Alcoa Inc.

Aluminum Company of America

Other

Neal Richard Dando

Rajat S Ghosh

John R Smith

Charles Dobbs

Richard R Lunt

Gregory Charles Kraft

Peter Bowen

Roger Nichols

Jay N Bruggeman

Edward M Anderson

Merle D McRaven

Carl H Lawhon

Gary P Tarcy

Luis Fanor Vega

Kerrick Robert Dando

Michael Lewis Slaugenhaupt

Kevin M Robare

Theresa S Knighton

Mark A Holtz

Myra Bowen, Legal Representative

William D Imbrogno

M Jonell Kerkhoff

John R Grassi

Rajat Ghosh

Charles L Dobbs

Horizontal duct scrubbing systems for removing particulate matter from a gas are disclosed. The horizontal scrubbing systems may receive a particulate-containing gas stream (e.g., containing PM10 and/or PM2.5 particulate matter), and remove at least some of such particulates by spraying liquid droplets co-current to the flow of the gas stream, where the liquid droplets have a volume median droplet diameter (DV0.5) of from 240 microns to 600 microns. The scrubbing system may be substantially free of flow deflection members between a liquid inlet manifold and a demister. The system may be remove at least 50 wt. % PM10 and/or PM2.5 particulate matter from the gas stream.

Systems and methods for removing particulate matter from a gas stream

Horizontal gas-liquid scrubbing systems and associated gas scrubbing methodologies are provided. In one embodiment, a horizontal duct scrubbing system includes a horizontally disposed housing having a waste gas inlet and a treated gas outlet, a liquid inlet manifold disposed within the horizontally disposed housing, the liquid inlet manifold comprising a plurality of nozzles oriented to spray a scrubbing liquor co-current to the flow of a gas stream flowing through the horizontally disposed housing, and a demister located proximal the treated gas outlet, where the horizontally disposed housing is substantially free of flow deflection members between the liquid inlet manifold and the demister.

Systems and methods for removing gaseous pollutants from a gas stream

Systems, methods and apparatus for restricting scale build-up in gas scrubbers and piping are disclosed. The scrubbers and/or pipes may have a coating disposed on internal surfaces thereof. The coating restricts formation of scale within the pipe, especially scale that would normally accumulate due to fluoride-enriched absorbents, such as fluoride-enriched alumina.

Systems and methods for restricting scale in gas scrubbers and related components

Horizontal gas-liquid scrubbing systems and associated gas scrubbing methodologies are provided. In one embodiment, a horizontal duct scrubbing system includes a horizontally disposed housing having a waste gas inlet and a treated gas outlet, a liquid inlet manifold disposed within the horizontally disposed housing, the liquid inlet manifold comprising a plurality of nozzles oriented to spray a scrubbing liquor co-current to the flow of a gas stream flowing through the horizontally disposed housing, and a demister located proximal the treated gas outlet, where the horizontally disposed housing is substantially free of flow deflection members between the liquid inlet manifold and the demister. The gas stream may include sulfur dioxide, and the system may be capable of removing at least 71 vol. % sulfur dioxide from the gas stream.

Methods and systems for controlling operating conditions of electrolytic cells are provided, particularly aluminum electrolytic cells. The method may includes the steps of measuring offgas temperature from the electrolytic cell, comparing the measured offgas temperature to a target offgas temperature, and completing a predetermined action in response to the comparing step. The predetermined action may include one or more of changing a feed rate of feed materials supplied to the electrolytic cell or inspecting a crust of the electrolytic cell for an undesired condition, such as a crust hole. The system may include an electrolytic cell adapted to contain a molten metal mixture, a hopper adapted to provide feed material to the electrolytic cell, a hood adapted to contain offgas from the electrolytic cell, an exhaust duct interconnected to the hood and containing a thermocouple for measuring offgas temperature, and a control panel for receiving temperature measurements from the thermocouple.

Measuring duct offgas temperatures to improve electrolytic cell energy efficiency

There is disclosed a manual assist for opening a window, door or other mechanism that slides in a preset track. The manual assist comprises an elongated, preferably contoured handle; a wedge near one end of the handle; and a base pivotally mounted to the handle near the wedge end. Preferably, this manual assist may be hung near a window using a Velcro&#xae; strip pair, aperture or hook when not in use.

Manual assist and method for opening sliding windows and doors

There is disclosed a method for surface treating aluminum products, especially vehicle wheels, to improve their brightness. The method comprises: (a) applying a chemical brightening composition to these products; (b) deoxidizing the surface of these wheel products in a nitric acid-based bath; (c) forming a porous oxide on that with an electrolytic bath containing phosphoric acid; and (d) applying, preferably spraying, a siloxane-based film to that porous oxide. In many instances, intermediate rinsing substeps are performed between these respective main steps.

Method for surface treating aluminum products

A novel fixed block polarized, specular reflective accessory apparatus and method are disclosed, including providing an infrared light generator, a polarizer to polarize infrared light generated by the infrared light generator, a fixed block having an aperture for receiving a sample, a first fixed position mirror on one side of the fixed block wherein the first fixed position mirror is positioned to receive incident infrared light parallel to the plane of reflection at a fixedly set angle, and a second fixed position mirror positioned to receive infrared light reflected from said sample. In one aspect, the fixedly set angle preferably is fixed at about 55.degree.. The novel fixed block polarized, specular reflective accessory apparatus and method provide a high efficiency, high accuracy, high quality and quantitative process control coating measurements for coating operations in manufacturing coated aluminum alloy sheet.

Polarized specular reflectance infrared apparatus and method

A novel gelation-resistant alumina and process for producing such a product and aqueous slurries composed thereof are disclosed, including grinding aluminum oxide of .alpha.-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 in the presence of about 0.5 to 3.0 wt. % water. The grinding preferably is performed in a sealed ball mill. Dual phase alumina particles have an aluminum oxide inner core of .alpha.-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and an aluminum oxide hydroxide outer phase of .gamma.-AlOOH on the .alpha.-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, including to a nominal depth, e.g., by way of example, of about 5 to 100 nanometers on the inner core of .alpha.-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, and having up to 40% higher surface area than the initial aluminum oxide of .alpha.-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3. The novel gelation-resistant alumina can be dispersed in an aqueous slurry having a solids content of 65 wt. % and higher, and the resulting slurry has significantly extended shelf life.

Method of making a gelation-resistant alumina

Gelation-resistant alumina

Growing community of inventors

Murrysville, PA, United States of America

Neal Richard Dando