Andrew J Lindgren, 5628880 Norberg Dr, Grand Rapids, MN 55744

7632335, Dec 15, 2009

Dec 7, 2005

11/296197

Iwao Iwasaki - Grand Rapids MN, US
Michael J. Lalich - Duluth MN, US
Robert C. Beaudin - Duluth MN, US
Richard F. Kiesel - Hibbing MN, US
Andrew J. Lindgren - Grand Rapids MN, US
Rodney L. Bleifuss - Grand Rapids MN, US

Nu-Iron Technology, LLC - Charlotte NC

C21B 11/00
C21B 13/00
C21B 15/00

75485, 75504

Method and system for producing metallic nuggets includes providing reducible mixture (e. g. , reducible micro-agglomerates; reducing material and reducible iron bearing material; reducible mixture including additives such as a fluxing agent; compacts, etc. ) on at least a portion of a hearth material layer. In one embodiment, a plurality of channel openings extend at least partially through a layer of the reducible mixture to define a plurality of nugget forming reducible material regions. Such channel openings may be at least partially filled with nugget separation fill material (e. g. , carbonaceous material). Thermally treating the layer of reducible mixture results in formation of one or more metallic iron nuggets. In other embodiments, various compositions of the reducible mixture and the formation of the reducible mixture provide one or more beneficial characteristics.

7641712, Jan 5, 2010

Dec 7, 2005

11/296583

Iwao Iwasaki - Grand Rapids MN, US
Michael J. Lalich - Duluth MN, US
Robert C. Beaudin - Duluth MN, US
Richard F. Kiesel - Hibbing MN, US
Andrew J. Lindgren - Grand Rapids MN, US
Rodney L. Bleifuss - Grand Rapids MN, US

Nu-Iron Technology, LLC - Charlotte NC

C21B 11/08

75485, 75490

Method and system for producing metallic nuggets includes providing reducible mixture (e. g. , reducible micro-agglomerates; reducing material and reducible iron bearing material; reducible mixture including additives such as a fluxing agent; compacts, etc. ) on at least a portion of a hearth material layer. In one embodiment, a plurality of channel openings extend at least partially through a layer of the reducible mixture to define a plurality of nugget forming reducible material regions. Such channel openings may be at least partially filled with nugget separation fill material (e. g. , carbonaceous material). Thermally treating the layer of reducible mixture results in formation of one or more metallic iron nuggets. In other embodiments, various compositions of the reducible mixture and the formation of the reducible mixture provide one or more beneficial characteristics.

7695544, Apr 13, 2010

Dec 7, 2005

11/296198

Iwao Iwasaki - Grand Rapids MN, US
Michael J. Lalich - Duluth MN, US
Robert C. Beaudin - Duluth MN, US
Richard F. Kiesel - Hibbing MN, US
Andrew J. Lindgren - Grand Rapids MN, US
Rodney L. Bleifuss - Grand Rapids MN, US

Nu-Iron Technology, LLC - Charlotte NC

C21B 11/08

75503, 75474, 75477

Method and system for producing metallic nuggets includes providing reducible mixture (e. g. , reducible micro-agglomerates; reducing material and reducible iron bearing material; reducible mixture including additives such as a fluxing agent; compacts, etc. ) on at least a portion of a hearth material layer. In one embodiment, a plurality of channel openings extend at least partially through a layer of the reducible mixture to define a plurality of nugget forming reducible material regions. Such channel openings may be at least partially filled with nugget separation fill material (e. g. , carbonaceous material). Thermally treating the layer of reducible mixture results in formation of one or more metallic iron nuggets. In other embodiments, various compositions of the reducible mixture and the formation of the reducible mixture provide one or more beneficial characteristics.

8021460, Sep 20, 2011

Sep 29, 2009

12/569176

Rodney L. Bleifuss - Grand Rapids MN, US
David J. Englund - Bovey MN, US
Iwao Iwasaki - Grand Rapids MN, US
Andrew J. Lindgren - Grand Rapids MN, US
Richard F. Kiesel - Hibbing MN, US

Nu-Iron Technology, LLC - Charlotte NC

C21B 11/08

75484, 75504

A method for producing metallic iron nodules by assembling a shielding entry system to introduce coarse carbonaceous material greater than 6 mesh in to the furnace atmosphere at location(s) where the temperature of the furnace atmosphere adjacent at least partially reduced reducible iron bearing material is between about 2200 and 2650 F. (1200 and 1450 C. ), the shielding entry system adapted to inhibit emission of infrared radiation from the furnace atmosphere and seal the furnace atmosphere from exterior atmosphere while introducing coarse carbonaceous material greater than 6 mesh into the furnace to be distributed over the at least partially reduced reducible iron bearing material, and heating the covered at least partially reduced reducible iron bearing material in a fusion atmosphere to assist in fusion and inhibit reoxidation of the reduced material during fusion to assist in fusion and inhibit reoxidation of the reduced material in forming metallic iron nodules.

8158054, Apr 17, 2012

Dec 16, 2009

12/639584

Iwao Iwasaki - Grand Rapids MN, US
Michael J. Lalich - Duluth MN, US
Robert C. Beaudin - Duluth MN, US
Richard F. Kiesel - Hibbing MN, US
Andrew J. Lindgren - Grand Rapids MN, US
Rodney L. Bleifuss - Grand Rapids MN, US

Nu-Iron Technology, LLC - Charlotte NC

C21C 7/00
F27B 3/00

266216, 432195, 75484

Method and system for producing metallic nuggets includes providing reducible mixture (e. g. , reducible micro-agglomerates; reducing material and reducible iron bearing material; reducible mixture including additives such as a fluxing agent; compacts, etc. ) on at least a portion of a hearth material layer. In one embodiment, a plurality of channel openings extend at least partially through a layer of the reducible mixture to define a plurality of nugget forming reducible material regions. Such channel openings may be at least partially filled with nugget separation fill material (e. g. , carbonaceous material). Thermally treating the layer of reducible mixture results in formation of one or more metallic iron nuggets. In other embodiments, various compositions of the reducible mixture and the formation of the reducible mixture provide one or more beneficial characteristics.

8470068, Jun 25, 2013

Jan 26, 2009

12/359729

Iwao Iwasaki - Grand Rapids MN, US
Andrew J. Lindgren - Grand Rapids MN, US
Richard F. Kiesel - Hibbing MN, US

Nu-Iron Technology, LLC - Charlotte NC

C21B 13/10
C22C 38/00

75503, 75300

Method and system for producing metallic nuggets includes providing reducible mixture of reducing material (such as carbonaceous material) and reducible iron bearing material (such as iron oxide) that may be arranged in discrete portions, such as mounds or briquettes, on at least a portion of a hearth material layer (such as carbonaceous material). A coarse overlayer of carbonaceous material may be provided over at least some of the discrete portions. Heating the reducible mixture to 1425 C. or 1400 C. or 1375 C. results in formation of an intermediate product of one or more metallic iron nuggets, which may have a sulfur content of less than 0. 03%, and slag, which may have less than 5% mass MgO, which may have a ratio of percent by weight sulfur in the slag over percent by weight sulfur in the metallic nuggets of at least about 12 or at least about 15.

2006015, Jul 13, 2006

Dec 7, 2005

11/296179

Iwao Iwasaki - Grand Rapids MN, US
Michael Lalich - Duluth MN, US
Robert Beaudin - Duluth MN, US
Richard Kiesel - Hibbing MN, US
Andrew Lindgren - Grand Rapids MN, US
Rodney Bleifuss - Grand Rapids MN, US

C21B 11/08

075503000

Method and system for producing metallic nuggets includes providing reducible mixture (e.g., reducible micro-agglomerates; reducing material and reducible iron bearing material; reducible mixture including additives such as a fluxing agent; compacts, etc.) on at least a portion of a hearth material layer. In one embodiment, a plurality of channel openings extend at least partially through a layer of the reducible mixture to define a plurality of nugget forming reducible material regions. Such channel openings may be at least partially filled with nugget separation fill material (e.g., carbonaceous material). Thermally treating the layer of reducible mixture results in formation of one or more metallic iron nuggets. In other embodiments, various compositions of the reducible mixture and the formation of the reducible mixture provide one or more beneficial characteristics.