Process for the production of aluminum chloride

Abstract

The efficiency of a given reactor for the conversion of aluminum oxide bearing starting material by means of reducing and chlorinating gases or of carbon coated aluminum oxide bearing starting material by means of chlorinating gases in a solid/gas fluidized bed to yield aluminum chloride is improved by the addition of an inert, solid dilution agent to the bed. Whereas, as a result of the chemical reaction, the average particle size and bulk density of the reagent decreases in a batch process, and in a continuous process an equilibrium value is reached, the average particle size and the bulk density of the inert material remains unchanged. An initial average particle size of 60-80 microns proved successful; quartz, corundum, magnesium oxide of similar particle size and bulk density was added as dilution agent, and a gas flow rate of 2 to 30 cm/sec was attained along with quantitative conversion of the gaseous reagent. The increase in the space-time-yield of a fluidized bed reactor, measured by the conversion achieved before onset of breakthrough in the fluidized bed, amounted to 58 to 65%.

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