Bhp Billiton Innovation Pty Ltd

Ishikawajima-harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.

Metalysis Limited

Bhp Steel (jla) Pty. Ltd.

The Crucible Group Pty Ltd

Bhp Steeel (jla) Pty Ltd

Steve Osborn

Ivan Ratchev

Lazar Strezov

Les Strezov

John Freeman

Kannappar Mukunthan

Joseph George Herbertson

Gregory David Rigby

Sergey Alexander Bliznyukov

Greg Rigby

A continuous converter for pyrolyzing or otherwise processing biomass or other solid organic feed materials includes a reaction chamber () for producing a solid carbon-containing product and a gas product and optionally a liquid water product via pyrolysis or other reaction mechanisms from a solid organic feed material. The chamber has an inlet () for supplying a solid organic feed material to the chamber and separate outlets () for the solid carbon-containing product and the gas product produced in the reaction chamber. The inlet and the solid carbon-containing product outlet are configured so that the solid materials in the inlet and in the outlet form respective gas seals in the inlet and the outlet.

Converter for organic materials

A method of reducing a titanium oxide in a solid state in an electrolytic cell which includes an anode, a cathode formed at least in part from the titanium oxide, and a molten electrolyte which includes cations of a metal that is capable of chemically reducing the cathode titanium oxide, which method includes operating the cell at a potential that is above a potential at which cations of the metal that is capable of chemically reducing the cathode titanium oxide deposit as the metal on the cathode, whereby the metal chemically reduces the cathode titanium oxide, and which method is characterized by refreshing the electrolyte and/or changing the cell potential in later stages of the operation of the cell as required having regard to the reactions occurring in the cell and the concentration of oxygen in the titanium oxide in the cell in order to produce high purity titanium.

Reduction of metal oxides in an electrolytic cell

An electrochemical cell for electrochemical reduction of a metal oxide in a solid state is disclosed. The cell includes a molten electrolyte (), an anode () formed from carbon in contact with the electrolyte, a cathode () formed at least in part from the metal oxide in contact with the electrolyte, and a membrane () that is permeable to oxygen anions and is impermeable to carbon in ionic and non-ionic forms positioned between the cathode and the anode to thereby prevent migration of carbon from the anode to the cathode. The membrane includes a body () and a lining () on the surface of the body on the cathode side of the membrane. The lining is formed from a material that is inert with respect to dissolved metal in the electrolyte and is impermeable to the dissolved metal. An electrochemical method based on the cell is also disclosed.

Minimising carbon transfer in an electrolytic cell

A process for electrochemically reducing a metal oxide, such as titania, in a solid state in an electrochemical cell that includes a bath of molten electrolyte, a cathode, and an anode, which process includes the steps of: a) applying a cell potential across the anode and the cathode that is capable of electrochemically reducing the metal oxide supplied to the molten electrolyte bath, b) continuously or semi-continuously feeding the metal oxide in powder and/or pellet form into the molten electrolyte bath, c) transporting the powders and/or pellets along a path within the molten electrolyte bath and reducing the metal oxide as the metal oxide powders and/or pellets move along the path, and d) continuously or semi-continuously removing metal from the molten electrolyte bath. Also disclosed and claims is an electrochemical cell for carrying out this process.

Electrochemical reduction of metal oxides

A method of reducing a metal oxide in a solid state, in an electrolytic cell, is provided, as is an electrolytic cell suitable for performing the method. The cathode of the electrolytic cell is formed at least in part from the metal oxide to be reduced, and the electrolyte includes cations of a metal that is capable of chemically reducing the cathode metal oxide. The method includes operating the cell at a potential that is above the potential at which cations of the reducing metal will deposit as metal on the cathode.

A method of manufacturing titanium or titanium alloy semi-finished or ready-to-use products is disclosed. The method includes forming shaped bodies of titanium oxide particles and positioning the shaped bodies is an electrolytic cell which includes: an anode, a cathode, and a molten electrolyte. The shaped bodies are positioned to form at least a part of the cathode. The electrolyte includes cations of a metal that is capable of chemically reducing titanium oxide. The method further includes reducing the titanium oxide to titanium in a solid state in the electrolytic cell so that the shaped bodies become shaped bodies of titanium sponge. Finally, the method includes processing the shaped bodies of titanium sponge to reduce the volume or at least one of the dimensions of the bodies thereby to form the semi-finished or ready-to-use products.

Method of manufacturing titanium and titanium alloy products

An electrolytic cell for reducing a beryllium oxide in solid state, and a method for achieving this reduction, are provided. The electrolytic cell and method employ an anode, a cathode formed in part from beryllium oxide, and a molten electrolyte which includes cations of a metal that is capable of reducing beryllium oxide. The reduction process involves operating the cell at a potential that is above a potential at which the reducing cations in the electrolyte will deposit as a metal on the cathode.

Electrochemical reduction of beryllium oxide in an electrolytic cell

A method and an apparatus of continuously casting metal strip (20) is disclosed. A casting pool (30) of molten metal is formed in contact with a moving casting surface such that metal solidifies from the pool (30) onto the moving casting surface. In addition, sound waves are applied to the casting pool of molten metal to induce relative vibratory movement between the molten metal of the casting pool (30) and the casting surface.

Growing community of inventors

Valentine, Australia

Steve Osborn