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US5081102A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Preparation of precursor superconductor metal oxide powders by spray calcination from atomized nitrate solution

Assignee: Boeing North American Inc
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Filing: 1988-11-09
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Granted: 1992-01-14
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Expires: 2008-11-09
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Abstract

Abstract A spray calcination process is provided for decomposing a metal nitrate solution to form fine grain multicomponent metal oxide powders of selected composition of particular utility as superconductor precursor powders. Such precursor powders are produced in bulk quantities as high purity, reproducible, intimately mixed powders for conversion to high temperature superconductors. A metal nitrate solution containing two or more metal constituents in a preselected ratio is sprayed as a finely atomized spray into a spray calcination zone where it is contacted with a hot gas stream for a residence time of less than 15 seconds at a high temperature between 200° C. and 1100° C. sufficient to vaporize the water of the nitrate solution and convert the metal nitrates to their corresponding oxides. The formed metal oxides are recovered from the gas stream as the desired metal oxides powders of selected composition which, where required, may be further sintered to form the desired superconducting metal oxide ceramics such as the Y-Ba-Cu-O and Tl-Ba-Ca-Cu-O superconductors.

Inventors

  • 👤 Richard L. Gay
  • 👤 LeRoy F. Grantham

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 01:09
CPC Classifications
C; C01; C01G; C01G3/00; C01B; C01B13/00; C01B13/14; C01B13/34; C01G15/00; C04; C04B; C04B35/00; C04B35/01; C04B35/45; C04B35/4504; C04B35/4512; C01P; C01P2004/00; C01P2004/30; C01P2004/32; C01P2004/34; C01P2004/60; C01P2004/61; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S505/00; Y10S505/725; Y10S505/737

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 188 words
A heated gas spray calcination process for the preparation of fine grain multicomponent precursor superconductor metal oxide powders of specific composition which comprises: introducing a metal nitrate solution in the form of a finely atomized spray into the top of a spray calcination zone, said metal nitrate solution having the metal components thereof in a specific ratio to provide a corresponding stoichiometry of the resultant precursor superconductor powders; contacting said finely atomized spray at the time of its introduction into the spray calcination zone with an externally heated hot gas stream concurrently introduced into the top of said zone for a residence time of contact within said zone of about 0.5 to 15 seconds, said introduced hot gas stream providing a temperature in said zone in the range of about 200° C. to 1100° C. and sufficient to vaporize the nitrate solution and convert the metal nitrates to their corresponding oxides during said residence time in the spray calcination zone; and recovering the formed metal oxides from the gas stream exiting the spray calcination zone as finely divided, intimately mixed precursor superconductor metal oxide powders of specific composition.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 188 words
A heated gas spray calcination process for the preparation of fine grain multicomponent precursor superconductor metal oxide powders of specific composition which comprises: introducing a metal nitrate solution in the form of a finely atomized spray into the top of a spray calcination zone, said metal nitrate solution having the metal components thereof in a specific ratio to provide a corresponding stoichiometry of the resultant precursor superconductor powders; contacting said finely atomized spray at the time of its introduction into the spray calcination zone with an externally heated hot gas stream concurrently introduced into the top of said zone for a residence time of contact within said zone of about 0.5 to 15 seconds, said introduced hot gas stream providing a temperature in said zone in the range of about 200° C. to 1100° C. and sufficient to vaporize the nitrate solution and convert the metal nitrates to their corresponding oxides during said residence time in the spray calcination zone; and recovering the formed metal oxides from the gas stream exiting the spray calcination zone as finely divided, intimately mixed precursor superconductor metal oxide powders of specific composition.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 22 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein the temperature in the spray calcination zone is maintained between 500° C. and 1000° C.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 33 words
The process according to claim 2 wherein the residence time of contact between the finely atomized spray and the hot gas stream in the spray calcination zone is about 1 to 10 seconds.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 38 words
The process of claim 3 wherein electric heat is used as the thermal source for the hot gas stream which consists essentially of nitrogen optionally containing up to 20 volume % oxygen and less than 0.03% carbon dioxide.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 246 words
A heated gas spray calcination process for the preparation of a fine grain precursor superconductor metal oxide powder whose metal components consist essentially of thallium, barium, calcium and copper having respective atomic ratios of 2,2,2,3, which comprises: introducing a metal nitrate solution in the form of a finely atomized spray into the top of a spray calcination zone, said metal nitrate solution having the thallium, barium, calcium and copper components thereof in a specific ratio to provide a stoichiometry of said precursor superconductor metal oxide powder corresponding to respective atomic ratios of 2,2,2,3; contacting said finely atomized spray at the time of its introduction into the spray calcination zone with an externally heated hot gas stream concurrently introduced into the top of said zone for a residence time of contact within said zone of about 1 to 10 seconds, said introduced hot gas stream providing a temperature in said zone in the range of about 500° C. to 1000° C. and sufficient to vaporize the nitrate solution and convert the metal nitrates to their corresponding oxides during said residence time in the spray calcination zone; and recovering the formed metal oxides from the gas stream exiting the spray calcination zone as finely divided, intimately mixed metal oxide powders whose metal components consist essentially of thallium, barium, calcium and copper having respective atomic ratios of 2,2,2,3, said metal oxide powders being in the form of hollow spheroidal particles having an average diameter between 1 to 10 microns.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 246 words
A heated gas spray calcination process for the preparation of a fine grain precursor superconductor metal oxide powder whose metal components consist essentially of thallium, barium, calcium and copper having respective atomic ratios of 2,2,2,3, which comprises: introducing a metal nitrate solution in the form of a finely atomized spray into the top of a spray calcination zone, said metal nitrate solution having the thallium, barium, calcium and copper components thereof in a specific ratio to provide a stoichiometry of said precursor superconductor metal oxide powder corresponding to respective atomic ratios of 2,2,2,3; contacting said finely atomized spray at the time of its introduction into the spray calcination zone with an externally heated hot gas stream concurrently introduced into the top of said zone for a residence time of contact within said zone of about 1 to 10 seconds, said introduced hot gas stream providing a temperature in said zone in the range of about 500° C. to 1000° C. and sufficient to vaporize the nitrate solution and convert the metal nitrates to their corresponding oxides during said residence time in the spray calcination zone; and recovering the formed metal oxides from the gas stream exiting the spray calcination zone as finely divided, intimately mixed metal oxide powders whose metal components consist essentially of thallium, barium, calcium and copper having respective atomic ratios of 2,2,2,3, said metal oxide powders being in the form of hollow spheroidal particles having an average diameter between 1 to 10 microns.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 53 words
The process of claim 5 wherein the residence time in the spray calcination zone is between 1 to 2 seconds and electric heat is used as the thermal source for the hot gas stream which consists essentially of nitrogen optionally containing up to 20 volume % oxygen and less than 0.03% carbon dioxide.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 33 words
The process of claim 6 wherein the gas exiting the spray calcination zone is rapidly quenched prior to its entry into a centrifugal dust collector in which the hollow spheroidal particles are collected.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3101258A Cited
US3989446A Cited
SU791701A1 Cited
US4499833A Cited
US4668435A Cited
US4579069A Cited
US4559170A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1995-01-13 1995-07-15 1996-01-14 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1999-01-13 1999-07-15 2000-01-14 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2003-01-13 2003-07-15 2004-01-14 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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