen or air enriched with oxygen is locally blown on partial regions of the surface of the melt bath, whereby SnO is discharged, via the gaseous phase, from the redox-gradient-exhibiting zone formed between the carbon-rich bath and the iron oxides produced by top-blowing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: "Holderbank" Financiere Glarus AG
    Inventor: Alfred Edlinger
  • Patent number: 6053962
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a scrap melting process for the production of molten iron from scrap (as the source of iron) and of high-calorie exhaust gas (as a valuable fuel gas) from pulverized coal (as the principal source of heat and a partial source of high-calorie exhaust gas) and waste plastics (as the principal source of high-calorie exhaust gas and a partial source of heat). The process comprises charging a shaft furnace (equipped with a burner at the tuyere) with scrap (as the iron source) and coke and optional waste plastics from the furnace top and injecting pulverized coal (or pulverized coal plus waste plastics) and oxygen through the burner under specific conditions, so as to mix together pulverized coal (or pulverized coal plus waste plastics) and oxygen, thereby achieving rapid combustion of pulverized coal etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: NKK Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuro Ariyama, Takanori Inoguchi, Hidetoshi Noda, Masahiro Matsuura, Tsutomu Shikada, Takeshi Konishi, Ryota Murai
  • Patent number: 6030431
    Abstract: Provided is a method for improving energy input in heating and melting of a scrap bulk. The method includes burning a channel into a scrap bulk with hot, oxygen-containing gas jet. Additional energy for the heating and melting of the scrap bulk is then input through this channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Expolitation des Procedes George Claude
    Inventors: Daniel Deloche, Karl Brotzmann
  • Patent number: 6007599
    Abstract: A methods for re-utilizing, for example, scrap steels are provided. A method is provided for separating Sn-containing oxides from steel by blowing Sn-containing oxides away from a steel using a gas. Also provided is a method of making a reclaimed steel by(a) heating a coated steel having an Sn-containing surface layer to oxidize at least a portion of the surface layer;(b) separating at least a portion of the surface layer from the coated steel to produce Sn-containing oxides and an uncoated steel;(c) blowing the Sn-containing oxides away from the uncoated steel using an exhaust gas,where steps (a), (b), and (c) are conducted in a first reaction zone;(d) melting the steel in a second reaction zone to produce the reclaimed steel and an exhaust gas; and(e) recycling at least a portion of the exhaust gas produced in the second reaction zone to the first reaction zone for use in the blowing step,where steps (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e) are conducted simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho
    Inventors: Fumihiko Tamura, Kanehiro Ogawa, Hiroshi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 6004369
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method to produce steel from a ferrous material, by using one furnace divided into, at least, two vessels which are connected to each other at least by ducts for the off-gases and ducts for the melted metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Inventor: Natale Bonometti
  • Patent number: 5998689
    Abstract: A method for recycling metal parts contaminated by radioactive elements, in particular by .alpha.-emitters, includes forming a melt and a slag from the metal parts and then separating the slag from the melt. The radioactive elements are oxidized prior to the formation of the melt and the slag. For that purpose, the contaminated metal parts are exposed to an oxygen-containing atmosphere for a period at a temperature below the melting temperature of the metal parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ernst Haas, Nikolaus Neudert, Roland Hofmann
  • Patent number: 5919283
    Abstract: An inert gas bubble-actuated molten metal pump is located between one section of a metal-melting furnace and a second section to pump molten metal from the one section, wherein the molten metal is at a higher temperature, into the second section, wherein the molten metal is at a lower temperature, and its effluent is directed into contact with metal chips being charged into the second section, thereby assisting in the more rapid melting of the chips into the molten metal mass in the second section. The inert gas employed to actuate the molten metal pump is captured beneath a heat-resistant and flame-resistant cover located above the exit port of the pump and over a substantial portion of the molten metal mass in the second section, thereby providing a non-oxidizing atmosphere at the surface of the molten metal mass or pool beneath said cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: Premelt Pump, Inc.
    Inventor: Larry D. Areaux
  • Patent number: 5902375
    Abstract: The method of the invention comprises a method of melting tin-plated iron type scrap using tin-plated iron type scrap of loose packing as a portion of the iron type scrap and conducting melting while controlling the post combustion ratio of the gas by adjusting the amount of the combustion sustaining gas blown from the secondary tuyeres and a method of melting tin-plated iron type scrap packing the tin-plated iron type scrap prior to the non tin-plated iron type scrap and conducting melting while retaining the tin-melted iron type scrap between the coke packed layer and the non tin-plated iron type scrap packed layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Ishida, Yoshiki Ito, Takaiku Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 5876483
    Abstract: A melting furnace for reforming steel-making slag so as to be available, for example, to roadbed ballast by mixing steel-making dust with the slag in molten states, which is provided with a fuel oxygen burner for melting the slag and the dust, a slag charging port for charging the slag in molten state into the furnace, a dust feeder for supplying the dust into the furnace, a slag feeder for supplying the slag in powdered state into the furnace, a storage portion for storing a molten mixture of the slag and the dust in a quantity corresponding to a tilting angle of the furnace body and an outlet port for discharging the molten mixture, and is possible to dispose the slag efficiently whether the slag is in the powdered or molten state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Daido Tokushuko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuo Okamoto, Motoshi Shinkai
  • Patent number: 5853454
    Abstract: Mass flow gravity feed furnace charger apparatus includes (1) a charge-well cover having an aperture and (2) an essentially vertical conduit for forming a substantially vertically-oriented column of metal chips or scrap within and above the aperture, and (3) structure for bringing both (1) and (2) into position above a charge well. The conduit is rapidly moveable up and down to force the metal chips or scrap into molten metal in the charge well even when the dross level at the surface of the molten metal is considerable, so that the apparatus and corresponding method permit charging when gravity feed alone is not sufficient or sufficiently rapid. In a preferred embodiment, the conduit has an interior surface provided with gripping means to assist with the downward movement of metal chips or scrap into the molten metal in the charge well when the up and down motion of the conduit is in effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Assignee: Premelt Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Larry D. Areaux
  • Patent number: 5849062
    Abstract: To provide a method for taking out gas generators readily from waste vehicles and then recovering metallic materials of gas generators taken out efficiently. The method is comprised by a) crushing waste vehicles in which air bag apparatuses are installed by a crushing means so that the crushed pieces have approximately the same size as that of the gas generators themselves and the gas generators themselves can be separated from the air bag apparatuses as single bodies without being substantially crushed; b) taking the gas generators out of the crushed pieces of the waste vehicles; c) charging the gas generators thus taken out into a melting furnace; and d) recovering the metallic materials of the gas generator from the melting furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Assignees: Daicel Chemical Industries, Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuhiko Fukabori, Yuzaburo Nakazato, Osamu Fujimoto, Yutaka Kondoh, Masahiro Miyaji
  • Patent number: 5785734
    Abstract: In the case of a process for treating residues and waste materials, in particular household, commercial, and industrial trash, in a first step in the process these materials are treated thermomechanically, for example in a worm extruder, that is, in particular, heated, separated into fibers, and brought to a solid state. Then the materials in the solid state are separated selectively and subjected to a further recycling treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1998
    Inventor: Max Gutknecht
  • Patent number: 5735935
    Abstract: An inert gas bubble-actuated molten metal pump is located in a metal-melting furnace to effect circulation of molten metal throughout the furnace. The inert gas employed to actuate the molten metal pump is captured beneath a heat-resistant and flame-resistant cover located above the exit port of the pump and over a substantial portion of the molten metal, thereby to prevent splashing, spattering, and disruption of a thin protective layer or skin of oxidized metal at the surface of the molten metal as well as to provide a non-oxidizing atmosphere at the surface of the molten metal beneath said cover. In this manner and by this combination, the inert gas is employed most efficiently and economically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: Premelt Pump, Inc.
    Inventor: Larry D. Areaux
  • Patent number: 5713983
    Abstract: A method is provided for the disposal and utilization of sorted-out gas cylinders filled with fillers. The method is characterized in that the gas cylinders, together with the fillers contained therein, are supplied as charge in the degasified, opened condition as a whole or comminuted into large pieces, to an iron melting furnace, in particular a cupola furnace, a blast furnace or a rotary drum type furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Assignee: Linde Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Heinz Sadjina, Uwe Butschek
  • Patent number: 5578110
    Abstract: A method by which numerous gas generators from unused air-bags can be scrapped in an environmentally acceptable manner. The method consists ofa) heating the gas generator to actuate the generator to produce combustion gases and an actuated generator having water soluble contaminants thereon;b) washing the actuated generator with a water composition to remove the contaminants from the actuated generator to produce a washed generator and a contaminated water composition containing the contaminants;c) dividing the washed generator to produce divided generator parts;d) chemically treating the contaminated water composition to produce a purified water composition; ande) classifying the divided generator parts into classified generator parts.Optionally, the dividing step can occur before the washing step, or before and after the washing step. The classified generator parts and purified water can be disposed of in an environmentally acceptable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignees: Daicel Chemical Industries, Ltd., Nomura Kohsan Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuzaburo Nakasato, Mitsuhiko Fukabori, Takaaki Iwasaki, Humio Ayuta, Sumio Otsuka, Yoshitaka Miyawaki
  • Patent number: 5500032
    Abstract: In a process for the continuous melting down of scrap metal, in particular of bales of scrap metal, which contain residual plastic materials, the scrap metal being fed to a melt-down reactor (1) and the heat required to melt this down being obtained by direct heating from below, using burners that are arranged close to the tapping point, the process is managed in the melt-down reactor (1) as a reducing process; part of the process gases is returned to the melt-down reactor (1) as combustion gas after utilization of the sensible heat and purification; the remaining portion is passed out as output gas. This makes it possible to operate without oversize gas purification systems when melting down scrap metal that contains plastic, and to utilize the pyrolysed substances that are contained in the working material to good effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1996
    Assignees: Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wolfgang Nieder, Manfred Winkler, Gerhard Perchtold, Leo Seirlehner, Herbert Kohler, Arwed Eberle
  • Patent number: 5437709
    Abstract: Method of treating rare earth metal-bearing scrap, waste or other material (e.g. Nd--Fe--B or Dy--Tb--Fe scrap) to recover the rare earth metal comprising melting the rare earth metal-bearing material, melting a Group IIA metal extractant, such as Mg, Ca, or Ba, in which the rare earth is soluble in the molten state, and contacting the melted material and melted extractant at a temperature and for a time effective to extract the rare earth from the melted material into the melted extractant. The rare earth metal is separated from the extractant metal by vacuum sublimation or distillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 1, 1995
    Assignee: Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy W. Ellis, Frederick A. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 5429658
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for processing environmentally undesirable materials including petroleum coke and the sulfur and heavy metals contained therein and oily steel and iron ferrous waste from machine shop and steel and iron processing to provide fuel and a charging material for a process of making molten iron or steel preproducts and reduction gas in a melter gasifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1995
    Assignee: Bechtel Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard B. Greenwalt
  • Patent number: 5413621
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a process for cooling and purifying hot, dust-laden flue gases enriched with dioxins and other toxic components from a melting vessel, e.g., an arc furnace.Both the flue gases A, B generated during charging and those generated during the melting operation are collected, and the toxic components are removed in two ways.The flue gases A collected in the exhaust hoods 2 are fed into the filter 6, while previously blowing an additive 12, on which the toxic components settle before reaching the filter bags, into the flue gas stream A.The hot flue gases B drawn off directly from the arc furnace 1 are introduced into a combustion chamber 3 after passing through a water-cooled section 4, and are subjected to afterburning in the combustion chamber 3 to remove the toxic pollutants. These gases are then intermediately cooled in a second, water-cooled section 5, further cooled by adding more additional cold air A, and fed into the filter 7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Assignee: Man Gutehoffnungshutte Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Winfried Hogner, Hans Piechura
  • Patent number: 5407462
    Abstract: A mass flow gravity feed furnace charger comprises a vertically-oriented elongated hollow conduit which is associated with an apertured heat-resistant charge-well cover adapted to lie essentially in contact with the upper surface of a molten metal pool in the charge well of a metal-melting furnace. Presized scrap metal charged into the conduit collects atop the surface of the molten metal pool, since the bottom opening of the conduit communicates with the charge-well cover aperture and permits the metal scrap to fall by gravity directly into the molten metal in the charge well. When the weight of the metal scrap column is sufficient to offset the resistance of the upper surface of the molten metal pool, the weight of the collected metal scrap gravitationally forces it into the molten metal mass where it melts and is assimilated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1995
    Assignee: Premelt Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Larry D. Areaux
  • Patent number: 5366536
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of melting a metal, which can demonstrate improved heat efficiency, increased yield and minimized pollutive gas generation. In this method, a metallic material stacked in a melting furnace is melted by heating it directly with the flame from a fuel burner using an oxygen gas having a purity of 60 to 100% as a combustion assisting gas. The oxygen gas is burned at an oxygen-to-fuel ratio of 0.55 to 0.99, while the unburned portion of the combustion gas is allowed to burn by O.sub.2 supplied separately through oxygen lances. Meanwhile, the metallic material is preheated by burning the unburned portion of the combustion gas, whereas the combustion assisting gas is heated before it is fed to the burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1994
    Assignee: Nippon Sanso Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Suwa, Nobuaki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 5346183
    Abstract: A hot coke bed is established at the bottom of a vertical shaft furnace, e.g. an iron melting cupola. The cupola is then charged with alternate layers of ferrous metal and coke material, respectively. Burners burn hydrocarbon fuel in the presence of a stoichiometric excess of oxygen-enriched air and thus form a hot gas mixture including oxygen. The hot gas mixture passes upwards through the shaft of the cupola thereby providing sufficient heat to melt the ferrous metal. Molten ferrous metal flows downwards under gravity into and through the coke bed and may be removed through a tap hole. At least one jet of oxygen is injected into the hot coke bed so as to maintain it at a temperature sufficient to superheat the molten metal. Preferably a fan is operated to dilute with air the combustion gases above the level of the charge in the shaft and thereby create secondary flames. No air blast is supplied to the cupola.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: The BOC Group plc
    Inventor: David R. Westley
  • Patent number: 5294244
    Abstract: A method of recovering an aluminum alloy and a stainless steel alloy from an air bag inflator 10 that has aluminum alloy parts, including an aluminum alloy housing 12 and non-aluminum alloy parts, including a non-aluminum gas filter 18. The non-aluminum parts have a higher melting temperature than the aluminum alloy parts of the air bag inflator 10. The method comprises heating the air bag inflator 10 in the range of the melting temperature of aluminum and then recovering the aluminum alloy which is not contaminated with the material of the higher melting temperature parts. After the aluminum alloy has melted from the air bag inflator 10, the non-aluminum parts are heated to a higher temperature to melt any stainless steel alloy from the non-aluminum parts. The stainless steel alloy is recovered as a high purity stainless steel alloy end product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1994
    Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Hugh G. Allerton, III, James L. Coburn, Bernie M. Thames, Dennis S. Bal
  • Patent number: 5244490
    Abstract: A method of making iron involves using waste polymer material as a solid fuel charged to an iron melting vessel and/or using gaseous decomposition products from pyrolysis of waste polymer material as a gaseous fuel supplied to the vessel. Relatively large quantities of waste polymer materials can thereby be disposed of without landfill usage, while a substantial portion of their energy value is recovered for heating and melting the iron-bearing material in the vessel. The waste polymer material may comprise reaction injection molding compounds and precursors thereof, sheet mold compounds and precursors thereof, car fluff (i.e., non-metallic residue from the recycling of automobiles), scrap rubber tires and the like. Waste sheet molding compounds including calcium carbonate filler can be charged to the iron-making vessel such that the calcium carbonate therein is released and functions as a flux at the iron-making temperature involved to remove impurities from the iron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1993
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Kedar B. Agarwal
  • Patent number: 5174811
    Abstract: Rare earth-transition metal (e.g., iron) scrap (e.g., Nd-Fe-B scrap) is flux (slag) remelted to reduce tramp non-metallic impurities, such as oxygen and nitrogen, and metallic impurities, such as Li, Na, Al, etc., picked up by the scrap from previous fabrication operations. The tramp impurities are reduced to concentrations acceptable for reuse of the treated alloy in the manufacture of end-use articles, such as permanent magnets. The scrap is electroslag or inductoslag melted using a prefused, rare earth fluoride-bearing flux of CaF.sub.2, CaCl.sub.2 or mixtures thereof or the slag resulting from practice of the thermite reduction process to make a rare earth-iron alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1992
    Assignee: Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick A. Schmidt, David T. Peterson, John T. Wheelock, Lawrence L. Jones
  • Patent number: 5167699
    Abstract: There is disclosed a process for the production of molten steel or steel pre-products from scrap contaminated with combustible waste-like substances and heated and melted in a metallurgical meltdown vessel. In order to be able to dispose of the forming noxious substances at low costs and to keep the offgases free of impurities detrimental to the environment, the gas forming during charging of scrap into the metallurgical vessel and during heating and melting of the scrap, after conditioning to a temperature range of between 1000.degree. and 1500.degree. C., is used as a heating gas in a lime-burning process including a moving lime fixed-bed under release of its sensible heat. Sulfur- and chlorine-containing components of the heating gas are absorbed on the burnt lime and the dust contained in the heating gas is separated in the lime fixed-bed. The heating gas, which is purified and cooled at its passage through the lime fixed-bed, subsequently is finally purified in a filtering plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1992
    Assignee: Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau G.m.b.H.
    Inventors: Wilfried Pirklbauer, Alfred Weber
  • Patent number: RE37897
    Abstract: A method for making steel in an electric furnace, wherein a predetermined amount of liquid melt is fed into the electric furnace. The method comprises the steps of (a) continuously feeding a controlled flow of liquid melt into the furnace without interrupting the heating from the electric arc, (b) continuously injecting a refining gas into the furnace before the C and/or Si content of the metal bath reaches a predetermined value, until the end of the feeding process, and (c) pursuing the injection of refining gas after the predetermined amount of melt has been fed into the furnace, until the target value for the C and/or Si content of the metal bath has been reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Paul Wurth S.A.
    Inventors: André Kremer, Guy Denier, Jean-Luc Roth