US3985548A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Direct metal reduction from coal
Assignee: Leas Brothers Development Corp Ind
•
Filing: 1972-05-30
•
Granted: 1976-10-12
•
Expires: 1992-05-30
Abstract
Abstract A process for continuously and simultaneously extracting liquids from coal, gasifying the carbon to carbon monoxide and utilizing the carbon monoxide for the direct reduction of iron ore. The process is carried out by continuously conveying a mixture of iron ore, coal and oil in a moving solids bed through a single reactor tower, divided into a plurality of contiguous, communicating treatment zones.
Inventors
- 👤 Lawrence Earl Leas
- 👤 Robert Lamar Leas
- 👤 Arnold Marcel Leas
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 21:54
CPC Classifications
C; C21; C21B; C21B13/00; C21B13/02; C21B13/0073; C21B13/06; C21B2100/00; C21B2100/20; C21B2100/22; C21B2100/28; C21B2100/282; C21B2100/40; C21B2100/42; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P10/00; Y02P10/10; Y02P10/122
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
140 words
A method for simultaneously recovering fuel liquids and gases from coal and using the recovered gases for reducing iron ore comprising the steps of forming a slurry of crushed coal, oil and iron ore; introducing said slurry into the top of a multi-stage vertical reactor tower separated into a top, middle and a bottom zone; maintaining the pressure within said reactor tower at approximately 350 p.s.i.a.; extracting liquids from said slurry in said top zone; passing the solid mixture remaining after extraction of said slurry to said middle zone, gasifying the carbon in said solid mixture to carbon monoxide, simultaneously reducing said iron ore, and effecting slag removal by fluidization; and removing said iron to said bottom zone with any residual carbon, introducing carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide to react with residual carbon and substantially completely reducing the iron ore.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
140 words
A method for simultaneously recovering fuel liquids and gases from coal and using the recovered gases for reducing iron ore comprising the steps of forming a slurry of crushed coal, oil and iron ore; introducing said slurry into the top of a multi-stage vertical reactor tower separated into a top, middle and a bottom zone; maintaining the pressure within said reactor tower at approximately 350 p.s.i.a.; extracting liquids from said slurry in said top zone; passing the solid mixture remaining after extraction of said slurry to said middle zone, gasifying the carbon in said solid mixture to carbon monoxide, simultaneously reducing said iron ore, and effecting slag removal by fluidization; and removing said iron to said bottom zone with any residual carbon, introducing carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide to react with residual carbon and substantially completely reducing the iron ore.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 including the step of introducing an inert, solid particulate material into said slurry to serve as a conveying medium for said slurry through said zones.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said coal in said middle zone is gasified with air.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said residual coal in said bottom zone is gasified with carbon dioxide.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the reduced iron ore in the bottom zone is sintered into substantially pure iron pellets.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 1 including maintaining the temperature of said top, middle and bottom zones at 750°-950° F, 960°-1165° F and 1180°-1650° F respectively, and maintaining said mixture in said top, middle and bottom zones approximately 15 minutes, 12 minutes and 25 minutes respectively.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said extracted liquids are removed from said top zone, light distillate products and lean gases are recovered therefrom, said lean gases are desulfurized and subjected to combustion, and carbon dioxide produced thereby recycled to the reactor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US171812A
Cited
US981280A
Cited
US1755845A
Cited
US2760855A
Cited
US2932563A
Cited
US2835557A
Cited
US3231367A
Cited
US3196002A
Cited
US3469969A
Cited
US3425824A
Cited
US3427013A
Cited
US3635456A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-10-12 | 1980-04-12 | 1980-10-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-10-12 | 1984-04-12 | 1984-10-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-10-12 | 1988-04-12 | 1988-10-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |