Brian G Bonner

US Patent:

53485920, Sep 20, 1994

Filed:

Feb 1, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/012065

Inventors:

Diwakar Garg - Macungie PA
Brian B. Bonner - Nesquehoning PA
Paul T. Kilhefner - Wescosville PA
Paul A. Mattiola - Coopersburg PA
David L. Mitchell - Coopersburg PA

Assignee:

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. - Allentown PA

International Classification:

C21D 100
C21D 900

US Classification:

148208

Abstract:

An improved method for producing substantially moisture- and oxygen-free, nitrogen-hydrogen atmospheres suitable for annealing, hardening, brazing, and sintering ferrous and non-ferrous metals and alloys is disclosed. According to the disclosed method, suitable nitrogen-hydrogen atmosphere is produced by 1) generating a nitrogen stream containing about 0. 1 to 5% residual oxygen by a known non-cryogenic air separation technique, 2) mixing it with a pre-determined but more than stoichiometric amount of hydrogen required to convert residual oxygen to moisture, 3) converting residual oxygen to moisture by reaction with hydrogen in a catalytic reactor, 4) cooling the reactor effluent stream, and 5) removing moisture from it in a regenerative sorbent dryer.

US Patent:

52213692, Jun 22, 1993

Filed:

Jul 8, 1991

Appl. No.:

7/727806

Inventors:

Donald J. Bowe - Macungie PA
Brian B. Bonner - Nesquehoning PA
Diwakar Garg - Macungie PA

Assignee:

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. - Allentown PA

International Classification:

C21D 100

US Classification:

148208

Abstract:

A process for generating in-situ low-cost atmospheres suitable for annealing and heat treating ferrous and non-ferrous metals and alloys, brazing metals and ceramics, sealing glass to metals, and sintering metal and ceramic powders in a continuous furnace from non-cryogenically produced nitrogen containing up to 5% residual oxygen is presented. The disclosed process involves mixing nitrogen gas containing residual oxygen with a pre-determined amount of a reducing gas such as hydrogen, a hydrocarbon, or a mixture thereof, feeding the gaseous mixture through a non-conventional device into the hot zone of a continuous heat treating furnace, converting residual oxygen to an acceptable form such as moisture, a mixture of moisture and carbon dioxide, or a mixture of moisture, hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, and using the resultant gaseous mixture for annealing and heat treating metals and alloys, brazing metals and ceramics, sintering metal and ceramic powders, and sealing glass to metals.

US Patent:

52904806, Mar 1, 1994

Filed:

Dec 22, 1992

Appl. No.:

7/995618

Inventors:

Diwakar Garg - Macungie PA
Paul T. Kilhefner - Wescosville PA
Donald P. Eichelberger - Macungie PA
Brian B. Bonner - Nesquehoning PA

Assignee:

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. - Allentown PA

International Classification:

C06D 700

US Classification:

252375

Abstract:

A process for producing low-cost furnace atmospheres suitable for annealing and heat treating ferrous and non-ferrous metals and alloys, brazing metals and ceramics, sealing glass to metals, and sintering non-ferrous metal and ceramic powders from non-cryogenically produced nitrogen containing from 0. 05 to 5. 0% residual oxygen is presented. The disclosed process involves 1) mixing non-cryogenically produced nitrogen with a predetermined amount of dissociated ammonia, 2) passing the mixture through a low-pressure drop catalytic reactor, 3) converting the residual oxygen to an acceptable form such as moisture and reducing the residual oxygen level to below about 10 ppm, and 4) using the resultant gaseous mixture for annealing and heat treating ferrous and non-ferrous metals and alloys, brazing metals and ceramics, sealing glass to metals, and sintering non-ferrous metal and ceramic powders. The key feature of the disclosed process involves the use of a novel low-pressure drop catalytic reactor for converting residual oxygen with dissociated ammonia to moisture.

US Patent:

52980898, Mar 29, 1994

Filed:

Oct 26, 1992

Appl. No.:

7/966258

Inventors:

Donald J. Bowe - Macungie PA
Brian B. Bonner - Nesquehoning PA
Diwakar Garg - Macungie PA

Assignee:

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. - Allentown PA

International Classification:

F27D 2300
C21D 100

US Classification:

148208

Abstract:

A process for generating in-situ low-cost atmospheres suitable for annealing and heat treating ferrous and non-ferrous metals and alloys, brazing metals and ceramics, sealing glass to metals, and sintering metal and ceramic powders in a continuous furnace from non-cryogenically produced nitrogen containing up to 5% residual oxygen is presented. The disclosed process involves mixing nitrogen gas containing residual oxygen with a pre-determined amount of a reducing gas such as hydrogen, a hydrocarbon, or a mixture thereof, feeding the gaseous mixture through a non-conventional device into the hot zone of a continuous heat treating furnace, converting residual oxygen to an acceptable form such as moisture, a mixture of moisture and carbon dioxide, or a mixture of moisture, hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, and using the resultant gaseous mixture for annealing and heat treating metals and alloys, brazing metals and ceramics, sintering metal and ceramic powders, and sealing glass to metals.

US Patent:

54013399, Mar 28, 1995

Filed:

Feb 10, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/194757

Inventors:

Diwakar Garg - Macungie PA
Brian B. Bonner - Nesquehoning PA
Kerry R. Berger - Lehighton PA

Assignee:

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. - Allentown PA

International Classification:

C21D 176

US Classification:

148629

Abstract:

A process for producing low-cost atmospheres suitable for decarburize annealing carbon steels from non-cryogenically generated nitrogen containing up to 1. 54 residual oxygen by catalytically deoxygenating a non-cryogenically generated nitrogen stream at low temperatures with a hydrocarbon gas and mixing the deoxygenated stream with an economical amount of hydrogen prior to introduction into the furnace for annealing. The process includes the use of 1) hydrocarbon gas to convert residual oxygen to a mixture of carbon dioxide and moisture at low temperatures and 2) mixing the deoxygenated stream with a sufficient amount of hydrogen to maintain a pH. sub. 2 /pH. sub. 2 O ratio of at least 2 in the furnace.

US Patent:

53485939, Sep 20, 1994

Filed:

Nov 23, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/156533

Inventors:

Donald J. Bowe - Macungie PA
Brian B. Bonner - Nesquehoning PA
Diwakar Garg - Macungie PA

Assignee:

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. - Allentown PA

International Classification:

C22C 500

US Classification:

148208

Abstract:

A process for generating in-situ low cost atmospheres suitable for annealing and heat treating ferrous and non-ferrous metals and alloys, brazing metals and ceramics, sealing glass to metals, and sintering metal and ceramic powders in a continuous furnace from non-cryogenically produced nitrogen containing up to 5% residual oxygen is presented. The disclosed process involves mixing nitrogen gas containing residual oxygen with a pre-determined amount of a reducing gas such as hydrogen, a hydrocarbon, or a mixture thereof, feeding the gaseous mixture through a non-conventional device into the hot zone of a continuous heat treating furnace, converting residual oxygen to an acceptable form such as moisture, a mixture of moisture and carbon dioxide, or a mixture of moisture, hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, and using the resultant gaseous mixture for annealing and heat treating metals and alloys, brazing metals and ceramics, sintering metal and ceramic powders, and sealing glass to metals.

US Patent:

52845265, Feb 8, 1994

Filed:

Dec 22, 1992

Appl. No.:

7/995625

Inventors:

Diwakar Garg - Macungie PA
Brian B. Bonner - Nesquehoning PA
Donald P. Eichelberger - Macungie PA

Assignee:

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. - Allentown PA

International Classification:

C21D 1100
F27D 2300

US Classification:

148208

Abstract:

An integrated two-step process for producing low-cost atmospheres suitable for annealing ferrous and non-ferrous metals and alloys, brazing metals, sealing glass to metals, and sintering metal and ceramic powders in continuous furnaces from non-cryogenically produced nitrogen containing up to 3% residual oxygen is disclosed. The residual oxygen present in non-cryogenically produced nitrogen is converted to moisture by mixing it hydrogen and passing the mixture through a reactor packed with a platinum group catalyst in the first step of the process. The reactor effluent stream containing a mixture of nitrogen, unreacted hydrogen, and moisture is mixed with a predetermined amount of a hydrocarbon gas and introduced into the heating zone of a continuous furnace in the second step of the process to 1) convert moisture to a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen by reaction with the hydrocarbon gas via water gas shift reaction and 2) produce atmospheres in-situ suitable for heat treating. The key features of the process include 1) use of economical amount of hydrogen to convert residual oxygen to moisture in an external catalytic reactor and 2) conversion of moisture to a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen by reaction with the hydrocarbon gas via water gas shift reaction in the hot zone of a continuous furnace. The disclosed process is particularly suitable for producing low-cost heat treating atmospheres for continuous furnaces operated at 700. degree. C.

US Patent:

52980901, Mar 29, 1994

Filed:

Dec 22, 1992

Appl. No.:

7/995617

Inventors:

Diwakar Garg - Macungie PA
Brian B. Bonner - Nesquehoning PA
Donald P. Eichelberger - Macungie PA
Kerry R. Berger - Lehighton PA

Assignee:

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. - Allentown PA

International Classification:

F27D 2300
C21D 100

US Classification:

148208

Abstract:

A process for producing low-cost atmospheres suitable for annealing, brazing, and sintering non-ferrous metals and alloys from non-cryogenically produced nitrogen containing up to 5%, residual oxygen is disclosed. According to the process, suitable atmospheres are produced by 1) pre-heating the non-cryogenically produced nitrogen stream containing residual oxygen to a desired temperature, 2) mixing it with more than a stoichiometric amount a hydrocarbon gas, 3) passing it through a reactor packed with a platinum group of metal catalyst to reduce the residual oxygen to very low levels and convert it to a mixture of moisture and carbon dioxide, and 4) using the reactor effluent stream for annealing, brazing, and sintering non-ferrous metals and alloys in a furnace. The key features of the disclosed process include 1) pre-heating the non-cryogenically produced nitrogen containing residual oxygen to a certain minimum temperature, 2) adding more than a stoichiometric amount of a hydrocarbon gas to the pre-heated nitrogen stream, and 3) using a platinum group of metal catalyst to initiate and sustain the reaction between oxygen and the hydrocarbon gas.