Mazdak International Inc (dba Cleantech Steel) is a Washington based engineering firm based in the Whatcom County. We developed and patented several processes to recycle steel, comingled scrap of metals and plastics through the use of natural gas, biogas or landfill gas.
Achievements
- 2013 Provisional Permit to build pilot permit to process 9000 tons/year
- 2014 started construction
- 2017 NSF grant SBIR Phase I allowed testing to confirm low emissions
- 2017 Obtained patent US201601746A1
- 2020 Obtained patent US 10180B294B2
For the last 3 centuries steel and cast iron were produced in large cupolas fired with coke. This was initially done with important emissions. Most cupolas in the United States are now closed and we went from hundreds to merely 40 in 2023.
The USA produces now very limited amounts of pig iron and used to import 5 million tons from Russia and Ukraine prior to the war of 2022. Brazil is now the principal supplier in more limited quantities.
The furnace acts like a refinery. Comingled scrap is heated to respective temperature to “sweat out” first the non-ferrous metals and pour them into ingots and then the temperature is raised to melt out the iron.
The furnace can be located at any recycle center to use landfill gas and reduce the volume of municipal waste. It is not an incinerator and the high temperatures associated with melting metals destroy toxins.
It is designed to process thousand tons a year for small communities and eliminates the cost of shipping municipal waste, overseas, and reduces landfills.
Ingots cast out of the scrap metals can be sold to foundries and reduce the import of cast iron from overseas.
A special version of the furnace called “Triple Chamber” uses the heat of the flue gases in the absence of oxygen to decompose scrap tires and plastics, by a process called “pyrolysis” and turn them into fuel that can be consumed in the burners melting metals.
We are looking for opportunities to deploy our technology by alliances, royalties or by servicing foundries and recycling centers.