Production of high strength hydrochloric acid from calcium chloride feed streams by crystallization

Abstract

The present relates to a method for producing calcium sulfate solid crystals and hydrochloric acid (HCl) from a calcium chloride solution comprising the steps of feeding a continuous stirred-tank reactor with a calcium chloride solution, sulfuric acid and water; mixing the calcium chloride solution, sulfuric acid and water in the reactor; and maintaining the reactor a temperature of less than about 70° C., converting the calcium chloride solution, sulfuric acid and water into HCl and calcium sulfate solid crystals. The method described herein can be incorporated as a means for regenerating HCl from CaCl2 solutions which are generated in the metallurgical industry when processing calcium-bearing ores for recovering metals like rare earth elements.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.