Fractionation Of Molten Nonferrous Metal (e.g., With Reflux, Etc.) Patents (Class 75/588)
  • Patent number: 11453584
    Abstract: A system for hydrocarbon decomposition comprising a reactor volume, a mechanism to distribute the liquid catalyst as a liquid mist, a distributor to distribute a hydrocarbon reactant, a heat source, a separator to separate the solid product from the liquid catalyst, a re-circulation path and mechanism to re-circulate the liquid catalyst, and an outlet for at least one gaseous product. A system to distribute a liquid to an enclosed volume as a mist has a plurality of orifices designed to break the liquid into a mist. A method to decompose a hydrocarbon reactant includes generating a mist of a liquid catalyst, heating the reactor volume, introducing a hydrocarbon reactant into the reactor volume to produce a solid product and a gaseous product, separating the solid product from the liquid catalyst, removing the solid and gaseous products from the reactor volume, and recirculating the liquid catalyst to the reactor volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Divyaraj Desai, Todd Karin, Jessica Louis Baker Rivest
  • Patent number: 9163298
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for condensing vapor phase compounds or elements, typically metals such as magnesium, obtained by reduction processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Boulle Carbothermic Metals Ltd
    Inventors: Jens Sonderberg Frederiksen, Peter Saxby, Jean-Raymond Boulle, Robert R. Odle
  • Patent number: 8202347
    Abstract: A manufacturing process for a remelt block containing aluminum designed for making aluminum alloy for the aircraft industry in which scrap containing mainly aluminum alloys used in the aircraft industry is supplied during a supply stage, the scrap is melted in a smelting furnace in order to obtain an initial molten metal bath during a smelting stage, the initial molten metal bath is subjected to purification by fractional crystallization in order to obtain a solidified mass and a bath of residual liquid during a segregation stage, and the solidified mass is recovered in order to obtain a remelt block during a recovery stage. The invention is particularly useful for the recycling of aluminum alloys used in the aircraft industry as it makes it possible to purify scrap of series 2XXX or series 7XXX alloys for iron and silicon, without eliminating additive elements such as zinc, copper and magnesium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Constellium France
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Verdier, Jean-Remi Butruille, Michel Leroy, Didier Valax
  • Patent number: 7811356
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a method for purifying metals, which can very efficiently and inexpensively eliminate impurity elements included in various metallic or semiconductor materials, or more specifically included in metallurgical grade silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Wada, Toshiaki Fukuyama, Ryotatsu Otsuka
  • Patent number: 7648559
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for fractional crystallization of an at most partially solidified molten metal, in which a layer of at most partially solidified molten metal having an upper surface and a lower surface is divided into a series of compartments communicating with each other, in which the metal is stirred in at least some of the compartments, and in which crystals formed and/or existing in the layer of metal are selectively transported in a predetermined direction and molten metal is selectively transported in the opposite direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Aleris Switzerland GmbH c/o K+P Treuhangesellschaft
    Inventors: Paul Alexander De Vries, Huibrecht Adriaan Wouters
  • Patent number: 7625505
    Abstract: Mixtures are provided of lithium salts with reducing agents for lithium evaporation. The mixtures may be particularly used in the manufacture of electroluminescent organic displays. Lithium dispensers based on the use of these mixtures are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: SAES Getters S.p.A.
    Inventors: Lorena Cattaneo, Simona Pirola, Chiharu Maeda, Antonio Bonucci
  • Publication number: 20090285716
    Abstract: A manufacturing process for a remelt block containing aluminum designed for making aluminum alloy for the aircraft industry in which scrap containing mainly aluminum alloys used in the aircraft industry is supplied during a supply stage, the scrap is melted in a smelting furnace in order to obtain an initial molten metal bath during a smelting stage, the initial molten metal bath is subjected to purification by fractional crystallization in order to obtain a solidified mass and a bath of residual liquid during a segregation stage, and the solidified mass is recovered in order to obtain a remelt block during a recovery stage. The invention is particularly useful for the recycling of aluminum alloys used in the aircraft industry as it makes it possible to purify scrap of series 2XXX or series 7XXX alloys for iron and silicon, without eliminating additive elements such as zinc, copper and magnesium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: ALCAN RHENALU
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Verdier, Jean-Remi Butruille, Michel Leroy, Didier Valax
  • Patent number: 7537639
    Abstract: Method of cooling an at most partially solidified molten metal during fractional crystallization wherein metal crystals formed have a purer composition than that of the molten metal. Salt in solid form is used to cool the at most partially solidified molten metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Aleris Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Paul Alexander De Vries, Huibrecht Adriaan Wouters, Martinus Leonardus Rutten, Volker Gerhard Aurich, Johannes Hendrikus Ten Have
  • Patent number: 6971276
    Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a method for extracting selectively a metal from a metal mixture in the gaseous phase. The method comprises heating the metal mixture to vaporize the metal; condensing the metal contaminants present in the vapor; reacting any contaminants remaining in the vapor with a reagent to precipitate the remaining contaminants, and collecting the purified metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: McGill University
    Inventors: Ralph Harris, Albert Edward Wraith
  • Patent number: 6458182
    Abstract: A process for producing a high-purity Mn material comprising the steps of premelting crude Mn at 1250-1500° C. and vacuum distilling the melt at 1100-1500° C. The degree of vacuum during the vacuum distillation ranges from 5×10−6 torr to 10 torrs. A crucible for use in the vacuum distillation is a double crucible, which consists of inner and outer crucibles, and a carbon felt packed in the space therebetween. A high-purity Mn material for thin film deposition which contains a total of not more than 100 ppm impurity metallic elements, not more than 200 ppm oxygen, not more than 50 ppm nitrogen, not more than 50 ppm S, and not more than 100 ppm C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: Japan Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Yuichiro Shindo, Tsuneo Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5127941
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for separating the constituents of an alloy, especially an alloy comprising a refractory base metal and at least one nonrefractory additive metal, which consists in:heating said alloy by means for preferably continuous melting and casting of metals, while avoiding any chemical action on said alloy, and to at least one temperature and under controlled atmosphere permitting the boiling of at least one additive metal,collecting the distillation vapors of at least one additive metal, andcollecting, at the exit of said means for preferably continuous melting and casting, the substance resulting from the removal of at least one additive metal from the alloy.It also relates to a device for separating the constituents of an alloy comprising a refractory base metal and at least one nonrefractory additive metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1992
    Assignee: Jeumont-Schneider
    Inventors: Jean V. D. B. D'Obrenan, Marcel Garnier
  • Patent number: 4992096
    Abstract: In a metallothermic process for reducing rare earth metal salts to produce pure rare earth metals and metal alloys, e.g. neodymium or neodymium/iron alloy for use in manufacturing neodymium/boron/iron permanent magnets, including adding pure metallic iron, such as iron flake, to a mixture of metal salt, such as neodymium chloride, and a reducing metal source, such as calcium/magnesium alloy, heating in a crucible in a preheated high temperature furnace with stirring to a temperature of 900 degrees C. under a flow of argon, separating the metal from the salt formed, and purifying the metal via distillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1991
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: Edward J. Skach, Jr., Kenneth G. Claus, Matthew R. Earlam