Process and apparatus for continuously producing multivalent metals
AssigneeOlin Corporation
InventorIgor V. Kadija
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrolytic cell is described for continuously producing multivalent metals, in particular titanium and titanium alloys. The cell is physically separated into a plurality of zones to better control the stepwise reduction of the multivalent metal. To further increase control over the stepwise reduction process, each zone is also provided with a reference electrode for controlling the voltage potential at each cathode. A process for reducing and plating the multivalent metal is also described.
Claims18
A process for continuously producing a multivalent metal, said process comprising:
- providing a cell having at least one non-metallic porous barrier for separating said cell into a plurality of zones;
- introducing a metal species having a first state of valency into one of said zones;
- electrolytically reducing said first metal species to a species having a next lower state of valency in said one zone;
- passing said species having said next lower state of valency through said at least one non-metallic porous barrier into another of said zones;
- and
- substantially continuously plating said metal onto a cathode in said another zone.
An apparatus for continuously producing a multivalent metal, said apparatus comprising:
- a cell;
- means in said cell for electrolytically reducing said multivalent metal in a stepwise fashion from a first multivalent species to a species having a valency state from which said metal may be produced;
- said reducing means comprising a first zone in said cell having means for electrolytically reducing said multivalent metal from said first species to a species having a next lower state of valency and a plating zone in said cell containing a cathode upon which said multivalent metal is substantially continuously plated;
- and
- said first zone and said plating zone being separated by at least one non-metallic porous barrier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.