Advanced Fusion Systems LLC

Nalco Company

William H Joyce

Curtis Birnbach

Pious V Kurian

Kin-Tai Chang

Mark L Manewitz

Curtis A Birnbach

A method for beneficiation of mineralogical materials that comprises using a one or more of a suite of processes including fluidized bed separation, plasma-based stimulation or enhancement of chemical reactions using a Reactive X-Ray Chemical Processor, field enhancement of chemical reactions and process and drying. All of the processes can be used singly, jointly, simultaneously or sequentially in multiple stages. The methods are nearly non-polluting and serve to replace polluting wet chemistry and other beneficiation techniques.

Advanced beneficiation process for beneficiation, mobilization, extraction, separation, and concentration of mineralogical resources

A universal chemical processor (UCP) including a reactor vessel with a main chamber, comprises inlets for feedstock, a fluidizing medium and reactants. The UCP further includes a reactive X-ray chemical processor (RXCP) having a large area hollow cylindrical cold cathode in the main chamber, a grid positioned concentrically with respect to the cathode, and an anode positioned concentrically with respect to the cathode and grid. In operation, when activated, the cathode of the RXCP emits electrodes onto the anode, which then emits X-rays into a radiation zone within the main chamber capable of ionizing feedstock and reactants, inducing chemical reactions, and sterilizing and decomposing organic materials within the radiation zone, and wherein, a fluidized bed is supported in the main chamber when the fluidizing medium and feedstock are supplied. The RXCP and the fluidized bed portions can be operated separately or in conjunction to achieve unanticipated results.

Universal chemical processor

A universal chemical processor (UCP) including a reactor vessel having a central longitudinal axis and main chamber comprises a first inlet port for a main feedstock, a second inlet port for a fluidizing medium and a third inlet port for one or more reactants. The UCP also includes a reactive radioactive chemical processor (RCP) that contains a radioactive element positioned extending along the longitudinal axis in the main chamber. In operation, a fluidized bed can be supported in the main chamber when a fluidizing medium and feedstock are supplied to the main chamber through the first and second inlet ports and the radioactive element of the RCP emits ionizing radiation that is capable of ionizing feedstock and reactants, inducing chemical reactions, and sterilizing and decomposing any organic materials within a radiation zone.

Universal chemical processor with radioisotope source

A method for inducing chemical reactions using X-ray radiation comprises generating an irradiation volume within the interior of a reaction vessel by introducing X-ray radiation into the volume, in which two or more reactants are introduced. With respect to the two or more reactants and any subsequently created intermediate reactant or reactants, the aggregate extent to which the foregoing reactants are to be ionized to any degree is selectively controlled, and the average degree of ionization in the irradiation volume, from partial to total, of that portion of the foregoing reactants which is to be ionized is selectively controlled, through control of the fluence and energy of the X-ray radiation, to thereby induce selective reactions of reactants to occur in the irradiation volume. One or more reactants may be delivered through a double-walled pipe containing X-ray shielding to prevent their premature irradiation before being injected into the irradiation volume.

Method and apparatus for inducing chemical reactions by X-ray irradiation

The present disclosure is directed to compositions and methods that may be used for enhanced oil recovery, for modifying the permeability of subterranean formations and for increasing the mobilization and/or recovery rate of hydrocarbon fluids present in the formations. The compositions may include, for example, expandable cross-linked polymeric microparticles having unexpanded volume average particle size diameters of from about 0.05 to about 5,000 microns and cross linking agent contents of from about 100 to about 200,000 ppm of labile cross linkers and from 0 to about 300 ppm of non-labile cross linkers, wherein the expandable polymeric monomers have a block copolymer structure comprising at least two different monomers having different chemical structures.

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Newtown, CT, United States of America

William H Joyce