MARK A SCHAFFER
Engineering in Collegeville, PA

8277766, Oct 2, 2012

Dec 27, 2010

12/978686

James G. Hnat - Collegeville PA, US
Mark A. Schaffer - Trappe PA, US

C22B 34/00

423 62, 423 64, 75622

This invention relates to a process that utilizes high-temperature oxidation with controlled stoichiometry in the concentration of vanadium from carbonaceous feedstock materials containing vanadium, such as residues, ashes and soots resulting from the combustion or gasification of petroleum vacuum residuum, petroleum coke, kerogen from oil shale, and bituminous sand, e. g. , tar sand or oil sand, or extra heavy oil or other carbonaceous feedstocks that contain vanadium. A preferred embodiment uses a counter-rotating vortex reactor and a cyclonic, entrained-flow reactor to rapidly heat and oxidize feedstock at temperatures in the range of about 2100° F. to 2900° F. , resulting in a vapor stream with entrained, solid materials comprising the concentrated vanadium species. The entrained, vanadium-rich product solids may be removed from the high-temperature vapor stream by a high-temperature filter assembly, with or without the aid of a high-temperature cyclone separator which removes a portion of the vanadium-rich solids upstream of the filter. The filtered vapor stream may be stored or then ducted to suitable unit operations for possible oxidation and heat recovery, followed by entailed pollution control prior to its final discharge to the atmosphere.

7854908, Dec 21, 2010

Aug 20, 2008

12/195042

James G. Hnat - Collegeville PA, US
Mark A. Schaffer - Trappe PA, US

C01G 37/00

423 59, 423606

This invention relates to an apparatus and process that utilizes high-temperature oxidation and sublimation techniques for the recovery of molybdenum from spent catalysts or other feedstocks that contain molybdenum. A preferred embodiment uses a counter-rotating vortex reactor and a cyclonic entrained-flow reactor to rapidly heat and oxidize the spent catalyst feedstock, such as carbon, sulfur, and molybdenum compounds, at temperatures in the range of about 2100° F. to 2900° F. , resulting in a gas-solid stream containing molybdenum trioxide vapor. A high-temperature cyclone separator is utilized to separate the residue from this stream before this stream is rapidly quenched to a temperature sufficient to effect the condensation of solid molybdenum trioxide without condensing arsenic or phosphoric oxides. The condensed molybdenum trioxide material is separated from this stream by passing through a high-temperature filtration system. The remaining gaseous stream is then ducted to suitable unit operations for possible further material reclamation and entailed pollution control prior to its final discharge to the atmosphere.