Richard T Stoltz

US Patent:

50452096, Sep 3, 1991

Filed:

Sep 24, 1990

Appl. No.:

7/587191

Inventors:

Thomas S. Snyder - Oakmont PA
Richard A. Stoltz - Plano TX

Assignee:

Westinghouse Electric Corp. - Pittsburgh PA

International Classification:

B01D 1508

US Classification:

210656

Abstract:

Scandium and yttrium present in sand is recovered from the residue pulled from sand chlorinators. The residue is digested with an acid to produce a liquid containing scandium, yttrium, sodium, calcium and at least one radioactive metal of the group consisting of radium, thorium and uranium. The metal-containing liquid is then fed through a cation exchanger. The cation exchanger is eluted with an acid to produce eluate functions containing at least partially separated metals. A first eluate fraction contains at least half of the calcium and the sodium, a second eluate fraction contains at least half of the radioactive metals, a third eluate fraction contains at least half of the scandium and a fourth eluate fraction contains at least half of the yttrium which were contained in the metal-containing feed.

US Patent:

48656941, Sep 12, 1989

Filed:

Sep 12, 1988

Appl. No.:

7/242571

Inventors:

Thomas S. Snyder - Oakmont PA
Richard A. Stoltz - Murrysville PA
David F. McLaughlin - Oakmont PA

Assignee:

Westinghouse Electric Corp. - Pittsburgh PA

International Classification:

B01D 300
C01G 2504
C01G 2704
C22B 3414

US Classification:

203 29

Abstract:

This is an improved method for separating hafnium from zirconium of the type where a complex of zirconium and hafnium chlorides and phosphorus oxychloride is prepared from zirconium-hafnium chloride and the complex is introduced into a distillation column, with the improvement comprising: electrochemical breaking of the zirconium of hafnium chloride complex taken from said distillation column to separate product from the complex. The electrochemical breaking of the complex, possibly by reducing zirconium or hafnium, is done in a molten salt bath. Preferably, the molten salt in said molten salt bath consists principally of a mixture of alkali metal and alkaline earth metal chlorides and zirconium or hafnium chloride. The product can be either chloride, metal, or mixed metal and subchloride for further processing.

US Patent:

49235796, May 8, 1990

Filed:

Sep 12, 1988

Appl. No.:

7/242573

Inventors:

Thomas S. Snyder - Oakmont PA
Richard A. Stoltz - Murrysville PA
David Zuckerbrod - Pittsburgh PA

Assignee:

Westinghouse Electric Corp. - Pittsburgh PA

International Classification:

C25F 500

US Classification:

204140

Abstract:

A major cost component for zirconium alloy manufacture and fabrication is metal scrap generation during fabrication. This scrap, which has already incurred the entire process conversion cost from zircon sand to metal refining, constitutes an expensive cost to the fabrication process. The present invention teaches that these alloy scraps may be separated into their components by molten salt electrolysis using FLINAK electrolyte. The alloy components are recycled directly to the alloying process as cathodic grade metals, saving the cost of completely repeating the zircon conversion process.

US Patent:

50214012, Jun 4, 1991

Filed:

Apr 3, 1989

Appl. No.:

7/331768

Inventors:

Thomas S. Snyder - Oakmont PA
Richard A. Stoltz - Murrysville PA
George R. Wagner - Murrysville PA

Assignee:

Westinghouse Electric Corp. - Pittsburgh PA

International Classification:

C23C 812
C23C 880
C23C 1616

US Classification:

505 1

Abstract:

This is a process for fabrication of nickel-oxide insulation on a superconductor. The process utilizes; reacting oxygen-free nickel powder with oxygen-free carbon monoxide generally at 50. degree. -75. degree. C. to produce a nickel carbonyl, separating the nickel carbonyl from reaction by-products and excess reagents by cooling the carbonyl and decanting the nickel carbonyl liquor, and contacting the carbonyl to a surface of a wire containing superconductor or superconductor precursors in an atmosphere containing a controlled amount of oxygen, with the wire at 50. degree. -800. degree. C. to produce nickel suboxide insulation on the wire. The purified nickel carbonyl and oxygen may be alternately (rather than simultaneously) introduced, to deposit a series of metallic nickel films on the wire, each of which metallic films are then oxidized to a nickel suboxide. The superconductor may be a niobium-tin superconductor, and the carbonyl contacted to wire containing unreacted niobium and tin at a wire temperature between 50. degree. -500. degree. C. to coat the wire with the nickel suboxide, and final forming of the wire done after the coating of wire and the niobium and the tin are reaction annealed after the final forming of the wire.

US Patent:

47372443, Apr 12, 1988

Filed:

Dec 18, 1986

Appl. No.:

6/943030

Inventors:

David F. McLaughlin - Oakmont PA
Richard A. Stoltz - Murrysville PA

Assignee:

Westinghouse Electric Corp. - Pittsburgh PA

International Classification:

B01D 340
C01G 2504
C01G 2704

US Classification:

203 51

Abstract:

This is a molten salt extractive distillation process for separating hafnium from zirconium. It utilizes at least principally a ZnCl. sub. 2 -PbCl. sub. 2 molten salt solvent, and preferably ZnCl. sub. 2 -PbCl. sub. 2 in a near eutectic or eutectic mixture. The extraction column is preferably run about 370. degree. -390. degree. C. at about one atomosphere and stripping is preferably done at 375. degree. -400. degree. C. utilizing an inert gas carrier.

US Patent:

48656950, Sep 12, 1989

Filed:

Sep 12, 1988

Appl. No.:

7/242572

Inventors:

Thomas S. Snyder - Oakmont PA
Richard A. Stoltz - Murrysville PA

Assignee:

Westinghouse Electric Corp. - Pittsburgh PA

International Classification:

B01D 332
C01G 2504
C01G 2704

US Classification:

203 29

Abstract:

This is a method for molten salt systems related to distillation for zirconium-hafnium separation and prevents buildup of iron chloride by electrochemically reducing iron from the molten salt to give very low levels of iron chloride in the distillation column, to reduce corrosion, improve the product and, in some cases, to allow the molten salt system to be run continuously. The improvement comprises electrochemical purification of molten salt containing zirconium-hafnium chloride either, prior to introduction of the zirconium-hafnium chloride into a distillation column, or after introduction, or both, to substantially eliminate iron chloride from the zirconium-hafnium chloride. The molten salt during the electrochemical purification consists essentially of a mixture of chlorides of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, zirconium, hafnium, aluminum, manganese, and/or zinc.

US Patent:

41672135, Sep 11, 1979

Filed:

Jul 17, 1978

Appl. No.:

5/925064

Inventors:

Richard A. Stoltz - Murrysville PA
Albert C. Metrailer - Broken Arrow OK

Assignee:

Standard Oil Company (Indiana) - Chicago IL

International Classification:

E21B 4324
E21B 4712

US Classification:

166251

Abstract:

A passive method for locating the position and inclination of a flame front, within an oil-shale retort of known dimensions and location during an in situ combustion of the retort involving detecting the sound generated by the flame front, by two matched detectors separated by a fixed known distance. The pair of matched detectors are suspended vertically in a liquid-filled well which was drilled essentially parallel to the side wall of the retort. The outputs of the two detectors are fed directly to a differential amplifier and the resulting difference signal is monitored as a function of depth as the pair of detectors are raised and/or lowered in the well. The minimum in this signal corresponds to the position of the flame front within the retort. Repeated measurements in various observation wells establish the inclination of the flame front.

US Patent:

51026376, Apr 7, 1992

Filed:

Oct 12, 1990

Appl. No.:

7/597254

Inventors:

Thomas S. Snyder - Oakmont PA
Richard A. Stoltz - Plano TX

Assignee:

Westinghouse Electric Corp. - Pittsburgh PA

International Classification:

C01B 3308
C01G 2504
C01G 2704
B01D 3900

US Classification:

423240S

Abstract:

A vapor stream from a sand chlorinator containing principally zirconium tetrachloride, hafnium tetrachloride and silicon tetrachloride contaminated with ferric chloride is purified by cooling the vapor to a temperature of about 335. degree. C. to about 600. degree. C. The cooled vapors flow through a gaseous diffusion separative barrier where a silicon tetrachloride vapor stream contaminated with metal chlorides flows from the separative barrier as a "fast" stream; ferric chloride is adsorbed by the separative barrier; and a vapor stream principally containing zirconium tetrachloride, hafnium tetrachloride and silicon tetrachloride is screened by the separative barrier.