David R Lee

Title: The Innovations of David R. Lee

Introduction

David R. Lee is a notable inventor based in Lebanon, Oregon, who has made significant contributions to the field of chemical engineering. He holds three patents that focus on the separation and purification of zirconium and hafnium, showcasing his expertise in innovative processes.

Latest Patents

One of his latest patents is the "Zirconium-hafnium separation process." This process involves separating zirconium values from hafnium values using an aqueous solution of ZrCl4 and HfCl4, which is contacted with NH4SCN. The resultant solution is fed into a solvent extraction system containing aqueous HCl and MIBK, allowing for the separation of the solvent phase that contains MIBK, HSCN, hafnium thiocyanate complex, and any decomposition products of HSCN. The aqueous phase raffinate is left with NH4Cl, zirconium oxide-chloride, and low concentrations of HSCN. The process further includes scrubbing the hafnium values from the separated solvent phase and treating it to convert HSCN to NH4SCN.

Another significant patent is the "Zirconium-hafnium separation and purification process." This process focuses on recovering substantially pure zirconium values from zircon sand, which also contains various metal values such as Ra, U, Hf, and Pb. The process begins by contacting zircon sand in a chlorinator with a chlorination medium to form an off-gas stream containing chlorides of Zr, Hf, Si, and trace U. The off-gas stream is then passed to a condenser to remove volatile Si chlorides, resulting in a product stream containing condensed chlorides of Zr, Hf, and trace U. The product stream is treated in an acidic aqueous medium to separate the principal Hf values from the principal Zr values.

Career Highlights

David R. Lee has worked with several companies throughout his career, including Teledyne Industries, Inc. His experience in these organizations has contributed to his development as an inventor and has allowed him to refine his innovative processes.

Collaborations

Throughout his career, David has collaborated with notable individuals such as William A. Crocker and John C. Haygarth. These collaborations have likely enriched his work and contributed to the advancements in his patented processes.

Conclusion