US 12,270,090 B2Granted

PGM converting process and jacketed rotary converter

OwnerEdward W. Albrecht, Steven D McCulloughinventors

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Abstract

PGM converting process and jacketed rotary converter. The process can include low- or no-flux converting; partial pre-oxidation of PGM collector alloy; using a refractory protectant in the converter; magnetic separation of slag; recycling part of the slag to the converter; smelting catalyst material in a primary furnace to produce the collector alloy; and/or smelting the converter slag in a secondary furnace with slag from the primary furnace. The converter can include an inclined converter pot mounted for rotation; a refractory lining; an opening in a top of the pot to introduce converter feed; a lance for injecting oxygen-containing gas into the alloy pool; a heat transfer jacket adjacent the refractory lining; and a coolant system to circulate a heat transfer medium through the jacket to remove heat from the alloy pool in thermal communication with the refractory lining.

Claims54

Dependent claims

A process for converting platinum group metal (PGM) collector alloy, comprising the steps of:

(a) introducing a converter feed into a pot of a converter holding a molten alloy pool, wherein the converter feed comprises:
(i) 100 parts by weight of a collector alloy comprising no less than 0.5 wt % PGM, no less than 40 wt % iron, and no less than 0.5 wt % nickel, based on the total weight of the collector alloy;
and
(ii) if an added flux material comprises 10 wt % or more of silica and 10 wt % or more of calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, or a combination of calcium oxide and magnesium oxide, by weight of the added flux material, less than 20 parts by weight of the added flux material per 100 parts by weight of the collector alloy;
(b) injecting oxygen-containing gas into the alloy pool to convert iron and one or more other oxidizable elements from the collector alloy to corresponding oxides and enrich PGM in the alloy pool;
(c) allowing a slag comprising the iron oxide to collect in a low-density layer above the alloy pool;
(d) tapping the low-density layer to recover the slag from the converter;
and
(e) tapping the alloy pool to recover the PGM-enriched alloy;
and
wherein the oxygen-containing gas injection in step (b) is continued until the alloy pool comprises no more than about 10 wt % iron.

8 more elements

A process for converting platinum group metal (PGM) collector alloy, comprising the steps of:

(a) introducing a converter feed into a pot of a converter holding a molten alloy pool comprising nickel, wherein the converter feed comprises:
(i) 100 parts by weight of a collector alloy comprising no less than 0.5 wt % PGM, no less than 40 wt % iron, and no less than 0.5 wt % nickel, based on the total weight of the collector alloy;
and
(ii) less than 18 parts by weight of any added flux material per 100 parts by weight of the collector alloy;
(b) injecting oxygen-containing gas into the alloy pool to convert iron from the collector alloy to iron oxide and enrich PGM in the alloy pool, wherein the introduction of the converter feed and the injection of the oxygen containing gas are at least partially concurrent;
(c) allowing a slag comprising the iron oxide to collect in a low-density layer above the alloy pool;
(d) tapping the low-density layer to recover the slag from the converter;
and
(e) tapping the alloy pool to recover the PGM-enriched alloy;
and
wherein the oxygen-containing gas injection in step (b) is continued until the alloy pool comprises no more than about 10 wt % iron, based on the total weight of the alloy pool.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/436,300Filed 20 Aug 2019
Published: US 2022/0177999 A19 Jun 2022
Granted: 8 Apr 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification32 codes

C21B 3/04
General features in the manufacture of pig-iron: recovery of by-products, e.g. slag
C22B 9/10
General processes of refining or remelting of metals; Apparatus for electroslag or arc remelting of metals: with refining or fluxing agents; Use…
C21C 5/36
Manufacture of steel in the converter: processes yielding slags of special composition
C21C 5/44
Constructional features of converters: refractory linings