Material processing systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016244861-A1
Application number	US-201514626628-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 19, 2015
Priority date	Feb 19, 2015
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of processing material includes positioning a transmitter to engage an ore sample with a sub-millisecond electromagnetic pulse, the ore sample including a conductive mineral particle and a volume of a gangue, specifying a characteristic of the electromagnetic pulse based on a desired energy deposition for the conductive mineral particle using a processing circuit, and selectively depositing energy with the electromagnetic pulse to at least one of melt and vaporize the conductive mineral particle by controlling the transmitter with the processing circuit.

First claim

1 - 94 . (canceled)

95 . A material processing apparatus, comprising:
a transmitter configured to irradiate an ore sample with a sub-millisecond microwave pulse in response to a command signal, the ore sample including a conductive mineral particle and a volume of a gangue; and a processing circuit coupled to the transmitter, wherein the processing circuit is configured to:
specify the command signal for the transmitter, wherein the command signal varies based on a characteristic of the sub-millisecond microwave pulse; and
provide the command signal to the transmitter such that the sub-millisecond microwave pulse selectively deposits energy to at least one of melt and vaporize the conductive mineral particle of the ore sample.

96 . The apparatus of claim 95 , wherein the characteristic includes a frequency of the sub-millisecond microwave pulse.

97 - 103 . (canceled)

104 . The apparatus of claim 95 , wherein the characteristic includes a pulse length of the sub-millisecond microwave pulse.

105 . The apparatus of claim 104 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to specify the pulse length based on a particle size of the conductive mineral particle.

106 . The apparatus of claim 104 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to specify the pulse length based on a thermal diffusivity of the volume of the gangue.

107 . The apparatus of claim 104 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to specify the pulse length based on a thermal diffusion rate from the conductive mineral particle into the volume of the gangue.

108 - 119 . (canceled)

120 . The apparatus of claim 95 , wherein the characteristic produces an energy deposition from the sub-millisecond microwave pulse into the conductive mineral particle at a rate that is greater than a thermal diffusion rate from the conductive mineral particle into the volume of the gangue.

121 - 128 . (canceled)

129 . The apparatus of claim 95 , wherein the transmitter is configured to selectively vaporize the conductive mineral particle to produce a mineral vapor and wherein interaction between the mineral vapor and the ore sample at least partially weakens the volume of the gangue.

130 . The apparatus of claim 129 , further comprising a recovery system configured to collect at least a portion of the mineral vapor.

131 . The apparatus of claim 130 , further comprising a reducer positioned to decrease the size of ore sample.

132 - 135 . (canceled)

136 . The apparatus of claim 129 , further comprising a reducer positioned to decrease the size of the ore sample.

137 - 140 . (canceled)

141 . The apparatus of claim 95 , wherein the transmitter is configured to selectively melt the conductive mineral particle to produce a mineral liquid and wherein interaction between the mineral liquid and the ore sample at least partially weakens the volume of the gangue.

142 . The apparatus of claim 141 , further comprising a reducer positioned to decrease the size of the ore sample.

143 - 163 . (canceled)

164 . A material processing apparatus, comprising:
a transmitter configured to irradiate an ore sample with a sub-millisecond radiofrequency pulse in response to a command signal, the ore sample including a conductive mineral particle and a volume of a gangue; and a processing circuit coupled to the transmitter, wherein the processing circuit is configured to:
specify the command signal for the transmitter, wherein the command signal varies based on a characteristic of the sub-millisecond radiofrequency pulse; and
provide the command signal to the transmitter such that the sub-millisecond radiofrequency pulse selectively deposits energy to at least one of melt and vaporize the conductive mineral particle of the ore sample.

165 . The apparatus of claim 164 , wherein the characteristic includes a frequency of the sub-millisecond radiofrequency pulse.

166 - 172 . (canceled)

173 . The apparatus of claim 164 , wherein the characteristic includes a pulse length of the sub-millisecond radiofrequency pulse.

174 . The apparatus of claim 173 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to specify the pulse length based on a particle size of the conductive mineral particle.

175 . The apparatus of claim 173 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to specify the pulse length based on a thermal diffusivity of the volume of the gangue.

176 . The apparatus of claim 173 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to specify the pulse length based on a thermal diffusion rate from the conductive mineral particle into the volume of the gangue.

177 - 188 . (canceled)

189 . The apparatus of claim 164 , wherein the characteristic produces an energy deposition from the sub-millisecond radiofrequency pulse into the conductive mineral particle at a rate that is greater than a thermal diffusion rate from the conductive mineral particle into the volume of the gangue.

190 - 197 . (canceled)

198 . The apparatus of claim 164 , wherein the transmitter is configured to selectively vaporize the conductive mineral particle to produce a mineral vapor and wherein interaction between the mineral vapor and the ore sample at least partially weakens the volume of the gangue.

199 . The apparatus of claim 198 , further comprising a recovery system configured to collect at least a portion of the mineral vapor.

200 . The apparatus of claim 199 , further comprising a reducer positioned to decrease the size of the ore sample.

201 - 204 . (canceled)

205 . The apparatus of claim 198 , further comprising a reducer positioned to decrease the size of the ore sample.

206 - 209 . (canceled)

210 . The apparatus of claim 164 , wherein the transmitter is configured to selectively melt the conductive mineral particle to produce a mineral liquid and wherein interaction between the mineral liquid and the ore sample at least partially weakens the volume of the gangue.

211 . The apparatus of claim 210 , further comprising a reducer positioned to decrease the size of the ore sample.

212 - 232 . (canceled)

233 . A material processing apparatus, comprising:
a transporter configured to transfer an ore sample from a first position to a second position through a first zone, wherein the ore sample includes a conductive mineral particle and a volume of a gangue; a transmitter positioned to irradiate the first zone with a sub-millisecond electromagnetic pulse in response to a command signal; and a processing circuit coupled to the transmitter, wherein the processing circuit is configured to:
specify the command signal for the transmitter, wherein the command signal varies based on a characteristic of the sub-millisecond electromagnetic pulse; and
provide the command signal to the transmitter such that the sub-millisecond electromagnetic pulse selectively deposits energy to at least one of melt and vaporize the conductive mineral particle of the ore sample.

234 . The apparatus of claim 233 , wherein the sub-millisecond electromagnetic pulse selectively deposits energy to at least one of melt and vaporize the conductive mineral particle of the ore sample and p

Assignees

• Elwha Llc

Inventors

• Hyde Roderick A
• Kare Jordin T
• Myhrvold Nathan P
• Tegreene Clarence T
• Whitmer Charles
• Wood Jr Lowell L

Classifications

• H05B6/78

  Arrangements for continuous movement of material · CPC title

• H05B6/68

  for monitoring or control · CPC title

• H05B6/786

  wherein the material is moved using mechanical vibrations of plates · CPC title

• C22B4/08

  Apparatus ({C22B4/005 takes precedence; } electric heating elements H05B) · CPC title

• C22B1/00 Primary

  Preliminary treatment of ores or scrap · CPC title