A method for adding alloying material to a molten metal media, such as molten aluminum, is disclosed. The method includes converting the alloying material into a spray of superheated alloy material and directing the spray into the molten metal media at a depth below the media's surface to enhance dissolution and dispersion of the alloying material in the molten media.

A process is described wherein a material, such as particulate metal oxid is treated with an arc discharge plasma under vacuum in the presence of a magnetic field running axially between the arc electrodes, wherein the plasma rotates symmetrically about a middle magnetic field, under conditions such that in a region the product of the electron gyration frequency .OMEGA. and time .tau., within which the average electron transmits its impulse to the plasma ions, is .OMEGA..tau. > 1 at about the...

The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for recycling, smelting, and refining waste metal material and low grade metal material. A magneto-plasma provides a high temperature for extracting metals. The magneto-plasma is comprised of an alternating current plasma superimposed upon a direct current plasma with the plasmas being confined by an externally applied axial magnetic field. The magneto-plasma is sustained with reduced voltage fluctuations across the plasma even when the background...

A method for converting a ligated-metal into chemical components of the ligated-metal includes forming an ionized zone that can convert the ligated-metal to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate. The ligated-metal is directed into the ionized zone, whereby the ligated-metal is converted to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate, thereby causing a thermodynamically stable metal-ligand bond of the ligated-metal to be electronically destabilized and inducing subsequent metal-ligand bond rupture. The r...

An arc heater system for producing high purity silicon characterized by the use of an arc heater into which a silicon halide is injected together with a liquid metal reductant, such as an alkali metal, which are reacted together by projecting them into a reaction chamber to cause the formation of liquid silicon, and the walls containing the system being provided with cooling jacket means for preliminarily heating the reactants.

A powdered material and a process for producing the material are disclosed. The powdered material consists essentially of copper based spherical particles which are essentially free of elliptical shaped material and elongated particles having rounded ends. The material has a particle size of less than about 20 micrometers. The process for making the spherical particles involves mechanically reducing the size of a starting material to produce a finer powder which is then entrained in a carrier ga...

A method and apparatus for reducing matter, particularly chemical compounds, to constituent species in a high temperature environment (plasma) and separating one of the species from the other species. Reduction is effected by raising the input compound to a high temperature so that it is thermally dissociated. Reduction can also be effected by chemically reducing the compound to a gas consisting of a specie which can be more readily ionized and another product of the chemical reduction reaction....

A method and apparatus for reducing matter, particularly chemical compounds, to constituent elements in a high temperature environment (a plasma) and separating one of the elements from the other elements. Reduction is effected by raising the input compound to a high temperature -- thermally disassociating it. Separation is effected by partly ionizing one of the species (elements) to be separated and moving the resultant mixture of gas and plasma at a velocity (v) through a magnetic field (B) ha...

The invention provides a series of techniques for processing uranium containing feed materials such as uranium ores, reprocessed uranium, uranium containing residues and uranium containing spent fuel. The processes described involve fluorination of uranium containing material, separation of the uranium containing material from other materials based on ionization thereof with the non-ionized fluorine containing material being recycled. Metallic uranium and/or plutonium and/or fission products may...

A converter for the production of steel from solid and/or liquid charging substances, such as pig iron and/or scrap and/or sponge iron, includes a refractorily lined refining vessel, a refining device for feeding oxygen or an oxygen-containing gas, and a heating device. In order to obtain the maximum output possible at high scrap charging as well as a high purity of the steel, the heating device includes at least one self-consuming graphite electrode and the refining device, independent of the h...