The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 20, 1993
Filed:
Mar. 02, 1992
Richard D Lindsay, Brentwood, TN (US);
Terry L Moore, Brentwood, TN (US);
Plasma Processing Corporation, Millwood, WV (US);
Abstract
A process for recovering free aluminum and aluminum compounds such as aluminum oxide from aluminum dross and aluminum scrap in a furnace heated with a plasma arc torch wherein air at high enthalpy is used as the arc gas. The use of air at high enthalpy as the arc gas provides for more rapid heat output, causing the outer surface or shell of dross to heat rapidly, thereby rupturing the oxide shell releasing free aluminum from within the shell. A higher aluminum recovery is obtained. In a plasma torch high enthalpy is obtained by adding a gas such as CO.sub.2, methane or hydrogen to the air arc gas at a fixed current level or by operating the plasma torch with higher current at a fixed air flow.