Abstract

The invention relates to an electrically insulating rail joint for isolating two successive rails or rail portions with an insulating element between the end faces of the rails or rail portions, wherein the rails or rail portions are connected by connecting means, and wherein a slot and wedge are provided to pre-tension the insulating element. The invention also relates to a method to produce such a rail joint and to a rail part comprising the rail joint according to the invention

IPC Classes  ?

• E01B 11/54 - Electrically-insulating rail joints

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of preparing a reducing agent having an elevated temperature for use in an metal making process, comprising a) a pyrolysing step of heating a carbonaceous starting material using a heat source wherein the starting material is pyrolysed to a degree of pyrolysis of at most 80% into a partially charred carbonaceous product having an elevated temperature and producing a pyrolysis off-gas comprising volatile substances from the carbonaceous starting material, b) a combustion step of combusting the pyrolysis off-gas, thereby producing a combusted off-gas, wherein the thermal energy of the combusted off-gas is used as the heat source in step a) by bringing the combusted off-gas into direct contact with the carbonaceous starting material and/or wherein the thermal energy of the combusted off-gas is used as the heat source in step a) by heating the carbonaceous starting material without directly contacting the carbonaceous starting material. The invention also relates to a preferred device for performing the method according to the invention, a metal making process, such as an iron making process, making use of the reducing agent preparation process and apparatus for carrying out this process.

IPC Classes  ?

• C21B 13/00 - Making spongy iron or liquid steel, by direct processes
• C21B 13/14 - Multi-stage processes
• C10B 7/10 - Coke ovens with mechanical conveying means for the raw material inside the oven with conveyor-screws
• C10B 47/44 - Other processes in ovens with mechanical conveying means with conveyor-screws
• C10B 49/02 - Destructive distillation of solid carbonaceous materials by direct heating with heat-carrying agents including the partial combustion of the solid material to be treated with hot gases or vapours, e.g. hot gases obtained by partial combustion of the charge
• C21C 5/56 - Manufacture of steel by other methods

Abstract

An electrically insulating rail joint for isolating two successive rails or rail portions (1, 2) with' a ceramic insulating element (17) between the end faces of the rail's or rail portions (1, 2), wherein connecting means, (6, 7) provided to connect the rails or rail portins, are adapted to retain a compressive force applied to the electrically insulating element (17) betwee the end faces of the rails or rail portions (1, 2). A method to produce such a rail joint and to a rail part comprises the steps of providing a gap between two successive rail portions (1, 2) connecting the rail portions to each other, exerting a tensile force on the rail portions, inserting an electrically insulating element (17) in the gap between the end faces of the rail portions (1, 2) and releasing the tensile force exerted on the rail porltions at both sides of the gap.

IPC Classes  ?

• E01B 11/54 - Electrically-insulating rail joints

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for reducing metalliferous material to a reduction product. The invention also relates to an apparatus for reducing metalliferous material to a reduction product.

IPC Classes  ?

• C21B 13/00 - Making spongy iron or liquid steel, by direct processes
• C21B 13/14 - Multi-stage processes

Abstract

The invention relates to a chalcopyrite semiconductor based photovoltaic solar cell (10). This cell comprises a metal substrate (12). A conductive layer (16) is present between the metal substrate (12) and a chalcopyrite semiconductor (18). The conductive layer (16) has a crystal structure fitting to the crystal structure of the chalcopyrite semiconductor (18). The invention also relates to a coated metal substrate, in particular a metal strip for producing the individual metal substrates of a solar cell, as well as to a manufacturing method thereof.

IPC Classes  ?

• H01L 31/032 - Inorganic materials including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only compounds not provided for in groups

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for coating a substrate using physical vapour deposition, comprising a vacuum chamber wherein a coil (1) is placed for keeping an amount of conductive material (10) in levitation and for heating and evaporating that material, using a varying electric current in the coil, and wherein means (3) are placed in the coil to isolate the coil from the levitated material . According to the invention, the apparatus is characterised in that the isolating means are part of a container (2) made of non-conductive material, the container having one or more openings (5) for guiding evaporated conductive material to the substrate to be coated. The invention relates to a method for coating a substrate using physical vapour deposition.

IPC Classes  ?

• C23C 14/24 - Vacuum evaporation
• C23C 14/22 - Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the process of coating
• C23C 14/26 - Vacuum evaporation by resistance or inductive heating of the source