Separation system, method and apparatus

2-7. (canceled)

A method of separating metal powder from a slurry of liquid metal and metal powder and salt formed by introducing a metal halide vapor subsurface of a liquid metal causing an exothermic reaction producing salt and metal powder with the liquid metal being present in excess of the stoichiometric amount required, comprising introducing the slurry into a first vessel operated in an inert and/or vacuum environment for filtration and vaporization of liquid metal from the metal powder and salt leaving principally salt and metal powder substantially free of liquid metal and in clumps of particles having diameters less than about five centimeters, transferring the liquid metal vapor to a condenser operated in an inert environment to convert the liquid metal vapor to a liquid to be recycled for production of additional metal powder, and thereafter treating the salt and metal powder to produce passivated metal powder substantially free of salt and liquid metal.

A system for separating metal powder from a slurry of liquid metal and metal powder and salt formed by introducing a metal halide vapor subsurface of a liquid metal causing an exothermic reaction producing salt and metal powder with the liquid metal being present in excess of the stoichiometric amount required, comprising an inerted vessel in communication with a heater and a filter for filtering liquid metal from the slurry;

• a vessel in which liquid metal is vaporized from the salt and metal powder forming a filter cake of salt and metal powder, an inerted condenser in communication with said first vessel for receiving metal vapor and converting same to liquid metal, an inerted vessel in valved communication with said vessel filter cake is formed;
• a the filter cake into clumps;
• a cooling and passivating station for receiving filter cake, and a valve mechanism intermediate said inerted vessels and said vessel in which liquid metal is vaporized to prevent air from contaminating the filter cake prior to cooling and passivating transfer to said station.

A method of separating metal particulates from a slurry of liquid metal and metal particulates and salt particulates, comprising filtering the slurry to form a cake of metal and salt particulates with some liquid metal, breaking the cake and removing liquid metal from the broken cake, and thereafter separating the metal and salt particulates by washing with water.

9-13. (canceled)

A method of separating metal particulates from a slurry of liquid metal and metal particulates and salt particulates, comprising filtering the slurry to form a cake of metal and salt particulates with some liquid metal, breaking the cake and removing liquid metal from the broken cake, separating the metal and salt particulates, and sizing the metal particulates before water washing to prevent unacceptable explosions upon contact with water.

A transfer mechanism between a first vessel containing a slurry of liquid and solids and a second vessel under vacuum, comprising a housing in communication with said first and said second vessels, a screw having a plurality of helical threads along a longitudinal shank within said housing for transferring material from said first vessel to said second vessel, the volume between adjacent screw threads and said housing diminishing between said first and said second vessels, whereby slurry entering said housing from said first vessel has the solids therein concentrated as the slurry is transported by said screw toward said second vessel while liquid is expressed from the slurry as the solids are concentrated until the concentrated solids form a plug sealing said second vessel from said first vessel.

A transfer mechanism between a first vessel containing a slurry of liquid alkali or alkaline earth metal or mixtures thereof and metal or alloy or ceramic particles and halide salt particles and a second vessel under vacuum, comprising a housing in communication with said first and said second vessels, a screw having a plurality of helical threads along a longitudinal shank within said housing for transferring material from said first vessel to said second vessel, the volume between adjacent screw threads and said housing diminishing between said first and said second vessels, whereby slurry entering said housing from said first vessel has the particles therein concentrated as the slurry is transported by said screw toward said second vessel while liquid metal is expressed from the slurry as the particles are concentrated until the concentrated particles form a plug sealing said second vessel from said first vessel.

A method of concentrating and transferring a slurry from one container to another while sealing the containers, comprising providing communication between the containers, transporting slurry from one container toward another container while expressing liquid from the slurry thereby increasing the solids concentration thereof until a plug is formed between two containers while solids from the plug are transferred to the another container.

A method of continuously producing metal powder, comprising introducing a metal halide gas into the liquid phase of a reductant metal to produce a slurry of metal powder and excess reductant metal and a halide salt of the reductant metal, incrementally expressing liquid reductant metal to form a cake, distilling the incrementally formed cakes to vaporize reductant metal leaving metal powder and salt substantially free of reductant metal, passivating the metal powder, washing the salt from the passivated metal powder, and drying the metal powder.

17-21. (canceled)

A system of continuously producing metal powder, comprising a vessel containing a slurry of metal powder and liquid metal and a metal halide salt, and having an opening through which slurry flows, compression apparatus for incrementally expressing liquid metal from the slurry to form a cake with some liquid metal, a distillation apparatus for heating incrementally formed cakes to vaporize liquid metal leaving metal powder and salt substantially free of liquid metal, apparatus washing the salt from the metal powder, and apparatus for drying the metal powder.

23-24. (canceled)

26-32. (canceled)

35-46. (canceled)

48-49. (canceled)

52-59. (canceled)

61-73. (canceled)

75-85. (canceled)

87-91. (canceled)