Electrochemical Reduction of Metal Oxides
OwnerRene Olivares, Ivan Ratchev +2inventors
InventorsRene Olivares, Ivan Ratchev, Gregory Rigby, Andrew Shook
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Abstract
A metal oxide feed material for an electrochemical reduction process is disclosed. The feed material is in the form of powders and/or pellets that have sufficient porosity, typically 35-60%, to enable penetration of molten electrolyte into the powders and/or pellets during the course of an electrochemical reduction process in an electrolytic cell and subsequent washing of electrolyte from the powders and/or pellets after the powders and/or pellets are discharged from the cell. A process for preparing the metal oxide feed material is also disclosed.
Claims32
A metal oxide feed material for electrochemically reducing metal oxides in an apparatus that includes an electrolytic cell that includes a bath of molten electrolyte and an anode and a cathode comprising one of a powder or pellet that includes a sufficient porosity to enable penetration of molten electrolyte into the one of a powder or pellet during the course of an electrochemical reduction process and subsequent washing of electrolyte from the one of a powder or pellet after the one of a powder or pellet is discharged from the cell.
A process for preparing a metal oxide feed material for electrochemically reducing metal oxides in an apparatus that includes an electrolytic cell that includes a bath of molten electrolyte and an anode and a cathode, which process includes the steps of:
- a. forming one of a powder or pellet of metal oxide feed material having a required porosity;
- b. sintering the one of a powder or pellet from step (a) to a required strength;
- and
- c. washing the sintered the one of a powder or pellet to remove fines attached to the one of a powder or pellet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.