Method and apparatus for condensing metal vapours using a nozzle and a molten collector
AssigneeMagnesium Silica Ltd
InventorsJens Sonderberg Frederiksen, Peter Saxby, Jean-Raymond Boulle, Robert R. Odle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for condensing vapour phase compounds or elements, typically metals such as magnesium, obtained by reduction processes.
Claims31
1-46. (canceled)
A method for condensing a vaporous material comprising:
- providing a gas stream comprising the vapour,
- passing the gas stream through a nozzle which has an upstream converging configuration and a downstream diverging configuration so that the vapour accelerates into the nozzle and expands and cools on exiting the nozzle thereby inducing the vapour to condense to form a beam of liquid droplets or solid particles in the condensing chamber,
- wherein the beam of droplets or particles is directed to impinge onto a molten liquid collection medium.
The method of claim 1, wherein the collection medium is maintained at a temperature above the melting point of the condensed vaporous material.
The method of claim 1, wherein the collection medium is a molten bath.
The method of claim 1, wherein the collection medium comprises a salt flux which has a specific gravity lower than that of the condensed vaporous.
The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid collection medium comprises a thin sheet of a first liquid disposed above a second liquid, the sheet being sufficiently thin to be disrupted by impinging condensed droplets or particles, to the extent that the sheet parts in a region corresponding to the impingement so as to reveal a surface of the second liquid so as to permit direct access of the condensed particles or droplets to the underlying second liquid for absorption therein, and wherein the thin sheet remains as a protective covering over a remaining portion of the surface of the second liquid.
The method of claim 1, wherein the collection medium comprises a moving sheet of liquid.
The method of claim 1, wherein the nozzle has an elongate transverse waist region so as to provide a generally planar or wedge-shaped output beam of condensed particles or liquid.
The method of claim 1, wherein the collection medium is disposed as a circumferentially circulating bath of liquid.
The method of claim 1, wherein the gas stream comprises reaction gas and/or a non-reactive carrier gas in addition to the vapour to be condensed.
The method of claim 1, wherein on exiting the nozzle the condensed droplets or particles form a first cone, the reaction gas and/or carrier gas form at least one further cone with the first cone accommodated inside the second cone and wherein a baffle means is provided around the first cone and substantially inside the further cone so as to provide a physical barrier which helps separate the carrier gas and other remaining gaseous species from the droplets or particles which pass through the baffle into the collection medium.
The method of claim 1, wherein the beam of droplets or particles impinges onto the collection medium at an oblique angle with respect to the medium surface.
The method of claim 1, wherein metal droplets in the beam are cooled to form solid particles before impinging on the collection medium.
The method of claim 1, wherein the collection medium is cooled so as to prevent liquid metal from the beam vaporizing.
The method of claim 1, wherein the collection medium comprises a liquid having a lower specific gravity than the condensed liquid material, which condensed liquid material is continuously or intermittently tapped from a collection medium reservoir and directed without intermediate solidification to a casting stage or alloying stage or other forming stage.
The method of claim 1, wherein the vaporous material to be condensed comprises magnesium.
The method of claim 1, wherein the vapour comprises a metal or metallic material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.