Patent classifications
Y02W30/50
System and method for the recycling of rare earth magnets
A system and a method for separating and recycling magnets made from rare earth elements from an article of manufacture used an alignment device to property position the rare earth magnet for processing. Once proper alignment is made, a separating device removes the magnet and a portion of the article. A heating device demagnetizes the magnets and vibration causes the magnets to separate from the portion of the article. Electromagnets remove the portion of the article and the rare earth magnets pass through for reclamation.
System and method for integrated waste storage
The present invention provides integrated bunker storage systems for waste streams based on the composition and characteristics of waste stream. In particular, the present invention provides a process for generating individual waste streams based on a set of material characteristics. According to the system and method of the present invention, individual waste streams from wastes stored in bunkers are mixed in a given feed ratio to generate a food stock that will produce a desired output from a chemical conversion process, e.g., gasification. Optionally, composition data regarding the fed stock can be certified to a third party.
Continuous reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel
Spent nuclear fuel is added to an electro-reduction cell, wherein the electro-reduction cell includes a halide salt electrolyte, and anode, and a cathode including an alloy of uranium and a first metal forming a low melting point alloy with uranium, the first metal being one or more of: iron; chromium; nickel; manganese; and cobalt. The spent nuclear fuel is electrochemically reduced at a potential sufficient to reduce plutonium and lanthanides in the spent nuclear fuel, to form a molten alloy of the first metal, uranium and higher actinides present in the spent nuclear fuel. The alloy is extracted from the electro-reduction cell while uranium oxide is present in the electro-reduction cell. The spent nuclear fuel includes uranium oxide and at least 1 mol of lanthanides per tonne of uranium in the spent nuclear fuel, and the electro-reduction cell is operated at a temperature above the melting point of the alloy.
METHOD AND FACILITY FOR CONVERTING URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE INTO URANIUM DIOXIDE
A method for converting uranium hexafluoride to uranium dioxide includes steps of hydrolysis of UF.sub.6 to uranium oxyfluoride (UO.sub.2F.sub.2) in a hydrolysis reactor (4) by reaction between gaseous UF.sub.6 and dry water vapour injected into the reactor (4), and pyrohydrolysis of UO.sub.2F.sub.2 to UO.sub.2 in a pyrohydrolysis furnace (6) by reaction of UO.sub.2F.sub.2 with dry water vapour and hydrogen gas (H.sub.2) injected into the furnace (6). The hourly mass flowrate of gaseous UF.sub.6 supplied to the reactor (4) is between 75 and 130 kg/h, the hourly mass flowrate of dry water vapour supplied to the reactor (4) for hydrolysis is between 15 and 30 kg/h, and the temperature inside the reactor (4) is between 150 and 250° C.
INSTALLATION AND METHOD FOR CONVERTING URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE TO URANIUM DIOXIDE
An installation for the conversion of uranium hexafluoride (UF.sub.6) to uranium dioxide (UO.sub.2) comprises a hydrolysis reactor (4) for the conversion of UF.sub.6 into uranium oxyfluoride powder (UO.sub.2F.sub.2), a pyrohydrolysis furnace (6) for converting the UO.sub.2F.sub.2 powder supplied by the reactor (4) into UO.sub.2 powder, a supply device (8) comprising reagent injection ducts (10) for the injection of UF.sub.6, water vapor or H.sub.2, and a control system (16) designed to control the supply device (8) so as to supply at least one of the reagent injection ducts (10) with a neutral gas during a shut-down or start-up phase of the conversion installation.
Additive manufacturing systems and methods of additively printing on workpieces
An additive manufacturing system may include a controller operably coupled to a vision system and an additive manufacturing machine. The controller may be configured to determine a workpiece-interface of each of a plurality of workpieces from one or more digital representations of one or more fields of view having been captured by a vision system and determining one or more coordinates of the workpiece-interface of respective ones of the plurality of workpieces, and to transmit one or more print commands to an additive manufacturing machine so as to additively print a plurality of extension segments on the workpiece-interface of respective ones of the plurality of workpieces, with the one or more print commands having been generated based at least in part on the one or more digital representations of the one or more fields of view.
PGM CONVERTING PROCESS AND JACKETED ROTARY CONVERTER
PGM converting process and jacketed rotary converter. The process can include low- or no-flux converting; partial pre-oxidation of PGM collector alloy; using a refractory protectant in the converter; magnetic separation of slag; recycling part of the slag to the converter; smelting catalyst material in a primary furnace to produce the collector alloy; and/or smelting the converter slag in a secondary furnace with slag from the primary furnace. The converter can include an inclined converter pot mounted for rotation; a refractory lining; an opening in a top of the pot to introduce converter feed; a lance for injecting oxygen-containing gas into the alloy pool; a heat transfer jacket adjacent the refractory lining; and a coolant system to circulate a heat transfer medium through the jacket to remove heat from the alloy pool in thermal communication with the refractory lining.
Efficient Treatment Method and Apparatus for Multiphase Steel Slag
The present application provides an efficient treatment method and apparatus for multiphase steel slag. According to the present application, the treatment apparatus for multiphase steel slag comprises a steel slag feeding apparatus and a drum for treating steel slag, and the steel slag feeding apparatus comprises a feeding chute; the treatment apparatus for multiphase steel slag further comprises a storage compartment disposed between the feeding chute and the drum; the storage compartment is an open cylinder, and has one end forming a working fit with the lower open end of the feeding chute and the other end being fixedly connected to and coaxial with the treatment cavity of the drum. By means of the storage compartment obliquely placed between the front of the drum and the feeding chute and used for buffering and transition, there is no need to use a slag raking apparatus, and safe technological treatment of various steel slag by a drum is implemented.
Method and installation for removing slag from metallurgical melts
A method and an installation (10) for removing slag allows both slag removal and metal recovery from slag (60′) to be performed quickly and easily. The risk of slag fires is reduced.
Method and plant for the production of a starting material for the production of rare earth magnets
A method and a plant for the production of a powdery starting material, which is provided for the manufacture of rare earth magnets, are disclosed. First of all, at least one magnetic material, which is comminuted into a powdery intermediate product with a possibly increased concentration of impurities, and/or at least one alloy including rare earth metal are provided, which includes a low concentration of impurities. A classification of the powdery intermediate product to at least one criterion takes place subsequently, wherein, for the classification of the powdery intermediate product with the increased concentration of impurities, at least one dynamic classifier is provided, which divides the powdery intermediate product with impurities into at least two fractions based on the at least one criterion, wherein at least a high concentration of impurities accumulates in a first fraction and no impurities or at least a lower concentration of impurities than in the case of the first fraction accumulate in a second fraction, and wherein the fraction without impurities or with a low concentration of impurities forms the starting material for the manufacture of rare earth magnets.