Apparatus and method for treating containerized feed materials in a liquid reactant metal
First Claim
1. A liquid reactant metal treatment apparatus for treating materials, held in containers, the apparatus including:
- (a) a liquid reactant metal containment vessel;
(b) a release chamber positioned to receive a first liquid reactant metal from the liquid reactant metal containment vessel;
(c) a submerging arrangement for moving a container of feed material to a release location within the release chamber;
(d) a collection area defined by an upper surface of the release chamber for collecting fluids generated from the feed material released from the container, and (e) a treatment arrangement for placing the fluids collected in the collection area in contact with the first liquid reactant metal or a second liquid reactant metal.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A treatment apparatus (10) includes a liquid reactant metal containment vessel (11) for containing a first liquid reactant metal and isolating the reactant metal from the atmosphere. A release chamber (14) is adapted to receive the first liquid reactant metal from the containment vessel (11) and a submerging arrangement (21) is adapted to dunk or submerge a container (46) of feed material into the liquid reactant metal and move the container to a release location within the release chamber (14). Relatively light materials rising from the submerged container (46), including unreacted feed material, intermediate reaction products, and perhaps final reaction products collect in a collection area (60) having an upper surface defined by an upper surface of the release chamber (14). A treatment arrangement included in the apparatus places the fluids collected in the collection area (60) in contact with the first liquid reactant metal or a second liquid reactant metal for a sufficient period of time to effect the desired reduction reactions.
62 Citations
28 Claims
-
1. A liquid reactant metal treatment apparatus for treating materials, held in containers, the apparatus including:
-
(a) a liquid reactant metal containment vessel;
(b) a release chamber positioned to receive a first liquid reactant metal from the liquid reactant metal containment vessel;
(c) a submerging arrangement for moving a container of feed material to a release location within the release chamber;
(d) a collection area defined by an upper surface of the release chamber for collecting fluids generated from the feed material released from the container, and (e) a treatment arrangement for placing the fluids collected in the collection area in contact with the first liquid reactant metal or a second liquid reactant metal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A liquid reactant metal treatment apparatus for treating materials, held in containers, the apparatus including:
-
(a) a liquid reactant metal containment vessel;
(b) a release chamber connected to receive a first liquid reactant metal from the liquid reactant metal containment vessel;
(c) a dunker member adapted to be driven along an incline between a retracted position above a liquid reactant metal level of the liquid reactant metal containment vessel and an extended position in which a distal portion of the dunker member extends to a release location adjacent to an inlet opening of the release chamber;
(d) a flow inducing arrangement for inducing a flow of first liquid reactant metal the inlet opening of the release chamber to an outlet of the release chamber. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method for treating containerized materials, with a liquid reactant metal, the method including the steps of:
-
(a) moving a container of feed material to a release location below an upper surface of a first liquid reactant metal;
(b) releasing feed material from the container while the container is held at the release location;
(c) collecting a released fluid in a released chamber, the released fluid made up of fluid generated from the released feed material; and
(d) inducing a flow of liquid reactant metal through the release chamber from an inlet end of the release chamber to an outlet end of the release chamber, the flow of liquid reactant metal providing contact between the fluid collected in the release chamber and liquid reactant metal to effect a chemical reduction of compositions in the released fluid. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20)
-
-
18. A method for treating containerized materials, with a liquid reactant metal, the method including the steps of:
-
(a) placing a container of feed material in a first liquid reactant metal;
(b) releasing feed material from the container;
(c) collecting a released fluid in a release chamber, the released fluid made up of fluid generated from the feed material released in the first liquid reactant metal; and
(d) removing the released fluid from the release chamber and injecting the released fluid into the first liquid reactant metal or a second liquid reactant metal. - View Dependent Claims (19)
-
-
21. A liquid metal reactor system for treating waste materials, the reactor system including:
-
(a) a first reactor for contacting a first feed material with a first liquid reactant metal and for collecting reaction products including a slag and solidified metal from the first liquid reactant metal which collects at a surface of the first liquid reactant metal in the first reactor;
(b) a slag removal arrangement for removing the slag and solidified metal from the surface of the first liquid reactant metal in the first reactor; and
(c) a second reactor connected to receive the slag and solidified metal from the slag removal arrangement, the second reactor for placing the slag and solidified metal in contact with the first liquid reactant metal or a second liquid reactant metal. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A method for treating materials, in a liquid reactant metal, the method including the steps of:
-
(a) placing a first feed material in contact with a first liquid reactant metal to produce gaseous reaction products and allowing the gaseous reaction products to pass through the first liquid reactant metal to a surface of the first liquid reactant metal;
(b) collecting a slag and solidified metal from the first liquid reactant metal at the surface of the first liquid reactant metal;
(c) removing a the slag and solidified metal from the surface of the first liquid reactant metal;
(d) contacting the slag and solidified metal with the first liquid reactant metal or a second liquid reactant metal to return the solidified metal to a liquid state and segregate from the slag. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
-
Specification