New patent stuffhttps://patentscope.wipo.int/search/fr/detail.jsf?docId=WO2020243812&tab=PCTDESCRIPTION It’s a lot to read, but the patent showcases PYR’s deep expertise around electrodes and furnaces especially, and seems to be primarily about efficiency and safety gains, both of which save money for companies.
That is achieved by a sealed variation/innovation of the continuously-fed electrode, with a goal to 1/ minimize steam explosions from water leakage (a major issue with water-cooled electric arc furnaces [EAFs]);
2/ minimize the intrusion of dust into the assembly (which would improve efficiency of the furnace), and potentially;
3/ reduce or eliminate the need for water-cooling at all (a huge win if possible).
The patent may provide two key ends:
1/ to provide additional moat around current patents related to PYR’s silicon production process (so that someone couldn’t come up with this particular variation and render other patents less protective);
2/ more importantly, to use their existing knowledge in electrodes to develop new techniques in broader use electric arc furnace (EAFs), at any stage of the steel-making process and not just during pelletization.
This is especially important as the trend is beginning in steel production (from LKAB especially) towards direct reduction iron or DRI (also known as sponge iron). In LKAB’s case, their plan is to produce DRI/sponge iron from C02-free pellets for use in electric arc furnaces to make steel.
While LKAB is currently initiating their C02 pellet process with a biofuel-heated approach, and while they are still investigating use of plasma in that process, perhaps this patent alludes to PYR making their case as a continuous player along the whole steel process cycle, and not just upstream.
In other words, don’t overlook PYR for all parts of the process; once "inside the fence, we offer other ideas.
Just an opinion.