Method for producing large diameter high purity sodium amalgam particles

A method for producing free-flowing discrete particles of a sodium amalgam having a diameter between about 500 microns and about 1300 microns and containing from about 10 to about 26 weight percent sodium, balance essentially mercury which comprises:

• heating a mixture of said sodium and mercury in a vessel to a temperature above the melting point of the sodium amalgam while passing argon gas therethrough,
• filtering the sodium amalgam melt to remove solid impurities therefrom,
• separating at least a portion of the filtered melt from the balance of the melt to thereby control the height of the separated portion above a vibrating discharge conduit,
• passing the filtered melt through a vibrating discharge conduit to form said melt into droplets having a predetermined volume,
• passing said droplets through a quenching atmosphere of dry gaseous helium maintained at a temperature of less than minus 150.degree. C. by indirect heat exchange with liquid nitrogen to solidify and cool said droplets into particles having a diameter between about 500 microns and about 1300 microns.

A method for producing free-flowing, discrete sodium amalgam particles of controlled particle size and low sodium oxide content in the range from about 500 microns to about 1300 microns in diameter comprising:

• heating a mixture of sodium and mercury in a vessel to form an amalgam melt of determinable unoxidized sodium content;
• forcing a portion of said melt from the vessel from a point other than at an upper surface of said melt through a frit into a funnel to maintain a predetermined depth of the melt in the funnel;
• and
• passing the withdrawn portion of said melt from the funnel through a vibrating discharge conduit into an inert, quenching atmosphere to form particles of said amalgam having a diameter between about 500 microns and about 1300 microns.

A method for producing free-flowing, discrete sodium amalgam particles of controlled particle size and low sodium oxide content in the range from about 500 microns to about 1300 microns in diameter comprising:

• heating a mixture of sodium and mercury in a vessel to form an amalgam melt of determinable unoxidized sodium content;
• separating a portion of said melt from the vessel at a point other than at an upper surface of said melt to thereby control the height of said separated portion above a vibrating discharge conduit and thus the initial velocity of the melt through said vibrating discharge conduit;
• and
• passing the separated portion of said melt through a vibrating discharge conduit to form droplets of predetermined volume into a column containing an inert, quenching atmosphere to foam particles of said amalgam, said column of cooling fluid being substantially surrounded by and in indirect heat exchange relationship with a liquid bath to maintain the inert cooling fluid at a temperature sufficient to solidify said droplets into particles having a diameter between about 500 microns and about 1300 microns.